When we look back on beauty trends from years past, we tend to focus on the use of makeup. How did women outline their lips, accentuate their lashes, blush their cheeks? As Instyle presents in this slideshow, though, there is a lot to be learned about beauty history from studying women’s brow trends. From pencil-thin arches to bushy natural sets, here are the signature looks from the 1920s to today.

1920s:

Super thin with a downward slope

1930s:

Upward bend with longer tails

1940s:

Filled-in brows with darker colors to play up more colorful makeup like red lips

1950s:

Pointed arch, shorter tail

1960s:

Takeover of natural brows; pencils became popular to mimic the look of natural, individual hairs

1970s:

Thin, curved brows emphasized impactful, glittery eye-makeup

1980s:

Brushed brows upward to extend length, let them grow out, very little tweezing

1990s:

Graphic brows, severe upward slant. Pencil-thin.

2000s:

The 2000s pushed the pencil-thin eyebrows to an extreme; extra delicate sets decorated stars throughout the decade

Today:

Bushy brow girls, rejoice. Slightly unkempt, thick brows are on trend and many serums, fillers, and brushes exist with the sole purpose of adding volume. 

Photos: Courtesy of InStyle

See More:

Biggest Nail Trends Throughout The Decades

Eyebrow Shaping Chart For Corrective Makeup