The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" - Red Carpet© GettyImages

Zendaya’s MET Gala look sparks a beauty trend revival

In a nod to the top models of the 90s, Zendaya’s brows represented a radical departure from the prevailing trend of thick and natural


Senior Writer
MAY 14, 2024 6:08 PM EDT

Zendaya’s appearance at the Met Gala on May 6th undoubtedly etched itself as one of the most iconic moments of recent weeks. Amidst the whirlwind of admiration for her Garden of Time-inspired styling, with her mysterious makeup and changing looks, one detail subtly stole the spotlight: her eyebrows.

In a nod to the top models of the 90s, Zendaya’s brows represented a radical departure from the prevailing trend of thick, natural eyebrows that have dominated recent seasons. Instead, she embraced the return of ultra-thin eyebrows, which has stirred praise and skepticism within the beauty community. But beyond opinions lies an undeniable fact: the lifting effect these slender brows impart on the face.

© GettyImages

Thin eyebrows are no strangers to beauty history

Eyebrows enjoyed periods of immense popularity from the roaring 20s to the early 2000s. However, it was the 90s that witnessed the zenith of skinny brows. Icons like Elle Macpherson, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, and Cindy Crawford epitomized this look, turning it into a global beauty standard. Their ultra-thin arches framed symmetrical faces, embodying an ideal of feminine allure and sensuality that adorned magazine covers, ad campaigns, and catwalks worldwide.

Zendaya isn’t the sole influencer championing the return of skinny brows. In recent years, several prominent figures have challenged the hegemony of thick, bushy brows, reigniting interest in their svelte counterparts. The influence of these figures, such as Nicola Peltz, Kylie Jenner, and Bella Hadid, on beauty trends is a fascinating aspect of the industry, sparking conversations and trends across social media and the beauty realm.

The resurgence of thin brows signifies more than just a fleeting trend; it’s a profound homage to beauty’s cyclical nature, where past aesthetics are revisited and reimagined for contemporary audiences. This trend invites us to appreciate the beauty standards of the past, and perhaps even find inspiration in them, as they are reinterpreted for the present.