Odds are, your eyebrows have been through a lot. Whether it was the over-plucking of the ’90s or simply a bad salon experience, getting thicker brows can feel tedious. Here, experts break down six tips to achieving fuller eyebrows—think Lily Collins or Zendaya levels—no microblading or transplant necessary.
Put down the tweezers
Though it seems obvious, the first step is to stop tweezing. This will allow all your brow hairs to reach the same stage of the growth cycle, explains Chanel brow artist Jimena Garcia.
“During that grow-out phase, you can keep things tidy by trimming longer hairs instead of plucking them,” she says, adding that “a little brow gel can also help tame any unruliness.”
Garcia also recommends using this grow-out time to experiment with another part of your beauty routine. “Try a bold red lip, experiment with bangs you’ve always wanted, or master that chic cat eyeliner,” she offers.
Avoid harsh hair removal methods and exfoliants
Rachel Westbay, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Marmur Medical in New York City, suggests avoiding aggressive waxing and threading, as well as harsh exfoliants. These can include retinoids, AHAs (such as glycolic and lactic acids), BHAs (like salicylic acid), and mechanical exfoliants.
The skin around the eyebrows is thinner and more delicate than that on the scalp, she explains. So, it’s important to focus not only on the health of the hair follicle, but the skin it grows from, too, she says, “because chronic inflammation can essentially worsen thinning.”
Pay attention to your diet
“Don’t underestimate the inside-out approach,” Garcia says. Dr. Westbay agrees, noting that adequate protein intake is important for maintaining hair health, since hair is primarily composed of protein.
Additionally, “iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional factors for hair thinning, including brows and scalp,” Dr. Westbay says. (Some iron-rich foods you can add to your diet include spinach, nuts, eggs, red meat, and dark chocolate.)
Other factors include zinc, vitamin D, and certain vitamin B deficiencies, so prioritizing a well-balanced diet is key.
Focus on the ingredients in your brow serum
Ingredients in brow growth products “tend to be aimed at prolonging the growth phase, reducing breakage, and improving support of the follicle,” Dr. Westbay says. “That’s why you’ll often find that brow serums contain ingredients like peptides [and] conditioning agents like Panthenol.”
For those unfamiliar with peptides, Dr. Westbay describes them as “signaling molecules,” adding, “they help communicate with cells around the follicle, and they help support a healthier environment for hair growth.” She notes that some peptides can help stimulate keratin production (the protein hair is made of) while others can prolong the hair’s growth phase. (Her favorite is the Olaplex Browbond Building Serum.)
If you’re focused on hair growth, then the brow products you’re using should be gentler, with formulas that contain “less alcohol, fewer fragrances, gentler preservatives, and lighter delivery systems,” Dr. Westbay says.
Condition your brows
Castor oil is commonly cited as an ingredient for hair growth; however, it’s really more of a moisturizer, Dr. Westbay says. It can make your brows look healthier, shinier, and softer, she explains, which can make your brows look fuller by conditioning them and reducing breakage.
The oil is one ingredient in Garcia’s so-called “magic mix” for nourishing and conditioning your brows, along with sweet almond oil and vitamin E. It can be applied once a week or up to three times a week, she says, depending on how much conditioning your hair needs.
