How to Get Rid of a Unibrow

Co-authored by Cassandra McClure

Last Updated: March 27, 2024 Approved

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Unibrows (also known as monobrows) can be embarrassing and just plain annoying. Ask any caveman. You can rid your face of fur using a variety of methods, but be aware that most will require you to endure notable -- but brief -- pain to complete.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Plucking Your Unibrow

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1
Run hot water over a corner of a washcloth. Using only the corner will allow you to get your unibrow wet without dripping on your whole face.
- Another option is to pluck your unibrow directly after getting out of the shower. The warm water and steam of the shower will have opened up your pores a great deal.
Hold it there until the washcloth cools. Repeat this procedure two to three times. The hot water will open your pores and make tweezing your unibrow easier and less painful.

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If you have a magnifying mirror, use this. A magnifying mirror will help you see each hair that you want to remove, but it is not absolutely necessary; a standard mirror will suffice as long as you can get close to it.
4
Begin tweezing in the middle of your eyebrow region.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Cassandra McClure
Makeup Artist

Expert Interview. 7 March 2019.} Work outwards towards the part of your eyebrows that you wish to keep. If there are particularly difficult hairs to pluck, use your other hand to pull your skin and make it taut. Be careful not to pluck too much of your eyebrow. Continuously step back to see your results and determine how far you want to pluck.
- To figure out where your eyebrow should begin, hold a pair of tweezers vertically so that the tweezers are touching the widest part of your nose (nostril) at one end and the other end is going straight towards your eyebrow. The place where the tweezer touches your eyebrow is where your eyebrow should begin.
- To find where your arch should be, rest the tweezer horizontally against the bridge of your nose, and then tilt the tweezer at a 45-degree angle. The place where the tweezer points to is where your arch should be.
- To find the end point of your eyebrows, hold a pair of tweezers at a 45-degree angle from where your top and bottom waterlines meet at the inner part of your eyes.
5
Thin your eyebrows if so desired. Start from the bottom of your existing eyebrow and work your way upwards. Again, continuously step back and look in the mirror, checking to make sure that you are not plucking too much of your eyebrow.
- Try to create an arch in your brow. For more information on plucking your eyebrows, see Pluck Your Eyebrows
6
Apply an antibacterial soap and soothing lotion when you are done plucking. Aloe works well. Applying antibacterial soap will ensure that your newly empty pores do not get bacteria in them (thus leading to pimples.)
- If your eyebrow area is red or puffy after plucking, run an ice cube over the area. This will reduce both the redness and the swelling. You can also use a washcloth dipped in cold water or carefully apply a small dab of hydrocortisone cream.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Waxing Your Unibrow

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1
Purchase an at-home waxing kit. Waxing kits come with everything you will need to wax away that pesky unibrow. Wax kits use either cold or warm wax that will pull the hair out by the root. Unibrows that are removed with wax will stay removed for longer than unibrows that are tweezed away.
- There is also the option of purchasing wax-covered strips. These are best for newcomers to the waxing world. Simply press a pre-waxed strip against the area that you wish to remove hair from. Pat the strip down, hold the skin around it down with your fingers, and swiftly pull the strip off.
- Wax is notoriously painful, even though it's so effective. If you have sensitive skin, consider applying a little topical numbing cream to the area you intend to wax prior to embarking on the process.^{[2]
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Follow the instructions on the box to make sure that you do this correctly. Generally, you can warm the wax up in the microwave, and it may only take 30 to 60 seconds. Stir the wax well to make sure it's fully melted.
3
Spread the wax on the area that you would like to remove hair from. It is much easier to ask a friend to do this rather than do it yourself. However, you can certainly do it yourself if you use a mirror and have good aim. If you mess up and put the wax on a part of your eyebrow that you do not want to remove, rinse it off and try again.
- Take a thin brush or pencil and hold it vertically against the widest part of your nose. The point at which the brush meets your eyebrow is where your eyebrow should begin from the center. Repeat on both sides to determine how much hair to remove.^{[3]
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Pat it down firmly. Make sure that when you place the strip it does not cover anything that you do not want removed.
5
Let the wax harden. You should follow the specific instructions listed on the box to determine how long you should way before removing the strip. Depending on the wax, this may only take another minute or so. The wax should feel cool to the touch from the accessible side of the waxing strip.
- Again, asking a friend to help is a much easier way to wax your unibrow.
6
Remove the strip. Hold the skin around the strip down with one hand. Give the strip a swift and fluid yank like you are removing a band-aid.
- Check your face in the mirror after removing the strip. It's possible that some hairs may get left behind; you can pluck those individually with tweezers.
7
Apply cold water or an ice cube if the skin swells or is red. Apply an antibacterial lotion to prevent break-outs or ingrown hairs.
- A small dab of hydrocortisone cream also works to reduce pain and irritation.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Using Hair-Removing Cream on Your Unibrow

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You can find this cream at your local pharmacy. This is a hair removal cream that is safe to use on the face. This cream is good for those who do not like the pain involved in tweezing or waxing. Be aware that this cream only removes surface-level hair, whereas waxing and tweezing removes hair and its roots. This means that your unibrow will grow back faster when you use this cream.
Place a small dab of the cream on the back of your hand or some other place. Leave it on for as long as the box directs you to (this will generally be two minutes). Wash off the cream. If your skin is very red or irritated, it is probably best if you do not use the cream on your face. If it is only mildly red or there is no reaction, go ahead and use it!
3
Apply the cream to your unibrow. Do this in front of a mirror so you can monitor where the cream goes. Make sure you do not get the cream on any part of your eyebrow that you wish to keep.
- To measure where you should begin, use an eyebrow pencil or thin brush to find the point of your eyebrow that vertically matches the widest part of your nostril at either side of your nose. The space in between these two points will be where the hair needing to be removed lies.^{[4]
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The box it came in should state how long you should leave the cream on for (it is generally two minutes). Do not leave the cream on for longer than the directed time or your skin could become irritated.
The hairs of your unibrow will wash off with the cream, as the cream will have chemically removed them. Dry your face off.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Shaving Your Unibrow

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Shaved unibrows will come back much more quickly than unibrows that have been plucked, waxed, or had cream applied to them.
You can purchase eyebrow razors at beauty stores and pharmacies.
3
Apply a small amount of standard shaving cream to your unibrow. Make sure that you do not get the shaving cream on any part of your eyebrow that you wish to keep.
- You can also mark the portion of your eyebrows that you wish to shave with a brow pencil. Doing this will help you place the shaving cream only on the portion of your eyebrows that you want to get rid of.
- Hold the brow pencil vertically on either side of the bottom of your nose. The point where the pencil meets your eyebrow is the center point of your brow; everything between the left and right points should be removed.^{[5]
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Carefully shave the portion of your eyebrow that you wish to remove. Shave from your brow line to the very top of the bridge of your nose.
5
Wipe the shaving cream and hair off with a wet washcloth. Try to avoid getting any shaving cream in your eye. If you missed several hairs, re-apply the shaving cream and shave again.
- You can also use tweezers to pluck away any stray hairs.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Using DIY Sugar Wax

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1
Combine brown sugar, honey, and water. In a small microwave-safe mixing bowl, thoroughly mix together 2 tsp (10 ml) brown sugar, 1 tsp (5 ml) honey, and 1 tsp (5 ml) water.^{[6]
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- The honey and sugar should create a very effective "wax" for your eyebrows. This option will still be as painful as a conventional waxing kit, but it's useful if you don't have the waxing kit at home and don't wish to buy one.
2
Microwave for 30 seconds. Microwave the ingredients on high for about 30 seconds, stirring in 10-second intervals with a spoon. It should bubble and look brown.^{[7]
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- Do not microwave the mixture too long, however. If you make it too hot, it can turn hard and unusable.
- Using the mixture before it turns brown and bubbly can cause it to stay too thin, though, which will prevent it from working correctly.
It should reach a temperature just a little warmer than room temperature. At this point, the wax should also be fairly thick but still soft.
4
Apply the wax to your unibrow. Use your finger or a thin spatula to apply the homemade wax to the section of hair getting removed.^{[8]
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- Hold a brush up against the side of either nostril and identify the point of your brow vertically equal to this placement. That point is where your eyebrow should begin in the center of your face.
5
Apply a cloth strip. Press a clean rag against the gooey wax, covering as much of the wax as possible.^{[9]
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- Flannel, cotton, and similar materials should all work. Just make sure the fabric is clean before use.
6
Rip it off. Let the wax harden and cling to the fabric for 30 to 60 seconds, then quickly rip the cloth away in one fast, fluid motion. It should remove the wax and any attached eyebrow hairs.
- If there are additional hairs left behind, you might want to consider tweezing them instead of repeating the wax procedure to minimize irritation.
Place a pea-sized dab of hydrocortisone cream over the waxed area to soothe any irritation. You can also cool the area with a little ice and apply an antibacterial cream to minimize the risk of breakouts or ingrown hairs.

Expert Q&A

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Question

Will plucking make your eyebrow hair grow back thicker?

Camille Sanghera
Beauty Stylist
Camille Sanghera is the Owner of Lash Envy Cosmetics and Esvee Beauty in the Vancouver, British Columbia area. Camille is trained and certified in microblading, scalp micropigmentation, eyelash extensions, hair and makeup, and lash lifts. She is listed on Microblading Map Canada and has also been featured on TuneIn Radio and in Bridal Fashion Week Magazine.

Camille Sanghera

Beauty Stylist

Expert Answer

Plucking your eyebrows will not make the hair grow back thicker. It has not been known to make it thicker or thinner.

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Question

How much time between doing each method will it take for your eyebrow hair to grow again?

Camille Sanghera
Beauty Stylist
Camille Sanghera is the Owner of Lash Envy Cosmetics and Esvee Beauty in the Vancouver, British Columbia area. Camille is trained and certified in microblading, scalp micropigmentation, eyelash extensions, hair and makeup, and lash lifts. She is listed on Microblading Map Canada and has also been featured on TuneIn Radio and in Bridal Fashion Week Magazine.

Camille Sanghera

Beauty Stylist

Expert Answer

The length of time it takes for your hair to grow back varies on each individual. Your hair growth rate will be based on how fast your hair typically grows. However, the shaving method has shown growth to occur sooner than with the other methods as shaving does not pull the hair out of the root.

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Question

What do I do if my mom won't let me remove my unibrow, but I still have to remove it because it makes me look so ugly?

Community Answer

Just remove them with some tweezers in the bathroom when she isn't looking. She'll get pretty angry, so it might be best if you ask her again before attempting this.

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Tips

Permanent treatments such as laser hair removal do exist.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Cassandra McClure
Makeup Artist

Expert Interview. 7 March 2019.} However, this is very costly and must be done by a professional.

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Electrolysis is another way of permanently remove hair, but it has to be done by a professional.

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If you feel unsure about performing any of these methods yourself, go to a salon and have your unibrow removed professionally.

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Try putting tea tree oil on your brows after you shave them to help with redness.

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Warnings

Some depilatory creams can cause irritation. Always test them on the back of your hand or some other part of your skin before putting them on your face.

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When heating wax test it on the inside of a wrist before putting it on your face. To remove, use baby oil. It may have become too hot. If this happens, wait for it to cool before putting it on your face.

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