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1940s: The Thin Arch
The eyebrows of the ‘40s added a touch of thickness to the pencil-thin style of the previous decade. But the dramatic arch that defined the beauty of the Golden Age of Hollywood lived on.
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1950s: The Diva Arch
“[These] were feminine but bold,” Jimena Garcia, Chanel brow artist, says of the style of the decade. “Hollywood stars like Elizabeth Taylor and Ava Gardner were in their glory.” The arches were more groomed and defined than they were in the ‘40s.
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1960s: Fluffed Up
“[The ‘60s] started with fluffed-up, full, natural but groomed brows, à la Jacqueline Kennedy and Ali MacGraw,” says Garcia. “It then transitioned into [being] all about the eyes with Brigitte Bardot and Twiggy’s thinner looks and more defined lashes.”
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1970s: Narrow & Transformative
In an era all about disco and glitter, “brows became skinny and narrow — tweezing was strong," Garcia says, pointing to David Bowie’s arches. Stars like Cher and Donna Summer kept brows thin to show off colorful eye makeup.
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1980s: Return Of The Bold Brow
“[The ‘80s] were about money and success: bigger is better,” Garcia says, explaining why the full brow was back. “Models like Brooke Shields, Margaux Hemingway, and Cindy Crawford were the ideals.”
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1990s - 2000s: Plucked Away
“Punk, grunge rock, and Kate Moss were everything,” Garcia says of the era. “Makeup was minimal, and Gwen Stefani, Drew Barrymore, and Pamela Anderson made over-plucked brows a thing.”
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2010s: Bold Brows (Again)
In this decade, thick arches had a resurgence. "Then came Cara Delevingne and the brow power came back in full effect," says Garcia. "Everyone wanted fuller, fluffier, Instagram eyebrows."
2020s: The Bushy Brow
“Kim Kardashian has become the god of eyebrows,” Garcia says, though notes it’s still too early to name a defining style. Her prediction? “History always repeats itself, so I do believe thin brows will be regarded as beautiful again.” TBD on that.