Eyebrows – they’ve always been “in”

Eyebrows – they’ve always been “in” The last few posts have talked about lips and the history of lipstick, we looked at how lipstick tricks have changed from the early lip paints used by the Egyptians to the gorgeous red toned lipsticks worn by women in the 30’s.

This month I’d like us to focus on another important part of any beauty routine – our eyebrows. Eyebrows are the cheekbones of the eye, they frame the eye, give definition to the face, emphasise our emotions when communicating via facial expression and they keep the sweat out of our eyes. Practical as well as pretty!

Let’s look at how trends have changed (and even come full circle) and what you can do to achieve the perfect eyebrows to suit your mood, style and face shape.

In 3500 BC, Egyptian women, as with lipstick, pioneered another make up movement – bold eyebrows. Make up was worn by Egyptian men and women for its supernatural powers, with particular emphasis on eye makeup. The popular heavily lined eye look was won in homage to their god Horus and was completed by applying black oxide substances to their brows to create an elongated and arched shape.

By 753 BC, the Ancient Romans began experimenting with their brow styles and the preferred look of the day was the unibrow!!!! Far from being cause to call in for an emergency waxing appointment at Ginger Tree, the unibrow was considered to be a beautiful trait.

1066 and all that and the beginning of the Middle Ages brought a dramatic shift in eyebrow trends. Medieval women wanted to emphasise their foreheads and plucked their eyebrows heavily to create thin arches. Some went so far as to dye their eyebrows with a red tint in an attempt to emulate Queen Elizabeth I’s eyebrows.

As with many fashion trends, a celebrity led the way in the 1920’s. Her name was Clara Bow and she was a silent film actress. The eyebrow was made of a thin arch and extended beyond the corner of the eye creating a striking look. This era was also the first time cosmetic companies made cosmetics specifically designed for the eyebrow and the stylish women of the day took full advantage.

The 1940’s saw a switch in brow trends towards heavier more natural looking brow shape. The prominent arch was still in vogue, but the brow was thicker. Grace Kelly the famous actress and later Princess of Monaco would be the perfect example of this style.

The 1960’s brought a stronger, bolder look with heavy use of eyebrow pencil. Think of the actress Sophia Loren. Did you know she removed her own eyebrows completely then pencilled in bolder, thicker brows.

The 1990’s we went back to thinner brows, think Kate Moss and Drew Barrymore, but we also started to see the emergence of the ‘Scouse Brow’ and new cosmetic products and treatments sprung up. In recent times ‘The HD Brow’ has been a very popular treatment, giving bold, defined eyebrows, although some think they are overdone, but it’s certainly helped to bring attention to eyebrow make up and styling. So we have come full circle from the Egyptian bold brow to the ‘Scouse Brow’.

Perhaps you’re not so much a follower of fashion, but current trends have made you think about your eyebrows. When deciding on your eyebrows, it’s important to consider your face shape, bone structure and age. The next blog will talk about this specifically and give you hints and tips on how to use the latest brow kit from Jane Iredale Mineral Make up – The Great Shape Eyebrow Kit.