6 Expert Tips for Growing Out Your Eyebrows

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Name a more controversial beauty trend than the thin eyebrows of the '90s and early '00s — we'll wait.

As we know, over plucking your brows throughout the years can cause the hairs to become sparse, thin, and sometimes halt growth altogether. To this day, many of us are still dealing with the irreversible repercussions of trying to stay on-trend back then. And even though thinner brows are making a comeback (yes, you read that right), it isn't like the pencil-thin arches we remember.

So, if you're still recovering from the overplucking, waxing, and threading of your past and are looking to get thicker-looking brows, we got you covered. Ahead, learn expert tips that can help you grow out your brows.

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Use a Growth Serum

Unfortunately, there aren't any quick fixes when it comes to growing out your brows. However, according to Joey Healy, celebrity brow expert, serums that enhance brow growth can make all the difference.

Applying a serum like the Joey Healy Brow Renovation Serum ($125, joeyhealy.com) can help speed up the growth process and promote healthy brow hairs. "It is the best way to help your brows move along," says Healy. "When using a serum, usually it is twice a day for six weeks."

Avoid Waxing and Threading

While waxing the brows can offer clean and sleek results, it can have negative effects. "If you remove the same hairs for a long period, you damage the hair follicle, which can slow down or stop growth," explains Jessica Bartley, brow professional at Boom Boom Brow Bar in NYC. "Usually, this takes more than once to have a lasting effect."

To avoid damage to the hair follicle at all, however, opt for tweezing, says Cheryl Renella, brow expert and founder of Channing's Studio & Spa in Chicago. "Tweezing allows you to be precise and doesn't have as lasting effects should you find your brow a bit thinner than desired," she says.

Try to Avoid DIY Grooming

Healy says the best rule of advice is to avoid DIY grooming your brows as much as possible.

If you must clean up your brows and can't make it to a professional, make sure you're removing only one hair at a time. "Every so often, hair looks like a stray until there's two more next to it then it looks like a line, but what will happen is if you try to take just the strays, you might be confused, so I would advise taking the things that are the furthest away," says Healy.

"Also, I love the idea of setting a timer when you are doing that kind of maintenance. For instance, maybe let yourself do it for a minute on each brow once a week, so you're not sitting there by accident, and then fifteen minutes later, you find you took out way too many hairs."

Umbreen Sheikh, owner of Wink Brow Bar in NYC, also cautions against touching the ends of the brow. "Ends get thinner as we get older, and accidentally removing these will make your brow look short," she says.

Comb Your Brows Every Morning

"The only other little trick I've heard that can help is to comb through your brows with a spooly in the morning very gently," says Healy. "Doing this can help release dry dead skin that lives in the brow, promoting a healthier environment for more growth." It also increases circulation and blood flow to the follicle, which can help as well.

Fill In Your Brows With the Right Products

While filling in your brows won't necessarily help with the regrowth process, it can fake the look of a fuller-looking finish while you're waiting for the real thing.

"I love powder and tinted gel in combination," says Healy. "The tinted gel grabs each hair, making them a little bit thicker and kicking up all those baby hairs. And powder sits behind the brow on the skin to close up some of those patchy gaps."

Sheikh also says brow powders are best because they don't make your natural brows look overdone or fake when you have sparse or thinned brows.

"Avoid waterproof brow makeup too because it can lead to you scrubbing too hard to get it off, dislodging brow hairs like with a rotary brush," adds Healy. "So, if needed, take the makeup off with an oil-based makeup remover or just avoid products that require a lot of scrubbing."

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Be Patient

"The number one tip is patience," says Healy. "Time will be your friend as it can take three to four months to fully regrow your brows."

And once hairs have (finally!) returned, all our experts advise letting a professional take it from there. "It can be a long hard road to reach your perfect brow, so listen to your brow specialist, don't tweeze between shaping, and try and get in for a shape up once a month," says Bartley.