How To Nail Renaissance Brows, This Season’s Breakout Beauty Trend
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12 hours ago
We're exiting our bushy brow era – here comes the skinny brows renaissance.
It’s not difficult to picture the ideal Renaissance woman: her feminine curves draped across a chaise, a delicate blush splashed across porcelain skin and long, free-flowing curls trailing behind her. But have you given much thought to her eyebrows? Boasting a softly sculpted curve (so much so, that on occasion they appear almost invisible), her brows became the beauty blueprint for the likes Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli and several other Renaissance painters – and several centuries later, it seems the obsession continues.
What Are Renaissance Brows?
‘Renaissance brows take inspiration from the eyebrow arches depicted in 15th and 16th century paintings such as The Birth of Venus or the Mona Lisa,’ explains Fides Baldesberger, a brow expert and owner of Rubis Tweezers. ‘They’re soft, sculpted, extremely thin and sit higher on the forehead, creating an elongated look.’
Think barely-there, lightly pigmented brows. A good reference point is Leonardo da Vinci’s Portrait of a Woman (1493-94) or Lady with an Ermine (1489-90). These women, who are likely of members of the upper classes, follow the trend to a T – with only subtle shading across the brow bone indicating a whisper of hair.
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As for the reasoning behind such a beauty choice, Baldesberger notes how ‘historically, women in the Renaissance removed or thinned their brows to emphasise their foreheads, a sign of intelligence and beauty.’ Early Renaissance brows tended to lean more into the ‘nearly invisible’ look, while later decades saw women start to lightly fill them in – with ground metal powders or by using mouse fur to create the illusion of individual hairs – to create a more sculpted appearance.
But how does the look fit into 2025? With last year’s biggest debate honing in on eyebrow blindness, it makes sense that 2025 is proving a more experimental year for beauty. And for brows, this means ditching the fullness we’ve become familiar with.
But fear not, this isn’t a rehash of Y2K pencil eyebrows. ‘Unlike the ultra-thin 2000s brows, Renaissance brows have a gentler curve rather than a harsh arch, framing the face with regal sophistication,’ confirms Baldesberger. ‘Today’s revival is part of a shift towards “quiet luxury” beauty, which is understated yet refined.’
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Who Suits This Trend?
‘The Renaissance brow look is suited to all face types, but the key is customisation,’ Baldesberger tells us. ‘Rounder faces benefit from a lifted tail, whereas angular features are softened with a slight curve, and oval or heart-shaped faces suit the classic straight-tapered shape.’
What To Know Before You Try It
Making the jump from thick to thin brows is, understandably, a little overwhelming – but Baldesberger has a few tips to keep in mind before trying the Renaissance brows trend:
- Take it slow and shape gradually rather than over-tweezing all at once
- You could also try using makeup first to test the look before committing
- Work with your natural brow structure, rather than against it
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How To Get Renaissance Brows?
Ready to give the look a go? Baldesberger shares her step-by-step guide below:
- Brush Out: Firstly, brush up your brows to see your natural shape.
- Map The Shape: Renaissance brows sit slightly higher and straighter, extending longer so make sure you map out the shape with an eyebrow pencil.
- Precision Shaping: Renaissance brows require ultra precision, so I always recommend using tweezers to refine the shape, removing stray hairs whilst keeping the look soft.
- Trim Any Strays: Then, trim the surrounding brow hairs lightly eyebrow scissors and fill in any gaps with a fine brow pencil.
- Set The Look: Finally, set with a clear or tinted brow gel to hold the shape in place.
‘Remember: this look is all about balance,’ she adds. ‘You want to achieve a refined – yet natural – finish worthy of a Renaissance painting or Fashion Week catwalk. Investing in good quality tweezers also ensures the precision needed for this delicate, painterly aesthetic.’
Featured image: AW25 Copenhagen Fashion Week, Marimekko Backstage (c) Bryndis Thorsteinsdottir
