Eyebrow Shapes

A soft angled eyebrow shape with medium height and medium thickness works for most face shapes. It's not extreme in any direction, which means it flatters without requiring precision. If you're not sure what your face shape is or want a safe starting point, a soft angled arch is the right default.

A medium to high arch with a soft or hard angled peak. The lift creates the illusion of a longer, more oval face. Avoid rounded brows, which mirror the roundness of the face and make it appear rounder.

A soft angled arch with fuller thickness. The softness counteracts the angular jawline and draws attention upward toward the eyes. Avoid rounded arches, which emphasize the angular jaw rather than softening it.

A higher arch with a soft angled peak creates the impression of a longer, narrower face. This is most effective on round or square faces. For oblong faces, a flatter arch is actually more flattering because it reduces the appearance of length rather than adding to it.

The same rules apply by face shape, but the tools change. Temporary eyebrow tattoos are the most popular choice for women going through chemo because they're quick, realistic, and available in a range of shapes. Knowing your face shape before choosing a tattoo shape helps significantly. We have a dedicated section above for women who've lost their brows to chemo or alopecia, including placement guidance for bare skin.

Both have a defined peak, but a soft angled arch comes to a gently rounded point while a hard angled arch is sharper and more dramatic. Soft angled is the more versatile choice and suits most face shapes. Hard angled is bolder and works best on square or strong-featured faces that can carry the structure.

No. Microblading is not safe during active chemotherapy. The procedure breaks the skin, which creates a wound that requires immune system response to heal. During chemotherapy, the immune system is significantly compromised, which elevates infection risk. An infection during treatment can delay your chemotherapy schedule, which is the last thing you want.

If you're considering microblading, the options are to get it done at least 2 to 3 weeks before your first treatment session, or to wait until after treatment ends and your oncologist gives clearance, typically at least 8 weeks after your last session, sometimes longer. Always consult your oncologist first. During treatment, temporary eyebrow tattoos and brow makeup are the safe alternatives.

Most practitioners recommend waiting a minimum of 8 weeks after your last chemotherapy treatment, with many oncologists advising 3 to 6 months depending on your specific regimen and recovery. Your immune system needs time to recover fully before any procedure that breaks the skin. Skin sensitivity can also persist after treatment, which may affect how the pigment heals and retains color.

Always get your oncologist's specific clearance before scheduling. They will know based on your blood counts, immune function, and any ongoing medications whether your body is ready.

Grey hair leans cool in tone, so warm brow products (anything with red or orange undertones) will look disconnected against it. The most flattering choices are cool taupe, ash brown, soft grey-brown, or light charcoal. A good starting point is one to two shades darker than your grey hair. When you're between two close options, choose the lighter one. Grey hair is unforgiving of anything too dark.

One common mistake is recreating the dark brow color you had before going grey. That contrast reads as harsh and dated against silver hair rather than natural. Softer, cooler shades look more intentional and more flattering.

This is very common. Hair frequently grows back with altered color, texture, or density in the months after chemotherapy ends. Brows specifically may come back lighter, finer, patchier, or with a different undertone than before treatment.

The practical approach: start with a lighter, cooler brow product shade than you used before and build from there. The regrowth color often stabilizes over 6 to 12 months. In the meantime, treat brow color as temporary and adjust as needed. If brows are very patchy, our temporary eyebrow tattoos can fill in gaps cleanly without looking drawn on.

Several things happen: brow hair thins (especially the tails), natural pigment fades creating less contrast, the brow bone angle changes slightly, and the tail of the brow can begin to droop. All of these work together to create a tired, less-defined look even when you're doing everything the same as before.

The most important adjustments: build in more arch as you age (positioned two-thirds out along the brow, never centered), keep tails extended and angled upward rather than letting them droop, and restore contrast with a brow product shade that's slightly darker than your current hair. The thin-brow approach that felt natural at 30 typically looks harsh and aging at 55. Fuller, softer brows are more flattering for most women over 50.

Start by identifying your face shape using the guide at the top of this page. Then use the face shape recommendations to find the right arch height, shape, and thickness. Placement rules apply regardless of whether you have existing hair to work with.

The standard placement: the inner edge of the brow should align with the outer edge of the nostril. The arch should peak above the outer edge of the iris. The tail should end at an imaginary diagonal line from the outer nostril to the outer corner of the eye. A stencil can help when you're starting from bare skin.

When you have your own hair, eyebrows exist in context of the full face with hair framing it. When that framing is gone, the face reads differently. A slightly fuller brow often rebalances proportions that hair normally provides, which is why many women who start cautiously with thin brows end up preferring something with more presence. It's counterintuitive but consistently true in our experience. Try a medium or fuller option before deciding thin is right for you.