What’s eyebrow blindness and how do you know if you have it?

“Many people were oblivious to how their eyebrows really appeared when they were heavily lining, bleaching or plucking.”

We’ve all committed our fair share of beauty faux pas, from orange fake tans and dodgy dye jobs to the dreaded VFL (visible foundation line). But what about those beauty blunders you might not even know you’re making? That’s where ‘eyebrow blindness’, the latest TikTok craze taking over everyone’s feed, comes in.

We like nosy people. Don’t be shy, head to our Beauty section for more. 

In case you’ve been detoxing from social media or too wrapped up in a Love Island binge (just me?), I enlisted the help of celebrity brow stylist and founder of Brow Code, Melanie Marris, to get you up to speed on this near-universal predicament.

What is eyebrow blindness?

‘Eyebrow blindness’ refers to the collective cringe we all feel looking back at the times we were swept up in the eyebrow trends of the moment. From pencil-thin arches to overly bushy brows à la Cara Delevingne (and who could forget the unmistakable Anastasia Beverly Hills block brows?), celebrities and regular people alike are hitting social media in the masses to confess their most embarrassing brow sins.

“It’s when you style your eyebrows according to the latest fads rather than what genuinely enhances your natural facial features,” Melanie explains. “So many people were oblivious to how their eyebrows really appeared when they were heavily lining, bleaching or plucking. Now, they’re facing those decisions head-on as they look back at old selfies.”

Given that there are over 160 million posts about eyebrow blindness on TikTok alone, it’s clear that many of us have fallen victim to the beauty phenomenon. If you’re anything like me, reading comments like ‘Eyebrow blindness is real’ and ‘Why didn’t anyone stop me?’, probably has you questioning some of your own historical brow choices.

I‘ve certainly navigated my fair share of not-so-flattering shapes. My overplucked brows from the early 2000s come to mind. I remember begging my brow technician to go thinner and thinner until she flat-out refused. Was I delulu? Yes. Did I think I looked like Christina Aguilera? Absolutely.

There was even a time I carefully shaved the middle of my brows and cut off a decent chunk from both sides with a Venus razor. It wasn’t until I hit my thirties that I discovered the harsh consequences of removing what is now the most valuable commodity in the beauty world.

These days, I like my arches neat but not Insta-perfect, fluffy but not OTT bushy, and tamed but not stuck to my face. I’ve finally figured out what works, using my brow’s natural line and arch as a guide, and I’ve stuck with it ever since.

Do you have eyebrow blindness?

If you’re wondering whether you’ve fallen victim to eyebrow blindness, Melanie offers a quick reality check: “Ask yourself, am I just following a trend I see online, or am I choosing styles that truly make me feel good?”.

According to Melanie, the best way to protect yourself from eyebrow regret is by focusing on enhancing your natural brow shape as “a well-groomed brow that complements your facial features will always be timeless”.

Because styling and shaping your brows can often feel overwhelming, seeing a professional brow stylist is the easiest way to give your furry face-framers a fighting chance.

“Not only can they provide an independent second opinion, they can map your ideal brow shape and suggest services such as tinting, lightening and lamination that can enhance your natural brows and help you avoid eyebrow mishaps,” she tells me.

That doesn’t mean you can’t be experimental with your beauty look; a little bit of future cringe shouldn’t deter you from individual expression. But it doesn’t hurt to err on the side of caution before committing to any significant physical changes.

“As you evolve through each stage of life, your preferences might shift,” Melanie shares. “It’s important not to lock yourself into a micro trend that fizzles fast and can’t be undone.”

How to fix eyebrow blindness

This might seem obvious to some people, but let me just quickly remind you: one of the easiest ways to avoid giving yourself eyebrow ick is to leave your arches alone. But for those whose brows are frozen in 2001, Melanie recommends using the right products to salvage the hairs that haven’t come back.

“Are you trying to fill in sparse spots and add definition? Reach for a brow pencil or pomade. Just need a bit of taming? Swipe on a lightweight brow gel. Looking to grow your brows back? Apply a nourishing oil or serum morning and night,” Melanie advises. “Not sure what you want or need? Don’t be afraid to play around with a few products – there’s no right or wrong, so just focus on finding the best one for you.”

Making peace with your eyebrows

It’s natural to squirm at past versions of ourselves, particularly some of the more radical looks, like our beloved DIY mullets from Myspace days. That’s human nature and the reality of evolving beauty standards – just try your best to be trend-aware and not trend-obsessed.

And if you’re feeling particularly mortified looking back at your past brow mistakes, remember that TikTok will probably be hyper-fixated on something else next week (looking at you, broccoli freckles).

For advice on finding the right eyebrow shape for your face, head here.