At last night’s Olsenboye launch, I couldn’t stop staring at Ashley Olsen’s darkened eyebrows.

Black eyebrows against blonde hair is a more striking, and a more creative contrast than dark roots – but I’m not sure it’d translate to a non-Olsen.

I wanted to ask Ashley, but then I wondered if I was supposed to notice them. Is it like a smoky eye, where there’s obviously makeup and it’s natural and nice to say, “Oh wow, what a great smoky eye,” or, “That’s the perfect red lipstick.” Or is it supposed to look natural, “My, what nice eyebrows you have.”

The only eyebrow gossip I’ve heard (if there is such a thing) revolves around last season’s nude look at Givenchy.

So I asked Eva Chen, Teen Vogue‘s beauty director, what she thinks.

“For everyday women (ie: not models, not fashion stylists, and not Olsens!) the best look is a natural one. You should be using a brow pencil that’s actually one shade LIGHTER than your hair color for the most natural effect. No one wants Bert/Sesame Street-style dark brows! But it is a strong, editorial look for those who are daring. It’s worked especially well in the pages of Vogue, I think, with masterminds like Pat McGrath.”

Then she said, you should talk to Troy.

She meant Troy Surratt, the makeup artist behind Tarte cosmetics. He’s actually worked with the Olsens and he’s in favor of darkened eyebrows.

“I think of the eyes as the art, they’re the center of the face, and the brows really provide the frame which, when emphasized, can look great. Dark brows give the face a look of girlish innocence. For years brows have been over-plucked, over-tweezed and so now, when they’re filled in, it just looks girly, it really gives this bright innocence. Think Brooke Shields in The Blue Lagoon.”

But can you pull this off if you’re not an Olsen?

Troy says, “Sure! Darkening the brows is the perfect way to break up the face into thirds. Plus, it actually balances out a dark, solid lip without excessive eye makeup. You can leave the eye itself essentially bare. The key is to use a brow pencil, probably taupe – Kevyn Aucoin and Dior make great ones – to fill in any holes or gaps in the brow.”

In conclusion, this is ten times more wearable than Givenchy’s nude brows, but we’d recommend practicing a few times before going public.