Fashion

Here's How to Lighten Your Eyebrows (Without Dye)

I hate to admit it, but Miley Cyrus may have been on to something when she bleached her brows. Although it's still somewhat terrifying to me, New York Fashion Week's Fall 2014 runways proved that the latest beauty trend is to go lighter, ditching the dark, bushy brows of yore. From Alexander Wang to Marc Jacobs, models paraded around their barely-there eyebrows, complimenting their (almost) makeup-free faces. While this seems to be all the rage, I'm not suggesting you go out and bleach your brows right away. That is a full commitment you may not be ready for. Instead, test out the look with a few simple beauty tricks and products. There's no need to permanently dye the little hair you have separating your eyes from your forehead. Here's how to lighten your eyebrows without using bleach or dye.

TRIM AND SHAPE YOUR BROWS

The light brow trend is all about keeping your eyebrows to a minimum. Don't pluck or wax it all off (obviously), but try to clean-up your brows as much as possible. Having a thin, groomed brow will make the following steps easier.

COLOR YOUR BROWS WITH A LIGHT PENCIL

Find a brow pencil that is a couple shades lighter than your natural hair color. For example, if you have dark brown hair, consider getting a warm brown, like this one from ULTA's line of Ultimate Brows Shade. Fill in your eyebrow with the pencil until it's completely covered. For a softer, more natural look, consider using a lighter colored eyeshadow instead of a pencil.

ULTA's line of Ultimate Brows Shade, $13, Amazon

FILL IN YOUR BROWS WITH A BROW GEL

Find a brow gel that is the same color as the pencil or eyeshadow you used to fill in your brows, like those from MAC's brow set, which is available in several different tinted shades, including golden and fawn blondes. Carefully fill in your brows with the gel as you would a mascara, wiggling the wand up at the start of your brow and down as you follow the arch. Remember: the most important thing to do is blend! If you're having a hard time making it look natural, use a clean, mascara wand after applying to brow gel to brush through your brow hairs. Let the gel set and boom — lightened eyebrows with no trace of bleach in sight (or smell).

MAC's Brow Set, $26, Amazon