How to Trim Your Eyebrows: A Step-By-Step Guide

If you have a knack for eyebrow styling and want to get creative, then try out the fishtail eyebrow slit. This style is a daring take on the look that involves using a brow pencil to create an upward flick above a diagonal cut to the eyebrow hair. Feisty and fierce, this fashion statement is hot when shaved and styled properly. You’ll want to have an artistic flair, eye for detail, and some experience in shaping eyebrows. Otherwise, ask a stylist or cosmetologist to do this slit for you.

Eyebrow Slit Trend

• Ana Roberts
• March 22, 2023

If you’re looking to change up your look with a cool new trend, you may want to experiment with the eyebrow slit. Also known as an eyebrow notch or shaved eyebrow line, this bold and edgy look for guys and girls is making a comeback. While embracing an eyebrow cut might be an easy style choice, it can be tricky picking the right design to shave into your eyebrows. To inspire you with ideas, we’ve compiled this guide on the best eyebrow slits for men and women to get right now. From split designs to multiple shaved lines, explore this trend to find stylish ways to slit your eyebrow.

• 1 What Is An Eyebrow Slit?
• 2 Eyebrow Slit Meaning
• 3 Eyebrow Slits For Men
  • 3.1 Single Eyebrow Slit
  • 3.2 Double Eyebrow Slit
  • 3.3 Haircut Joining Eyebrow Slit
  • 3.4 Two Lines in Fade Haircut Connecting To Double Slit
  • 3.5 Cross Eyebrow Slit
  • 4.1 Single Eyebrow Slit
  • 4.2 Double Eyebrow Slit
  • 4.3 Multiple Eyebrow Slits
  • 4.4 Front Eyebrow Slit
  • 4.5 Fishtail Eyebrow Slit

  What Is An Eyebrow Slit?

  The eyebrow slit is a fashion trend that involves shaving a thin, vertical line into the eyebrow with a razor or electric trimmer. Originally known as an eyebrow cut, the shaved gap in the brow creates a popular and stylish aesthetic. Split eyebrows were prevalent in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and are now coming back into style with the help of celebrities and beauty bloggers. The slash look started in hip-hop culture with Big Daddy Kane, who shaved many cuts into his eyebrow. With a recent emphasis on make-up and eyebrow styling, there are many eyebrow cut styles to consider. You can shave a line into your brow at home or ask a barber, cosmetologist, or beautician.

  

  Eyebrow Slit Meaning

  The meaning of the eyebrow slit depends on the person since the shaved line is simply a style choice for fashion purposes. While the look has been connected to gang affiliation in the past, these shaved lines do not have the same negative connotations today. In general, an eyebrow cut can mean whatever you want and offer a type of self-expression. Men and women can choose a design that’s meaningful or experiment with ideas they find to be creative and stylish.

  

  Eyebrow Slits For Men

  Single Eyebrow Slit

  The single eyebrow slit is a simple shaved line in only one of the eyebrows that results in a cool parted look. Guys who want an easy way to try the trend should start off small with just one eyebrow cut. You can play around with a bolder look later when you have mastered the slit shaving technique.

  

  

  Double Eyebrow Slit

  The double eyebrow slit can be characterized by two cuts in a single brow or one shaved line in each. The most popular style features two shaved lines at the end of your brow, creating a rugged look for men. Traditionally, the slits are made toward the outside of each eyebrow, but you can style your brows to fit your look. Just make sure to balance the two slits, ensuring they are the same size and evenly spaced. This eyebrow slit style is a stronger look that exudes confidence and personality.

  

  

  Haircut Joining Eyebrow Slit

  Some guys like to pair their haircut with an eyebrow slit. By connecting a shaved line your eyebrow with a continuing slit in men’s hair, guys can take this look to a whole new level. The key to making the style work is to ensure you maintain the same angle leading right up toward the hairline. The cut is most striking on men’s haircuts with a fade or undercut on the sides and longer hair on top. If you’re doing it yourself, this slit will take a steady hand and patience. For beginners, we recommend asking your barber to shave the slit into your eyebrow.

  

  

  Two Lines in Fade Haircut Connecting To Double Slit

  If you want to try a bold style, ask your barber to shave two lines into your fade haircut on the sides and back and then connect these cuts to two slits on your eyebrow. Some guys like to feature the shaved lines in a skin fade while others prefer an undercut or taper fade for extra contrast. If you have a beard, you may even want to extend the slash into your beard style. You can also ask your barber to maintain the same angle so the slashed parts connect.

  

  

  Cross Eyebrow Slit

  If you want to get creative with your designs and styling, try shaving a cross into your eyebrow instead of a traditional vertical line. Cross eyebrow slits are unique and cool, and offer an attractive way to stand out in the crowd. Most guys will want to trim their eyebrows to a desirable length beforehand for a sleek look. However, this style can work really well with thick eyebrows since fuller hair offers more contrast for a striking aesthetic.

  

  Eyebrow Slits For Women

  Single Eyebrow Slit

  The single eyebrow slit is a simple shaved line in one eyebrow offering a cute and trendy style for women. With the recent emphasis on eyebrow shaping and styling, a shaved line can be a good way to emphasize the shape of your brows while drawing attention to your eye makeup. Darker eyebrows create the most striking aesthetic. However, the look can still be achieved on lighter brows using an eyebrow pencil. If you want to have fun with this trend, we recommend you start with just one line through your eyebrow before trying other ideas.

  

  

  Double Eyebrow Slit

  Create a sexy look by shaving two lines through a single brow or cutting a single notch into both brows. Versatile and stunning, the double eyebrow slit gives your face an extra dimension while highlighting your perfect eyebrows. This gap can also accentuate your eyeshadow and elevate an outfit with a cool vibe. While there is no right way to approach this slit style, you’ll want to be sure to cut the gaps precisely and carefully so there is a consistent pattern.

  

  

  Multiple Eyebrow Slits

  If you want to take this trend to the next level, then you’ll want to get three or four eyebrow slits shaved into one or both eyebrows. However, you can also embrace this stripe style by shaving two in each eyebrow, thereby toning down the visual effect. Bold and eye-catching, dark eyebrows are recommended for best results, but you can always shape, color and enhance light colored eyebrows to maximize the look. Furthermore, you’ll need to have full brows since the aesthetic requires shaving off a significant amount of hair.

  

  Front Eyebrow Slit

  While most cuts are made toward the edge or end of the brow, the front eyebrow slit is made near the beginning. As a twist on the classic look, the cuts are accentuated since the brow is thickest in the front. As a fashionable and attractive look, women can shave different types of slits to suit their style but most prefer a single gap for a easy and simple aesthetic.

  

  

  Fishtail Eyebrow Slit

  If you have a knack for eyebrow styling and want to get creative, then try out the fishtail eyebrow slit. This style is a daring take on the look that involves using a brow pencil to create an upward flick above a diagonal cut to the eyebrow hair. Feisty and fierce, this fashion statement is hot when shaved and styled properly. You’ll want to have an artistic flair, eye for detail, and some experience in shaping eyebrows. Otherwise, ask a stylist or cosmetologist to do this slit for you.

  

  

  How To Do An Eyebrow Slit

  There are many ways to do an eyebrow slit depending on the style you want to achieve. If you’re doing an eyebrow notch at home, you’ll want to use sharp scissors and cut a line through your eyebrow. Guys who want to do an eyebrow slit are advised to use an electric trimmer to shave a vertical line. Women can use a facial razor or professional scissors to create the slash. You’ll need to start small but the gap should be 2 to 4 mm wide. Once you’ve created the appropriate spacing, you can use a razor and create defined lines. While you can shave an eyebrow slit at home, we recommend you visit a professional barber or stylist to get a flawless look.

  

  How To Slit Your Eyebrow

  You can use an electric trimmer, razor, or scissors to cut a slit in your eyebrow. Some experts recommend using tape to indicate where you want to shave and to protect the part of the eyebrow you don’t want to trim. This tactic can ensure you don’t cut more than necessary.

  To slit your eyebrow, you will need to identify the style you want. Traditionally, men and women cut their eyebrows on the outer edge. Then you will need to plan your eyebrow cut by marking where you will shave the slits. Remember that the gap needs to be a thin vertical line so adjust the tape as necessary to cover your brow.

  Using scissors, start cutting a part into your brow and creating the gap. Once you have the desired line, use a razor or trimmer to shave a thicker part. Continue to remove hair as you shape and style your brow.

  

  How To Shave An Eyebrow Slit

  Before shaving your eyebrow slit, you’ll want to brush your brow. If you’ve decided on the cut style you want, place pieces of tape across the rest of your eyebrow, exposing only the part you want to trim. Now use sharp scissors to gently trim the hair between the scotch tape, particularly if you have long eyebrow hair. Men who want to shave an eyebrow slit at home are advised to start with scissors and then use an electric trimmer. Women will have access to a facial razor to help clean up the look. If there are remaining hairs, pluck them with tweezers.

  

  What Do Eyebrow Slits Mean?

  While eyebrow slits don’t actually mean anything, the line cut was a fashion trend in the 80’s and 90’s. The style was started by hip-hop artist Big Daddy Kane and became more mainstream in the ’90s and early 2000s. Over the years, it has also been linked to gang culture. Today, the slash or stripe is considered a popular fashion statement that is rocked by celebrities and beauty bloggers.

  

  Do Eyebrow Slits Grow Back?

  Yes, eyebrow slits grow back in two to six weeks depending on your hair’s rate of growth. Because these shaved eyebrow lines are temporary, the cuts will need to be maintained regularly. You can keep the gaps clean with tweezers or trim the area with a razor or trimmer.

  

  How Long Do Eyebrow Slits Take To Grow Back

  Eyebrow slits will start growing back within 2 weeks, but it can take four to six weeks to come back completely. If you have plucked or shaved your eyebrows, it can take longer to grow back. While most eyebrows will look normal without any issues, some people may notice their hair is thinner and uneven for some time. The growth rate of your hair is determined by genetics as well as diet, exercise and lifestyle habits.

  How to Trim Your Eyebrows: A Step-By-Step Guide

  

  Erin Jahns is a hair, makeup, and nails expert and beauty editor with over five years of experience in the industry. She is currently the senior beauty editor at WhoWhatWear.

  Naomi Torres is a licensed cosmetologist and a contributing writer for Byrdie.

  Michelle is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in the beauty industry. Her work has appeared in publications including Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, The Zoe Report, W Magazine,

  

  Jaleesa Jaikaran is a New York-based makeup artist who specializes in the transformative powers makeup can have.

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  Truth: Trimming eyebrows is probably one of our greatest fears in life—after all, the only thing worse than an over-tweezed eyebrow is an over-trimmed eyebrow. Even as beauty editors, we’ve inflicted one too many brow-related misdemeanors over the years to even consider doing it on our own—well, until now, that is. Turns out, with the help of some expert A-list guidance, trimming our eyebrows is actually way easier than we ever thought possible. (Add it to the list of grooming-related tasks we’ve just been over-thinking all these years).

  To get an expert-approved step-by-step explanation, we reached out to brow pro Kristie Streicher.

  Meet the Expert

  Kristie Streicher is the creator of The Feathered Brow and co-owner of Striiike beauty studio in Los Angeles.

  Learn how to groom your eyebrows with these eight simple steps.

  Choose the Right Tools

  

  As with anything beauty- or makeup-related, the tools you choose will make a big difference in the ease of trimming your brows. You’ll need scissors that are small and easy to use, as well as a spoolie brush with soft bristles. Try the Kristie Streicher The Essentials Eyebrow Grooming Kit ($225)—it comes with scissors that have lightly curved blades and a pointed tip perfect for precision trimming, a spoolie brush that allows you to brush through brow hairs easily, and a pair of chic, vanity-worthy tweezers.

  Clip Your Hair Back

  

  Especially if you have bangs, clipping your hair back will allow you to see your brows without any disruption, minimizing the risk of over-trimming.

  Fill In Brows With a Pencil

  

  Streicher recommends filling in your brows with a pencil according to how you actually “wear” them before trimming. This helps create a visual guide and will avoid over-trimming. To do this, use short, feathery strokes to lightly shade the skin underneath your brow hair, making sure to go against the direction of hair growth to access underneath the hair. We like Make Up Forever’s Aqua Resist Waterproof Eyebrow Definer Pencil ($24).

  Brush Upward

  

  Start your brow-trimming process by first figuring out which brow hairs need to be trimmed. To do this, take a clean mascara wand (or a spoolie brush) and brush all of your hairs in an upward motion—tails included.

  Begin Trimming

  

  Next, take your brow scissors (use a pair that is slightly slanted, which provides a superior angle) and trim the long hairs that stick out above the top of your brow’s hairline. Cut the hair where it starts to bend or curl, staggering the lengths for an even more natural look. Be careful not to trim them too short, as doing so can give the appearance of gaps in the brows.

  Streicher says to avoid cutting the hairs straight across or all at once. Instead, use caution to only trim the longer hairs that protrude past the brow line, cutting one at a time.

  Assess and Evaluate

  

  After your initial run-through, it’s a good idea to move back from your mirror and assess. In many cases, it’s recommended to just stop (after all, we all know how easy it is to just keep going when it comes to brow maintenance).

  Trim More and Tweeze If Needed

  

  If you find that the brows still look uneven, continue to brush the hairs up and trimming any strays until they all align with your natural brow shape. When it comes to stray hairs, this would be the time to tweeze them. Normally, stray hairs sit beneath your brow shape. A word of caution: Be careful tweezing above the brow—you’ll find very few strays there to begin with.

  Always tweeze with a regular mirror versus a magnifying mirror (it could cause you to remove too many hairs). Also, tweeze in natural light so you don’t go overboard.

  Finish With Styling Gel

  

  To keep brow hairs in place, Streicher says to finish with a styling gel, making sure to brush the brow hairs up and out. We’re fans of R+Co Magic Wand Brow Gel ($20) for its strong hold and conditioning, flake-free formula.

  The Finished Look

  

  Voilà! Perfectly trimmed brows ready for action.

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