The Unexpected Product This Hairstylist Swears By To Conceal A Sparse Hairline
A receding hairline happens for a number of reasons (not all of them permanent, and some are unavoidable due to aging), but no matter the trigger, treatment methods tend to take some time. If you notice your widow's peak expanding, your part widening out, or your temples looking patchy, you can't exactly slow down the process overnight.
What you can do is rely on a few camouflage tips—these can make your hair appear thicker and more lush while you investigate the root of the issue. You can cover up thinned-out areas with a root touchup (find our recommendations here), but if you don't have one on hand, not to fret: You can also use a tinted brow gel.
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How to use brow gel on your hairline.
NYC-based hairstylist Matt Newman swears by the makeup product to target precise areas. After testing a brow gel that wound up too dark for his face framers, "it dawned on me it could be really good on my sparse hairline," he says in a recent TikTok. A few swipes of the gel (he applies mainly at the temples) and his pony appears much fuller at the crown.
"It's a great combination of color coverage and hold," Newman continues, and it's an old-school stylist trick that really works: Just as how the formula can slick up the brow hairs and keep them in place, so, too, can the product deposit defined hairs at your part or temples. Plus, if you grab a brow gel with hair-thickening fibers (like this Brow Butter from Saie), you can also nurture the strands and encourage natural volume.
This may go without saying, but this trick only works if your tinted brow gel matches the color of your hair (or closely resembles, at least). A dark brown brow gel won't look right on blond hairs, and a lighter formula won't do much for a darker hairline. But if your brows are generally the same color as your roots, swipe away.
And even if you aren't dealing with a receding hairline, here's another go-to trick the pros swear by: A bit of brow gel is top-notch for securing flyaways. Essentially, your tinted brow gel can function as a targeted hair gel—without ever reading crunchy.
The takeaway.
If you'd like to conceal a sparser hairline, a swipe of brow gel can easily create the illusion of thicker hair. Just remember: "The most important thing is to get to the root of [hair loss] and try to stop it if possible," board-certified dermatologist Iris Rubin, M.D., founder of SEEN Hair Care, reminds us about thinning hair. But in the meantime, you can use any camouflage methods you please.
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Jamie Schneider is the Beauty & Wellness Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English from the University of Michigan, and her work has appeared in Coveteur, The Chill Times, and Wyld Skincare. In her role at mbg, she reports on everything from the top beauty industry trends, to the gut-skin connection and the microbiome, to the latest expert makeup hacks. She currently lives in New York City.