Perfect eyebrows in your lunch break (Eyebrow Threading)

Member Name: KLockwood75

Product:	Eyebrow Threading
Date:	16/04/09 (1023 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Quick, effective, convenient, great results

Disadvantages: It hurts

Eyebrow threading is a technique which has been used in Asian and Middle-Eastern countries for decades, but has only recently grown in popularity in the UK. Suddenly brow bars offering threading seem to be springing up all over the place - you can even have them done on a stand in the shopping centre at Bluewater, or in the John Lewis Beauty department on Oxford Street while you're in the middle of a shopping trip. This is a quick, convenient way to get your brows threaded but, to be honest, I'd rather go somewhere with a little bit more privacy!

I was converted from having my eyebrows waxed to having them threaded nearly six years ago when I visited a local salon to get my messy eyebrows tamed into submission before my wedding. The therapist recommended threading as the skin round my eyebrows is sensitive (not something I'd ever really noticed, but I took her advice anyway) and I was impressed with the results. Unfortunately, that salon closed down soon afterwards but I'm lucky enough to live in an area where the large Asian population means that a lot of places offer eyebrow threading at very reasonable prices, so I've continued getting them threaded since then.

So, what is eyebrow threading?
It is a technique performed using a length of twisted cotton to catch and pull out the hairs, tidying your brows and creating a defined shape. The length of cotton is twisted into a double strand, which is used to pick up a line of hair and then remove it. The loop of cotton catches the hairs as it moves over the skin and rips them from their follicles. It is a quick, efficient technique which should take less than ten minutes to achieve the desired results.

Does it hurt?
Yes, it is painful but it's a quick, instant pain which goes away soon after they have finished. I think it would be too much to expect hair removal to be completely painless - after all, they are pulling out the hair by the follicles and that has got to hurt. Personally, I do find it relatively painful when I'm having it done, especially as you have to pull the skin around your eyebrows to ensure they achieve the clean lines, but find waxing painful too. At least with threading my eyebrows feel and look ok within an hour or so, whereas when I've had them waxed they tend to stay red around the edges for a whole day.

What is the difference between threading and waxing?
The major difference between eyebrow threading and waxing / plucking techniques is that removes one clean line of hair all at once, making it much quicker and easier to shape the brows. It shapes the whole eyebrow, not just underneath but also the top. There is a risk with waxing that removal of the wrong hairs could affect the whole shape and structure of the eyebrow - not that this should be an issue if you get it done by a qualified practitioner. Both techniques are quick but I find the end results of threading much more consistent.

How often should you have it done?
The recommended time to go back and get your eyebrows re-threaded is 4-6 weeks. However, it creates a shape which you should be able to maintain by plucking a few stray hairs where necessary, so you should be able to get away with having it done less frequently.

Other benefits
Threading is a technique which does not use any chemicals and therefore is ideal for people who favour a 'natural' beauty regime. It doesn't strip of any layers of your skin which can be a risk with waxing, especially if you are using facial products containing Retinol or Vitamin A and is suitable for people with sensitive skin. This technique can also be used to remove upper lip hair.

Cost
The cost of eyebrow threading varies depending on where you have it done. In the local Indian-run salon that I tend to use it costs £7 for a eyebrow shape, but I paid £17 last week to have it done in the brow bar at Debenhams, Westfield, just because it was more convenient for me on that occasion (i.e. I was shopping with people who could keep an eye on my little boy).

Conclusion
I would definitely recommend eyebrow threading as the best way to achieve that groomed, polished look which adds definition and enhances your appearance. It is very quick, the pain only lasts for a short time and the results are fantastic. I don't think I will go back to waxing again now - last time I got my brows waxed was at the brow bar in Benefit and they did look lovely (plus they had special products to take away the puffy redness that always affects me after waxing so I didn't have to walk around looking weird), but threading is definitely the technique that works for me. There are so many places that offer eyebrow threading now - from the standalone brow bars and concessions in the big department stores, to the smaller independent salons that it has become a convenient thing to have done. If you work in the centre of one of the larger cities, you can probably even have it done in your lunch hour. I recommend giving it a try - it really does make you look more groomed instantly and a few minutes of suffering is worth it for the end result.

Useful links
Blink Brow Bar - http://www.blinkbrowbar.com
Shavata Brow Studio - http://www.shavata.co.uk/index.html

Summary: The best way of getting those perfect eyebrows