Makeup

Do eyebrows grow back? How to regrow over plucked brows

It won't happen overnight, but it will happen.
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The late ’90s and early ’00s were prime time for pencil-thin eyebrows – we’re looking at you Gwen Stefani and Drew Barrymore. But brow disasters still happen, let’s be real. Whether you’ve never quite recovered from past damage, or a recent plucking session has left you with sparse arches, with a little work and patience it’s still possible to get the on-trend, bold and bushy look of your dreams.

Unfortunately eyebrows don’t grow back overnight, but if you’ve decided now is the time to grow the hair out, there are some important things to know first.

The bad news is a history of persistent over plucking can actually cause permanent damage to the hair follicle, explains Bosley Professional trichologist Michelle Blaisure to Allure. So if you have years of plucking under your belt, there’s the chance that parts of your brows may never grow back. This is because when you repeatedly rip out hairs in the same area, it can halt the growth cycle. But that’s the worst case scenario.

Speaking to Beauty Crew, Benefit Cosmetic’s National Brow Artist Hannah Mutze says it varies from person to person when it comes to how long it takes to grow out eyebrow hair. She says it can take a couple of weeks for some, while others will experience new growth after several months or even years.

The best thing you can do for yourself now is step away from the tweezers and leave your brows firmly alone. While you may feel a bit unkempt during this process, you should give your brows room to breathe before getting them shaped again. Why not embrace bushier, brushed-up, Glossier-like eyebrows anyway? If you’re lucky enough to grow enough hair, that is.

There are, however, plenty of options available to help things along. Even if your hair follicles have in fact been traumatised due to excessive tweezing, waxing or another removal method, it’s now easier than ever to mimic a full brow with the help of some nifty products and treatments.

Try a brow serum

The next best thing to simply leaving your brows well alone, using an eyebrow serum regularly can help speed up growth and nourish the hair while you wait. These products work by strengthening brittle eyebrow hairs to improve the flexibility and shine. One like RevitaBrow® Advanced Eyebrow Conditioner, $89 (two month supply) which is specifically formulated for brows, features scientifically-advanced technology and natural botanicals to protect against breakage.

If you have decided to invest in a brow serum, make sure you use it religiously in order to see an actual difference. If you stop using it, the growth you’ve managed to achieve is likely to fall out.

Enlist a brow expert

The professionals really are the best people to help tidy up the shape of your brows without destroying your hard-earned growth. Make sure to book regular appointments with a reputable brow stylist and communicate that you would like to keep the fullness of your eyebrows while maintaining some shape.

But what about cosmetic tattooing? Microblading or feather touch brows have become a popular option for those wanting to fill in gaps and bring definition. Designed to replicate real hairs with thin strokes, if carried out by highly-skilled professionals, such as the experts at Lash Noir, the end result should look natural and complement your features. If you’re finding it tricky to achieve any real growth, semi-permanent makeup could be the way to go.

Fake fuller brows

By far the quickest way to get thicker brows, using the right product will tide you over until the real stuff materialises. Brow pencils are fantastic for drawing thin, short strokes, particularly if you have gaps where hair never seems to grow. Avoid filling in your eyebrows with one single stroke – instead apply small strokes in the direction your hair is growing.

bh loves: Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil, $46, Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, $38, Nutrimetics nc Precision Brow Pencil, $35, Revlon ColorStay Brow Pencil, $28, Maybelline New York Brow Precise Micro Eyebrow Pencil, $18.99

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