If you’re anything like me, you’ve found yourself on the wrong end of a pair of tweezers after one too many glasses of red wine and a bad night. Often, this leads to some very regrettable decisions about your brows, and you’ll soon wish you were buried six feet under the ground after you see your ‘handiwork’. But hey, we’ve all been there, and luckily for everyone, there are ways to grow your eyebrows back fast, and more importantly, using all-natural methods that don’t involve surgery or expensive serums.
Which isn’t to say that you shouldn’t try those brow serums you see on Sephora: a lot of those products are derived from natural sources (with some added chemicals for extra potency, of course) and are pretty much just concentrated versions of home remedies. Still, if you want to keep things au naturelle, these methods will help you stimulate your follicles and keep your brows healthy and lush.
How to Grow Eyebrows Back Fast: Coat Them Overnight with a Natural Oil
Probably the best way to speed up the growth cycle of your eyebrow hair is to make sure that your hair follicles are clean, un-clogged, and moisturized. To do this, you’ll need to apply certain types of oils to keep your pores clear of any dirt and gunk, and at the same time seals in moisture. It’s best to apply these types of products while you sleep, so there’s less chance of you rubbing them off or having them dry out as you walk around. Some items you should consider:
- Castor Oil: the holy grail of hair growth, castor oil has been cited by experts to contain certain compounds that promote hair growth by reducing micro-inflammations in the skin (a suspected cause of hair loss/lack of hair growth).
- (Non-Food Grade) Olive Oil and/or Coconut Oil: contains fatty acids that keep follicles clean and free of obstruction while sealing in moisture. Very cheap and accessible.
Some people suggest using petroleum jelly because it feels like it seals in moisture too; however, many beauticians reject this idea and actively discourage people from using petroleum jelly on your face, as the compound is too heavy and can potentially clog up your pores and cause breakouts, especially if you have oily skin and/or acne-prone skin.
But before you try these out, it’s best to do a patch test. Patch tests are a way for you to see if a substance will cause an allergic reaction and it’s done by applying a small amount of product on a small patch of skin. Castor oil, while effective, has been known to illicit reactions from some people, and it’s advisable to do a patch test before using this product. To do this, place a small amount of castor oil on a small patch of skin, rub it in until it’s fully absorbed, and then wait 4 to 6 hours. If there is any adverse reaction (i.e. redness, swelling, itchiness, etc.), do not continue usage. Most growth serums contain copious amounts of castor oil, so it’s best to perform a patch test before usage.
Once you’re sure that the substance you’ll be using doesn’t have any adverse effects on your skin, you can start using it after your nightly facial care regimen (you should have one, by the way). Wash your face with a mild cleanser and try to exfoliate at least twice a week. Once this is done, apply your chosen substance by adding a few drops to your fingers and rub them together to warm it up. Then, apply it to your eyebrows until you feel that the substance has been fully absorbed. Use gentle, circular motions to not only get the substance into your pores, but also to massage your skin. Gentle massages promote blood circulation, which is a major factor in hair growth, so spend a bit of time rubbing your brows (gently, of course, as you don’t want to accidentally rub off any healthy hairs).
Leave the substance on your face overnight. In the morning, wash your face thoroughly, paying close attention to your brows. Make sure you’ve washed away most, if not all, of the product off your brows to minimize clogging of pores. Repeat this nightly for at least 4 months, and you should start seeing healthier, lusher brow growth.
How to Grow Eyebrows Back Fast 2: Stimulating Hair Growth
If you’re not big on using product, don’t worry, there is another way. You can stimulate eyebrow hair (and other hairs in your body) growth via proper diet, exercise, getting the right amount of vitamins, and some good ol’ fashioned exfoliation. So if you find yourself accidentally over-tweezing or making a huge waxing mistake, remember: eyebrows do grow back.
It does take longer, and it requires you to grow out your eyebrows to begin with. Note, however, that eyebrows can take up to an entire year to grow out fully, so if you have the patience for that, this is the method for you.
Start by growing out your brows (that means no grooming whatsoever) for at least 12 to 16 weeks. During this time, use eyebrow pencils and/or eyebrow powder to fill out any sparse patches that you might find. Use concealer to cover up any stubble in the perimeter of your brow.
During this grow-out period, you’re encouraged to physically stimulate your browse on a daily basis, as this promotes blood circulation (which, by now, you should know promotes hair growth). Do this by gently combing your brows with a soft spoolie brush daily. This also helps keep your brows look neat and tidy as you grow them out.
As you grow out your brows, include that area during your weekly exfoliation. Ideally, you should be exfoliating around twice or three times a week. Chemical exfoliates like AHA and BHA are gentler on the skin. Try to avoid exfoliates that use microscopic beads; not only are they bad for the environment, they eventually cause micro-scarring on your skin that will leave your face looking like the moon’s surface.
While you wait for your brow hairs to grow out, start fixing your diet so that you’re getting your recommended dose of vitamins and minerals. You can use all the serums, exfoliates, and massages that you can, but if your diet is sub-optimal, you’re still going to see pretty bad hair loss, especially on your brows. With this in mind, eat as balanced a diet as possible, and try to get major doses of vitamins A and E, as well omega-3 fatty acids and lactic acids. These vitamins all contribute immensely to hair growth, and they can be found in foods like salmon, walnuts, spinach, carrots, almonds, olives, and other healthy foods.
Promote healthy blood circulation by exercising regularly. This helps ensure that your brows (as well as your scalp) are getting the right amount of blood they need to maintain follicle growth. Also, it will help you get slimmer, which is always awesome.