Everything You Need to Know About the Eyebrow Carving Trend

As far as beauty trends go, brows—and the eyebrow makeup used to define them—have been having a serious moment for a while now. Gone are the days of pencil-thin brows—these days it’s all about rocking arches that are full, even if you need to use makeup to fake fullness. And we’re super-happy about that, since a thicker brow is flattering on almost everyone. Of course, it isn’t only brows in general that are trending! Almost every day, or so it seems, a new brow trend pops up. If we had to name the latest brow style to make waves in the beauty world, it would be brow carving. What is this trend, you ask? Learn more about brow carving—and find step-by-step instructions for successfully pulling off the makeup look—below. Your eyebrows are about to take center stage on your face!

WHAT ARE CARVED BROWS, EXACTLY?

You’ve seen cut creases, right? Now, imagine that technique surrounding your brows. Characterized by a faded, smoky look for your brow bones, carved brows have a way of really drawing attention front and center. The otherworldly end result requires crisp precision and perfect blending skills. Don’t let that make you shy away from giving it a try though! We’re breaking it down, step-by-step, next.

HOW TO CREATE THE LOOK OF CARVED BROWS

Ready to snap your best brow pic yet? Stock up your makeup bag and follow our tutorial to learn how to master your brow carving technique.

What you’ll need:

Densely-bristled eye shadow brush

Blending brush

Tape

L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Frame & Set

L’Oréal Paris Paradise Enchanted Scented Eye Shadow Palette

L’Oréal Paris True Match™ Super-Blendable Multi-Use Concealer

Get the look by following these simple steps:

Step 1: Tape off your brows

Before adding any product to your brows, you’ll want to begin by creating your cut crease-inspired look. To create the extra sharp lines that define what carved brows look like, place a few small pieces of tape over your brows, forming a triangular shape that connects in a point at the outer corner. On the underside, the line created by the tape should stretch along the entirety of your brow, while the line that will be above your brow only needs to extend up to your arch.

Make sure to place the edges of your tape relatively close to your brow so that there’s only a small amount of space between your brow and the soon-to-be carving. Don’t worry, this will all make more sense soon!

Step 2: Blend your smoky brow look

Now that your brows are taped off, pick up a matte shade from your eye shadow palette using a densely-bristled brush. Gently apply the pigment to your exposed skin, going over where the tape is placed. Once you have your pigment laid down, use a fluffy blending brush to blend the eye shadow, blending outwards, in the direction of your lid on the bottom edge and up towards your forehead on the upper edge.

Don’t worry about your carved look taking up too much prime eye real estate. When you rock the carved brow look, it’s best not to wear more eye shadow on your lid, as it can look a tad overdone. Once you’re satisfied with your blending, remove the pieces of tape and move on to the next step.

Step 3: Comb your brows

Unruly brows don’t suit this look, so be sure to comb them into compliance. Use the spoolie end of the brush included with your brow pomade to brush your eyebrow hairs into place. You can go for ultra-defined arches or opt for brushed up brows to create a slightly rougher look. It’s up to you!

Step 4: Fill your brows in

Once you’re done brushing your brows, pop the lid off the brow pomade to fill your brows in for a denser look. The creamy pomade is lightweight and glides on smoothly to help fill in any light patches and set your look.

Step 5: Touch things up with concealer

Right about now, your brows should be looking pretty swell. There’s just one more step—touching up the area in between your blended carvings and your filled-in brows. That’s what your concealer is for. Use a precision brush, dipped in concealer, to sharpen your lines and help make your brows pop even more than they already do.

Voila! It’s certainly a picture-worthy end-look. For more brow inspiration, read our article, 8 Brow Hacks for Gorgeous-Looking Arches.