How I Grew My Dream Eyebrows in 7 Easy Steps
Hi, my name is Allison McNamara, I am a fashion and beauty blogger and TV host, and… I was born with naturally sparse eyebrows.
I've always dreamed of having fuller brows, and decided to take action. And even though I suffered from a serious case of over-tweezing back in my middle school days (where's the parental supervision when you actually need it?!), my eyebrows have not only fully recovered, but I've also managed to grow the eyebrows of my dreams. Not kidding!
Before I give you all of my deep, dark secrets, let me start off with a few key notes so I can manage your expectations.
1. You aren't going to grow brows like Cara Delevingne or Lily Collins overnight.
2. You may never grow brows as thick as aforementioned browtastic ladies (I blame genetics).
3. But, if you follow the steps below, in 8-12 weeks (yes, that's 2-3 months) you will see major improvements.
4. I don't want to get you too excited… but you might even be able to stop filling in your brows during your beauty routine.
Okay, now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's talk about brows and how to grow them out! Big, bold brows have been popular in the beauty world for a few years now, thanks to some seriously bushy-browed models and actors (see no. 2 above), and it's safe to say that this trend isn't going anywhere. Until recently, I was tirelessly drawing in my brows daily, until it dawned on me: Why spend so much time filling in my brows when I could be focusing my energy on growing them out? Easy enough, right? Below is what I found.
Tip 1: Start Growth From the Inside Out
(via iHerb.com)
The simplest of steps commonly gets overlooked. Start speeding up brow hair growth and fullness by taking Biotin and Folic Acid in the morning. Biotin is valuable in cell proliferation, which means an increased number in cells, making it a key part of hair growth. An added benefit? The hair on your head will grow faster and healthier, too! The con? Biotin can lead to breakouts. If you're acne-prone, instead of taking Biotin supplements, up your nut intake, along with omega 3 fatty acids found in delicious foods like salmon, walnuts and peanut butter.
Tip 2: Avoid Your Eyebrows During Your Skincare Routine
This one is a sneaky game-changer. Most of the time when we moisturize our faces, we slather product all over our entire face–brows included, right? Stop doing this, stat. Keep skincare creams, moisturizers and even tinted moisturizers and foundations away from your brows. Many of these products have ingredients in them that can inhibit hair growth, and can even cause eyebrow hairs to fall out (gasp!).
Tip 3: Get an Eyebrow Growth Serum Accelerator
(via AnastasiaBeverlyHills.com)
These live up to the hype, and I believe this is the reason my eyebrows are as full and wild as they are today. Apply a growth serum of your choice–I suggest Anastasia Brow Enhancing Serum Advanced ($38) or RapidLash Eyelash and Eyebrow Renewal Serum ($50)–to clean brows morning and night, and make sure you focus on the sparse areas! Note: not all lash serums are meant for your eyebrows, too, so make sure you double check that it's meant for your eyebrows before applying it.
Tip 4: Say Bye Bye to the Tweezers for 6-8 Weeks, Minimum
(via Voyagerix via Shutterstock)
Saying "see ya later" to your tweezers sounds easy at first, but around week five or six, the struggle gets real. Keep this in mind: When you tweeze any of your eyebrow hairs–even ones that seem way out of line from your soon-to-be bushy brows–you mess up their growth cycle. In order to achieve maximum fullness and growth, you need to get your eyebrow hairs all on the same growth cycle.
Let your eyebrows grow out for at least eight weeks before reaching for the tweezers–and even then, think twice! I didn't pluck mine at all for 12 weeks, and it was worth it. You never know, a few brow hairs that I thought were strays in the beginning eventually became a part of my new, fuller brow line.
Tip 5: Steer Clear from Waxing and Threading
(via Wavebreakmedia via Shutterstock)
You're trying to grow our brows out, not get rid of them! Once you've let your brows grow out for 12 weeks, or as long as you can take it, I suggest seeing a pro for a clean up, but say you only want them to tweeze.
Tip 6: Instantly up Fullness with Hair Dye
(via justformen.com)
This tip will work wonders for anyone with light to medium-color eyebrows. The first time I dyed mine, the results were shocking. The hair dye colored all of those tiny, light baby brow hairs that I didn't even know existed!
The hardest part about dyeing your own eyebrows is selecting the right shade. I suggest using Just for Men mustache and beard dye. Sounds a little crazy, I know, and clearly it's not "just for men ????." Choose a color that is slightly darker and ashier than your hair color, and stay away from going too dark. I use Just for Men mustache and beard dye in medium brown. Follow the directions that come with your dye kit, and always leave the dye on for less time than instructed, because you can always go darker, not lighter! The first time I dyed my brows, I left the color on for three minutes total and it came out perfect! And, make sure to clear it with your parents first.
Tip 7: Be Gentle
Just like the hair on your head, you want to be gentle with your eyebrows, too. If you use a pencil to fill in your brows, be very careful during your application and don't use a super sharp one because you can accidentally rip out your brow hairs and damage the hair follicles. Consider switching to brow powder to be safe!
If you follow these steps for 2-3 months, you, too, will be walking around with the eyebrows of your dreams! And while you're at it, why not try this insanely gorgeous, Instagram-worthy eyebrow art!