Eyebrows are an intriguing facial aspect, impacting everything from your face’s shape to the persona you present. They have evolved over time, shifting from simply being a beauty trend to possessing greater symbolic importance. Over the previous decade, we’ve seen many eyebrow styles fluctuate in popularity, including the boy brow, soap brows, and the dramatic Instagram ombré. Recently, skinny brows that were in vogue in the 1990s and even the early 2000s have been such a rage, being sported by famous personalities like Bella Hadid, Gabbriette, and Doja Cat. These skinny brows were not a fad like body glitter, Tamagotchis, or similar 90s trends, but rather, they convey an influential history associated primarily with Chicana culture and the Mexican-American community of Southern California.
During the early 2000s and the ‘90s, if you possessed a pair of tweezers, you most likely sported the skinny brow trend. This thin, defined look was seen on numerous celebrities such as Gwen Stefani, Kate Moss, and Drew Barrymore. Anastasia Beverly Hills’ founder, the renowned Anastasia Soare, stated, “My brows were so thin, and I had rounded arches. I look back on photos of myself, and it’s no wonder why I seem perpetually surprised.” But the story of skinny brows cannot be solely credited to a celebrity like Barrymore, but it rather extends to Chicana beauty standards, primarily stemming from Chola culture. This has noticeably shaped and influenced the trajectory of the skinny brow, a trend that has been revived in recent times.
Skinny brows originated from cinema during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Stars from the 1920s and 1930s, like Clara Bow, Anna Mae Wong, and Jean Harlow, were emblematic of glamour with their sharply plucked, pencil-thin brows. Autumn Estelle Reid, the US National Global Brow and Beauty Authority, explains, “The brows portrayed the emotions and expressions on the big screen, assisting in depicting deep thinking or heavy feeling.” During the Middle Ages, thin brows were fashionable, with European women plucking their brows almost to non-existence to highlight their foreheads.
The thin brow trend was also influenced by Chicana culture. In the 1960s and 1970s, young Chicana women residing in Southern California fashioned a dress style acknowledged as modern-day “chola style,” characterized by dark lip liners, gold loop earrings, nameplate necklaces, and thin, sharply arched eyebrows. Cholas, like the Pachucas before them, managed to carve out an identity for themselves in a society that frequently marginalized or demonized them.
In the 1990s, skinny brows and other Chicana beauty signifiers spread to the mainstream. From Kate Moss to Beyoncé and Paris Hilton, every celebrity seemed devoted to the skinny brow look. Regina Merson, founder of the makeup brand Reina Rebelde, says that both flapper makeup and ‘90s Latina makeup deserve credit for the trend. When a beauty trend becomes associated with a specific time or a famous person, the originating culture often goes unrecognized.
Although fuller, bushier brows were favored by the beauty industry in the 2010s, skinny brows have experienced a modern revival. Celebrities like Zendaya, Rihanna, and Doja Cat have all worn them, while social media influencers have also played a part in reviving the style. Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Anastasia Soare believes the skinny brow trend will only make a comeback if everyone fully embraces it.
Skinny brows are deeply connected to Chicana women and will always be, representing their identity, resilience, and strength. From Chola culture to widespread fame and the fashion industry’s influence, these women play a crucial part in shaping this iconic look. This makes skinny brows a powerful symbol of their self-expression, community, and cultural pride for generations to come.
