When it comes to makeup trends, there have been few pendulum swings as marked as the evolution of eyebrows. From the thin, penciled-in arches of the 1920s to today's full, brushed-up (and even squiggly) brow, eyebrows have had quite the journey. And now Rihanna is here to take the conversation one step further.
The September 2018 cover of British Vogue features the singer and beauty mogul, as a modern incarnation of an old-school glamour shot. (She sat for legendary photographer Nick Knight.) But we'll cut right to the chase: Possibly the most striking part about the photo is that Rihanna’s eyebrows are nearly nonexistent.
The look, courtesy of makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench for Fenty Beauty, features Rihanna’s brows styled in a micro-thin, heavily arched shape — a far cry from her naturally full arches. Finishing the look are a fierce smize, glossy burgundy lip, and swirl of pink eyeshadow, as one does — especially if one is Rih herself.
Mega-thin brows were all the rage in the '20s thanks to iconic screen sirens like Anna May Wong and Marlene Dietrich, but also hit a fever pitch in the '90s, when Hollywood stars sported itty-bitty eyebrows — usually punctuated with frosty eye makeup. (Arched, penciled-in brows are also closely associated with chola culture, which also featured dark lip liner and brick red lipstick as popular makeup choices.) With the styling and accessories of the photoshoot seeming to suggest a "high fashion garden party" vibe, it's not clear who or what the inspiration behind this specific beauty look is; that said, it's one that undeniably has its roots in a variety of eras and cultures, and is an instantly recognizable aesthetic.
While we're not sure yet if Rihanna's statement-making beauty look is going to usher the retro style back into the modern makeup vernacular, there's no denying that the multi-hyphenate star has made serving the ultimate throwback makeup moment look totally easy. If you're curious enough to test-drive the look at home, use an age-old trick beloved by drag queens to make your eyebrows temporarily disappear: Start by combing brows in a downward direction using a spoolie brush, and apply a layer of non-toxic glue stick (makeup artist Lizzie Arneson swears by Elmer’s Disappearing Purple Glue Stick, which was the backstage MVP for a 2014 Chromat runway show) along the entire brow using a tiny spatula or spoon. Before the glue dries, brush your brow hairs up and seal everything in with a second layer of glue to create an even canvas for concealer and powder application. From there, simply draw on your desired shape with a creamy pencil, and voilà — the closest thing you can get to a beauty time machine...or the cover of British Vogue.
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