The world of beauty is always evolving, and beauty procedures are coming and going in popularity. Thin eyebrows used to be the trend and many women would spend time waxing and plucking their eyebrows constantly. As time went on, thicker eyebrows became the popular trend, and the days of waxing and plucking slowly dwindled. Although some women still wax their brows, eyebrow threading has taken the beauty world by storm.
What Does Threading of Eyebrows Do?
Eyebrow threading is the process of removing eyebrow hair by the use of a thread. The thread is typically very thin and made out of cotton. The thinness allows for control in grabbing the eyebrow hairs to remove them.
When getting your eyebrows threaded, the process is similar to waxing in that the entire hair is removed from the root. The technician will put the thread in their hands and twist the thread. The thread will move over the hair, catch the hair they want to remove in the twists, and in a quick tugging motion, the hair will be removed.
What Are the Disadvantages of Threading?
Although there are many advantages to having your eyebrows threaded there are disadvantages, as there are with any beauty procedure.
At the top of the list of disadvantages is pain. Many people claim that the pain level of eyebrow threading is worse than waxing or plucking. If you have a low pain tolerance or very sensitive skin, you may find this process to be quite uncomfortable.
It is not uncommon to have skin irritation following eyebrow threading, which can happen with any hair removal process. You may have some redness, puffiness, and small bumps following the eyebrow threading. It is best to avoid sweating and direct sunlight during the first 24 hours in order to not irritate the skin further. Any irritation should typically subside within 12 to 24 hours after the process.
Another disadvantage is not getting desired results. Threading takes great experience and precision to give the desired results. It is important to go to a technician that has a lot of experience in eyebrow threading, so you leave feeling happy with the result.
What Is the Difference Between Eyebrow Threading Vs Plucking Vs Waxing?
Eyebrow threading, plucking, and waxing are all forms of removing eyebrow hair, but the process is very different for each.
With eyebrow threading, the technician will use the twisted cotton thread to grab hairs that need to be removed. It is a swift motion and multiple hairs will potentially be grabbed at once to remove them. It is usually a very quick process and some people prefer the swiftness of this process to waxing or plucking.
Eyebrow waxing is the process of adding warmed wax to the specific eyebrow hairs that need to be removed. The technician will then apply a cloth strip over the warm wax and press it into the wax. With a quick motion, the strip will be ripped off in the opposite direction of hair growth. When it is ripped off it will remove the wax and the eyebrow hairs.
Some technicians will use a hard wax instead of soft wax, which removes the need for the cloth strip. Instead, the wax itself will harden as it cools, and then the wax will just be ripped off in the opposite direction of hair growth as well along with the eyebrow hairs. Waxing will typically take a few different times of applying wax and removing it as the technician will need to wax under your eyebrows, above your eyebrows, and in between your eyebrows to remove all of the unwanted hair.
Eyebrow plucking is different in that a pair of tweezers is used to individually remove unwanted eyebrow hairs. The process of plucking can take longer, and some people find plucking to be annoying. It is harder to remove multiple hairs at once with plucking, so it is better to go hair by hair. Plucking will sometimes cause the hairs to break off and not remove the entire hair, which is why most people resort to waxing or threading with the occasional plucking to just remove a stray hair here or there.
How Much Does It Cost?
Eyebrow threading costs will vary depending on where you live and the amount of experience your technician has. It is a good idea to seek the expertise of a technician who has been in the industry for a while. Prices can range from $10 up to $45-$50.
How Long Does It Last?
The length of time that eyebrow threading will last is very dependent on your hair growth cycle. If your hairs grow very quickly then you may notice the hairs coming back after about 2 weeks. However, if your hair grows a little more slowly you may feel like it lasts closer to 4-5 weeks.
Can I Thread My Own Eyebrows?
Technically, you can thread your own eyebrows, but it is a good idea to see a professional. Threading your own eyebrows at home would require both of your hands and therefore you would be unable to hold your skin tight as they have you do at the salon, so you run the risk of not getting the hairs removed properly or irritating your skin.
Threading eyebrows takes a lot of practice and good technique, so it is better to find a great technician in your area. Take a look on social media at their work and read reviews that previous clients have left so you know that you will be going to someone who produces great quality work.
Most technicians can complete the process very quickly so it will not take much time out of your day. It will be quicker to run to the salon than try to do it yourself at home.
How Do You Prepare For Eyebrow Threading?
There are a few things you can do to prepare for getting your eyebrows threaded. The first is to let your eyebrows grow out. If you pluck or wax your eyebrows too soon before the appointment, your technician will not have enough hair to thread. Although it might drive you crazy, it is a good idea to let them grow out as much as possible.
It is also a good idea to speak to your brow technician before the threading procedure. Explain how you want your brows to look. They should be able to guide you on what will look best with your face shape and the look you are trying to achieve, but it is always a good idea to have that communication ahead of time.
You do not want to just assume that your brow technician will know exactly what you are looking to achieve. It may also be something that will take a couple of appointments to achieve the exact results you want. This is why it is important to communicate so the expectations are clear.
The last thing you can do to prepare for your eyebrow threading appointment is to not wear any face or eye makeup. Eye makeup is the most important because it can get in the way of the thread trying to grab the eyebrow hairs.
If possible, avoiding face makeup will help as well because they will be threading on top of your brows as well and if you have foundation on your skin, it can also get in the way of the thread being able to cleanly remove the hairs.
How Often Should You Thread Your Eyebrows?
The question of how often you should thread your eyebrows is dependent upon a couple of things. The first thing is how fast your eyebrow hairs grow. If they grow faster, you may want to get them done more often. Commonly, it is done about every 4-6 weeks.
If you cannot stand your brows looking less than perfect, then you may end up wanting to get them done at the 3-4 week mark. This is an entirely personal preference.
After reading this article, we hope you feel like you have a good amount of knowledge about what eyebrow threading is, how the process is different from other eyebrow hair removal processes, and what you should do to prepare for your appointment. If you try eyebrow threading and decide that it isn’t for you, you can always go back to waxing or plucking your eyebrows!
