An award‑winning makeup artist has ranked the eyebrows of 10 Hollywood stars, awarding Angelina Jolie the highest mark and placing Tom Cruise last, saying arches can make or break a red‑carpet look.
Laura Kay, founder of Laura Kay London, told the Daily Mail she assessed celebrities’ brows on criteria including arch, density, length, symmetry and how well they frame the face. Kay, who has worked on high‑profile clients and who has described brow shape as central to facial balance, assigned numerical scores to each star as part of her “battle of the brows.”
Kay placed Jolie at the top of her list with a score of 9.5 out of 10, calling the actress’s brows “almost flawless” and praising their bold definition and high arch. Kay said Jolie’s brows taper elegantly at the ends and complement her bone structure, though she added that red‑carpet makeup sometimes appears to overdraw them and suggested microblading might account for their precision at public events.
Margot Robbie was ranked second with an 8.5. Kay described Robbie’s brows as “soft, feminine, and in perfect proportion” to her oval face but recommended extending the tails when they fade too soon to add refinement on the red carpet.
Scarlett Johansson earned an 8, with Kay noting structured, well‑maintained arches but a slight asymmetry: "One arch sits slightly flatter than the other, which can subtly drag down her eyes in photos." Kay suggested more lift and symmetry would improve the overall effect and again mentioned microblading as a possible contributing factor to Johansson’s strong baseline and even coloration.
Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet shared midrange assessments, with Zendaya receiving a 7 and Chalamet also scoring 7. Kay said Zendaya’s naturally full brows sometimes appear heavier at the front than at the tails and could benefit from added definition to lift her features. Of Chalamet, she said his brows are naturally thick and straight and sit low on the brow bone; she observed a slight density difference between his arches but called that unevenness part of his appeal.
Jenna Ortega and Ryan Gosling were both given scores of 5. Kay described Ortega’s brows as straight and youthful but sparse at the ends and lacking a curve that would deliver red‑carpet impact. She said that with strategic shaping Ortega could evolve her look. Gosling’s brows were characterized as neat and symmetrical but not especially memorable, with the tails sometimes thinning out in photos.
Julia Roberts received a 4.5; Kay called her brows soft and natural, part of her signature appearance, but suggested a higher arch and a stronger tail would create a more lifted, youthful effect. Brad Pitt was ranked ninth with a score of 4. Kay said Pitt’s arches are uneven in height and can look patchy and undefined, noting that grooming and sharper shaping would transform them but conceding that imperfections can also contribute to an actor’s appeal.
Tom Cruise placed last with a score of 3. Kay described his brows as “thin, straight, and sparse,” saying they lack the density or arch that, in her view, best frame a face. She added that modern techniques could produce a fuller, more defined yet natural brow look but judged Cruise’s current arches dated compared with other stars on the list.
Kay’s feature reflects a broader trend in beauty toward fuller, more structured brows and the growing use of techniques such as microblading and tinting to achieve them. In her assessment, symmetry, tail length and arch height were key factors in determining how well a brow complements an individual’s facial structure.
The Daily Mail feature provides a snapshot of one expert’s preferences within the subjective arena of celebrity appearance. Kay framed her analysis in technical terms, noting instances where subtle asymmetries, density differences or grooming choices influenced a star’s score. She emphasized that small adjustments — from extending a tail to adding lift at the arch — can markedly change how a face is perceived on camera and at public appearances.