We all know that beauty trends come and go and can take on all different forms. You can separate individual beauty trends into categories such as natural-looking trends (like the no-makeup makeup application that leaves you glowing), DIY trends (such as creating your own sugar scrub out of products you can find lying around your kitchen), dramatic trends (we’re looking at you bold cat eye), and a hundred others.
There is something so effortlessly chic about people who follow the beat of their own drums.
Somehow they pull together their appearances to scream cool, tough, confident, and unaffected. Whether you can relate to this on a personal level (you are the essence of the lone wolf, paving the way in society), or you wish you could channel some more of your inner rebel, we’ve come across a style trend that fits this persona to a T.
We are talking about the eyebrow slit. You might have seen it debuted on someone with an edgy street style, or sported by an influencer. What I think we all want to know is: has the eyebrow slit come back into style? Or is it merely a passing remnant of a trend with fuzzy origins from a few years back?
Let’s dive into the history of the eyebrow slit, as well as whether it has truly come back into style as the new and upcoming thing. So read on to find out everything you need to know about that tiny incision in the eyebrow.
What Is An Eyebrow Slit?
An eyebrow slit is exactly as it sounds. People rock vertical cuts or slits in their eyebrow hair. Usually, there are strategic locations in the brows for the slits to be placed, which is often right after the brow’s arch, leading towards the tail. However, another common place is at the front of the brow, where the direction of the hair growth changes.
Women can certainly rock this trend for an uber-cool vibe, but it has mainly been a trend worn by men throughout the years.
The History Behind Eyebrow Slits
(Image source: Adobe)
Before you jump on the eyebrow slit bandwagon, it is essential to understand the cultural origins behind the trend.
You have probably seen eyebrow slits before, whether in a pop-culture context or on someone you’ve either interacted with or seen online because they have recently taken the world by storm. But they are not a new trend. In fact, their history is rooted in pop culture and the hip-hop community.
Eyebrow slits are the name most recently given to the trend’s resurgence, but they used to be widely known as eyebrow cuts. These eyebrow slits made their popular entrance into fashion in the 1980s and picked up in the 1990s when many hip-hop artists and rappers flaunted them.
The trend re-entered back into mainstream culture in 2014 after mostly disappearing for a few decades. Model Chloe Noorgard is often credited for initially bringing the trend back into the light of popularity when she posted a photo on Instagram rocking slits in one eyebrow.
But before style-icons adopted them, the origins of the eyebrow slit trend were somewhat murky. Eyebrow slits were initially thought to be associated with gangs and violence because physical fighting can lead to natural brow cuts. The film world perpetuated this idea because characters who had recently gotten into fights were often made up to have cuts in their eyebrows.
This background of violence is also where the concept of eyebrow slits as edgy and tough began. Eyebrow slits no longer carry gang connotations or mean the person sporting them is involved in organized crime.
However, the trend has received some backlash as a form of cultural appropriation due to the way influencers are credited as starting the trend. So, it’s essential to keep in mind the true origins of the eyebrow slit and the past cultural significance if you plan to adopt this trend.
How Can the Eyebrow Slit Be Worn?
(Image source: Adobe)
The trend has evolved to take on many stylistic slit placements and is no longer limited to one slit in one eyebrow.
Single Slit Near the Tail
One of the most popular brow cut looks is a single vertical slit behind the brow arch. The slits can take any direction based on stylistic choice or even fall straight up and down. But most commonly fall at an angle like the dash (/) on your keyboard. Of course, the direction usually depends on which brow is being slit.
Within this category, people sometimes slit just one brow, have both brows matching, or sometimes even choose to cut one brow and pierce the other.
Double Slit Near the Tail
Instead of just one cut, you can also style this trend with two cuts next to each other falling in the same direction. This is also the look that first resurfaced in 2014 by Chloe Norgaard.
Front Eyebrow Slit
Similar to the single slit near the tail, you could also choose to place the cut near the shorter brow hairs by your nose. Both one and two slits here would look cool, but usually, a front slit is only placed on one of the brows.
Multiple Eyebrow Slits
A more daring take on the eyebrow slit is to create multiple cuts spaced throughout the brow for all you risk-takers. This gives off an almost striped effect, but with an edgy twist. Consider this on one or both brows. As far as the number of cuts, the options are limitless!
Single Eyebrow Slit Joining Hair Slit
If you want a seriously cool but coordinated eyebrow cut look, consider extending your single brow slit into your hairline. This look must be done on hair that is closely shaved near the ears for it to be noticeable.
Double Eyebrow Slit Joining A Double Hair Slit
Exactly the same as the single brow/hair slit combo, consider a double brow slit accompanied by a double hair slit. You can play around with the angles and lengths of each cut. Just imagine all the possibilities! Talk about a unique look.
The Eyebrow Slit: A Passing Phase or the Next Big Thing?
(Image source: Adobe)
We have discussed the history behind cuts in the brows and the way the trend regained popularity. But are the eyebrow slits on their way out again, or are they the next big thing in beauty?
It is no secret that trends fluctuate and often return years after fading from the media. That said, if you want to rock the eyebrow cuts, don’t let popularity sway your decision!
Beauty and style are all about expressing yourself, so if you want to slit your eyebrows to exude confidence and edginess, don't hold yourself back! Keep in mind that shaving gaps in your brows may affect how they grow back once you’re ready for full brows again.
When you feel it is time for complete regrowth, we highly recommend a growth serum so that you can flaunt the trend and still return to your natural brows quickly afterward.
And in the meantime, if you ever decide you want to take a break from the cut on your brow hair, we know of a pretty awesome fill pen so you can switch between brow looks on the daily.
Sources:
Girls Are Throwing It Back to the '80s With Super-Bold Eyebrow Cuts | Seventeen
