If you like to dabble in the world of celebrity beauty looks, you may have noticed an unexpected trend cropping up in your Instagram feed: bleached brows. Ever since that fateful Met Gala in 2016 when one Kim Kardashian walked the red carpet with some very light arches, bleached eyebrows seem to have a chokehold on the cool girls of social media.
So, should you bleach your brows? Well, while it may look great for a moment, you might actually be doing more harm than you think…
Reasons not to bleach brows
We’re not here to crush anyone’s dreams of barely-there brows, but it would be remiss of us not to outline every issue you may come across if you decide to go down the bleached eyebrows route.
Damage to the hairs
Everyone knows that bleach is not your hair’s best friend. It’s why there are a million products out there that deeply nourish bleached hair so you’re not faced with broken strands. Less products out there for nourishing brows, unfortunately.
Your brow hairs are more delicate than the hairs on your head so for most, it is only a matter of time before they are damaged, start falling out or break off at the root. And trust us, that’s not fun for anyone.
The bleaching process is also a tricky one to get right. If you have dark brown eyebrows, adding bleach to them can result in orange arches, which isn’t quite what we’re going for here.
Damage to the skin & eyes
When applying peroxide to the brows, it is inevitable that you’re going to get some on the skin, and for people with sensitive skin, this can feel really uncomfortable. A bleaching kit includes chemicals like peroxide and ammonia which can make the skin feel like it’s burning, leading to redness, tenderness and irritation.
Being so close to the eyes comes with its own risks. If those chemicals get into your eyes, you’re in for a really rough time. Not only will it be super painful, it could lead to permanent damage to the eyes. Eeek!
Maintenance
If you dye your hair blonde, you’ll know the struggles that come with regular trips to the salon to get those roots touched up. Now imagine those darker roots coming through on your face. You’ll probably have to re-bleach your brows every couple of weeks and it is something you have to be really on top of.
How to lighten your brows
If you’re happy to take on everything that comes with bleached eyebrows, be our guest! But, if you’re eager to get lighter brows without the risk that comes with the peroxide, there are safer ways.
A lighter brow pencil can really work wonders - no ammonia required! This little trick works best when you’re looking to go just a couple of shades lighter than your natural brow colour. Let’s be honest, you’re not going to get that totally bleached look without all of those chemicals, but this is a great way to dip your toe in the trend. Grab your Brow Love Soft Brow Pencil in a lighter shade and swipe the pencil through your eyes, like you’re mimicking the shape of your hairs. To make your brows lighter with a pencil, you will have to be a bit heavier handed than you usually would, as you’re trying to change the colours of your hairs.
If you want to go that step further, another little insider tip is using a concealer or the Brow Pop! to lighten the brows. If you are using a concealer, you’ll want to play around with what technique works for you. For some, using the product directly on your brows is all you need. If you really want to get around the hairs, run a clean spoolie over the concealer, and brush the spoolie through the brows. For the finishing touch, set with the Zebra Clear Brow Gel to lock in the colour.
A few great products can help you jump on the bleached eyebrows trend, without frying your arches - because dead brow hairs and irritated skin are never on trend! Shop our full range of brow products here.