Eyebrow Shaving: What You Should Know Before Picking Up the Razor

Whether microblading, microshading, or filling and shaping, everyone is obsessed with eyebrows—and for good reason. They frame the face and draw attention to the eyes, which is quite a heavy lift for such a small section of the face. From bold and bushy to thinner-than-thin 90's brow to the skinny brow trend, we've seen it all. To achieve the brow shape you desire, some form of eyebrow grooming is typically involved, with one of the most popular options being shaving.

While the technique may not be a preference for everyone, it's certainly a practical way of shaping the brows quickly and without pain. If you're considering using a razor on your brows, there are a few things you may want to know before you get started. We talked to board-certified dermatologist Marisa Garshick and brow experts Robin Evans and Ramy Gafni about the process, and they offered some pretty sage advice.

Read on to learn if shaving your eyebrows is the right brow grooming option for you.

What to Know Before Shaving Your Brows

Shaving your eyebrows is definitely a delicate process. First of all, the skin around the eyes is relatively thin, so you need to be extremely careful, as it can be easy to scrape or cut yourself. An eyebrow shaver might also feel unwieldy to an inexperienced user, which could lead to uneven or patchy results. Speaking of results, they don't last as long as other eyebrow grooming methods, since shaved hairs grow back quickly—with stubble appearing in as little as one day.

The Pros and Cons

As with all things, there's a give and take to shaving your brows. With the aforementioned "fine print" in mind, here's what to consider:

Pros

• Clean, smooth canvas for makeup and skincare
• Faster than plucking
• Cheaper than professional services like waxing or sugaring
• If you mess up, hair will likely grow back faster than with plucking or waxing
  

Cons

• May produce bumps, ingrown hairs, or rash similar to using a razor on other parts of the body
• Nicks and scratches will be visible on the face
• Eyes may become more sensitive to dust, dirt, cosmetics, and sweat
• If you like the results, hair will likely grow back faster than with plucking or waxing
  

How to Prep

If you're going to venture into shaving your eyebrows, drop your regular razor and opt for a precision eyebrow shaver with a very sharp blade. We love the Tinkle Eyebrow Razors ($4), which can also double as shavers for your face to remove peach fuzz and help exfoliate the skin.

Garshick also emphasizes the importance of cleansing your face before shaving. This will help to wash away dirt and to reduce the friction between the blade and the skin.

How to Shave Your Brows

To further reduce potential friction, soften hairs, and help the razor glide across the skin smoothly, apply shaving cream, oil, or gel along the brows where you want to remove hair. "Very carefully, very, very carefully, use your dermaplane tool to remove fine hairs between your brows," explains Evans. As you begin, she emphasizes, make sure to hold the tool at a slight angle, around 45 degrees—never completely horizontal, as that will keep from making the brows too wide.

"To decrease the chance of developing razor bumps and skin irritation, make sure to shave in the direction of the hair growth," Garshick adds. Another way to decrease these potential side effects is to apply a hydrating serum or moisturizer to the area after you are done shaving. If you're looking to take a more natural route, applying aloe vera after shaving is a solid option, too.

Is Shaving Your Brows Safe?

Shaving your brows is safe if, like any other delicate part of the body, it's done with care. When shaving them by yourself, it's important to be gentle to avoid nicks and cuts. Evans suggests that you take extra precautions, making sure to always hold your razor at an angle when shaving. If you're not comfortable with your shaving skills, it may be best to put down the razor and either try another eyebrow grooming method, like waxing, sugaring, or a hair removal cream, such as Flamingo Facial Hair Removal Cream ($8) or let the professionals take over.

Can You Shave Your Eyebrows Off Completely?

Interestingly, there's a generation of beauty mavericks who've opted to shave their eyebrows off completely. There are many reasons they do this: to boost self-confidence, to rebel against the ubiquitous bold-brow trend, and to create a blank canvas for experimenting with daring and dazzling makeup looks, to name a few. Some even do it as an act of embracing alopecia (hair loss).

Do you need your brows? Technically, yes—along with your lashes, they help keep your eyes free of debris. So, be prepared to be a little more vulnerable to things like dust, dirt, and sweat getting into your eyes. You'll also need to make sure you're diligent about applying additional SPF to your shaved brow throughout the day.

If you're not sold on zero brows, eyebrow slits are also a popular style. This is when lines are shaved down the arch or tail of the brow, interrupting the brow itself.

Do Eyebrows Grow Back After Shaving?

If you go a little overboard with the shaver, know this: Yes, your brows will grow back. While waxing or tweezing lets the hair grow in with a feathery, tapered edge, shaving creates a blunt edge, so the brow hair regrowth may appear to come back thicker. But lay to rest any worries of losing your brows forever after shaving—it's totally a myth.

Although he is not particularly a fan of shaving the eyebrows off completely, Gafni shares that the hairs will indeed grow back in time. However, he says you should expect them to return a bit more coarse than before. He explains, "Eyebrows grow back as stubble because you are not removing the hair from the root like you do with tweezing or waxing."

Shaving vs. Plucking

Unlike shaving, which just removes the hair at the surface of your skin, plucking involves removing the entire hair follicle from the root. Over time, tweezing and plucking may possibly damage the hair follicle, so they may not grow back. But that might be what you're hoping for, if you're fully committed to a certain brow shape for life.

If you're planning to groom your eyebrows into a specific shape rather than just clean up around the general brow area, Gafni suggests using a simple pair of tweezers for the job. He shares, "I'm an advocate of tweezing and trimming eyebrows because this method offers the most precision and control."

Alternative Brow Grooming Options

Of course, there are many other hair removal methods that take the entire hair follicle from the root. Aside from waxing and tweezing, there's also laser hair removal, sugaring, and threading. All of these options are also generally less risky than shaving in terms of shaping, especially if you go to a trusted professional to get the job done right. You might also consider going to a pro if you want to go totally bare on your browbone to ensure the best treatment for the skin down there. No matter what eyebrow grooming method you choose, remember that the most important factors to consider are whether the treatment will provide the brow look you're seeking, and if you will feel comfortable with the maintenance level required.

The Final Takeaway

When it comes to eyebrows, the choice is totally yours. Shaving to shape your brows isn't a bad move, and neither is shaving them all off, to be honest. Just remember to be extremely careful using a blade around the delicate eye area and be prepared for regrowth to be a little different from plucking or waxing. And if you just so happen to be quite attached to your eyebrows and prefer to rock the bushy, full-brow trend, that's totally cool, too.