Look away, millennials: Gen Z is bringing back thin brows — and beauty experts are alarmed

Gen Z is EYEhaving a whole new look when it comes to their eyebrows

Thin and barely there brows are coming back into fashion, with the big, hooded brows loved by Cara Delevingne and Zoe Kravitz now on their way out of popularity.

“I’ve definitely noticed the return of the skinny brow, but today’s version focuses on sculpting and highlighting your features rather than penciling them in,” British brow artist Hollie Parkes told CNN of the trend inspired by the 90s.

Revival can be found everywhere from social media to the runway.

Earlier this year, models walking the runway at Maison Margiela’s Paris Fashion Week show hid their natural brows to give the illusion of barely there hair. Makeup artist Pat McGrath painted thin, curved lines up the models’ foreheads and covered the brow below.

A few months later at the Met Gala, Zendaya, FKA Twigs and Doja Cat also got in on the trend, completing their looks with either razor-thin brows or bleached brows.

However, the looks loved by celebrities don’t always look so good on “normal” people.

“If you’re thinking about thinning your brows, I highly recommend booking an appointment with an expert,” advises Parkes.

Brow expert Kamini Vaghela – who has been shading the brows of A-list celebrities and royalty for more than 35 years – also warned against copying beauty standards that work for other people, especially as brows need to be just right for the shape of an individual’s face.

“I don’t believe in eyebrow trends at all. It’s about what suits the individual – no one shape can fit all,” she explained.

Vaghela recalls seeing a photo of Twiggy in the 1960s and seeing her thin, pale eyebrows, “which suited her”.

“I took one look at her – she had thin, pale eyebrows to match – and I knew so many women would copy it and look completely ridiculous,” she said.

The London-based eyebrow expert believes that a person’s eyebrow shape should be based on bone structure, eye shape, skin tone and hair color.

When trying to keep up with trends, people often overpluck their eyebrows to the point of no return, causing them to grow unevenly or in odd shapes.

Anyone hoping to grow and thicken their brows should apply castor oil “or any oil, at night,” suggested Vaghela.

“The oil is good for stimulating the brow hairs and keeps them soft,” she added. “It’s magic.”