History and trend of the "slit" eyebrow

What do Neymar Jr, Iris Law and David Beckham have in common in the early 2000s? They all three have a cut in their eyebrow, a fashion fad that is becoming popular again in 2023. If we've seen it lately on TV at Giacomo Giorgio, the Cyrus of Mare Fuori, more and more boys and girls are opting to give their look a twist with this "slit"," a line that breaks the continuity of the hair of the eyebrow arch and gives character and a rebellious, alternative and cool attitude to those who wear it. That's why the hashtag #eyebrowslit is all the rage on social media and for a moment it seems like going back to the 1990s, when the famous faces of Luke Perry and Take That appeared in teenagers' bedrooms.

From the black hip-hop community to footballers and pop stars

The eyebrows are perhaps the element of our face that has been changed the most throughout history, always changing its shape and thickness depending on the trend. The fashion for eyebrow manipulation began in the 1920s with the advent of silent films. Actresses shaved them to create a thin, downward shape that helped them emphasise their facial expressions in the absence of dialogue. From then on, eyebrows became dangerously thin, like in the Y2K era, as thick or as broken as Iris Law's lately. But it wasn't the model who first added character to the brow arch by practising cuts. Although the history is unclear, it is speculated that the look has its roots in actual scars worn by gangs and thugs in a brawl at the turn of the century. All it took was a knife or a sharp piece of glass to cut that area of the face to leave a more or less permanent mark. Therefore, people with this cut were considered dangerous, wild, masculine and had a dark rebellious appeal. Over time, the look became more popular in hip-hop culture and later in LGBTQI+ culture. One of the first to do the "slit"," or rather the "cut", in its original version was American rapper Big Daddy Kane, who practised several of them in the late 1980s, referencing urban gang affiliation signs. He was emulated by many other representatives of the music scene at the time, such as Bow Wow, the duo Kriss Kross, Soulja Boy and Vanilla Ice, but also footballers and pop stars like Luke Perry when he played Dylan in Beverly Hilss 90210, or David Beckham in the early 2000s.

The return of the "slit" eyebrow

Originally, the "slit" eyebrow was associated with a subculture, but the more the trend spread, the more the rebellious attitude was lost. Today, the most famous wearers of the "slit" eyebrow are footballer Neymar Jr, BTS, Zayn Malik, Giacomo Giorgio, aka Ciro in the series Mare Fuori, and Jason Momoa. In the actor's case, however, it is a real scar, the result of an unconscionable gesture in which someone threw a beer glass at him, but in the case of all the others, it is not mere vanity, a simple fashion statement borrowed from the core of the moment. Fashion, in fact, has the merit (or, if you prefer, the credit) of returning the slit to the current eyebrow and also returning to the feminine. It was Miuccia Prada who reprised the look for Miu Miu's SS21 fashion show, with models wearing two distinctive cuts in one of their eyebrows. A similar idea was spotted on Poster Girl's SS23 catwalk, created by Isamaya Ffrench. On this occasion, the make-up artist split the models' brows into smooth peaks with her ISAMAYA Browlacq brow concealer, leaving plenty of visible skin between the hairs to mimic a cut. The final effect was a bit quirky, like what brow concealers in 2023 are looking for something to give them a bad-girl look, like Lesley-Ann Brandt, aka Mazikeen Smith from Lucifer, or an alternative look.

The double "slits" of Iris Law

One who does her best to look rebellious and unconventional, at least when it comes to aesthetics, is Iris Law. The model has taken to extreme buzzcuts and pixie cuts, statement make-up and outfits that mix Y2K and cutecore. Iris has trimmed both eyebrow arches, with diagonal and symmetrical slits that have the effect of elongating her eyes, making them even more glamorous and adding a bad-girl twist to her angelic face.

How to do the "slit" eyebrow 

The first piece of advice? Have a clear idea and decide if you want one or more slits and if you want them on just one of the eyebrows or both like Iris Law. Next point: straight or diagonal cut? Remember that a line opens up the look, while a slant lengthens it. Step two: Fix the shape of the eyebrows. Remove superfluous and untidy hairs. Then choose the trimming tool. If you're more patient, you can try a classic eyebrow tweezer, but if you want more definition and precision, it's better to use an electric razor or a disposable razor. Now it's time to outline the area to be shaved with eyeliner or tape. Before you continue, moisten the hair. Now shave with gentle pressure. Finished? Do you like it or have you already regretted it?