If you want to dye your eyebrows but don't want to shell out cash for a professional kit, you're in luck. You have several options for making tints at home. Cocoa powder is a common ingredient for making tints, but you can also try activated charcoal or even old coffee grounds. Whatever you choose, prepare your eyebrows and then apply the tint for about 20 minutes.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Creating Simple Mixes

  1. 1
    Measure out aloe vera, activated charcoal, and cocoa powder. Add 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of aloe vera gel to a small bowl. You can use the kind from the store or from a plant you have at home. Add 1 teaspoon (2.5 g) of cocoa powder and stir it together. Pour in part of a capsule of activated charcoal. Start with 1/4 of a capsule and work your way up to your desired tint.[1]
    • You can also add 3-4 drops of vitamin E oil to encourage fuller, healthier eyebrows.
    • Store this tint in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. Leave this one on for 20 minutes or so.
    • Make sure your dye mixture isn't runny—you don't want it dripping into your eyes![2]
  2. 2
    Use an old eye shadow and petroleum jelly for a cheap solution. Break up an old eye shadow with a toothpick or brush until it's powder. Add petroleum jelly to the powder until you have a thick gel, mixing it as you go. That's all you need to do for a simple tint![3]
    • Make sure to use a dark-colored eye shadow, such as black, bronze, or brown, and pick one that matches your hair color.
    • This tint should stay fresh for several months. Leave it on for 10-20 minutes before rinsing it off.
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  3. 3
    Mix together old coffee grounds and cocoa powder for a green solution. Put 2 tablespoons (10 g) of old coffee grounds in a bowl. This measurement doesn't need to be exact. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon (2.5 g) of cocoa powder. Stir in 2 tablespoons (30 mL) each of coconut oil and honey. Mix it together thoroughly, then let it sit for a few minutes so the ingredients can incorporate. After that, you can apply it to your eyebrows.[4]
    • You may need to heat the coconut oil for a few seconds in the microwave so it's liquid enough to pour.
    • This tint won't keep very long, maybe 1 week in the fridge. You need to leave this one on for about 20 minutes.
  4. 4
    Make a paste with henna and lemon juice for red dye. Henna has long been used to dye skin and hair, and you can also use it to dye your eyebrows. Put a small spoonful of henna powder in a bowl, then add lemon juice a few drops at a time. Stir the mixture after you add the lemon juice, and keep adding until you get a thick paste. Put it in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.[5]
    • You can also find henna that's more brownish.
    • You need to leave henna on for longer than other dyes. Start with 20 minutes, but you can leave it in up to 2 hours. It will be a lot darker if you leave it in 2 hours.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Readying Your Brows for Tinting

  1. 1
    Clean your eyebrows and the area around it with rubbing alcohol. Use a rubbing alcohol towelette or dip cotton balls in rubbing alcohol. Swipe it over your brows and the area nearby, being careful not to get it in your eyes. Make sure to scrub your eyebrows down well.[6]
  2. 2
    Brush your eyebrows with a spoolie to smooth them out. Gently run the brush from the inner edge to the outer edge, doing both eyebrows a couple of times each. You want all the hair going in the same direction so it dyes evenly.[7]
    • A spoolie is the brush you find in a mascara tube, but you can also buy them separately. Make sure to use a clean spoolie.
  3. 3
    Create a border for your eyebrows with petroleum jelly. Basically, you want to use something oily to paint a border around your brows.[8] That way, the stain won't seep out to other parts of your skin. Use a small, flat makeup brush to paint the lines, starting with the inner edge. Sweep out along the top of the brow, going all the way to the outer tip. Do the same on the bottom.[9]
    • You can also use coconut oil or white eyeliner pencil.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Applying the Tint

  1. 1
    Dab a spoolie, brush, or small applicator into the mix. A small flat brush or applicator may give you more control over the application. Dip the brush into the mixture, and wipe away some of the excess so you don't slather it all over your face.[10] [11]
  2. 2
    Brush the color over your eyebrows. Start at the inside corner of your eyebrow and work your way out. Use small strokes to apply the color, adding more to the applicator as needed. Try to stay between the lines of your eyebrow even if you used oil or petroleum jelly to protect the surrounding area.[14]
  3. 3
    Use a cotton swab to clean up extra dye. If you have any dye that leaks around the edges, touch them up with a wet cotton swab. That will help keep the dye from staining your surrounding skin.[16]
  4. 4
    Keep the dye in place for 20 minutes or so. Homemade dyes generally don't work as fast as dye kits, so you need to let them stay on longer. Twenty minutes is usually long enough, but some dyes, like henna, may need to stay in longer.[17]
    • Err on the side of caution; you can always reapply the dye if it's too light, but it's more difficult to take it off.
  5. 5
    Wipe away the dye with a wet cotton swab. You can also use a cotton ball, but try not to get outside the lines. Once you get most of the dye off, you can use your fingers and running water to get the rest of the dye off.[18]
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    What do I do if my eyebrows are blonde?
    Buggylu25
    Buggylu25
    Top Answerer
    Use a lighter eye shadow (i.e. light brown, beige, neutral yellows) to mix into your homemade tint.
  • Question
    What if I don't have eyebrows?
    Buggylu25
    Buggylu25
    Top Answerer
    Use less petroleum jelly and more of the powder for a thicker consistency. This will make it easier to build up color to make an eyebrow shape.
  • Question
    How long does the petroleum jelly and eyeshadow tint last?
    Ellie Homewood
    Ellie Homewood
    Community Answer
    The petroleum jelly and eyebrow tint shall last for several months, so it is a great and inexpensive solution.
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  1. https://www.elle.com/uk/beauty/body-and-physical-health/a21265827/eyebrow-tinting/
  2. Wyvetta Bowles. Beauty & Hair Care Advisor. Expert Interview. 19 October 2021.
  3. Wyvetta Bowles. Beauty & Hair Care Advisor. Expert Interview. 19 October 2021.
  4. Joseph Harwood. Beauty, DEI & Social Media Expert. Expert Interview. 16 March 2022.
  5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrUDhdXa3tI&feature=youtu.be&t=59
  6. Wyvetta Bowles. Beauty & Hair Care Advisor. Expert Interview. 19 October 2021.
  7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrUDhdXa3tI&feature=youtu.be&t=75
  8. http://7beautytips.com/safely-tint-eyebrows-henna/
  9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrUDhdXa3tI&feature=youtu.be&t=91

About This Article

Joseph Harwood
Co-authored by:
Beauty, DEI & Social Media Expert
This article was co-authored by Joseph Harwood. Joseph (JoJo) Harwood is a Beauty, DEI & Social Media Expert, Artist, CEO of Joseph Hartwood Ltd, and Creative Director of Team Baron Group. With over 15 years of experience, they specialize in all aspects of beauty, digital media production, and supporting diversity and inclusion efforts in businesses. JoJo has pioneered YouTube content and branding, with over 100 million views on their YouTube tutorial content and was the first and only winner of Simon Cowell's You Generation Competition. They studied an MSc in Cosmetic Science from the London College of Fashion, combining a technical understanding of cosmetics with beauty expertise. This article has been viewed 163,367 times.
4 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 3
Updated: March 29, 2022
Views: 163,367
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