… and it’s not what you think!

When it comes to beauty, they say that it’s only skin deep – but that doesn’t mean our facial features aren’t important. Of course, I agree, that your inner beauty is far more significant, but a recent study has determined the one particular facial feature that makes our face stand out in a crowd… and it’s not what you might think!

Ask a room of people to guess the part of our face they believe to be the most important for determining attractiveness, and usually, you tend to hear the same answers. “Has to be the eyes”, “a great smile”, “straight, white teeth”, or “full, red lips”…

But science has proven that our EYEBROWS, in fact, hold the highest face value.

Thanks to celebrities like Cara Delevigne, Beyoncé, and even Audrey Hepburn, thick, prominent eyebrows have become the most desired beauty trend of the last 5 years – with hundreds of women ditching the tweezers and wax strips and embracing their fuller, thicker brows. Great news if you’re follically blessed, but what about those of us who have spent years over-grooming and are left with a thin, sliver of a brow that’s barely noticeable?

Why Brows? 

According to the report on facial features, our eyebrows hold a social significance that overrules all other facial features and plays a huge role in how others perceive us. Beyond their function to protect our eyes from dirt and sweat, our eyebrows demonstrate the most ‘emotional expression’, as well as framing the face and helping others to focus their gaze on your eyes. Here, try it for yourself… pull a ‘sad’ face, now make a ‘happy’ face, what about a ‘shocked’ face next? Do this in front of a mirror, and I can guarantee that your eyebrows will be the one feature that moves and changes the most as you go from expression to expression.

A study carried out at the University of Lethbridge in Canada proved that eyebrows are also more important for the facial recognition of celebrities than their eyes, with participants able to recognize famous faces without their eyes, but not without their brows! It was concluded that the shape, color, and size of someone’s brows are more identifying than any other facial feature, and can be one of the most memorable things about your face. 

The Beauty Boom

This new-found significance of our brows could explain why the beauty industry has boomed in regards to eyebrow thickening treatments, with so many of us wanting to define, tint, shape, grow, and even tattoo bigger, bolder, more prominent brows. Hair transplant procedures are growing in demand, but before taking drastic and expensive steps like this, there are less invasive and more natural ways to get thicker, bolder brows.

Castor & Coconut Oil

There are a couple of natural oils that have been proven to help the growth and thickness of your brows, including Castor Oil and Coconut Oil. Castor oil is enriched with proteins, fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins that help nourish the hair follicles and promote healthy growth. Coconut oil also delivers these same nutrients, but also acts as a conditioner to moisturize the hairs, too! All natural oils help improve blood flow to the skin, which delivers oxygen and nutrients to the hair follicles that may otherwise not reach.

Egg Yolk

The hair in our eyebrows is made up of keratin, a protein that makes up our nails, too. Eggs are a great source of protein and keratin is often used in many hair growth supplements. Egg yolks specifically also contain a high concentration of biotin – another essential hair-growth ingredient. Simply beat an egg yolk to a smooth consistency and apply it to your brows with a Q-tip. Leave for 20 minutes and remove with warm water for the best results.

Fenugreek Seeds

Also known as methi seeds, these little magic beans are known to help your hair look healthy and shiny. They are known for their hair-building properties that focus on the follicles themselves, encouraging new hair growth. They also contain an abundance of proteins and nicotinic acid which are vital for healthy hair growth.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera contains a compound called aloenin which is known for promoting hair growth and thickness. It has a chemical makeup similar to keratin and rejuvenates the hair with its own nutrients to prevent breakage and hair loss. You can apply aloe vera to the brows on a daily basis to feed your follicles with these enriching nutrients!

Sources

http://ghk.h-cdn.co/assets/cm/15/11/54ffe71e81570_-_sinha_eyebrows.pdf

https://www.hshairclinic.co.uk/news/eyebrow-transplant-a-growing-demand/