How to Give Yourself a Geolift
We might have spent the last year disavowing lipstick, but eyebrow trends – they are going nooowhere.
A term coined by New York brow aficionado Joey Healy, the “geolift” is a new eyebrow style predicted to be the decade’s defining shape. Forget the feathery boy brows of the years before. We’re moving forward with a cleaner, crisper shape that’s less dark, less bold, and more refined.
Everyone from Lily Collins to Zendaya is already sporting the trend. Here’s how you can get the geolift yourself.
WHAT’S A GEOLIFT?
Remember last decade how model Cara Delevingne popularized the bushy, wide tail brow that got everyone abandoning their tweezers? The geolift is the latest brow trend – the brow trend destined to define this decade.
According to Healy, there’s no better time to emphasize brows than now when they’re one of the few features visible above a mask.
The geolift is essentially a new brow style combining strong geometry with a prominent lift. Healy explains that the geolift “has a cleaner arch and a crisp, tapered tail, but is still fluffy and full.” He defines it as “More refined—not so dark, not so bold—and there are no stray hairs underneath, as with the boy brow.”
HOW TO GET A GEOLIFT
If you’re blessed with thick brows, or you’ve spent the last year growing them out (good for you!), you’re all set for your geolift. The step-by-step routine is directly below. Been overplucking them in lockdown instead? Scroll right down for our tips on growing out your brows.
- Prep Your Brows
According to Lily Collins’s makeup artist, Aurelie Payen, you should start with a brow mascara to create a contoured look. Alternatively, opt for a clear, waxy grooming gel to give the appearance of thicker, fuller brows.
- Pencil or Powder in Hairs
Using a brow powder or pencil, fill in any closing gaps or pencil underneath the hairs to give them some oomph. This’ll make your brows look instantly thicker and groomed.
- Tweeze
If your brows are a little overgrown and you’re feeling confident, carefully tweeze an arch two-thirds of the way toward the temple. Everything below should be plucked clean.
“The peak of the arch perks up the eyes and makes them look awake,” says Healy.
It’s a great way to structure your brows and give them shape.
- Tint
Tinting your brows really isn’t as hard (or as scary!) as it sounds. Dab a little Vaseline around the eyebrow first, then start tinting. Ask a friend if you’re nervous about DIY-ing it.
- Enjoy Your Geo-Lifted Brows
They should be looking slick, arched, and in shape by now.
HOW TO GROW OUT YOUR EYEBROWS
Eyebrows may have gotten neater, but we seriously doubt tadpole brows will be back anytime soon. In other words, we definitely recommend investing a little time into growing out your eyebrows. Here’s how to do it.
Lay Off the Tweezers
It might take a year for them to fully grow out, but it’ll be worth it.
“You can see a huge difference in six to eight weeks—that’s the hardest hump,” says arch-guru Jimena Garcia. “You just have to find things to maintain your brows while they look unruly.”
She also recommends having regular check-ins with a brow groomer every couple of months for continued shaping and (if you need it) tinting.
If you’re serious about growing out brows, you’ll need to stop reaching for the tweezers every time a little hair pops up.
Use a Conditioning Oil or Serum
Think of your brows like you do your hair. They need to be moisturized, cared for, masked even. You might not believe in brow growth serums, but you absolutely must believe in conditioning oils. Keeping your brows hydrated will keep them healthy and growing faster and stronger. Try to make it part of your daily routine.
Coat your brows in Truly’s Hemp Oil Serum, made with hemp, vitamin A, and amino acids to moisturize, deliver nutrients to your skin, and ultimately boost hair growth.
Try Brow Brushing
It’s like brushing your hair – but your brows instead. Just like brushing your hair stimulates the scalp and encourages hair growth, brushing your brows delivers similar results.
“You can also try and speed up the process with regular brow brushing!” advises Hannah Mutze, National Brow Artist at Benefit Cosmetics. “Brushing the brows stimulates blood flow to the area which can assist in growth. Be gentle, but aim to brush twice daily with a spoolie brush or similar.”
Be Patient
Think back to when you grew out that bob. Remember how frustrating it was? But you did it, and you can do this too.
“I have some clients that need to come in every three weeks, I have some clients that don’t need to come in more than once every three months because they just don’t have as robust eye growth. A lot of it is genetics that determines these things,” says Healy.
The full cycle of growth is around four months, so you should start seeing more dramatic results by then.
If you need inspiration, Kristie Streicher of Los Angeles’s STRIIIKE Salon offers some words of wisdom. “I encourage you to find an old photo of yourself in your teens to see what your natural brows looked like pre-tweezing to give you an idea of your maximum growth potential,” she says.
And don’t worry if your brow growth journey takes longer than others. You’ve still got powders, pencils, and tinted gels to help you out.
NOW YOU’RE READY TO GET THE GEOLIFT
The geolift only really works if you have full brows to start with. Now that you’ve dedicated time and patience to growing your eyebrows out, you can finally give yourself the geolift, aka, the brow of the decade.
The geolift is basically a sharper, slicker looking brow than that of the last decade. It’s lighter, less bold, and more refined. It could even translate to bleached brows, which were predicted to be a thing in 2021.
People are getting more creative, and that creativity is extending to the brows.
