What is the secret ingredient to your most gorgeous face? It’s your eyebrows – right?
Trust us, eyebrows are pivotal.
They frame your eyes. They can add or take away years from your age. And, they are your most powerful means of expressing your emotions.
So, it is important to learn how best to care for those arches. There are many ways to create the perfect shape – but waxing will always remain the quickest and most effective way of eyebrow shaping. Here is the ultimate beginner’s guide to eyebrow waxing – everything you will need to know before experiencing that first spread, rip and pluck.
Table of Contents
What is eyebrow waxing?
Waxing is a super quick way of removing eyebrow hair. A warm or cold wax is spread over the hairs that need removing. A paper-like or cloth-like strip is then pressed onto the waxed area and ripped off. Only the hairs that have been covered by the wax are removed, therefore giving opportunity for the stylist to help you achieve the perfect shape.
How does eyebrow waxing work?
When the thin layer of wax is ripped off with the paper strip the hair comes with it. This rapid movement pulls the hair from the roots and leaves bare skin.
Before starting your stylist may use scissors to remove longer hairs – this trimming will help the waxing to be more effective. It is also likely that the stylist will also use tweezers after the waxing to tidy up the area – removing hairs that the wax may have missed.
Is eyebrow waxing painful?
In short: yes, a little bit. It is not the most sensitive part of the body to be waxed – so, rather than a screaming agony of wax ripping, it is more like a slight ouch. It is probably best to call it uncomfortable rather than truly painful – and it lasts for less than a second. Each time you visit to have your eyebrows waxed it will become less painful too. This is because the next time you visit the hair will not be as thick as it was before – so there won’t be as much to remove as before.
If we are being honest, the tweezing afterwards is more likely to cause you eye-watering pain rather than the waxing. So, if you pluck now, then you are going to find waxing a breeze. All those individual hairs that you need to pluck all come out in one big rip. So, rather than dreading the moment of the wax removal, amuse yourself with what is generally just a strange sensation!
It is also worth knowing that you will be left a little red afterwards. If you are going on a date – make sure that you eyebrow wax the day before – or if you really want to play it safe, leave three days. It is possible that waxing can leave behind tiny red bumps – called folliculitis – which make take a few days to go down.
How often should you wax your eyebrows? Is eyebrow waxing long lasting?
It is a good idea to wax your eyebrows every six to eight weeks. A good rule to remember is that when a new hair appears – usually after two weeks – there are two more waiting behind it to join the eyebrow party. So, if you want to extend the period between waxing, you may want to use tweezers to pluck these early hairs as they appear.
If you need your eyebrows tinted, as well as waxed, then you should aim for every 4 -6 weeks. You would choose to have tinting if you have an area of your brow that is thinly covered in hair or the hairs are widely spread.
The 5 basic eyebrow shapes you should know before waxing your eyebrow
There are five basic shapes available. It is ok to have an opinion about what shape you would like to achieve – but this is a thin piece of hair on your face. The stylist is not a miracle worker, able to summon hair where none exists. This means it is probably a good idea to be guided by the stylist – who will be able to judge what can be achieved and what will suit your individual face shape.
Shape 1: Round Brows
As the name suggests, the round brow is a gentle continuous curve – slightly thicker in the middle of your forehead than towards the edges. This is a great look for someone with a square face, who already has strong facial angles. It can create a gorgeous balance to the face.
Shape 2: Soft-angled brows
Rather than a curve, a soft angled brow will have a gentle inverse V shape. This adds some angle to the face, whilst still maintaining a softer expression around the eyes. This is particularly effective if you have a long or oval shape – as a higher arch can give the impression that the face is even longer.
If you have a heart-shaped face, then a soft-angled arch is best for drawing attention to the sensuous nature of your upper face.
Shape 3: Sharp-angled brows
Here the brow is a sharp inversed V shape. The angle is high, and this creates a strong shape above the eye. This really is best suited to those with a rounder face, who need some contrast to the curves. Let the stylist guide you here, as it is easy to look permanently startled!
Shape 4: Flat brows
A strong straight line, with only the slightest curve at the end, is a particularly strong look. This works well for those with long, oval faces who want to avoid any lengthening effect to the face.
Shape 5: S-shaped brows
S-shaped brows have two curves, with a slight upturn at the middle of the brow and a curve towards the edges. This shape is best used with those people whose brows naturally take this shape and waxing accentuates the wonderful curves.
What should you prepare before waxing your eyebrow?
First, don’t attempt a pre-pluck. We all do stuff like this – like tidying up your house before the cleaner comes over. The problem with plucking before waxing is the temptation to go too far and making it impossible for the stylist to achieve the shape that is best for you. You should also avoid tanning before you wax.
Second, clean the area and keep it free of lotions, moisturisers and makeup. The cleaner the area, the better the canvas for the stylist. The stylist will likely wash the area before applying the wax anyway – but best to go in looking as natural as possible.
Then, before the waxing takes place, make sure to inform the stylist of any skin irritations or allergies that may impact on the decisions they make. Some medications – such as Retin-A, Differin, or Accutane – can actually cause skin irritations when combined with any form of waxing. Ask your doctor first, just to make sure waxing is suitable for you.
What should you do after waxing your eyebrow?
Your stylist should apply some cooling lotion, such as aloe vera, witch hazel or diluted pure lavender, to the area after the waxing. This should ease some of the redness and reduce the heat.
It is best to avoid applying heavier lotions, make-up to the area, or any perfumed products for about 24 hours. Also, make sure you wash your hands before touching around the eyes – as the pores are open and greasy, dirty hands can clog them up! This will lead to spots – which nobody wants.
You should also avoid swimming and tanning soon after – as the skin will be extra sensitive! When waxing you also exfoliate the skin – therefore making it more susceptible to sunburn.
Should I use Soft wax or Hard wax for eyebrow waxing?
Soft wax, which is often applied cold with a spatula and then removed with a muslin strip, is better suited to larger areas such as arms and legs. Where the area needs more precision, then heated hard wax is much better. It is thicker and applied “hot” with a spatula, before being rip removed with a strip. You don’t need strips with hard wax as such, but your stylist is likely to use them, as it is easier to get the look you want this way.
Hard wax is perfect for the eyebrow area as it is gentler on your skin but is strong enough to remove coarse skin. It is also effective in this area as hair can often grow in different directions – therefore making the skin fragile – but the stylist will still attempt to remove the wax with the direction of the hair follicle for the best finish.
The problem with hard wax is that you will need to use tweezers afterwards to capture any hairs left behind.
Should you wax your eyebrow at home? What skill do you need?
It is possible to wax at home. You can make your own homemade wax using brown sugar, honey and water – warming the mixture in the microwave. You can then apply this to the area and then use cloth strips to remove hair.
The fact that you can wax at home and whether you should wax at home are two different questions. Of course, you may be brilliantly skilled at achieving exactly the right shaping with the wax, whilst looking in the mirror, and ripping off the wax with sufficient force to remove the hairs from the follicles.
We think getting someone else to do this is probably for the best – if only so you are not working from a mirror image. Also, the waxes used in salons tend to be professional grade and therefore more effective and cost-efficient in the long run.
The cost of eyebrow waxing.
The cost of eyebrow waxing depends on where you go. It takes about 10 – 15 minutes – therefore the treatment is likely to cost somewhere between £8 and £12. If you are having them tinted after waxing, then it may cost a further £10 on top.
Eyebrow threading vs waxing
Threading involves using a piece of thread to pull out the hairs. This is potentially more painful than waxing, as it takes longer to remove the hairs. Many people who choose threading do so because they feel it is more accurate – and you still need to pluck after waxing anyway. Also, threading is said to be less damaging to the skin. People tend to choose waxing though because it is quicker, and the pain is over in an instant.
Eyebrow Waxing vs Tweezing
The tweezers are still the best tool for creating the most pristine of eyebrows. Hairs are plucked one at a time, or a small number at one time at most. This means that you get a cleaner look. Many people still choose plucking because they can a) easily do it themselves and b) the irritation to the skin is less than with waxing. Tweezing can be done on the night of a date, without fear of red blotches and bumps.
Eyebrow Waxing vs Microblading
Waxing should be done every 6 – 8 weeks and works to shape the hairs that are already there. Therefore, your stylist will seek to compliment the natural shape of the brows, matching this to the shape of the face. This means regular upkeep – and plucking in between treatments.
Microblading is considered semi-permanent. It is not quite cosmetic tattooing – but it is close. It can last up to 3 years, depending on your skin type and skincare routine. This sounds pretty amazing – particularly when the stylist will have free choice in the shape of the eyebrow created. But, it can cost a lot – up to £600 with some salons. Microblading will add pigment over the existing eyebrow area – this makes it ideal for those of us who have thinned areas of brow that defy perfect shaping.