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The Case of the Disappearing Eyebrows

This may seem like a silly topic to some, but some of you may be able to relate. Like so many things, my eyebrows were something I never really even thought about … until they were nearly gone.

When I was younger, I remember seeing women spend so much time lining their lips or shaping their eybrows with powder or brow pencil, and it all seemed so ridiculous. I couldn’t even comprehend the need.  I always had full, rosy lips and nice shaped dark eyebrows. 

Leap forward 20-30 years, and my lips have shrunk and the “tails” of my eyebrows have become barely visible. I am in a endless battle with them! In addition to the thinning, my once darker eyebrows have lightened too. So I’ve tried many things … from filling them in on my own to having them professionally shaped and colored.

Don’t worry … that’s just wipe off dye. They do look pretty normal when it’s done.

In my attempts,  I often look like a crazy woman  with brows that are too big, the wrong color or the wrong shape. Plus, they don’t stay on.

When my make up is done by a professional – like Deidre at Days, who  is AMAZING – they look perfect. But I struggle to replicate her beautiful work when I’m at home. This week, as I was struggling in the mirror with my eyebrows once again, I was also contemplating what to share on this week’s PLANK. I wondered if other women face this same challenge … and then I remember this video that I did years ago!

It was back from my time on As the World Turns, and they had this make-up woman with an amazing technique. I was so impressed that I asked her if I could film her in action so I could try to emulate it once I got home. Too bad I had forgotten about this until now! Unlike many of the complicated methods I’ve seen over the years, this one is pretty easy and you end up with a really great, natural looking brow.  Of course it doesn’t hurt to have them professionally shaped once in a while … but with this technique and the help of all the great tools out there (check out Anastasia), I think I might have this problem solved. 

Give it a shot and send us some pics of your efforts and hopefully successes. 
 
 

 
 
 

0 Comments

  1. Hey,

    Very nice blog you have shared with us all. Great Content.I would definitely love to share it with my friends and colleagues.

    Thanks a Lot 😀

  2. I grew up in the 60’s and wanted my Martin Scorsese eyebrows to look like Twiggy’s. As a result I over-tweezed for years and eventually they didn’t grow back in when I wanted them to. 😢 MaryBeth thank you for your videos and being so candid about this topic! There are many of us that need an eyebrow tutorial. I’ll try your technique and see how it works out. You always look beautiful with or without perfect eyebrows! Love ya!! ❤️😘

  3. I have never done anything on my eyebrows all my life. They are very blonde, I have been very lucky.

  4. P.A Pfeffer

    I LOVED that! Thank you for sharing. I usually use a pencil but I think I will try the powder now. My eyebrows look like they’re almost gone. Especially since I got shingles. More hair falls out and I scratch one eyebrow because of intense itching. I do worry that I will smudge what I have applied. Do you use anything to “fix” your application? I have your coloring but always had dark eyebrows that did not match my blonde hair. That has changed.

  5. Robyn Wade

    I’m just wondering if you know that thinning eyebrows can also mean low thyroid function. That was my first sign. I’m sure all is good for you as you always look amazing but it may help others in some way. Love your character and how natural you are in life. God bless

  6. Sandi Zamora

    I have been struggling with finding the right product to use. I thought about microblading, but the whole idea of not getting them wet for two weeks sounds awful. Also keeping my gray hair covered is a challenge. Isn’t middle age fun? Lol

  7. Charlene

    Castor oil applied nightly with a clean mascara wand, will grow your eyebrows and your eyelashes. Worked for me and I am 62! My full eyebrows and lashes are back! You have to keep doing it. I also put it in my hair to restore fullness. Black jamaican castor oil is the best! Instead of hairspray to keep your eyebrows shaped…use clear mascara, does so much better and no mess or smell. Good luck!

  8. Georgia L

    I too am lamenting those big, bushy European eyebrows I was so embarrassed of in my 20’s. But like Christie I am looking at microblading (feathering). A few of my friends have done it and it looks great. And most importantly it is not permanent so it can follow your natural look as you get older.

    • Janice Reynolds

      Mary Beth, you are by far my favorite actress! We are exactly the same age and I too had thick black eyebrows but now my hair and brows have turned to snow white. I look like a clown with my attempts of defining my brows. Will try your recommendations! Love love love your blog!

    • I used to have Brooke Shields eyebrows, hated them, plucked all the time but they just kept coming back. Now, in my mid 50’s I long for those eyebrows! What the heck happened to them?! I’m going to try your application method. Here’s to what once was, full eyebrows and breasts where they used to be!

    • Thanks – I have Castor oil at home which my adult daughter left behind

  9. Connie Leinicke

    My 28-year-old daughter has had alopecia universalis since age 14 and has relied on eyebrow tattooing since high school. She tells me that some eyebrow hair is returning for her now, so I will share this valuable info and see if this helps her as well. Thank you so much, Mary Beth! Looks beautiful and easy even for non-pros!

    • Christie

      Connie, I have a few patients with this and we are having some success with microneedling with prp for alopecia totalis. Once the “event” that causes the shedding is finished, theoretically, the follicles should awaken! I’ve see regrowth starting, which has been amazing for these ladies! It gave them hope where there was none. Take a peek at it!

  10. Thank you so much for this tutorial! My eyebrows are very light. I may try this. Everything else I’ve tried looks hideous and super UNnatural!

  11. CorrieMae

    Oh My!! this was spot on for me this week. I have been looking at my eyebrows everyday! One side looks great and the other seems to be half missing!!! Love the video, I will give it a try. Thanks Happy Easter!!

  12. The older I get… the more waxing I get done. I just had de-forestation done yesterday..including my blonde eyebrows. The one thing I would give anything for..are EYELASHES that are detectable!

  13. Hi Mary Beth
    You always looked very sophisticated and beautiful on Atwt as Sierra.
    Always classicley dressed and beautiful make up and hair..
    Still miss that show, I think you were among the best acting cast ever on a soap..

  14. Christie

    Microneedling with does a good job of regrowing eyebrows! I have a patient with alopecia totalis (no hair anywhere on her body) and I’ve been working on her face and scalp. So far, she has partial eyebrows and the downy hair on her upper lip…haha… However, she hasn’t had a hair anywhere in 30 years. Slow victories! 😏
    Give it a try!!

  15. Thanks for sharing this Marybeth. I definitely have problems as I get older with getting my eyebrows to look right. I have several friends that have done the microblading. Have you heard of this? It’s basically filling in your eyebrows similar to what you showed but it lasts for about 6-8 months. It’s not a permanent tattoo, like some have, but fills them in for the natural look and then lasts longer than having to do this everyday. Thank you for always keeping it real with us and sharing that you deal with the same struggles as the rest of us.

  16. Anne Vicory

    Hi Mary Beth! I too have this problem. (We’re basically the same age.) Like you, my eyebrows used to be just fine. I’ve never even had mine waxed. They were always a good natural shape, and all I needed to do was tweeze a few strays below the brow or ever so slightly beyond the tails. Then I hit my 50s, and my eyebrows started to thin and lighten in color, but not uniformly so. Your videos were very helpful! The technique is perfect, because the result looks so natural. (The only thing that looks worse than losing an attribute is overcompensating to regain it.) I definitely want to give it a try!
    But, I don’t wear much makeup in general and have always struggled to get good results on my own. So in the meantime, I came across a foolproof product that suits my daily needs. It’s Lancôme’s Sourcils Styler. It’s basically a mascara for the eyebrows. It comes in three colors; blond, “chatain” (dark blond), and “brun”. I use the chatain/dark blond. The styling wand is easy to use, and it evens out the color, It wasn’t until I started using it, and my brows reappeared that I realized most of my brows were still there, but the color had faded and they weren’t showing up. So for those who struggle with makeup application such as myself, it’s a good alternative.
    Please keep the ideas coming 😊 Anne.

  17. Traci Whiting

    Love it! Find us some more old videos MB!

  18. Barbara levy

    Ahhh….
    Eyebrows….
    Yes the tail disappears but what about the bald spots in the front part? Or the 5-7 white hairs that are so unruly and mixed in with dark brow hair ?? I have tried having them dyed but it lasts maybe 5-7 days. This all starts after you finally acknowledge the deep lines and falling cheeks on your face. To make life even sweeter your oily skin is now like sand paper and you get acne again! Wrinkles and pimples!!!!

    That is what sucks about getting older but yet I am looking forward to turning 70 this September.
    If I didn’t get older I wouldn’t have two teenager grand daughters in NJ. I also wouldn’t have 2 grand daughters (10.5 yrs old and 7.5 yrs) and one grandson who is 5.5 yrs old in Jerusalem.

    Even after all of my challenges I wouldn’t go back in time or change places with anyone.

    Life is sweet. Keep the blogs and blogs coming. Thank you, barb

  19. OMG I barely have any brows left. They are thinning and what hairs I do have are turning grey. ☹️

  20. Thank you for sharing!
    Great information!
    😊

  21. Thank you for posting this video! I too have experienced “faded” eyebrows. I am going to try this technique.

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