How To Dye Eyebrows At Home: 5 Easy Steps To Professional-Looking Arches

I'll admit, I was timid sitting in the chair of my first eyebrow-tinting appointment. Although, the sheer ease of it all (along with the first glance at my newly thickened eyebrows) had me hooked. Waking up to full, lush brows without a stitch of makeup? Count me in. Now a seasoned brow-tint devotee, I'll rave about it to any sparse-browed somebody looking for a bit more oomph. 

It's by and large a simple, painless process—oftentimes just 10 minutes from start to finish. But for those days when you feel like you don't have a second to breathe, let alone reach out to a professional to touch up those arches, you might ponder any DIY opportunities. Dyeing your brows comfortably on the couch carries a certain allure, no? 

Arguably the most important part of the process. You can find plenty of brow-tint kits on the market, which should come with the actual dye pigment and developer to form your tint. Beard dye is also an increasingly popular choice, as the product is already formulated safe to use on the face—as opposed to hair dye, which is decidedly not. (Here's one you can find on Amazon.) Although, brow expert Joey Healy notes, you'll want to read up on the ingredients: He recommends searching for vegetable-based dyes, especially if you have more sensitive skin. 

One of the reasons that seeing a professional is best: They'll know exactly how to shade-match your brows without tinting them too rich. If you're doing a bit of guess-and-test, though, Healy recommends erring on the side of lighter. "So, if your goal is to have dark brown brows, maybe buy a medium brown. If your goal is just to do a medium brown, do a light brown," he notes.

Remember: You can always pile it on for longer, but it's much more difficult to remedy a butchered dye job. Also, mind the specific package's timing: "You don't want to buy something that's going to process too quickly and make the hairs too dark," Healy says.

"Start slow; it's better to put the dye on in multiple rounds then do it too long at once," says Healy. He recommends leaving on the dye for three minutes to start (this may vary depending on the specific dye you're using, so make sure to read the packaging instructions, too).

Essentially, rinse and repeat: If you're hoping for a darker tint, paint it on again for another three minutes. Go slow! There's nothing wrong with multiple rounds.  

Healy says you can also dye certain sections of the brow for longer than others, if you find it necessary. "Often the very fronts and the very ends need more processing time," he says. "Maybe you do the entire brow for a few minutes, and then if you're happy with how the middle looks, just do the front and the end and let it process for some more time." 

If you've stuffed up the dye, don't sweat it (or, uh, maybe do): "Do the things you're not supposed to do [right after a brow tint]," says Healy, which include perspiring or showering in the first 12 hours. You can also wash them with a bit of shampoo and conditioner—just don't scrub too hard, as you don't want to pluck any precious brow hairs.