I have been getting a lot of questions on my YouTube channel, here and via email about my brows recently–so I decided to make a video! This is actually part one of a two-part series; the second video on eye liner will be coming out next week (hopefully).
In the video I talk a little about how I shape my brows and the particular look I go for (a 40s “natural” brow). But I also wanted to share some other inspiration with you from various decades. The correct shape brow, if you’re going for a vintage look on a regular basis, is one of those elements that helps your look read “retro” even on days when you’re not really made up in head-to-toe vintage. I would highly suggest that if you’re still looking for the perfect brow to compliment your face shape, to focus on movie starlets and models from your favored decade that have similar face structure/eye shape to yours. Usually within whatever decade you most favor, you can find someone with a similar facial shape to yours and go from there! If you find a shape that compliments both your personal style and face shape, it is an ultimately flattering frame for your eyes–and people will notice! I personally tend most towards a brow that is similar to the ones in the 1940s collage below that are sported by Gene Tierney and Lauren Bacall.
1930s brows are generally long, thin and highly curved. Some are all one width (Jean Harlow, bottom right), others have a slightly wider inner edge and taper to a thin line towards the outer point (Olivia deHavilland, center right).
The 1940s brow tended towards a medium width and length, and varied from highly groomed (Diana Barrymore, top center) to somewhat more natural (Ingrid Bergman, bottom left).
The 1950s were the decade of the highly arched and thick brow (Audrey Hepburn, center left). Some brows were a bit more softly arched (Grace Kelly, top center), but almost all were well groomed and started out very thick at the inner corner and tapered to a medium width point at the outer edge.
If you have any questions or ideas/comments to add to this, please chime in! I am by no means an expert in this area, and everything I share is tips and tricks that I’ve discovered via trial and error…
I always wondered how you got your brows so perfect, what a great and easy tutorial! thanks so much
Can’t wait to try this out!
Great tutorial! I’ve just started using brow shadow very recently, but this encourage me to try out some styles (at least in front of the mirror…). Thanks!
Thanks for the tutorial! Beautifully groomed brows do add to your overall look, for sure. The 40′s brows were very elegant.
OMG–I needed this! I was just telling my best friend that I finally plucked my eyebrows and it did make a difference. I didn’t do the greatest job but I have a *lot* of brow to work with so it doesn’t look bad. Seriously, I’m right up there with Brooke Shields–in the Eighties–when it comes to eyebrow.
That’s Olivia de Havilland on the center right?? Wow. Not used to seeing full-blown promotional pictures of her.
So glad you found this helpful!!!
Speaking of Brooke Shields… I seriously wanted to have her brows/hair when I was little. lol. I always thought thick brows were far more alluring!
Isn’t that photo of Olivia de Havilland stunning?! I don’t have too many pictures of her in my files, but that is one of my favorites.
Great tutorial. I have to try this.. ( I look like Frida Kahlo I dont pluck them, hehe)
Fabulous! I shall point anyone who asks about my brows to you, because you do it much better than I do – I only use pencil! x
i wish i could get my brows to look that good! i have asian hair so my eyebrows grow in two completely different directions, it feels like! the best i can hope to do is fill them in!
xo
sami
Excellent post! Your examples from each decade are spot on.
I like the 50′s the best.
You’re tutorials are great! I love this one, I’m always looking for the perfect elegant brow-shape…this has been very helpful, thanks!
Ooh I just LOVE watching people do their make up – it’s mesmerising!
Thanks so much! I LURVE this blog…can anyone tell me which starlet is in the 40s box at the top left corner? She’s stunning!
Thanks so much for your sweet words about my little ol’ blog!
The gal at the top left of the 40s collage is Betty Grable.
it can be very helpful for first time brow-groomers to go to a salon and have them waxed first, and then maintain the shape (plucking new growth every couple days) rather than form your own brows.
If you are forming your own brows, using a shadow that contrasts with your hair on the portion of brow you want to remove can provide a helpful guide against overplucking.
Great tips–thank you so much for sharing those! I have to admit that the idea of having someone else shape my brows for me has always been a bit… weird.
lol. But that would have been helpful back when I started doing this, rather than the length of time it took to really learn to shape my brows the way I wanted!
Great post! I’ve been plucking a loooong time, since I was 12, because my eyebrows were so crazy thick and long. I wish I’d had these inspirational photos back then, it would have saved me from many a disaster. Right now I’m still trying to figure out what to do with them… the tricky thing (I’ve found) is finding a style that not only balances your face well, but also works with the direction, texture and thickness of hair of your eyebrows… and also if each brow grows differently!
I know what you mean about finding a style that works with the brows themselves; I tried for awhile to do a very 50s look, but mine just aren’t suited to that at all! :p It takes some time, but it really worth it in the end to try out some different styles/methods to figure out what works best!
I’ve gone through the spectrum of eyebrow shapes over the years, I get complimented on them quite a bit so maybe I have a knack. I’d like to thicken them for even more of a 1950s look.
Thank you for this wonderful post! I’ve never really had any idea how to do my brows, thanks for inspiration! You are lovely ♥
I do think it is wonderful to see how people do their eyebrows. I only have to pluck about once every 3 weeks as it is, so I am really happy with how I don’t have to really maintain mine at all. I think you do your eyebrows so lovely!! I think I have hazlenut too but I use it as an eyeshadow alone. hehe. I have loads of browns and whitish shades. I never realized how much goes on with having to work on brows. I do know a few people who add to their brows and it fascinates me!
you are so gorgeous! i love your look, and eyebrows!
This is such an awesome post! I definitely fall in to the 40s & 50s way of styling my brows, but it’d be fun to try out the 30s look one day…
Lovely photos and great tips, as usual! I’ve been reading your blog for about a year now, Casey, and have absolutely enjoyed everything about it!
P.S. I think the girl in the center, right photo of your 1940s girls is Donna Reed, not Olivia de Havilland. She and Donna Reed look very much alike so I can see how you got confused!
I just realized that you meant Olivia de Havilland was in the 1930s group, in the center right and not the second group. I can clearly see that it’s her! Whoops! My bad!
That is a gorgeous picture of her, by the way! I don’t think I’ve ever seen that one before!
Ingrid, Ann Miller and Audrey.. It’s really a pity I look really odd if i would color my eyebrows. well well… also Ginger Rogers had nice brows.
This is just great.
I wish it had been around when I costumed South Pacific b/c it would have been so easy to direct my actresses to it, but I’ll be using it for Philadelphia Story this winter!