A Hair-Removing Beauty Trend

I'd call it a "hair-raising" trend except, in this case, there will be no hair to raise. As I was reading through my Google Reader (which I still adore) and came across a post from BellaSugar about a reemerging trend, barely there eyebrows. Although from the picture they used, it really looks like the model has no eyebrows.

Eyebrows have always been a source of trouble for women. I find them quite annoying myself. I try to keep them in check the best that I can, but I'm pretty terrified of getting them waxed. I've only done it once because I really trusted the esthetician. What I'm actually scared about is having the esthetician wax off both of my eyebrows and leave me looking a little ridiculous.

Apparently, my fear might actually be the latest trend! Crazy.

Twenty-six-year-old fashion consultant Lauren Boyle told the New York Times, "There is an asexual element to no eyebrows. We are much more accepting of the ‘other’ nowadays. Removing eyebrows removes a degree of expression, which makes one look less human and more cerebral, maybe even mechanical. It’s an exercise in modernity."

Another idea, including that of makeup artist Pat McGrath who recently did the latest Balenciaga show at the 2009 Fall Paris Fashion Week, is that the no-eyebrow trend has to do with the recession. Apparently financial troubles help people open up to become more daring and try new "inovative" looks.

Nevertheless, the trend is popping up everywhere from Balenciaga to Givenchy to Vogue. You can either bleach your eyebrows until they no longer seem there or get serious and shave them off.

As for me? I think I'll be keeping my eyebrows. I don't really understand how not having eyebrows is asexual. It's not like only one sex has eyebrows; both women and men have eyebrows. Also, why would one want to look less human? I don't know about you, but I feel blessed to be a human. (Granted I wouldn't mind being a domestic cat or a bear, but that's for another post.) Shouldn't we want to celebrate being human?

And the whole recession causing the look idea? I can see why this would be attractive to high-end luxury brands (who probably aren't suffering like you and me during the recession). They have to find new ways to grab people's attentions. Although the recession does not have me running out to try new innovative looks. In fact, I think it's almost had the reverse effect. Instead of wanting to push my looks to new extremes, I've found myself being much more conservative. (But then again, maybe that's just where I am in life, which would also make another post.)

So I'm interested in your opinion. How do you feel about going eyebrowless? Would you ever do it? I guess it's easier than plucking, though. Just one swift movement from the razor!