Words by Katie Intner

Whispers of a ’90s brow resurgence stoked panic. Fear not! What’s actually in is whatever shape, color, and style suits you best. Ahead, the new rules for your best brows ever.

After a decade of everyone striving for full Brooke Shields–inspired eyebrows, razor-thin brows came back into the limelight, thanks to recent Maison Margiela and Marni runways. A collective pearl-clutching over the possibility of the trend’s resurgence ensued. Some welcomed thin brows with open arms, and others—likely those who had flashbacks to overplucking into oblivion in the ’90s—feared their return. No matter what side you’re on, there’s a silver lining to all this brow-haha.

“The skinny brow of today isn’t an exact reenactment of the ’90s era—mostly because today’s version has a less one-size-fits-all mentality and doesn’t require you to participate in the trend if you’re not comfortable with it,” says Anastasia Soare, celebrity brow artist and founder of her namesake cult-favorite brand.

Matteo Scarpellini
The brows on the Spring 2025 Marni runway

Currently, there’s a broader fascination with ’90s beauty, from glossy brown lips to blue eye shadow. But unlike a lip or eye look that you can wash off at the end of the day, you can’t hit the reset button on a brow trend as easily—if at all. “Those of us who survived the first reign of the skinny brow will be the first to say, exercise extreme caution, because the hair does not always grow back,” Soare urges.

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From top: Lady Gaga, makeup look from Marni Spring 2025 runway, Kate Moss

Brows, after all, can change your whole look. There’s a reason makeup artists start with a client’s brows to frame the face. “The right brow shape and color can have a dramatic impact; they can open up the eyes, making you look more awake and youthful, or lift the cheekbones by drawing attention upward,” says Chanel brow artist Jimena Garcia.

There’s one major difference between ’90s brows and today’s iteration: You can achieve a thinner arch without tweezers. Garcia recommends using a strong-hold brow gel to tame hairs and give the illusion of a wispy arch. Or take a cue from the aforementioned Spring 2025 Marni runway, where sharp, theatrical arches channeling Vampira were created with high-pigment makeup.

Changing your brow color is also less of a commitment. “We’re seeing a lot of bleached-white brows, which are super bold and transformative,” says Garcia. Bleached brows call back to Chloë Sevigny in the late ’90s and, more recently, Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa, and Kendall Jenner, all of whom have showcased a less permanent way to create an edgy look. To fake bleached brows, apply concealer to a spoolie and brush it through the hairs for an easy-to-remove option. But it’s not a homogeneous approach; makeup artist Marcelo Gutierrez suggests adjusting the “bleach” color accordingly. “When I have clients with a darker complexion who want to bleach their brows, I’ll opt for a honey or caramel shade so it isn’t so stark,” he adds.

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From top: Margaret Qualley, makeup from Mugler Spring 2025 runway, Marlene Dietrich

Don’t limit yourself to natural hair colors either. “This year, I’m excited to see people play with brow color—from bold, vibrant hues to soft pastels,” says Kristie Streicher, brow artist and co-owner of Los Angeles–based beauty studio Striiike. Streicher’s biggest takeaway? While playing with trends should be fun and experimental, it should never come at the expense of the natural integrity of the brows.

Today’s brow-styling products improve the hairs instead of compromising them. “I love that people are starting to treat their brows with the same care and attention they give to their skincare routines,” Garcia says. Take brow gels, for example, which borrow ingredients like hydrating glycerin and nourishing seed oils from skincare formulas to keep brow hair soft yet secure.

So when, if ever, should you touch a tweezer? If you can’t get to a brow expert or artist, there are some tips and tricks to creating the perfect shape for your face. Soare’s signature technique, the Golden Ratio, focuses on the science of proportions. She recommends shaping the front of the brow so that it starts directly above the middle of your nostril, with the highest point of the arch connecting through your iris to the tip of your nose, then ends with the brow hitting where the corner of the nostril connects to the outer corner of your eye. Augmented-reality filters on TikTok can also help map your perfect brow shape or show what you’d look like with thinner or fuller brows.

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From top: Brooke Shields, Rihanna, Olivia Rodrigo

If you’re looking to be a bit more experimental, Garcia recommends creating a mood board with brows you love on face shapes similar to your own. A shorter, straighter tail, for example, can dramatically lift the eyes, which led some influencers to shave off the outer third of their brows last year. However, we don’t recommend this approach. When in doubt, don’t overtweeze. But if you do: “Don’t touch your brows for three to four months to rediscover your natural shape and arch,” Streicher says.

A wider embrace of brow shapes has ushered in a new crop of brow services. “Tinting is a staple when creating a natural-looking brow, as it fills in sparse areas by depositing color specifically designed for brow hair,” Streicher adds. Lamination, which acts like a perm for your brows, keeps the hairs fluffy and in place for six to eight weeks. (Gels, like those from Anastasia Beverly Hills and Refy, even have lamination technology built in.) Microblading is a semipermanent cosmetic tattoo that creates the illusion of brow hairs but has been historically hard to reverse—until now. “We’ve introduced a minimally invasive pigment-removal service to address regrets from microblading or other semipermanent procedures,” Streicher explains. “It gently removes unwanted pigment without the use of lasers, leaving a more natural appearance.”

All in all, no social-media or red-carpet trend should be your guiding light for creating your perfect brow. “Trends don’t dictate what’s ‘right’ or ‘best.’ Instead, they give you an opportunity to play, experiment, and expand,” Garcia maintains. “There’s beauty in every type of brow.”

This article originally appeared in harpersbazaar.com