Posted by Dr. Anil R. Shah
Six days after a hair and brow transplant, I found myself thinking about eyebrows.
Specifically: What makes a great eyebrow?
As a facial plastic surgeon, I'm obviously highly qualified to answer this extremely important question. So let's rank some celebrity eyebrows based entirely on how well they frame the face.
Is this scientifically validated? Absolutely not.
Is it fun? Also absolutely.
S Tier: Robert Pattinson
Starting strong.
Robert Pattinson gets S tier because his eyebrows have excellent thickness and, importantly, they taper nicely as they move laterally.
That taper gives the brow a natural shape without making it look overly heavy.
Excellent brows. No notes.
A Tier: Dev Patel
Dev Patel has some serious eyebrow thickness.
And when we're talking about facial framing, that's a good thing. His brows have a strong presence without completely taking over the face.
A tier.
Oscar Isaac
Oscar Isaac also gets an A.
His eyebrows frame his face extremely well. There is some natural asymmetry—which, by the way, is completely normal—but overall, the shape and density work very nicely with his facial structure.
Very solid brow game.
B Tier: Austin Butler
Austin Butler has pretty good eyebrows.
They're well-shaped and work with his face, but they're a little more sparse than some of our S- and A-tier contenders.
Nothing wrong with them.
Just not quite elite.
B tier.
C Tier: Idris Elba
This one is controversial.
Idris Elba has good eyebrows, but I'm suspicious that there may be some makeup enhancement happening here.
And as a facial plastic surgeon, I'm obligated to investigate.
So we're putting him in C tier.
Manny Jacinto
Manny Jacinto—who I may or may not have accidentally called Manny Justinto in the video—also lands in C tier.
His brows fade laterally, and they're somewhat lighter than his hair color.
Still good brows. Just not top-tier framing.
Jason Momoa
Jason Momoa is another C.
The eyebrow scar is part of the story here, and I actually think it's a great example of how small differences in eyebrow shape can affect the way the face is framed.
D Tier: Nicolas Hoult
Nicolas Hoult—or Nicholas Schultz, apparently, according to my video—gets a D.
The main issue is the lateral brow.
There's some missing hair toward the outside, which makes the eyebrow feel a little incomplete from a facial-framing standpoint.
Again, we're grading eyebrows here. Not people.
Very important distinction.
Noah Wyle
Noah Wyle gets a D primarily because his eyebrows are just a little short.
A small difference, but when you're obsessing over facial proportions like I apparently am, you notice it.
F Tier: Matt Smith
I'm sorry, Matt.
But the eyebrows are barely visible.
And when we're ranking eyebrows, that's going to be a problem.
F tier.
So What Actually Makes a Great Eyebrow?
Beyond this completely serious celebrity ranking system, there are a few characteristics that generally contribute to how an eyebrow frames the face:
- Appropriate density
- A natural taper toward the outer brow
- Proportion to the rest of the face
- Appropriate length
- A shape that complements the patient's anatomy
- Natural asymmetry rather than perfectly identical brows
And that's actually part of why eyebrow transplantation can be such an interesting procedure.
The goal isn't simply to create more hair.
It's to create the right amount of hair in the right location, with the right direction, density, and shape to complement the face.
Final Ranking
S: Robert Pattinson
A: Dev Patel, Oscar Isaac
B: Austin Butler
C: Idris Elba, Manny Jacinto, Jason Momoa
D: Nicolas Hoult, Noah Wyle
F: Matt Smith
Agree? Disagree?
Considering an Eyebrow Transplant?
Great eyebrows aren't about copying someone else's shape. They're about creating density, length, and proportion that complement your own facial features. Schedule a consultation with us to learn whether eyebrow transplantation could help you achieve fuller, naturally shaped brows.
