You can cover your head with a scarf, but you can't cover your face, and brows do far more work than anyone realises, framing your eyes and carrying most of your expression. Without them, people often dont feel like themselves.
Temporary eyebrow tattoos are one of the quickest answers. They're transfers that sit on the skin, take a couple of minutes to apply, and last a few days. No steady hand needed, which matters if you're tired or your hands shake a bit during treatment.
Before you start
A few sensible checks first.
Do a patch test on your inner arm or behind your ear and leave it a day. Skin gets more reactive during treatment, and something you'd have used happily a year ago can behave differently now.
Don't apply them to skin that's broken, sore, spotty or irritated. And if you're having radiotherapy to your head or face, don't put anything in the treatment area without asking your radiographers first.
Choosing a shape and shade
Go one shade lighter than you think. This is the single biggest mistake people make. Brows that look right on the packet often look heavy on the face, and a slightly soft brow reads as natural while a dark one reads as drawn on.
If you had fair hair, look for taupe or light brown rather than blonde, which can disappear. If you had dark hair, mid-brown is usually kinder than black.
For shape, if you have a photo of yourself from before treatment, use it to get a shape that is accurate so you feel its right for you. Most sets come with a few sizes, so trim them if they're too long rather than living with a brow that runs past your eye.
Getting the position right
This is what separates brows that look convincing from brows that don't. There are three points worth knowing:
- The start sits roughly in line with the inner corner of your eye
- The arch falls about two-thirds of the way along, above the outer edge of your iris
- The end lands where a diagonal line from the side of your nostril past the outer corner of your eye would reach
Hold a pencil up against your face to find those points if it helps. Both brows should start at the same height. They don't need to be identical, and real eyebrows never are.
Applying them, step by step
- Clean the skin. Wash with a gentle cleanser and dry properly. Any moisturiser, oil or foundation left on the skin will stop the transfer sticking, so this area needs to be completely bare and dry.
- Cut out the brow. Trim close to the edge of the design so there's no excess film sitting on your face.
- Peel off the clear top layer. Most transfers have a protective film over the front. Take it off before you do anything else.
- Position it face down. Place the design against your skin, printed side to your face, and check the position before you commit. Once it's wet it's much harder to move.
- Press with a damp cloth. Hold a wet flannel or a damp cotton pad firmly over the paper backing for about 20 to 30 seconds. Press rather than rub, and make sure the whole thing is soaked through.
- Peel the backing away slowly. Lift one corner and check the design has come off before you pull the rest. If any part is still on the paper, put it back and press again for another 15 seconds.
- Let it dry completely. Give it a couple of minutes and don't touch it while it dries.
Do one brow at a time and step back to look before you start the second. It's much easier to match the second to the first than to fix a pair that are both slightly off.
How to make temporary eyebrows natural
Straight out of the packet, transfers can look a bit flat and uniform. Two small tricks fix that.
Dust a tiny amount of matte eyeshadow or setting powder over the top in a similar shade. It knocks back the shine and softens the edges instantly.
Then, if you like, add two or three light flicks with a brow pencil at the front of the brow, where real hairs grow upwards. That bit of irregularity is what convinces the eye.
How to make temporary eyebrows last
Well applied, most transfers last two to five days. To get the upper end of that:
- Keep skincare, oils and serums away from the area
- Pat your face dry rather than rubbing
- Use a light setting spray over the top if you have one
- Avoid steam where you can, so no long hot showers with your face in the water
- Reapply the powder in the mornings if they start looking shiny
Swimming, sweating and heavy face creams are the main things that lift them early.
How to remove your temporary eyebrow tattoos
Never scrub your face because chemotherapy makes skin fragile and the area around your eyes is thin at the best of times.
Soak a cotton pad in baby oil, micellar water or a gentle oil cleanser. Hold it against the brow for 20 or 30 seconds to soften the transfer, then wipe gently in one direction. Repeat rather than pressing harder. Follow with a fragrance-free moisturiser.
If a bit clings on, leave it and go back to it later. It'll come.
If transfers aren't for you
Plenty of people try them and prefer something else, and that's fine.
A waterproof brow pencil gives you more control and looks softer, though it takes a bit of practice. Light, feathery strokes in the direction hair grows beat one solid line every time. A tinted brow gel adds colour and holds shape, which works well if you have some hair left. A stencil sits somewhere between the two, giving you a shape to fill in without freehand drawing.
Many people end up using transfers on days they can't face doing anything and a pencil the rest of the time.
Learn from specialists
If you can get to one, book a Look Good Feel Better workshop. Their wigs, brows and lashes session covers exactly this, taught hands-on by beauty professionals, and it's free.
Watching someone do it in front of you beats reading about it, including reading this!
Brows are worth the effort, and not because you owe it to anyone to do! It's because catching sight of yourself in a shop window and recognising the person looking back does something for you on a hard day.
Take your time, go lighter than you think, and don't judge your first attempt too harshly. Everyone's first go is a bit wonky.
Frequently asked questions
How long do temporary eyebrow tattoos last? Usually two to five days, depending on your skin type and how much you wash your face. Keeping oils and heavy creams away from the area makes them last longer.
Are temporary eyebrow tattoos safe during chemotherapy? Most people use them without trouble, but skin is more reactive during treatment. Patch test first, avoid broken or sore skin, and check with your team if you're unsure.
How do you remove temporary eyebrow tattoos? Soak a cotton pad in baby oil, micellar water or a gentle oil cleanser, hold it against the brow to soften it, then wipe gently. Don't scrub.
What colour eyebrow tattoo should I choose? Go a shade lighter than your natural brow colour. Fair hair suits taupe or light brown, and dark hair usually looks better in mid-brown than black.
Can I wear make-up over eyebrow transfers? Yes. A dusting of matte powder or eyeshadow in a similar shade softens the finish and makes them look more natural. Avoid oils and heavy creams directly over the top.
