The canons of fashion and beauty change very often. What may now seem excessive or even ridiculous to us was probably in vogue a few decades ago. This happens for clothes and shoes but also beauty and make-up are not immune to changes. If we think of women like the actress Marilyn Monroe or the iconic model Twiggy, it is clear to understand how, in the space of a few years, the canons of beauty can change radically.
What has changed most in history are the canons of beauty of the female face. In addition to the way of making up and styling the hair, the shape of the eyebrows has been changed. The browbone and the focus of our face : it frames the eyes and determines our expression. Today the trend is to have thick and tidy eyebrows that can deepen the look but it has not always been this way. Over the years very different fashions have alternated and so has the ideal of beauty to be sought.
So let’s see together 10 different fashions that have changed the shape of the eyebrows throughout history:
1. Thick and united
It seems very difficult to believe today but in ancient Greek times, thick and united eyebrows were synonymous with beauty. Women who did not have them so naturally resorted to makeup to join the 2 eyebrow arches. The most famous unibrow of the 1900s is that of the unforgettable Mexican artist Frida Kahlo who in these years has been rediscovered for her art and for her feminist ideals. Coming up to the present day, model Sophia Hadjipanteli is the trendiest exponent of unibrow .Followed by over 400 thousand followers, and the champion of united eyebrows that also emphasizes with make-up and dyes. Her battle against stereotypes and standardized beauty standards often meets with the aversion and even disgust of some. Sophia, however, can also count on a large audience of fans who support her precisely because of her “diversity”.
2. Completely shaved
Starting from the Middle Ages and for a very long historical period, the forehead became the focal point of female beauty. Women emphasize it with hairstyles to accentuate its size and begin to completely shave the eyebrows and part of the hairline. This trend can be seen in many paintings of the time.
3. Thin and “saggy”
After a glorious period in antiquity, eye and eyebrow makeup is neglected for centuries. Until the 1920s, only prostitutes wore makeup using a pencil and kajal. Everything changes with the advent of cinema. It was necessary to be able to capture facial details and facial expressions in the absence of sound and with black and white film. This is why thin and angular eyebrows and eyes highlighted by dark make-up appear on the faces of the actresses. This favors the diffusion of make-up and make-up becomes a mass affair. It is precisely in these years that the first brands such as Maybelline appear .
4. Thin and round
In the 1930s, the undisputed icons of beauty were Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo. The make-up artist of the Hollywood divas Max Factor studied a style that involved the complete hair removal of the eyebrows and then redesigning them in pencil creating a thin and round arch. This look became emblematic in those years, even if it was extremely difficult to wear.
5. Natural
In the 40s the style changes. A number of factors contribute to the return of a more natural style. Cinema is now in color and sound so it must reflect a female figure closer to reality and the war also imposes a more sober and less constructed style on the world of high society. Absolute icon of these years and Grace Kelly. Natural eyebrows, porcelain face and ruby red lipstick : this is the style sought by women of the 40s.
6. Gull-wing
When we talk about gull-wing eyebrows, we can’t help but think of iconic actresses like Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn. Gull-wing eyebrows are the stars of the 1950s. Thick and defined, arched like Marilyn or linear like Audrey the important thing, in the golden age of pin ups, and which are accompanied by eye-liner and lipstick for a marked and elegant femininity.
7. Arched and enhanced by makeup
The arched, thin and retouched eyebrows with a pencil line debuted in the 1960s. The focus of makeup in those years shifted from the lips to the eyes which must be deep and sharp. Dark eyeshadow and a long line of pencil go hand in hand with kilometer-long lashes and the brows have the job of framing a cat-like look. Here then they taper off following sinuous lines, defined by a pencil line. An example of all those of Sophia Loren. It seems that the Italian actress had decided to thin them and define them in this way because the natural curve of her eyebrow gave her a sad and melancholy expression.
8. Bushy and disheveled
Bushy, disheveled and perhaps of a color in stark contrast to that of the hair. This was the style that was popular in the 1980s. And among the icons of these excessive and extravagant years, Madonna is certainly the most brilliant and representative. Thick eyebrows have the ability to deepen the look and it is for this reason that they periodically come back into vogue.
9. Very thin eyebrows
Anyone who has lived through the 90s and early 2000s knows what we are talking about. Thin eyebrows, almost invisible and often combined with pastel colored eyeshadows. This fashion has affected everyone, from celebrities like Gwen Stefani to ordinary women, with sometimes satisfying and sometimes tragic results. In fact , thin eyebrows are very difficult to wear and only on some particular faces are they harmonious.
10. Eyebrows today
In recent years, eyebrow fashion has shifted towards a natural but constructed look. The eyebrows that everyone dreams of having today are thick, slightly arched, dense, uniform and that respect the lines of the face. I mean, we all want to be Cara Delavingne. If nature does not allow it now, however, there are many solutions. In addition to the pencil, you can use tattooing, micropigmentation, microblading – a semi-permanent make-up technique – or coloring. On the market you can also find specific long-lasting dyes and pencils, gels and serums to keep them relaxed and tidy.
But who knows what the future holds and what our eyebrows will be like in a few years.
