How To Bleach Your Brows (For Real Or With Makeup)

beauty
by Arooha Khan |
Fri, 23 Sep 2022

bleached brows

Bleached brows have been coming back into the beauty stratosphere for the past few years, but now they’re literally everywhere. Honestly, you can’t scroll through TikTok anymore before spotting the coveted brow lewk – #bleachbrows is currently at 130 million views – not to mention, they’re splashed across magazine covers, campaigns, and ofc, on the runway. And we understand (and stand with) the hype – they instantly add a cool, edgy vibe and radiate punk, grunge glam energy. If you’re ready to commit, we’ve prepped the ultimate step-by-step guide to bleaching like a pro, sans irritation, and if not, don’t worry you can fake the look with makeup and still look hot AF…

The 411 On Bleached Brows

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Let’s be real: bleached brows are a certified “out-there” look. Brows frame your facial features, and so without them, you’re left with a totally different look that feels hella edgy. TBH, the resurgence makes total sense – after two years of minimal makeup, the world is finally using beauty as a tool of expression and a chance to rebel. People are low-key ready to try anything and everything. The look also has the celeb-seal of approval; everyone from Lizzo to Kendall has experimented with the look, as well as Kim, who repeatedly slays bleached brows. In fact, after Kim’s recent Interview cover, the search for bleached brows increased on TikTok by 212%, which is WILD!

How to Bleach your Brows at Home

Now you know the backstory, here’s how to bleach your brows at home, or if you’re feeling hesitant, how to achieve the look with makeup, instead. If you opt for IRL bleaching, make sure you do a patch test first by applying the bleach to the back of your hand or behind your ear to ensure there are no unwanted reactions. Wait for 24 hours, and if you’re still clear, you’re good to go.

@rosabarzz idk what I’d do without my Jolene bleach tbh.. #browbleaching #Tigerpigdance #foryou ♬ Cancun Sega Genesis – Xavier

Step 1: Cleanse your brows thoroughly to ensure they’re free of any product. Then, sweep a dry cotton pad across your brows to remove any excess oils.

Step 2: Apply a barrier cream to the skin around your brows as the skin here is super sensitive. Vaseline or Aquaphor also does the job if you don’t want to waste your expensive creams.

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Step 3: Mix equal amounts of bleach and developer into a bowl and combine to make a paste. Make sure it’s not too runny and not too thick; you should be able to pick it up on a spoolie without it dripping everywhere.

Step 4: Using a spoolie, apply the formula to your brows, ensuring each brow hair is evenly coated. Then, take a piece of plastic wrap and place it over your brows.

Step 5: Wait for approx 10 minutes, then check to see the color of your brow hair – if it’s lightened enough, rinse and remove the bleach with soap and water. Alternatively, wait and check your brow hairs every 2-3 minutes until you achieve your desired results.

Pro tip #1: Mixing your bleach can get a little tricky. Depending on the color and thickness of your hair, you’ll need to mix up a different ratio of developer with bleach powder. The darker the hair, the higher the percentage of developer you should use.

Pro tip #2: It can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes to bleach your brows, depending on how dark and thick your natural hair is. They could even require a second bleaching sesh. However, we’d advise waiting a day or two to give your skin a break, then only apply a light layer of bleach.

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When it comes to finding the perfect bleach, we’d recommend trying the Jolen Creme Bleach, $7, as it’s formulated specifically for facial hair. If you’re still scared, grab your bestie and do it together. We’ve also heard great things about the BLEACH LONDON Total Bleach Kit, $13.  

How to Fake a Bleached Brow Look (With Makeup)

@nidalkabashiiIm surprisingly obsessed♬ Super Freaky Girl – Nicki Minaj

If bleaching your brows feels waaaaay too much, don’t worry; you can still achieve the look using concealer and powder. Here’s our step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Start by color correcting your brow to cancel out the dark tones of your natural brow hair –it’s the same principle as color correcting your undereye. Simply find a full coverage, peach-toned concealer and apply a thick layer to your brows using a spoolie to ensure every brow hair is evenly coated.

Step 2: Now it’s time to go in with another layer of full coverage concealer; however, this shade should be two to three shades lighter than your skin tone to create that faux-bleached effect. Of course, we’re loving our new Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Luminous Matte Liquid Concealer, $29.

Step 3: To ensure that your faux-bleach brows last all night, lock them in place with a powder like our Easy Bake Setting Power, $35. Simply grab a loose brush and dust your brows with powder, leave to bake for three to five minutes, then sweep away any excess.

@patmcgrathreal BLEACHED BROWSTransform your eyebrows with Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Concealer⚡️⚡️⚡️ SHOP NOW AT PATMcGRATH.COM #fyp #makeup #eyebrows ♬ son original – 2society

If this still feels too much effort, you can achieve the look with one simple swipe of the Sensorium Beauty Brow Engineer, $17. It’s as easy as it sounds! 

For more trends, check out the only brow trends you’ll want to try in 2022

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