New Year, New Brows.
Time to set some resolutions.
Here are some tips from our community of experts (and Rbrow stockists) for manifesting great brows in 2022.
1) Rethink your skincare routine:
Products and treatments that may be great for your skin can be negatively affecting your brows.
“Overuse of retinoids, peels and acids can lead to both dehydrated skin and brows,” says Chaka West, owner of West Browcare in the Washington D.C. area. “When brow hairs are dehydrated they become brittle making them vulnerable to breakage and, as a result, the ability to retain brow growth becomes difficult as well.”
Be careful when applying acids to the skin, avoiding the brow area. When it comes to retinoids, dermatologists suggest trying less frequent applications and a reduction in the amount applied or switching to retinyl palmitate, the least irritating of all retinoids. Additionally, keeping brows moisturized will protect brow hair. “A product like Rbrow that contains castor seed oil, cotton seed oil and coconut fruit extract will keep brows hydrated and healthy and prevent that vicious cycle of grow and break,” says Chaka.
Another culprit: laser treatments. “Usually my older clients are doing more facial treatments with lasers,” says Sarah West, brow esthetician and owner of The Brow Bar in Ann Arbor. “The intense heat of the laser can damage the hair follicles and inhibit future hair growth so make sure lasers don't come too close to the brow area.”
2) Take your vitamins:
Your diet can affect hair health and nutritional deficiencies such as fatty acid and zinc deficiencies can lead to hair loss.
“I usually recommend my clients try a supplement like Super Hair by Moon Juice which is formulated with bioavailable vitamins that are great for hair growth and help fight stress which also affects brow growth too,” says Sarah. “Many people are also following a vegan or vegetarian diet so they need to add these vitamins they are lacking. From my own personal experience I found out my vitamin D level was low. After I started taking 4000 iu I noticed my brows grew thicker.”
3) Check your hormones:
Hormonal imbalances, and hypothyroidism in particular, are a common cause of abnormal eyebrow thinning, especially in women. Reproductive hormone changes can also play a part in hair loss, especially postpartum and during menopause.
“We definitely see clients’ brows getting thinner with age and this can be due to hormonal changes,” says Sarah. “I’ve also noticed that my pregnant clients will lose some brow hair (before their bump even shows) but regain it after pregnancy.” If your brows seem to be thinning rapidly, she suggests checking your thyroid. “This is a super simple and easy blood test. Some of my clients can tell when their Synthroid medication needs to be adjusted just by the hair loss in their brows.”
By far, the worst, and very common hormone responsible for hair loss, however, is cortisol — by way of stress. Stress can cause telogen effluvium, sending all hairs into the resting phase, followed by shedding. The good news is that the hair loss that occurs from TE doesn’t permanently damage the hair follicles and is fully reversible and managing your stress through exercise and meditation can restore a healthy rate of hair growth.
4) Try brow brushing:
Just as brushing your hair stimulates the capillaries, increasing blood circulation and the transport of oxygen and nutrients to the hair follicles encouraging hair growth, strengthening the roots and diminishing hair loss - so brushing your brows will lead to better brows.
"One of the best tricks I’ve ever used to keep my brows full and growing is to gently brush them every night, “ says Heather Bradley, owner of Bradley Beauty in Los Angeles. “Brushing also removes microscopic skin and dander buildup which leads to healthier brows. Follow up with a conditioning treatment like Rbrow to keep your brows full, growing, and lasting longer throughout your lifetime.”