The evolution of eyebrows: A fashion barometer

The “no-brow” or fading brow trend is everywhere — from Jenna Ortega’s near-invisible arches to runway models embracing soft, barely-there brows. It started with experimental bleached looks a few seasons ago and has now evolved into full-blown minimalism. Over centuries, brows have been a language of status, rebellion, refinement, and now, digital-age experimentation. They’ve shifted with cultural tides — from the subtle, shaved arches of the Renaissance to the barely-there bleached brows of 2025. Then came that AI-generated image of Miley Cyrus with no brows — swiftly debunked but impossible to ignore — cementing that we’ve entered a bold new era of brow reinvention. Let’s dig in.

Renaissance restraint — Mona Lisa’s barely-there brows

Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa (1503–1519) sparked centuries of debate over her nearly invisible brows. Whether they faded with time or were deliberately removed, the style reflected Renaissance beauty standards in Italy, where women shaved their brows and hairlines to reveal high, expansive foreheads. A serene, intellectual face was the goal — subtle brows framing a sense of harmony and mystery prized in art and society.

Geisha minimalism — Japan’s timeless approach

In Japan’s Edo period (1603–1868), geishas treated eyebrows as an art form. They often shaved their natural brows and redrew them higher on the forehead with delicate black or red pigments, creating an ethereal, doll-like appearance. This minimalist style, rooted in ideals of harmony and understated elegance, stood apart from the bold Western approaches that would dominate centuries later.

Clara Bow and the jazz age brow

The Jazz Age belonged to Clara Bow, Hollywood’s “It Girl,” and her razor-thin, high-arched brows. Women plucked their brows nearly to nothing, then penciled in sharp, dark lines to frame smoky eyes and bobbed hair. It was a break from Victorian modesty — brows as rebellion, glamour, and youth — defining a generation hungry for change and visibility.

Hollywood curves — Jean Harlow and 1930s glamour

By the 1930s, the pencil-thin trend evolved into softer, highly arched brows. Jean Harlow’s iconic look in Dinner at Eight (1933) captured the era’s polished aesthetic. Women plucked their natural brows thin, then redrew perfect arches with brow pencils — a style that conveyed both sophistication and the aspirational glamour of early Hollywood.

Bold and defined — Brooke Shields’ 1980s revolution

The pendulum swung back in the 1980s. Brooke Shields’ thick, natural brows in The Blue Lagoon (1980) inspired a generation to drop the tweezers. Bushy, full brows became synonymous with natural beauty and self-confidence. This return to texture and boldness mirrored cultural shifts toward authenticity and individuality, paving the way for similar revivals decades later.

Pamela Anderson — 1990s Skinny Revival

The ’90s brought brows back to sharp, skinny arches. Pamela Anderson’s high, over-plucked brows in her Baywatch era became a global beauty signature, paired with frosted makeup, bold liner, and a hyper-glam aesthetic. This aggressive precision defined the decade — brows as meticulous, almost doll-like frames — and is now revisited in modern Y2K-inspired beauty trends.

Aditi Rao Hydari — 2020s straight brow surge

The early 2020s saw the rise of straight, fluffy brows — a softer, low-arch style often called “boy brows.” Aditi Rao Hydari became one of the key faces of this shift, embracing a natural, face-framing look inspired by Korean beauty trends. Echoed by global stars like Zendaya, this style emphasized minimal grooming, clean lines, and effortless elegance, signaling a move toward inclusive, understated beauty before the decade leaned into the boldness of bleached brows.

Jenna Ortega — 2025 bleached edge

By 2025, brows were fading — literally. Jenna Ortega became the poster girl for the bleached-brow trend, stepping onto red carpets and fashion spreads with nearly invisible brows. Bleaching or concealing brows to achieve a ghostly, futuristic vibe speaks to Gen Z’s fascination with minimalism, subversion, and alternative beauty standards. Ortega’s look, aligned with her Wednesday persona, captures a cultural moment where beauty embraces the uncanny.

Miley Cyrus and the AI brow moment

In August 2025, an AI-generated image of Miley Cyrus with no brows — mistaken for a Vogue cover — went viral. The image sparked debate over digital manipulation and modern beauty, but the truth? Cyrus had already leaned into the trend earlier in the year, with softly bleached brows at the Oscars and in her Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia campaign shot by Tyler Mitchell. The episode underscored how digital media amplifies beauty movements, making even false visuals part of the conversation.