In 2022, bleached eyebrows all but defined the epicenter of cool.  

The trend, which has cycled out and in of prominence since bursting into the mainstream within the ‘90s, has recently been sported by everyone from A-listers like Maisie Williams and FKA twigs, to on a regular basis people simply trying to edge up their appearance. 

The look first gained momentum when fashion designers like Alexander McQueen and Anna Sui waltzed icy-hued brows down the runway within the ‘90s. Celebrities including Jared Leto and Madonna shortly followed suit. 

In his 1997 book, “Making Faces,” late makeup artist to the celebs, Kevyn Aucoin, described eyebrow bleaching as a way to “soften the expression” and “open up the face.” He famously executed the look on high-profile figures like Cindy Crawford and Jennifer Anniston before his passing in 2002.

Fast-forward to this past spring, superstar makeup artist Pat McGrath bleached the brows of widely (albeit newly) recognized trend arbiter Julia Fox. (She also had a hand in crafting the actress’ signature black graphic eyeliner look, which Fox debuted earlier this yr.) 

“My goal was to create a glance that was just as stunning because it was subversive,” said McGrath, who first dabbled with bleached brows within the early ’90s for a shoot with i-D Magazine. “The fun of bleaching brows is the way it completely changes the way in which we perceive someone’s face. I think that we’re entering a recent era where individuals are ready for something beyond looking ‘perfect.’”

Terry Barber, MAC Cosmetics’ global creative director of artistry, echoed McGrath’s notion that the appeal of bleached brows lies of their otherworldly, or as he put it, “almost alien,” beauty.

“It’s this concept of barely de-perfecting your face by taking something away — there’s something about it that’s just ambiguous,” said Barber, who executed bleached eyebrows for Richard Quinn’s fall 2022 ready-to-wear show earlier this yr. “Your regular brow acts as a frame for the attention, and it sort of dictates what form of shape you do together with your eyeshadow; take that away, and the world is your oyster with expression.”

This level of unhampered self-expression is resonating with consumers today, with bleached brows transcending the realm of fashion and celebrity, and permeating on a regular basis life as more people opt into the unconventional beauty trend.

TikTok even has a preferred “Light Brows” filter created by user @sashaanddiana, which allows users to simply test the bleached brow look on themselves, without the possibly daunting commitment.

Emily Claire, a hairstylist at Rob Peetoom Salon in Williamsburg, Latest York, has begun to supply up brow bleachings to clients who are available to lighten their hair, as a way to finish the look. “Quite a lot of people will try the TikTok filter before the get it done for real,” said Claire, adding that clients just as often go for a bleach-and-color combo, leaving the salon with blue, auburn or copper brows, too.

With the trend sweeping up even the Kar-Jenner clan (Kylie, Kendall, Kim and counting), who haven’t only long adhered to standard beauty norms, but defined and perpetuated them, it seems bleached eyebrows — while perhaps not for the faint of heart — are here to remain.

Here, a have a look at the trend through the a long time.