How to grow your eyebrows

Is it ever possible to get back a thick, full arch?

The first thing you need to do? Stop tweezing (Getty)

We’ve all been there. For some reason or another, most teenagers are compelled to over-tweeze their eyebrows into a very Nineties thin line but, is it ever possible to get back a thick, full arch without the need to use pencils and pomades?

Unfortunately, getting too neurotic with removing stray hairs can cause serious damage and brows often have a nasty habit of staying dormant but it’s not impossible.

The first thing you need to do? Stop tweezing. This is the only way you’ll ever get thicker brows and while doing nothing might feel wrong, it really is the best thing you can do.

Prolonged and repetitive over-plucking can traumatise the hair follicles, which weakens their ability to grow so if it’s big, bushy brows you’re after you need to play the long game.

Brows grow in a three to four month cycle and while you’ll probably start to see results after six to eight weeks, it can take up to a year for them to fully flourish.

New hair growth should pop up around the arch or the ends before anywhere else and while they can look unruly, it’s important to stick at it. You just need to find a way to maintain them.

You might as well make peace with the fact that your brows aren’t going to look their best for a while as strays will begin to sprout here, there and everywhere, and at all sorts of angles.

The solution? Groom them daily with a spoolie and try using a brow gel to smooth down hairs in the right direction.

If you’re the impatient type, which let’s face it, most of us are when it comes to growing out our brows then there are a few things you can try to speed up the process.

Growth serums can do wonders with products like Elizabeth Arden’s Prevage Brow Serum, Rapid Brow and Revitabrow that contain active ingredients known to support your hair’s natural renewal cycle but sadly, they can’t help everyone.

Boosted with unique blends of fortifying proteins, they will help to condition, restore and repair the appearance of your furrow with some boasting results in as little as 60 days. In fact, beauty guru Sam Haste Chapman of Pixiwoo credits Lilash for her bushy set but with prices edging on the hundreds, they can be a bit of a gamble.

If you’re not quite willing to splash the cash, there are more affordable alternatives you can try. Specially formulated oils, coconut oil or even castor oil is known to promote hair growth by creating a barrier that locks in moisture and increases metabolism. Simply apply to your brows before bed and let it get to work.

Once you have successfully grown in your brows, feel free to groom them but remember to always tweeze in natural light; this way you’ll be less tempted to over pluck. Plus, adding either a professional tint or a tinted brow gel will make your newly bushy brows look even thicker and fuller.