If you’re a frequent Byrdie reader, you would know by now that Keke Palmer is one of our favorite beauty chameleons. She can hop from aesthetic to aesthetic and hairstyle to hairstyle with ease, making it seem like whatever she’s trying has always been her style. Electric blue highlights, a ’90s-inspired pixie cut, even a Marilyn Monroe beehive look—she will try anything. One thing she hadn’t tried? Bleached brows. At least, until now.
On December 17, Palmer shared a video belting classic holiday tunes to the camera while at her family home. Where most of us might stick to what we know for the trek home for the holidays, Palmer decided to switch things up and get a little edgy.
She kept her outfit comfy and cozy with a classic sweater, but her hair—including eyebrow hair—is where the edge come in.
Her hair was bleach blonde from root to end. A semi-yellow blonde, it was ultra-bright and complimented her makeup beautifully. She styled it in a ’90s updo— at the crown of her head sat a voluminous, messy bun with layers of loose curls and waves. Then, she parted the front of her hair to the side, with a huge curl flowing down the side of her face, grazing her eyebrows—her bleached eyebrows.
Her brows were the same light yellow-blonde shade as her hair. They had almost an ombré effect being the lighest on the inside and gaining thickness towards the tails.
@keke/instagram
It’s been a while since we’ve seen someone debut a pair of freshly bleached brows. Though the look has been popular in alternative circles for decades, this summer bleached brows went officially mainstream, with everyone from Julia Fox to Kendall Jenner and Lizzo trying out the look. However, as the seasons got colder, bleached brows seemed to disappear from the spotlight—though Palmer is making a case for bleached brows in the winter.
If you want to test the trend before committing for real, celebrity brow specialist Joey Healy, previously filled us in on the best method. All you need is a tinted brow gel. “You want to use a lighter/blonder color that is as close to your skin tone as possible so that the hairs disappear,” Healy says. “I love using the Joey Healy Brow Lacquer ($28) for this because the brush is smaller and more compact, making it easier to apply across every hair. You want to really work the product into the brow in all directions and get down the base layer. Essentially, this will visually erase all of the hairs and eliminate any dark shadows.” After generously applying the Brow Lacquer all over the brow, Healy likes to go in with the Joey Healy Duo Brow Brush ($28) and pull it through the hairs to get an even coating.
Another option for the illusion of bleached brows is using a full coverage concealer. Healy recommends using a mousse-texture concealer rather than a pressed cream to make application easier. “Take a mascara-type wand to sweep and work the concealer through the hairs,” he says. “It helps to apply it in layers to fully cover the hairs.”