Did you know that thinning eyebrows are one of the very first—and most easily quantifiable—visible signs of aging?
Unlike the crow’s feet we’ve been trained to fear by the time we’re out of high school, eyebrow loss is somewhat of a silent assassin. As the New York Times puts it, “eyebrows are like shoes; you don’t notice them unless they are exquisitely right or disastrously wrong.”
When it comes to your own eyebrows, unless they’ve gone missing already, you’re probably not concerned. And if they have thinned out over the years, you’ve no doubt noticed—but what you likely have not done is attribute how old you look to their dwindling volume. Like most people, you've probably chalked up your aging appearance to those dreaded crow’s feet, and in turn spend tons of money and time in pursuit of a miracle cure that will turn back the clock on your complexion.
The truth is, crow’s feet—along with fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots—have created a tremendous moneymaking opportunity for the beauty industry, which is why there is so much focus on selling you products to diminish them. Those results take time, and even then they don’t just “disappear.”
On the other hand, voluptuous, well-shaped brows make an immediate difference in your perceived age. If such a thing as an anti-aging miracle exists, it’s a brow makeover.
WHY BROWS MATTER
Eyebrows are one of the most defining features on a person's face. They frame it, convey emotion, and, when shaped properly, make the eyes look brighter and the cheekbones more defined. Speaking in terms of physical features, nothing—other than a full head of hair, perhaps—is moreintegral in one’s youthful good looks than a great set of eyebrows.
THE FACTS ON BROW LOSS
Eyebrow loss tends to affect most people when they’re in their 30s, peaking by the age of 45 or so. But, according to Dr. Jeffrey Epstein, a specialist The Huffington Post interviewed, those who have tweezed avidly at any point in their lives will be hit the hardest. Medications like birth control and Prozac, to name just a couple, can also cause hormonal shifts that lead to brow loss, as can pregnancy, menopause and thyroid issues.
HOW TO DEAL
In the 1990s, it was all about “permanent makeup” (e.g., getting brows tattooed on), but those often looked fake and comical. Nowadays there are brow implants, which work somewhat like hair plugs. More natural-looking, but still painful and extreme.
There’s also the affordable option of a good old-fashioned brow pencil. However, it’s one thing to use makeup to enhance your brows, and another to draw them on. This often looks too severe, drawing attention to your eyebrows rather than subtly highlighting your youthful appearance.
There’s also an under-the-radar product called SmartBrow that's being touted as an innovative way to get better brows. What sets it apart from pencils and powders is its unique formulation, which leverages polymers and binds microscopic hair-like fibers to your existing brows as well as fills in any thinning or sparse spots. No brows? No problem. The result is fuller brows that not only look natural, but will stay put all day. Given that SmartBrow is currently on sale for $29.95, it’s the most economical solution to thinning brows we’re aware of
