This Is Exactly How to Grow Back Your Eyebrows

So you got a little tweezer-happy when you were a teenager. Or maybe you're stuck dealing with the result of a brow waxing or threading appointment gone wrong. Those who have experienced any form of "eyebrow trauma" know just how drastically a change in your brows can alter your entire face shape, structure, and sometimes self-esteem.

Growing out your brows after such experiences require tender care and patience, similar to trying to raise a house plant in a dark New York City apartment. If you've lost as much as half a brow (or more) the weeks and months it takes waiting for it to grow back can be pure agony. But it doesn't have to be that way.

We tapped brow experts, a dermatologist, and a cosmetic chemist to share their best tips for how to grow out your brows with grace — and expedience.

• Maribeth Madron is a makeup artist and eyebrow specialist based in New York City.
• Stevi Christine is a makeup artist and eyebrow specialist based in Beverly Hills.
• Joshua Zeichner, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
• Robin Evans is an eyebrow specialist based in New York City and New London, Connecticut.
• Ginger King is a cosmetic chemist based in New Jersey.

• At what point should you consider growing out your eyebrows?
• How long does it typically take for eyebrows to grow out?
• Do eyebrow growth serums work and should you use them?
• How do you keep eyebrows groomed in the grow-out phase, and what products should you use?
• Moving forward, should you groom your brows at home or go to a salon?

If you feel like your brows aren't doing anything for your face shape or you're just not into how they look anymore, then it's time to consider growing them out. "You know it's time to grow out your brows when you're going to see a pro more than once a month, or you no longer like the way you look without brow makeup," says Maribeth Madron, a makeup artist and eyebrow specialist based in New York City. She says that another indicator is if you notice you're spending more time and energy on brow makeup than the rest of your face.

Stevi Christine, a makeup artist and eyebrow specialist based in Beverly Hills, agrees, noting that it may be time for a grow-out "when your brows appear too thin, the shape is off, or they don't look related." We're sure you've heard that eyebrows should look like "sisters, not twins," meaning that they don't have to match exactly in order to look amazing, however, “you don't want them to look completely different, either,” says Christine.

Short answer: three to four months. Long answer: "Hair at your eyebrows, like hair on other parts of your body, goes through a regular growth cycle," says Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. “Eyebrow hair grows actively for three to four months, followed by a resting phase, after which the hairs are released from the skin. Your body is constantly making new hair, so most people do not notice the shedding and renewal.”

The amount of time it takes for your brow hairs to be restored to (some kind of) their former glory depends on the person, of course. Just as some lucky people can grow out their misshapen bangs within weeks and others have to wait months, the same rules apply to eyebrows — brow growth is hair growth, after all. Madron says that she's seen “major brow revolutions” — that is, a total overhaul of the fullness and shape of the brows — take up to a year.

If you're having trouble growing back your set after more than a few months or noticing your brows seem to be getting thinner, not thicker, there are several factors that could be at play. As with the hair on your head, aging and stress can result in thinning of eyebrow hair. That said, if thinning comes on suddenly or you notice more than a few fallen hairs at a time, you should check in with a medical professional, as it could be a sign of something more serious. "Some underlying medical conditions may also contribute to eyebrow thinning, such as thyroid disease, anemia, malnutrition, and underlying autoimmune conditions," Dr. Zeichner says.

Also keep in mind that if you've been the type to pluck away over the years in pursuit of thin brows, some parts of your arches may simply never grow back: Overplucking can cause permanent damage to the follicle to the point where regrowth is no longer possible. In such cases, microblading may be the best option to achieve fuller-looking brows: The tattoo-like treatment involves using ultra-fine needles and semipermanent pigment to etch hairlike strokes directly into the skin in your brow area.

Like any beauty product, the efficacy of an eyebrow growth serum — most of which have an applicator similar to that of a brow gel or mascara — depends on how diligently you use it. "[In my experience], brow serums do work," says Robin Evans, an eyebrow specialist based in New York City and New London, Connecticut. "However, the growth that they promote will fall out after discontinued use. Keep that in mind. It's all about commitment."

That said, the brow-enhancing effects of RevitaBrow Advanced Eyebrow Conditioner have been proven in an independent clinical study during which participants applied the formula over their brows daily for eight weeks. (Also worth mentioning: The eyebrow serum has also earned more than 10 Allure Best of Beauty awards.) "I've used [RevitaBrow] personally for over a decade and suggest it for my clients as well," adds Madron. "I also use Nutrafol supplements [backed by a third-party, placebo-controlled study] for healthy lashes and brows." (Note: You should always consult your doctor prior to taking a new supplement for any purpose.)

According to New Jersey-based cosmetic chemist Ginger King, brow serums that actually work do so "by stimulating the hair follicle health," and suggests reading the ingredient label to be sure your serum has some form of peptides, "which a consumer can generally recognize by the wording 'peptide' on the ingredient list." Dr. Zeichner also highly suggests using topical brow serums that contain peptides. "Peptides help stimulate the activity of the hair follicle to give greater length and thickness of eyebrow hairs," he says.

When growing out her own brows, Allure senior news editor Nicola Dall'Asen reaped the benefits of rosemary oil, which studies have shown could support new hair growth at a similar rate to Minoxidil (i.e. Rogaine or Nioxin). "It works as an antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and most importantly, microcirculation enhancer," King previously explained to Allure. "An antioxidant is a must for all hair care to preserve integrity. Microcirculation will help to reenergize the scalp for better growth." Dall'Asen used a spoolie brush to comb Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil through her self-proclaimed sparse brows daily. Today, she has some of the fullest arches in the biz.

Madron tells clients to use wax-based pencils during the sometimes-awkward in-between phase that happens when you're working to regrow your brows. A pigmented formula with a thicker consistency helps fill in obvious holes, she says. We're fans of Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Pencil and Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz Ultra-Slim Precision Brow Pencil.

For longer wear, Madron suggests using a combination of pomade and powder. We like Benefit Cosmetics POWmade Waterproof Brow Pomade or Maybelline New York Tattoo Studio Brow Pomade layered with the Best of Beauty-winning Joey Healy Luxe Brow Powder.

Evans suggests investing in tools, like a brow brush and tweezers — as counterintuitive as that may sound. "Every few days, I tweeze any little coarse hairs underneath the brow line to keep them looking nice and clean," she says. (We like the Tweezerman Stainless Steel Slant Tweezer, which has taken home more than a few Best of Beauty wins over the years for its ease and precision when eradicating stray hairs.)

To be clear, it's the new growth in the arch itself you should avoid tweezing. Using a pencil or pomade to fill in the gaps helps avoid the temptation, says Evans, who sometimes suggests her clients apply a bright lipstick or eye-catching piece of jewelry to create a visual diversion from their brows during this in-between phase.

When it comes to finessing your brows in the grow-out phase, we're all for grooming at home. But when they need a bit of a cleanup, how do you know whether or not you can go the DIY route or if you should stick to the professionals? Both Christine and Madron agree that it depends on your natural brow.

"DIY is a great option if you have naturally ‘good’ brows for your face shape and feature size and only overdid it a few times," says Madron. "If you didn't start with great brows, had a major hacking incident, or desire a radical change, consult the pros." That way, you can set a strategy for how you want them to grow in, and how you want to maintain them as they do so.

While Christine agrees, she notes that the decision also depends on the look you want to achieve and how fast your hair grows. "For the lucky ones, brows grow back fast," she says. “But if you want to change your shape or grow fuller brows, it can take months for people to do it on their own. Even people like me — I haven't tweezed my brows in years.”

Overall, if you're trying to get your brows back one of the most important things you can have is patience. Great brows aren't regrown in a day, or even a few days, so hang in there and whatever you do: tweeze with caution.

Read more stories about brows:

• Brow Lamination Gave Me the Fluffiest Brows I've Ever Had
• This Brow Wax Makes Even My Sparse Little Eyebrows Look Fluffy
• 23 of the Best Eyebrow Products Allure Editors Swear By

Now, watch eyebrow microblading in action:

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