Bleached brows have been the subject of several debates about their necessity, yet it is impossible to disregard how sharp and distinct you look with them.
It will be cliché to start by stating that unconventional is the new normal when it comes to self-expression. If everybody were to look in some type of agreeable way, then there is no point in having the conversation about expressing oneself differently from the norm. What we all used to approve of as “normal” brows were the natural brown or black hair strokes, until some trendsetters dared bleach them, and we can say it worked. At the end of the day, normal is boring (and this is not a cliché).
Normal Brows (Source: Allure.com)
We should also bear in mind that choosing to exhibit oneself in a certain way goes farther than the experimental intent it kicks off with. You must be capable of owning the look as it goes on to become an imprint that every other curious person wants to try. As expected of trends like this, bleached brows have been the subject of several debates about their necessity, yet it is impossible to disregard how sharp and distinct you look with them. Exploring the world of bleached brows demonstrates your openness to more adventure than just wearing that daring look.
The bleached brows trend is up against any discourse about it being a fashion error; it is indeed one of the most intentional trends that are living up to the moment, just as the 90s-old thin brows, which made a comeback through Rihanna’s Vogue cover in 2018. We’d say it’s the most daring look in the game until something else comes close.
If we must discuss the traditional mode of brows that existed before the sassy bleached ones, the full brow trend yearning not to be waxed is not in competition with the bleached brows because you need all the volume to have them bleached. The prototype of naturally full brows requires a very evident outline that makeup artists do the magic of adding more life to. While the shaved brows and tweezers are gradually finding their way out of the show, the furry hairs are not scared of getting bleached.
Hermes Iyele (Source: Instagram)
According to Allure, additional ranges of these natural brows include subtle volume, shiny arches, not-so-perfect arches, and natural texture, as well as lifted and laminated brows. They all obey the bleach’s command whenever it calls, which means that whatever shape your brows were in before bleaching has little effect on the completely transformed look you’ve just achieved. The bleach takes care of it all.
If the eyebrows could speak, you would learn that they are not afraid of a little experiment; it only matters to the person who defies the set standard, and the sudden switch is the least scary thing to do out of the box because you can simply go back to your old ways without stress.
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We would agree that bleached brows made their way to the scene through the runway. The status quo changed in 2022 when it could travel beyond the runway and show up daily, and this happened without a revolution. The bleached brow trend, which appeared to be quite challenging of the normal look, rather calmly transcended from the faces of Gucci models, who were featured with fake heads and eyes at Milan Fashion Week in 2018, to the faces of our quirky friends and sisters, particularly those in the Gen Z demographic.
Gucci Model, Milan Fashion Week 2018 (Source: Teen Vogue)
The Emergence of Generation Z
Bleached brows would have come and gone just like any other trend that millennials tried in their closets without having the courage to make a fuss about it. These daring individuals transformed the occasions when bleached brows were prominently displayed into more modern ways of life such as going to movies, attending block parties, hopping on the train to the city centre, and appearing in Instagram photos as if it were nothing. Top among the Gen Zs are the Alté kids, who have no business explaining to the laymen how the alternative lifestyle is more fun than the stereotype. This sect categorically ate up the bleached brow look without leaving any crumbs. They acknowledge that this trend has been a fearless way of conveying their intricately perceived selves thus far.
Willow Smith (Source: Instagram)
Celebrity Trend
Celebrities were also caught in this drama, but for a short period, unlike the Gen Zs. There have been a host of red-carpet events as far back as the 1990s where bleached brows made an unforgettable statement. Madonna was the pioneer of this trend in 1992 when she turned heads with her eyebrows at a book party in New York. Jared Leto, an award-winning American actor and singer, took the rarely discussed male seat in this trend when he stunned for a movie screening in 1998. Kim Kardashian will never be forgotten for taking the 2016 Met Gala, “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology,” took the red carpet by storm with her talked-about brows and her laid-back, sleek black hair.
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Katy Perry joined at the same event with an edgy look resulting not only from her bleached brows but also from her out-of-this-world bangs. While Kendal Jenner took after her sister’s brows at the 2022 Met Gala, we lost count of how many times Maisie Williams effortlessly wore bleached brows to events in 2022, but a certain movie premiere in London in May 2022 was one for the books. She did not mind contrasting the darker, bushier brows she was known for. Julia Fox and Lady Gaga have contributed more than just bleached brows to these remarkable events; they made sure to cause some drooling with their over-the-top makeup.
Jared Leto (Source: Google Images)
Kim Kardashian (Source: Glamour Magazine)
The fashion and entertainment scene in Africa is also a partaker in the bleached brows trend. The trend speaks at a level that is impossible to ignore amongst notable personalities, influencers and also Gen Zs. A lot of afrobeat music videos display these eyebrows alongside characteristic prints and ensembles to complete culturally rich African looks.
After all said, and done, it becomes quite interesting that a look capable of making one unrecognizable took a hold of the year. We cannot tell how long the trend will stick around, especially in the hands of this so-called generation that is known for creating and jumping on trends every now and then. What we can say as a result of our experience of the timeless trend in 2022 is that the future of bleached brows is not vague.