Eyebrow trends have constantly been transforming with every passing year. We’ve seen everything from the thin, rounded brows of the 1930s to the barely-there brows of the 2000s. So, while keeping up with eyebrow trends may be essential, allowing the brows to grow is also important.
We want to assure you that having naturally thin brows is entirely normal. However, if thin brows affect your confidence, we provide simple tricks to enhance their thickness. The goal is to achieve fuller-looking eyebrows, whether you prefer a neatly arched look like Lea Michele or a more bushy style like Cara Delevingne. Well-groomed eyebrows can help you stay on top of the latest brow trends.
This article aims to inform you about ten methods for achieving thicker eyebrows. So, continue reading to explore some of the most popular ways to make your eyebrows appear fuller.
How to Get Thicker Eyebrows
1. Avoid Over-plucking
The trend of pencil-thin eyebrows took over the fashion industry between the late 90s and early 2000s. If you’ve witnessed this, you’ve probably spent much time at a salon getting your eyebrows plucked. It was a time when everyone was seen flaunting thin eyebrows. As a result, those with naturally thick eyebrows experienced thinning of their eyebrows over the years.
The pressure applied by tweezers and threading tools on the hair follicles of the brows may cause long-term thinning effects. With other factors like stress and underlying ailments, eyebrows may take a while to grow back to their original form. Therefore, we recommend doing it less frequently for those who intend to get their eyebrows plucked in the future.
If you’ve been over-plucking your eyebrows, we recommend removing this habit to make them grow naturally thick. Bidding goodbye to the tweezer for a few months will help your brows regain their natural thickness.
2. Balanced diet
There is a significant relationship between nutrition and the thickness of your hair. Therefore, a diet lacking the nutrition for healthy hair growth will result in thinner hair on the scalp, brows, and lashes.
Eating a well-balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids may help regain eyebrow thickness. For example, a diet rich in iron, protein, zinc, vitamin A, and omega-3 fatty acids may help regrowth. When the body is supplied with healthy food, the nutrients give you healthy hair, skin, and nails.
Consume as many fresh vegetables and fruits as possible. Munch on fruits like lemon, orange, and papaya because they are a good source of vitamin C. Vitamin C intake may help those suffering from iron deficiency and, in turn, reduce hair loss (1).
Also Read – White Hairs in Eyebrows – The Reasons and Remedies
3. Coconut oil
For centuries, coconut oil has been raved about for its ability to promote hair growth. However, a study done in 2003 determined that coconut oil strongly impacts reducing protein loss in hair (2).
The moisturizing abilities of coconut oil nourish, protect, and hydrate the eyebrows. In addition, when applied to the eyebrows, coconut oil’s antifungal and antibacterial properties prevent infections around the eyes.
Massaging coconut oil on the roots of your eyebrows regularly may boost blood circulation, allowing the essential nutrients to reach the hair follicles of your brows. In addition, doing this consistently for a few months may give you noticeably thicker eyebrows.
4. Panthenol
Also known as vitamin B5, panthenol is a chemical derived from pantothenic acid. A study has shown how panthenol can slow down the process of hair thinning (3). Thus, applying pantothenol-rich products like brow serums or gels may increase the thickness of the brows.
Panthenol is known to prevent dryness, so when it comes in contact with the scalp and hair, it ensures the hair and hair follicles are adequately hydrated. In addition, it gets easily absorbed, thus improving cell regeneration to make the hair shaft stronger.
Eyebrow growth products containing panthenol can moisturize the hair of your eyebrows, thereby adding volume to them. In addition, panthenol forms a protective layer on the hair of your brows to protect it from the harmful effects of the sun and other environmental factors. Panthenol gives your brows a fuller appearance by adding volume and shine to the eyebrows.
5. Castor Oil
Castor oil has been considered a boon for hair growth for many decades. However, there are no proven studies about the effects of castor oil on thin eyebrows. In a study, Castor oil’s primary constituent, ricinoleic acid, was associated with hair regrowth (4).
Derived from the beans of castor trees, castor oil is rich in vitamins, proteins, fatty acids, and antioxidants. These nutrients nourish the hair follicles by improving blood circulation around the eyebrows.
Another study proved that applying castor oil to the eyebrows can make them look fuller by imparting a shine to the hair (5). Thus, we recommend applying castor oil regularly to the eyebrows to make them visibly thicker.
We recommend you apply a few drops of castor oil on the roots of your eyebrows daily. Then, leave it for at least half an hour or overnight to see visible results. It may take a month or two to show any effect on the thickness of your brows, but consistently applying castor oil is the key.
First, perform a patch test of castor oil to avoid any reactions. Also, the results may vary from person to person, depending on how thin the eyebrows are.
6. Microblading
If natural remedies are not your thing, we recommend using cosmetical methods like microblading. This is the process of using ink to create semi-permanent, fuller brows. Tiny needles are used to deposit the ink in between the eyebrow hair to make them appear thicker.
While microblading doesn’t do anything for hair growth, it fills the sparse spaces to give your brows a fuller look. It is a quick procedure that professional microbladers can do. The process involves numbing the area and creating thin hair-like strokes in the brows.
Also Read – How to Fix 8 Most Common Eyebrow Issues Easily
This may need to be repeated once the ink starts to fade, but microblading gives 100% visible results on thinner eyebrows. Not every individual needs microblading, but it is recommended for those with skinny eyebrows. It is an expensive procedure, so we recommend researching the microblading services in your area.
7. Olive Oil
Rich in fatty acids, olive oil has a composition that is believed to improve hair health. In a study, it was found that olive oil stimulates hair growth (6). The nutrients in olive oil strengthen the hair follicles, thus promoting hair growth.
When applied to the eyebrows, olive oil may help prevent hair loss. In addition, using olive oil regularly on your eyebrows will give them a fuller and healthier appearance.
We recommend applying olive oil regularly to the roots of your eyebrows. First, lightly rub a few drops of olive oil in your palm to heat it slightly. Then gently apply it on your brows and perform slow massage motions till the oil coats the hair follicles and hair.
8. Onion Juice
Onions contain minerals like sulfur that can improve the health of the hair. Sulfur prevents hair loss and aids in hair regrowth. While there has not been much research on the benefits of onion, one study proves that topical application of onion juice helps hair regrowth (7).
To make onion juice, first, de-skin 3-4 onions and chop them into small pieces. Put the pieces in a grinder and blend them into a paste. Strain this paste through a muslin cloth and squeeze out the onion juice. Apply this juice directly on the eyebrows regularly, avoiding eye contact. Wash it off after 10-15 minutes.
9. Fenugreek Seeds
Fenugreek or methi seeds have been a popular hair growth remedy in Indian households. The seeds are believed to affect the growth of eyebrows positively.
There are few scientific proofs of the benefits of fenugreek seeds for eyebrows, but one study determined its efficacy on hair loss in general (8). The proteins, iron, essential fatty acids, and zinc in fenugreek seeds may help hair growth in the eyebrows.
Consuming fenugreek seeds regularly may improve the hair growth of your eyebrows. Grinding fenugreek seeds into a paste and applying it regularly on the eyebrows may help you achieve fuller brows. However, it would be best not to let the paste get in your eyes.
10. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera has been used for decades on the skin and hair. The aloenin in aloe vera is known to promote hair growth on the scalp. This compound is similar to keratin’s structure and thus helps strengthen the hair strands. On the eyebrows, aloe vera behaves as a sebum absorber. This is particularly beneficial for those who have oily or combination skin types. Excess sebum production can clog the hair follicles, thus inhibiting the growth of eyebrows.
To get the maximum benefits from aloe vera, we recommend extracting the gel from the raw leaves of aloe vera. Then, grind it into a paste and apply it to your eyebrows. The paste can be stored in your refrigerator and used daily throughout the week.
Tips on Maintaining Thick Eyebrows
- Treat your eyebrows gently and avoid excess tugging or pulling against the delicate eyebrow hair.
- Refrain from over-plucking the eyebrows as it will lead to thinning, which sometimes becomes irreversible.
- Always keep the roots of the eyebrows nourished by applying hydrating products or remedies.
- To prevent dryness of the hair follicles, keep the eyebrows moisturized at all times using oils of coconut, castor, or olive.
- Ensure that the skin around the eyebrows is properly exfoliated regularly to prevent the build-up of sebum and dead skin cells that can clog the hair follicles.
- Keep a check on the density of the eyebrows to detect premature balding or the development of sparse spaces.
- Minimize the factors that cause thinning of the eyebrows, like poor diet, stress, over-application of cosmetics, etc.
- Ensure the skincare products in your routine do not contain ingredients that can inhibit the healthy growth of the eyebrows.
Summary
Eyebrows are an essential part of our face and play a vital role in face recognition. They define the essence of our face by giving our eyes definition and contour. Maintaining healthy eyebrows requires effort and dedication. Irrespective of the brow trends in the beauty industry, it is essential to allow your brows to grow. To ensure your eyebrows are thick, you must focus on not plucking or tweezing your brows often and relying on a balanced diet. You can also depend on DIY remedies to maintain thick eyebrows, like applying coconut oil, aloe vera juice, olive oil, onion juice, etc. For severe cases of hair loss or thinning of eyebrows, it is recommended to try cosmetical solutions like microblading. Applying fenugreek seeds paste and castor oil on the brows every week may be beneficial for regularly maintaining thick eyebrows. Before attempting such remedies, you must perform a patch test to avoid mishaps and adverse reactions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the growth cycle of eyebrows?
Eyebrows have a similar growth cycle to the hair on your body. It takes around four months for the hair on your brows to grow actively. After this, there is a resting period, and the hair is released.
What are the reasons for the thinning of eyebrows?
Eyebrow thinning is a common issue amongst both men and women. Several factors contribute to eyebrow thinning. The most common reasons are hormonal changes and immunity disorders. Other factors include deficiencies, stress, and life-threatening ailments. Skin infections can also lead to hair thinning in the eyebrows. Applying too many cosmetics around and on the eyebrows can also inhibit the growth of the eyebrow hair.
Can fully-shaven and bald eyebrows grow back?
In the case of fully-shaven eyebrows, yes, they do grow back normally. As for bald or sparse eyebrows, your eyebrows may take months to grow back to their original form, depending on your lifestyle and physiological conditions.
How do you maintain thick eyebrows?
To ensure your eyebrows are full and thick, minimize the application of cosmetics on brow hair. Avoid over-tweezing your brows, and trim them once a week or two. In addition, prevent dryness and clogging of the hair follicles of the brows by cleaning the brows regularly with a mild cleanser.
References:
- “The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A review” – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- “Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage” – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- “A novel cosmetic approach to treat thinning hair” – onlinelibrary.wiley.com
- “In silico prediction of prostaglandin D2 synthase inhibitors from herbal constituents for the treatment of hair loss” – pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- “Optical properties of hair: effect of treatments on luster as quantified by image analysis” – pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- “Topical Application of Oleuropein Induces Anagen Hair Growth in Telogen Mouse Skin” – journals.plos.org
- “Onion Juice (Allium cepa L.), A New Topical Treatment for Alopecia Areata” – onlinelibrary.wiley.com
- “Fenugreek+micronutrients: Efficacy of a food supplement against hair loss” – researchgate.net
