The Most Popular Brow Shapes in the Country, by Zip Code
If eyes are the windows to your soul, your brows are the fancy curtains. They frame your face, polish your look, and once you start noticing the subtle but very real changes, you’ll never go back. From waxing to filling, tinting, and tweezing, maintaining and grooming your eyebrows is the easiest way to enhance your (already) beautiful face.
While brow trends come and go, each zip code maintains its own distinctive look. Give your look a city-specific makeover based on where you live or even your favorite vacation destination. We tapped brow experts from all over the country to help narrow down the most popular look in each city. We included tips, tricks, and tutorials to customize your favorite shape, below.
New York City: The Power Arch
In true New York spirit, women want a brow that’s strong and styled. Brow expert Manana Dzhanimanova exclaims, “Bigger is better! Thin brows are out. Today’s most requested and popular brow shape is thick and natural with a soft arch. It’s all about the untouched look.” The best way to achieve this look? Put down the tweezers.
NYC-based brow specialist Julianne Valente explains, “Most of my clients want a thick fuller brow with a little lift. Sometimes a full brow does not always go with the clients’ face shape and can even close their eyes and make them look older and tired. Seeing a professional is the way to go. I shape them to a client’s face and tint them for a fuller look. I think blondes look best with a bit of a darker brow while brunettes should go a shade or two lighter. Using a brow pencil can help fill in sparse brows and make them more symmetrical.” She adds, “Ladies, beware of those magnifying mirrors, where plucking one or two hairs can lead to a loss of half a brow!”
Global brow expert Jared Bailey suggests, “For those who need help faking a fuller looking brow, try a volumizing fiber gel. The formula is filled of micro fibers that actually mimic the look of real hair. Bold brows are really having a moment, so with the right product, you can really transform even the thinnest brows into full lush arches, instantly.”
Los Angeles: The Classic Brow
L.A. makeup artist Elena Drokinahas receives the most requests for a more classic brow—it’s full, natural, and maintains a beautiful arch. Think Jessica Alba, Elizabeth Olsen, Kate Winslet, and Selena Gomez. Drokinahas says, “To achieve this look, you must enhance the shape you already have naturally without trying to change it. Waxing should be minimal and left to outside corners. Define the arch with tweezers making sure not to over-tweeze. Finish with brow gel (we like Maybelline Eyestudio Brow Drama) to keep the hair in place and eyebrow pencil and powder (try Maybelline New York Eyestudio Brow Define and Fill Duo) to fill in any sparse areas.”
Brow specialist Helena Tamargo adds, “L.A. demands symmetry and perfection so I always style their brows with structure, volume, and lift.”
Miami: The Diva Brow
The most popular brow in Miami is angled and sleek, as it creates a more dominant look on the face. Because Miami has such a fun nightlife scene, it’s only natural that the brows would command a bit more attention.
To create that defined sharpness, use concealer underneath and above the eyebrow, getting as close as you can to the edges. After blending, take a flat eyeshadow brush and add a shimmering shadow to highlight your arch and brow bone. Waxing is the best way to keep up the preciseness of the shape.
Chicago: Thick and Full
Chicago’s brows of the moment are angled and tapered according to eye shape. It’s full and bushy à la Cara Delevingne, Lily Collins, and the latest model to join the pack Xenia Deli. Chicago-based brow specialist Elle Glass recommends, “The point I always stress is to stop trying to match your brows with each other. Give up the love affair with that good left brow. Stop hating that lower right one. Make the most of them today. A lot of how they fit your face has to do with the bones they sit on. One bone is higher and one is lower, which makes them sisters not twins!”
To achieve the look, try lash lengtheners on your brows to speed up growth. Glass adds, “Powder and pencil help a girl fake it till she makes it. I use a pencil to create hairs that don’t exist yet or tails that have lost their trail. After that, use shadow or brow powder with an angled brush to make the brow appear fuller. I am a fan of a slightly arched brow. It’s clean, polished, looks great with a little highlighter, and who doesn’t want a little eye lift?”
Boston: Girl-Next-Door-Brow
Boston women most commonly request a straight, flat brow shape with a minimal arch (if any at all). Expert Michele Raposa asserts that the shape “creates an fresh-faced, youthful look like that of Natalie Portman and Rooney Mara.” So, if we can look like either of them, we’re in. The flat brow is also a popular trend, so there are several stencil options that aid in creating the proper shape (it’s super easy!).
Use a brow pencil over a powder brush to allow for more control in drawing a straight line and go a few shades lighter than your usual color to fill in any sparse parts. That way, the defined look will read more soft than overly harsh. You can even use a flamingo razor to clean up any stray hairs and further define your eyebrow shape if you’re feeling confident.
Dallas: Bold and Classy
Dallas-based makeup artist and esthetician Dolores Villanueva talks the brow trends in Texas. “In Dallas, our ladies want full natural eyebrows with a natural arch and a more angular shape. Not overly manicured or arched. This gives the eye a natural lift.”
To achieve this look, a wax and brow tint does wonders to add shape and definition—think of it as a glaze for your hair. And don’t tweeze! Seriously, don’t. Expert Charlie McInnis explains, “A custom tint takes to even the finest hairs, leaving behind eye-defining arches you never knew you had.”
Denver: The Boyish Brow
Denver girls favor the most natural brow of all—kept, but effortlessly unkept-looking, this androgynous shape is easy to achieve and even easier to maintain. Invest in a spoolie brush to feather your brows out each morning and a great pomade to keep unruly hairs in check.
Our favorite new product that achieves just that is Glossier Boy Brow. The shades are sheer but noticeable, beeswax and carnauba wax allow for a unique texture that holds, and atelocollagen actually conditions and strengthens your brow hair. And, this one tiny product does the job of 3 or 4. That way, low-maintenance gals like yourselves can be out the door in way less time.