Make 2023 the Year of Your Best Brows Ever

2022 was not a good year for eyebrows. Between the return of the skinny brow, the bleached brow trend and even shaved brows, our brows have taken a battering. If you jumped on one of these trends, chances are you are already having regrets. Fortunately, all is not lost as dry January and February’s short days and bitter weather offer the perfect opportunity to get into goblin mode and grow back those brows.

Known in the business as Brow Rehab, restoring your brows to their former glory is possible - the biggest myth is out there is that brows don’t grow back - but it requires patience and discipline as you down tools for a good two to three months to fully allow the hair to work through its natural growth cycle.  

So how exactly does the brow growth cycle work? First up is the anagen or growth phase during which the hair is actively growing to its full length. This usually takes 30 to 45 days.

This is followed by the catagen or transition phase, which lasts about 21 days. During this time the hair follicle shrinks, the hair stops growing, and your eyebrow hair sits stable after reaching its full length.

In the final telogen or resting phase, the fully-grown hair sits inactive and resting for two to four months before it sheds and is replaced with a new brow hair starting in the anagen phase again.

The entire cycle takes between four and six months, and while this may sound like an impossibly long time to leave our brows untouched, there are products and hacks that can make the process easier.

Here, our guide to getting through brow rehab so that by the time spring rolls around you’ll be sporting a set of superlative brows. 

1) The brow pencil.

A great brow pencil is an essential and we think the award winning Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting pencil is the best on the market. The formula combines the benefits of powder, pencil and wax to effortlessly fill brows; the triangular-shaped tip allows for a soft, natural looking application; and the double-ended component comes with a blending brush. Use this pencil to hide regrowth, make your brows look naturally fuller during the regrowth phase.

If you simply cannot resist plucking the occasional stray hair, outline the eventual desired shape of your brows – the beginning of the brow should line up with the middle of your nostrils and end diagonally from your nostril going past your eye's outer corner – and never touch a hair within that outline.

2) The concealer.

A good concealer will be your best friend, covering up unsightly stubble and defining your desired brow shape. This Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Skincaring Concealer delivers lightweight yet buildable coverage, glides on evenly and smoothly and is formulated with moisturizing Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin C and E so it doesn’t look cake-y or settle into fine lines.

3) The exfoliator.

Just like your scalp benefits from a scalp scrub to slough away dead skin cells, prevent ingrown hairs and encourage hair growth, your brows can get a boost from regular - but gentle - exfoliation. We love to use this this SkinMedica AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser formulated with naturally derived alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) combined with beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) in addition to jojoba spheres twice a week to wash our face and spend an extra 20 to 30 seconds massaging the exfoliator in gentle circular motions around and between the brow area (not the actual brows).

4. The Rbrow.

Each morning use your Rbrow brush to gently backcomb the brow hairs starting at the tail and moving forward to the beginning of the brow. This will stimulate circulation and the growth of the follicle while also helping to get rid of dead skin that can collect under the hair.

Every evening apply Rbrow balm to the brows in a gentle upward motion starting at the root, through to the tip. Formulated with Coffee Bean Seed Oil to stimulate hair growth and prolong the anagen phase for fuller brows; Castor, Camellia and Cotton Seed Oils which are rich in linoleic acid to enhance the health of the hair follicles, promote hair growth and prevent hair loss; Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 which helps brows appear longer, fuller and stronger by promoting hair bulb keratinocyte proliferation and ensuring optimal hair anchorage; and Panthenol which helps strengthen hair, retain moisture, and improves the texture of damaged hair.