I like knowing random information; I think that’s a part of what’s kept me in the writing game, full-time, since 2000. Anyway, a few years back, I remember reading that some of the first things that men notice on women are their faces, their bodies, if they’re loud, if they’re with guys or girls, and their accessories. That got me thinking that, even though I’m heterosexual, I can appreciate a woman, lawd. And so, what I tend to notice first is her body, her hair, and, if I’m close enough, her lips and eyebrows.
Yep. Eyebrows. I dunno. Like they say that you can learn a lot about a man by the kind of shoes he has on (and how well he takes care of them), I feel that way about a woman’s eyebrows: I think that you tend to be pretty intentional about your appearance if your eyebrows are on-point — and personally, I appreciate that.
Since I also once read that around one-quarter of women use eyebrow pencils to make their brows look as perfect as possible, I took that as a sign that I can’t be the only one who is as into eyebrows as I am. That’s why I thought it would be cool to take a moment to share some of the current eyebrow trends that are poppin’ out in these streets…in case you’re looking to switch up your own brow look any time soon.
8 Eyebrow Trends You'll See Everywhere in 2024
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1. High Arches
A few years back, I would get my eyebrows threaded. There was a place that was much closer to me than where I go to get waxed now, and it was convenient. So, why did I stop? The main reason was that the ladies kept creating higher and higher arches which meant my brows were getting thinner and thinner — and that was really pissing me off.
I did some asking around to see if this was other people’s experiences, and (le sigh) apparently it is (the losing brows in threading, I mean. If it has been for you, would you hop in the comments and let me know?). Anyway, although I much rather have my brows follow another trend on the list (more in a bit), I will say that high arches are something that’s currently really popular.
To a certain extent, I get it. They can be sexy, especially if you like to play around with eyeshadow. My main problem is I HATE the growing out processing of thinner brows — so, if you’re contemplating “upping your arch,” just keep in mind that it could take 3-4 months to grow them back out again. Geeze.
@kyranikole2 this was not on the agenda for today but just wanted a little umph for these brows lol
2. Tinting
And what if you’re currently in the growing out stage and you’re trying to figure out how to make it through? Back when I was in the process of wanting my own eyebrows to look fuller, this is right where I was. The remedy was another current trend: eyebrow tinting. Long story short, it’s a semi-permanent coloring approach that can help to fill in sparse areas of your eyebrows and/or make them darker in order to give them more definition.
If there is a heads up that I would give for this, it’s that, if you end up not liking the tint job once it’s done, it could take a few weeks for the tinting to fade completely. Oh, something else: be sure about the color you want. Sometimes, that black can be way too much on lighter skin tones. So, make sure that you are crystal clear with the esthetician about what your expectations are. One more thing: discuss the chemicals that are in the products. Some folks have been known to have an allergic reaction from time to time.
3. Serums
Okay, so what if you want the depth that tinting provides, yet you’d prefer to avoid the permanence that the method offers? A great alternative is yet another eyebrow trend for this year: eyebrow serums. The cool thing about those is they can help to smooth out your brows while giving them dimension in a no-side-effects kind of way. That’s because a lot of serums contain ingredients that help to condition your brow hairs so that they are able to remain healthy and strong. Plus, they actually contribute to the growing out process. Glamour has a list of eyebrow growth serums here; Vogue has some others here.
@itslexclusive Replying to @MulaMone This is a halo brow free zone!💅🏾 @REVOLUTION brow soap styler @Milani brow pen -espresso @NARS Cosmetics concealer pot - Amande &Cacao #eyebrowtutorial #eyebrowtutorialblackgirl #blackgirlmakeup #fluffybrows
4. Fluffy Brows
As for me and my house, I’m not sure what I think about fluffy brows because, every time that I look at them, I feel like the hairs that are poking out at the top of the brow line need to be trimmed — yet hey, to each their own, right? The flip side to these is they do look hella full and healthy, so that’s a plus. Anyway, although some people like to achieve this look with brow lamination because there are some long-term risks that potentially come with going that route (you can read more about that here), just know that if you want to try the fluffy style out, you can also make it happen with the help of some hairspray or eyebrow wax.
5. Two-Tones
Something else that I peeped that some folks are into right now is two-toned or ombré-looking eyebrows (this typically means lighter-looking brows towards your eyes and darker towards your temples). Now, this look can be achieved in a few different ways. Some folks get their eyebrows tattooed (you can see it here). Some apply henna (you can see that here). Others use make-up, especially in order to create drastic, colorful eyebrows (there’s an example of those here). Whatever route you decide to take, if you want eyebrows that look less one-dimensional, two-tone/ombré will make it happen (the make-up approach is really great for photoshoots, by the way).
@jeriekaewing How to achieve the straight eyebrow shape. I wanted something different and decided to change the shape of my eyebrows. Concealer used is by @toofaced brow pomade is by @suggacosmetics (they no longer sell it) #fyp #xyzbca #makeuptutorial #makeuphacks #blackgirlmakeup #browtutorial #browtransformation #straighteyebrows
6. Straight Brows
Something that has been all over the place, both this year and last, is straight eyebrows. This look is pretty much what it sounds like: people are trying to remove as much curve from their brows as possible, which means that many are taking off the tail end of their own eyebrows so that there is less of an arch while others are removing the end and then using eyeliner to create a straight eyebrow tip.
Some folks believe that taking this particular approach to their brows helps to make them look younger. Personally, I don’t see it but…just putting it out there if you’re bored with your own eyebrows and you want to try something different. Or trendy.
7. Natural Brows
You know how you need to go to a hairstylist who wants to give you what YOU want and not what THEY think is best? Same goes with an esthetician — and I adore mine. For years, I was doing my eyebrows myself. I started seeing her when I wanted to do some pampering (in fact, had I not been getting my eyebrows done the day that my house blew up, I probably wouldn’t be writing this article now). Years later, while I can still get the job done in the pinch, I still see her about once a month because she’s trained to create the brow look that I’m after in such a precise way that I don’t need to apply anything until the next appointment (and I adore that for me!).
No doubt about it, she has my brows looking really full, very natural, and with a gradual arch. As life would have it, natural brows are in, too. I don’t really care, though. I don’t see myself switching up from natural brows any time soon — trend or not. *Elmo shrug*
8. (Baby) Brow Lifts
There used to be a time when it was mostly older women who went through the cosmetic procedure of a formal brow lift. It was because they wanted to remove any wrinkly or aging skin around their eyes while also “lifting” their forehead a bit so that they could look younger. These days, younger ladies are following suit, especially by getting what is known as a “baby brow lift.” What medical professionals are saying is a lot of women sing the baby lift’s praises because it gives them a higher arch and a more exotic look with less downtime (for instance, botox can provide this effect, although you will have to get it redone as the botox wears off while others are combining brow lamination with brow tinting).
Since this option is probably the most expensive out of all of the trends here, definitely make sure you want to shell out this much cash and that you consult with a reputable cosmetic surgeon about if you need it as much as you think that you do.
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It’s kind of funny that the two strips of hair that are there to keep sweat ‘n stuff out of our eyes (and help us to communicate effectively) get so much cosmetic attention. Hey, I appreciate it, though. I say it often: a woman with some manicured brows, a couple of coats of mascara, and something on her lips usually doesn’t NEED anything more than that.
Whether she follows trends or…not. #Elmoshrugagain
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Again, the answer never changes because, if there is one thing that Shellie Reneé Warren is gonna get, it’s 6-8 (sometimes nine) hours of sleep. However, since my chronotype (check out “Ever Wonder What Personality Traits Make Someone A 'Morning Person'?”) means that I like/prefer to write in the wee hours of the morning, sometimes I will sleep for the night for five hours and take a nap in the day. And y’all, that is just fine with me because I am well aware of the fact that napping does everything from give me more energy, heighten my alertness and even make me more creative to decrease stress levels, strengthen immunity, and reduce my chances of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.
My problem is I will oftentimes go “overboard” with my daytime zzz’s. What I mean by that is, in order to get the most out of a nap, they say thatyou shouldn’t sleep for longer than 25 minutes or so; otherwise, you could wake up feeling sluggish (I don’t but…). Also, it can make resting, soundly, at night a bit of a struggle.
So, what are you saying, Shellie? We should get quickies in? Yeah. And it’s funny that the word “quickie” would come up because just like a sex quickie can do wonders for you (and it can — check out “12 Super Solid Reasons To Have A Quickie Every Single Day”), it’s a full-circle moment when I say that something that can improve the quality of your sex life is to have a power nap (a nap that lasts between 10-30 minutes).
Wanna know how the two things correlate? Honestly, it’s no secret that sleep and sex work together to optimize both (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”). Today, though, we’re going to tap into how a nap, specifically, can have you partaking in some of the best sex that you’ve experienced in a minute. I’ll explain.
Naps Reduce Stress
GiphyIf you’re feeling super stressed out right now, you are not alone. There is plenty of data out here that says that most of us are stressed for at least a couple of reasons at a time — and that can impact your sexual health on a few levels. For one thing, it can bring about feelings of depression and/or anxiety. Stress can also throw your hormone levels off (including your cycle) which can weaken your libido. Stress can make you want to put distance between you and your partner (yes, literally).
Stress can also make it challenging to get aroused or to have an orgasm. And just what can help to decrease stress? Taking a nap. Since sleep has a way of helping you to “get off of the clock” and relax a bit, that can lower your stress levels and “reset” your body so that you are calmer — and that, in turn, can do wonders for your sex drive and ultimately your sex life.
Naps Improve Your Mood
GiphyThere is one person in my life, and fairly 80 percent of the time, she’s in a super good mood. Oh, but let that girl go without sleep, and…who is this woman? LOL. There’s research behind why this happens. When a person is sleep-deprived, it messes with their brain chemicals, and that can amplify emotions like anger, restlessness and sadness. In fact, one study revealed that people who had their sleep disrupted throughout the night, they ended up having their positive outlook on life reduced by about 30 percent.
And geeze, who wants to have sex when they’re not feeling very good? Anyway, since serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate your moods, your sleep patterns, and your libido and sleep is what helps to keep it in balance — by taking a nap, not only can it help you to feel better, it can also increase your desire for sex (it can also build up your endurance which is also…sexually beneficial).
Naps Increase Your Focus and Concentration
GiphySomething that some of my clients bring up is how, when it comes to having sex, sometimes the flesh is willing while the spirit is weak because, although the desire for intimacy is there, so much is going on that they aren’t able to get still enough to focus on experiencing copulation with their partner. This also tracks because, when you don’t have enough rest, your brain finds itself not working in harmony and that can make it hard to do everything from approaching life with a sense of flexibility to making necessary decisions.
Certain data also reveal that a lack of rest can cause you to have a really poor attention span and not process things in context (the more you know). So, if you really want to get some yet it’s hard for you to focus long enough to make it happen, ask your bae to lie down with you and take a nap. Between the sleep and the snuggling (check out “Fall's Coming: 8 Wonderful Health Benefits Of Cuddling”) — you may wake up with your mind and body totally on the same page. #wink
Naps Can Make You Feel Better About Your Body
GiphyEven if, overall, you feel really good about your body, I think that we all have moments when we feel less attractive than others — and who wants to have sex when they don’t really feel…very sexy? Well, something else that sleep, in general, can do is increase your confidence in your body.
For one thing, if you want to lose a few pounds, sleep can actually make that happen by helping your body metabolize the glucose (sugar) that’s in it so that you can better manage your appetite. Other studies go on to share that since sleep deprivation can impact one’s mental health and emotional stability in a negative way, of course, getting enough rest would increase body positivity.
Shoot, science even goes so far as to say that insomnia can cause people to have an elevated level of dissatisfaction when it comes to their body image. Don’t take their word for it, though. Look in the mirror before a nap. Then look in a mirror after waking up from me. Do you feel better? I’d be surprised if you don’t.
Makes Your Brain Bigger…Which Could Make Your Orgasms Better
GiphyI saved the best for last by design. Now if you’re wondering how in the world a nap can improve (and possibly increase) your orgasms — oh, there is a method to the madness…trust. For starters, the saying that your biggest sex organ is your brain? That isn’t a myth. Long story less long, the brain is what houses your central nervous system and that is what controls how men and women sexually function (yes, literally).
And since the brain also releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin during sex and brain activity significantly increases in women during sexual activity (especially right before she orgasms) — well, would it trip you out to know that when you take a nap, your brain actually expands? A bigger brain (that’s healthy) can potentially intensify your sexual experiences (and your climaxes) — and who doesn’t want that to go down?
____
Like I said earlier, I never have to be convinced to get a nap in. However, if your sex life has been a bit stagnant lately, you’ve been feeling a little sluggish and you’re not sure what to do — I’m hoping that a nap can get you right.
There’s enough science to prove that it can. All you need to do is give it a shot.
Now where’s your pillow and sleep mask, chile?
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