Kylie Jenner debuts bleached brows at Met Gala - are they making a comeback?

Celebrities have spent years refining their brows with tweezers, pencils, and tints, but at Monday night’s Met Gala, many A-list attendees - including Kylie Jenner, Lena Dunham, Madonna and Emma Chamberlain -  ditched their natural dark arches in favour of a striking bleached look.

Eyebrows have long been a defining beauty feature, with trends shifting from ultra-thin lines to bold, sculpted shapes, and this year’s Met red carpet signalled that the edgy, barely-there appeal of bleached brows is the latest “cool girl” aesthetic.

We consulted some beauty experts to find out if bleached brows are merely a fleeting fad, or something that is here to stay.

Everyone is talking about Kylie Jenner’s bleached brows (Matt Crossick/PA)

Is the bleached brow trend new?

Brow expert Laura Kay, founder of Laura Kay London, says that although she has seen bleached brows come and go, the trend tends to stay on the red carpet.

Bleached brows are a signature, recurring look for Madonna (Matt Crossick/PA)

“I feel like celebrities use it to make a statement, to look different and to be more ‘wow’ with their eye make-up at big events,” says Kay. “I think it gets attention and gets people talking about it. However, for an everyday trend, I don’t think it’s going to become a popular thing.”

Beauty guru and presenter William Grande, aka Snatched by Will, agrees and adds: “I think it’s more of a red-carpet thing, but I think it’s definitely cool if you want your make-up to look more editorial and high fashioney.”

Lena Dunham teamed pale brows with her Valentino gown (Matt Crossick/PA)

Grande thinks that this trend is more likely to be popular with a younger audience.

“Kylie is a trend-setter and all the Gen-Z girlies love to copy her beauty looks, so now Kylie has done it, they are all going to be bleaching their brows,” predicts Grande.

What type of make up compliments bleached brows?

Kay has noticed that bleached brows are often accompanied by one of two make up looks.

“Celebs are either doing bleached brows with bleached hair and hardly any make up, or they do full-on glam with dark hair, a muted lip and dark eyes, like Kylie,” says Kay. “I think Kylie’s brows and make up at the Met this year really made her cheekbones pop.

“Losing that definition in her brows also created a massive contrast with her hair.”

Kylie Jenner’s faux nipple corset also caused a stir (Matt Crossick/PA)

Grande thinks that bleached brows also help shift people’s attention towards the eyes.

“I think people notice your eyes much more when you bleach your brows, because you’re just looking at the eye make-up which makes your eyes really pop,” says Grande.

Emma Chamberlain stunned photographers with her bleached brows and custom Mugler gown (Matthew Crossick/PA)

Emma Chamberlain’s double brow and hair bleach was also very eye-catching at the Met Gala this year.

“I loved Emma Chamberlain’s Met look, she looked unreal,” says Grande. “Anyone can bleach their brows, but I do think that it looks particularly sick when it matches bleached hair.”