The “Soap Brows” Technique is Blowing Up on TikTok for Good Reason
Gigi Hadid's makeup artist explains how to achieve this popular makeup trend.
One of the best things we’ve discovered in quarantine is TikTok, and even better are the beauty tips and product recommendations we’ve gotten from the fun social media platform. From a $4 color-changing lipstick to a pore-sucking mousse, some of our current favorite beauty products were discovered on TikTok, so we always have our eyes peeled for the next big thing. Recently, “soap brows” have taken over the platform—there are nearly 55.5 million posts about the trend.
To better understand the latest makeup trend, we tapped Gigi Hadid’s makeup artist, Patrick Ta, to explain what soap brows are, how to get them, how long they last, and everything in between.
What are soap brows?
Ta explains that soap brows are a brow technique where you use a product, like a hand soap or gel, on a spoolie brush to mold brow hairs into looking fluffy and fuller in a very natural way. Basically, it’s like a non-permanent brow lamination that gives you that pushed-up brow look.
Is it safe to use bar soap, hair gel, or hairspray to achieve soap brows?
Ta says that he doesn’t recommend using products that aren’t formulated for brows since it could cause irritation to the skin and weaken the brow hair follicles. “While it may not seem like it, brow hairs are very delicate and should be treated with care,” he says. “As a makeup artist, I’ve used many different types of soaps from all over the world trying to find the best texture, longevity, and desired look for my clients. I got frustrated and decided to create my own brow product, Major Brow Shaping Wax to allow people to achieve the same look they see on celebrities.”
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How do you do soap brows?
“I like to start with fresh, clean brows with no foundation or concealer on the hairs,” says Ta. “I take any type of face mist and wet the Shaping Wax formula to activate the wax and make it movable. I then take a spoolie brush and coat it with a good amount of product, then I take the brush through the brow hairs making sure to coat them very well. Then it’s time to wait—to get that fluffy look, the wax needs to become tacky, which takes about 40 seconds. Once they’re tacky, I take the same spoolie brush and push the hairs up, almost laminating the hair to the skin underneath giving the perfect fluffy, feathered brow look.”
He explains that the same technique can be used with soap, but warns that if you get wet or sweaty, it could cause the soap to drip into your eyes and cause irritation and discomfort.
How long do soap brows last?
Depending on the type of soap used, Ta says that it should last all day as long as you’re not touching your brows.
If you have a fill in your brows, should you do that before or after doing soap brows?
Ta says that soap brows are the first step to really defining the shape of the natural brows and molding them. Once the brows are set, he’ll then go in with a brow powder or brow pen to fill in any gaps to make brows look even fuller.
