Full Eyebrow Removal

Eyebrows can be removed through threading, bleaching or shaving.

Full eyebrow removal involves creating a look where the eyebrows are absent or completely invisible. Though it has seen a revival in recent years, full eyebrow removal is not a new concept to the fashion world. Learning more about full eyebrow removal can help you decide if this is something you want to try.

Methods

Full eyebrow removal can be accomplished in a number of different ways. For some people, the eyebrow hairs can be bleached until they are completely invisible against the skin. This method is ideal for people who have very pale skin. The eyebrows can also be shaved off using a razor, or they can be removed using thread, where the hairs are caught in a doubled, twisted piece of thread and pulled out.

False Eyebrows

While shaving the eyebrows can leave a person's face entirely devoid of hair, it can also clear the way for false eyebrows. Noble women during the Heian era in Japan would remove their eyebrows and then draw in new eyebrows more than an inch above where the natural brows would sit. Women during the Baroque period in Europe pasted on false eyebrows made from preserved mouse skin.

History

Full removal of the eyebrows is not a new thing in the fashion world. During the Elizabethan era in England, the style called for the removal of all the hair on the forehead. This included shaving the hair line and enlarging the forehead as well as removing the eyebrows. Leonardo Da Vinci's famous painting, the Mona Lisa, also has the clear forehead that was prized during the Renaissance.

Modern

The modern trend for full eyebrow removal came to popular attention during the fall 2009 runways of fashion houses, Prada and Balenciaga. It was followed shortly thereafter by Brazilian model, Adriana Lima, appearing without eyebrows for a Givenchy ad campaign. The effect can range from modern to asexual to almost alien-like, depending on the intent.

Disadvantages

Fully removing the eyebrows can lead to problems with keeping dirt and sweat out of the eyes. Similarly, eyebrows are key components in human facial expressions. They are instinctively used when the person is communicating, and they also give other people important clues as to what the speaker is intending.

References

• Advanced Lasar Center: Eyebrow Styles
• Stylelist: Would You Shave Off Your Eyebrows in the Name of Fashion?
• Daily Mail: Is the new trend to remove eyebrows a profound social statement - or just another daft fad from Planet Fashion?
• New York Times: Where Have All the Eyebrows Gone?
• East Asian History: The Heian Aristocrats