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At Prada, Pat McGrath’s beauty mantra was a clear one: “It’s all about lashes; super thick, super long lashes,” she told Vogue US backstage.
She was right. The lash – in its chunky, Twiggy-esque articulation – was the beauty star, a kind of melodramatic homage to the babydoll lashes of the ’60s, but with an otherworldly twist. “We’re using mascara over and over and over again so they look otherworldly,” she added. For us however, it wasn’t the souped-up spider lash that stoked our beauty heart (though they were spectacular), rather, the return of the bleached brow – the enduring beauty trend that continues to rise from the ashes unexpectedly.
In order to make the lash the hero, McGrath negated the space surrounding the eye, and with this, brows received a blonde dye-job. Even Kaia Gerber – with those iconic, dark, Cindy-esque arches – went blonde. Add Guido Palau’s choppy, boyish crop – replete with baby bangs and a lot of attitude – and it was a beauty look worthy of a double (or triple) take.
But despite the star power of the lash, the takeaway trend to take heed of – particularly on the dark-haired Kaia – was the brow. Perfectly blanched and snow-white, it’s a trend which, despite its cunning and commitment, has remained steadfast in the celebrity and fashion narrative. Who could forget Rihanna’s bleached-out brows at the 2018 Heavenly Bodies-themed Met Gala? Whitened to perfection to match her Holy Margiela ensemble, they were stellar, to say the least. The same year saw Sienna Miller dabble in a little peroxide fancy, too. Or at the 2016 Gala, Kim Kardashian’s techy-inspired white brows were a conceivable beauty talking point. Then there’s Lady Gaga, who has been a loyal proponent of the trend since her Poker Face days, and a glorious one at that. And of course the catwalk has championed the trend for as long as we can remember – from Mossy to Lara Stone – it has been unwavering and forever conducive to high fashion.
But for the now, it’s up to millennial beauty queens – notably Kaia – to propel the trend back into the spotlight. For a trend which, historically, has plagued keen beauty fans and commitment-phobes alike, there are now clever new products to make it more accessible than ever. Take for example, Kat Von D Beauty’s 24-Hour Super Brow Long-Wear Pomade, which comes in two chalky colours – White Out and Bleach – that literally lets you blanch your brows for a day, or so.
One of the trickiest beauty trends to master, now we can all be one of Prada’s girls in just one, removable swoop.
