Black Eyebrows With Brown Hair - Does It Work?

Of all the makeup trends we’ve seen transform throughout the years, no feature has undergone metamorphosis as much as the eyebrow.

From pencil thin in the 90’s, to shaving off the ends in the 2020’s, the power that brows have to change a look can sometimes be unbelievable.

Just as crucial as the brow style, though, is the color.

We’re always taught to stay within the realms of our natural hair color, and that going too dark or too light could potentially ruin our makeup look.

But we’re here to tell you that that notion couldn’t be more wrong.

Makeup, calculated as it may seem, is, at its essence, artwork, and shouldn’t be treated as less than such.

You can create stunning looks with a magenta, green, or even a rainbow colored brow.

But we’re talking about something a little less intense today, and that’s rocking a black brow if you have brown locks.

So, black eyebrows with brown hair -does it work?

Absolutely, it does. And there are different ways to rock it that bring a whole new vibe to each look you create. Today, we’ll be talking about three methods: bold brows, boy brows, and natural brows.

Read on as we break down each of these brow looks so you can have one for whatever mood strikes you!

Bold Brows

As seen on celebrities like Selena Gomez and Cara Delevigne, rocking a black brow with lighter hair can take a makeup look from cutesy to edgy with just a few simple steps!

The contrast of a darker brow against brown hair is prime for elevating a makeup look from commercial to editorial.

This one’s for those of us who aren’t scared to step out of our comfort zone a bit.

Pulling off a bold look is less about the makeup and more about your confidence while wearing it!

Since the star of this look is a thick, bold brow, you’ll want to take extra time to make sure it looks the part.

The key to this look is filling in your brows so they look show-stopping, but not drawn-on or blocky.

It may sound confusing, but worry not! We’re here to walk you through each step in taking your eyebrows from plain Jane to beautifully bushy in just a few simple steps.

Things You’ll Need

A black brow pomade
An angled brush with a spoolie
A highlighting pencil
A clear brow gel

What To Do:

Give your brows a quick groom. Using the spoolie on your brush, comb through your brows to remove any tangles and shape them into place.
Dip your brush in some pomade. If your pomade is dry, you can bring it back to life with a drop of mineral oil.

Load up some product on your brush, but keep it light – that way, you can easily maneuver where the pomade goes.

A gentle hand will also prevent your brows from looking too drawn on. Bold brows aren’t necessarily cartoony.
Start by lightly lining the bottom of your eyebrow – This will make it easier to see where you want to place the pomade.

From there, fill in the tail of your brow, and, without picking up any excess product, draw hair-like strokes to the front of the brow.

You want to concentrate the color on the tail and get a little lighter as you go- almost like a gradient!
Brush through when you need to. If you accidentally use a heavy hand, or if you’re noticing an area looking darker than the rest of your brow, use your spoolie to diffuse the pomade a little.

This will also keep you from needing to fill the entire brow with product, leaving your brows looking blocky instead of thick.
Clean up with some highlight pencil – Using a pencil highlighter, drag the product along your brow bone with a long swipe.

Not only will this clean up any pomade that traveled down during application, but it will bring all the attention to your brows and add some definition and dimension.
Lock it in place – Using a clear brow gel, comb through your brows and shape them back into place.

Gel should always be the last step in your routine, since it locks your brows into the shape you put them in.

Trying to work additional product on top of an already set brow is super tricky, and will make the hairs look chunky, so don’t reach for gel until the very end.

Boy Brows

A lot of us will look at makeup as a transformative process – a time where you can become someone else with the flick of an eyeshadow brush.

But have you ever thought about makeup that accentuates the features you may otherwise try to conceal?

Things like dark undereyes, acne scars, and even stray brow hairs?

It may sound easy enough, but there actually is a method behind this technique.

In a way, it’s less about perfection and more about structure – a perfect combination of masculinity and femininity.

Staple takeaways from this look are a basic, chapstick-donning pout, dewy skin, and, of course, a full, thick, and bushy brow.

A fantastic way to achieve a full eyebrow is through the “soap brow” technique.

A black soap-brow would be beautifully contrasted against brown hair, giving this look the masculine finish it needs.

This method hit the internet in 2020, but became popular this year. For a lot of people, this is their go-to brow regularly, even if they’re not going for the boy beat!

Things You’ll Need

A brow spoolie
Setting spray or water mister
Brow soap
A stiff-angled brush
A black eyebrow powder (a high-quality eyeshadow works too!)
Black eyebrow pencil
A dark brow gel
Optional: tweezers

What To Do:

Groom – Make sure your brows are well-groomed! If you want a clean shape, pluck the stray hairs under your brow.

However, this look is all about emphasizing your hair, so this part is entirely optional!
Dampen your soap – Spray some setting spray or a light misting of water along the surface of the brow soap. This will prep it for application and make it easier to work with.

Don’t wet it too much, or you risk it lathering when you try to pick it up with your spoolie!
Load up your brush – Rub the brush against the surface of the soap. When the product on your spoolie starts looking waxy and more paste-like, you’re there.

Start with just a bit of soap at first; you can add on more as you need it.
Shape, shape, shape – Comb through your brow hairs with the spoolie. The popular way to do this is to comb your brows straight up, but if your hair is on the longer side, you can shape the top to give it a cleaner look.

Load up on soap as needed, and if your brow hairs are on the stubborn side, you may need to apply multiple times to keep them where you want them.

The best part about using soap is that it’s very malleable and won’t set very quickly, so you have time to manipulate the look as you need it.
Think thick – Now is the time to add some color and extra thickness to your brows! Go ahead and load up your angled brush with some black brow powder.

Fill in any areas where your hair looks thin or sparse, using any excess product on the front of the brow.

A powder will give you more condensed-looking hair, but if you’re looking to fill in your tail or another small area, opt for a black eyebrow pencil.

Draw hair-like strokes where you need it, and brush out with a clean spoolie to blend it all.
Lock it down – To make sure this brow lasts all night, use a dark brow gel to keep everything together.

Natural Brows

If you’re the type of person who is no-fuss about their makeup, but still wants to give their brows some shape, we have the perfect option for you!

Going for a black brow if you have lighter hair may seem like it’ll be striking no matter what you do.

But this technique will give you a natural finish—and it only takes one product!

It’s a classic. We’re sure you saw this on the shelves growing up, or maybe in your mom’s makeup drawer when you were rummaging through her things.

It’s a small palette, containing a plate of clear (or tinted!) wax, a plate of eyebrow powder, and a small angled brow brush and/or a mini spoolie.

It’s easy to master, and it will give you gorgeously groomed brows every time!

Things You’ll Need

Black Powder and Wax Eyebrow Kit
- A popular pick is the NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder, but there are also great options from QVC, Elf, and even Chanel.

What To Do

Prep – Load your angled brush or spoolie up with some clear wax. Just like the soap brow technique, you don’t want to put too much product on at one time.

Use the wax to mold your brows into the shape you want, adding more wax as needed.

The clear wax acts as an adhesive for the powder, so make sure you cover each strand of hair and don’t overuse the product, as you increase the risk of it smearing throughout the day.
Find your key points – You could freehand the shape of your brows if you want, but if you have an extra minute or two to map out the key placement of your eyebrow, we suggest you do! It makes for a more symmetrical pair of brows.

After loading some powder onto a (clean) angled brush, you’re going to want to place a dot on these three areas of your brow:

It lines up with the outside edge of your nostril, where it aligns with a line that passes from the outside of the nostril to your pupil, and where it aligns with a line that passes from your nostril to the outside of your eye.

These three dots represent the starting point, arch, and ending point of your brow!

This will make it a lot easier to see the overall shape you’re trying to achieve.
Connect the dots – Now that you’re done mapping, go ahead and connect those lines with some more black powder!

It will be really easy to get a condensed color as the wax will help bring out more pigment, so you don’t need to pick up too much product.

Try using hair-like strokes to keep it as natural as possible, rather than dragging the brush from each key point.
Brush – Now that your brows are all filled in, use a spoolie to brush them out. This will blend the color out, making them look more natural instead of colored in.