Stop plucking
This is a no-brainer, but if you’ve found yourself with sparse brows, it’s time to put down the tweezers and back away from the mirror. When trying to grow back your brows, avoid any products that might be inhibiting hair growth (or actually pulling out your hairs unintentionally). Avoid brow products with drying alcohol or heavy waxes that could be “suffocating the brow or drying them out,” says Azi Sacks, a brow artist based in New York City. “A lot of brow gels contain alcohol, while waxy brow pencils could be heavy with a waxy texture, which can snap or yank on the brow.” While wax-based brow pencils might help you achieve a sharp brow look, they’re not doing any favors for the hairs that fall out after each fill-in. “As much as [brow pencils and gels] are appealing because they create a look of a big sharp structured brow or are user-friendly with regards to application, they can create major damage,” explains Sacks. “The more you use these types of products, the more you become dependent on them and have reason to use them—your brows will increasingly become sparse from the damage caused by these products, so you’ll end up needing to use the product more and more.”
Opt for lightweight brow products
According to Sacks, brow powder is the most gentle way to fill the brow when trying to grow in new hair and avoid damaging existing hairs. Arches & Halos Duo Luxury Brow Powder ($6; target.com) includes two shades in one, so you can choose how bold you’d like your brows to be, depending on the look that you’re trying to achieve. Another great option is Emilie Heathe Full Up Brow Powder ($38; emilieheathe.com), which features a brow powder in a brush-on applicator for super easy application. The formula is free of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates, and anything that will clog pores—ideal for those trying to grow out their brows. Although some brow gels do contain alcohol, Sacks recommends a few she loves that are light and won’t clog the pores of your brows or dry out the brow area. “I love Kjaer Weis Brow Gel ($30; detoxmarket.com) because it’s light and contains coconut oil and many other ingredients that actually encourage growth,” says Sacks. “Given that it’s light in texture, [this brow gel] doesn’t suffocate the hair so it can breathe and not break.” Another light choice that Sacks loves is Chantecaille Full Brow Perfecting Gel ($40; nordstrom.com). If you’d rather go makeup-free on your brows, Sacks recommends using the cult-classic Rosebud Perfume Co. Rosebud Salve ($7; sephora.com) along with a mascara spoolie—just dip the spoolie lightly in the salve, brush up your brows and be amazed by the texture it gives them. “It actually creates a perfect level of shine and grit to lift the brow up off the skin and to fluff it up,” explains Sacks.
Promote growth
Brow growth doesn’t happen overnight (in fact, it takes four to six months), but there are ways to speed up that turnaround. The key to continual brow growth, according to Sacks, is to keep the brow hydrated and use oils every night. “When you keep the brow hydrated, you help prevent snapping and shedding—the brow naturally sheds, so keeping the skin under the hair healthy, as well as keeping the hair soft itself, will help with maintaining density and fullness,” says Sacks. Organic cold-pressed castor oil, coconut oil, or almond oil are ideal for brow growth. “Almond oil contains vitamin A, B, and E, and it’s incredible in stimulating new hair growth,” says Sacks. “Brushing [your brows with a clean spoolie] multiple times a day is helpful in creating a healthy environment for new hair to pop out as well.” If you want to try a brow growth serum, Sacks recommends Vegamour vegaBROW Volumizing Serum ($80; vegamour.com). “Vegamour is truly an incredible and thoughtful product—it’s all-natural and includes biotin and many natural ingredients that bring sensational results that last even after you stop using the serum, which is rare,” says Sacks. Another brow growth product that we love is Grande Cosmetics GrandeBROW Brow Enhancing Serum ($73; sephora.com), which lasts 16 weeks and will add some serious growth to your overplucked brows, fast.
