The History of Eyebrow Waxing

1350 B.C.
Ancient Egyptians--like Queen Nefertiti, for example--probably shaved their brows and then painted thick black ones in their place.

1558-1603
Very pale skin, a high forehead, and a brow clear of expression (and eyebrows) reinforced the idea of sexual and spiritual purity during the reign of England's Queen Elizabeth I.

1930
When movie studios began promoting their stars by using the newly developed close-up, eyes and pencil-thin eyebrows took center stage, especially for the big-eyed, like Greta Garbo.
1930s
Very thin, questioning eyebrows, like Betty Boop's, can sometimes indicate childlike--or female--vulnerability and cuteness.
1933
King of Comedy? Maybe he was. But Groucho Marx was definitely the daddy of all eyebrows.

1954
Audrey Hepburn's doe-eyed look and penciled-on brows were derived from the heavy theatrical makeup used by ballerinas of the time.
1969
With a regal look reinforced by strong eyebrows reminiscent of Nefertiti's, Nina Simone gave voice to '60s jazz.

1973
Supremely dramatic Diana Ross played up her eyes with overly plucked brows and dark, obviously painted-on lashes.

1986
Though the powerful, over-the-top brow had largely disappeared during the '60s and '70s, Brooke Shields brought it back, adding wildness to conventional beauty.

1996
The perfectly defined brows on Naomi Campbell's heart-shaped face demonstrate the allure of symmetry.









* Source material from the The Eyebrow (ReganBooks), by Robyn Cosio.