Become your own Brow Boss!
How do I know which Brow Service is right for me?
With so many options available these days to turn your brows from hum-drum to bomb-diggity, there is only one question you need to ask yourself: What are you waiting for?
Okay, maybe there is yet another question worth considering. With so many options to choose from, it is fair to find yourself saying: how do I know which Brow Service is right for me?
From quick enhancements like Brow Grooming, Brow Tinting and Brow Lifting (also known as Brow Lamination) to longer, more permanent solutions like Microblading, Powder Brows, Combo Brows and even Brow Transplants - yup! - a permanent eyebrow service that was recently popularized by the model and beauty mogul, Chrissy Teigen.
People Magazine did a great article on Chrissy’s eyebrow transplant journey, which you can read in full here: Here's What to Know About the Cosmetic Procedure
If you’re considering experimenting with an eyebrow enhancement, it’s important to ask yourself the following:
Q. What are my desired brow goals?
Q. Do I want temporary, short-term results or do I want permanent, long-term results?
Q. What is my budget?
Let’s break this down by taking a closer look at some of the most popular eyebrow services out there today …
Service: Brow Grooming
Price range: $
Service Time: 15 - 45 minutes
Results last: 2 to 3 weeks
Brow Grooming is a quick and easy way to shape your brows and clean up your overall brow area. Your Brow Technician will use of tweezers, facial razors, threading, strip wax and/or liquid wax to remove unwanted hair from your eyebrows. A skilled Brow Technician will groom your eyebrows into the most flattering shape and thickness for your face.
Pros:
Generally speaking, brow grooming is the most inexpensive brow service available and will provide noticeable and flattering results.
Brow Grooming is a great service for everyone, regardless of hair colour, skin type or age.
Is often combined with other, more permanent and more dramatic eyebrow services as a way to improve overall results
Cons:
Brow Grooming is a great service for shaping the refining your existing brow hair, but if your brows are extremely spare or non-existent brow grooming alone isn’t able to offer you enhanced eyebrows.
Our eyebrow hair and facial hair that surrounds our brow area is continuously growing; therefore, brow grooming results typically last 2 to 3 weeks and require routine touch-ups to achieved the desired appearance of your brows.
Service: Brow Tinting/Henna Brows
Price range: $
Service Time: 30 - 45 minutes
Results last: 3 to 5 weeks
The process involves applying a semi-permanent tint to your existing brow hair. Your brow artist will work to define the best brow shape for your face, and apply the tint within the perimeter of your brow to create more depth and better definition to your brows.
Pros:
Brow tinting will give you fuller, more defined brows while looking ultra natural!
Brow tinting is suitable for nearly all hair colours and skin tones, but results are especially fabulous for those with naturally light eyebrows.
Results are temporary, allowing you more flexibility to play around with the appearance of your brows as you age, and as trends evolve.
Cons:
Service: Brow Lifting/Brow Lamination
Price range: $ - $$
Service Time: 45 - 60 minutes
Results last: 4 to 6 weeks, up to 8 weeks with proper aftercare
Brow Lifting, also known as Brow Lamination is becoming more popular, and for good reason. Who doesn’t want magazine-ready brows!
Brow lamination involves a two-step system in which your brow artist will soften your brow hair so that the hair can be repositioned in a more upward direction. Once the desired position is achieved, your brow artist will set the brow hair so that it will continue to rest in an upward direction.
Pros:
The results of Brow Lamination are fuller, fluffier, and more manageable brows without the hassle of makeup or the fuss of brow gel!
A perfect option for those who are looking to take their brows to the next level, and prefer a less permanent option than eyebrow tattooing services such as, microblading, powder brows or combo brows.
Once the eyebrows have received the lamination treatment the brow hair is more responsive - meaning, you can use a brow brush to comb the brow hair upward to create a very full and fluffy look, or you can comb the brow hair in a more natural direction to create a more team look. Making the Brow Lamination service the most versatile and flexible brow solution!
Cons:
Brow Lifts/Brow Laminations are best suited for those who have a good brow base. If your brows are very short, or very sparse, a brow lift will not be able to deliver the most desirable results.
Unlike a more permanent brow service, Brow Laminations do require a some daily maintenance. To keep your brows full and “lifted” you need to brush them upwards each morning, or after getting them wet. That said, laminated brows look exceptionally great with a thin amount of brow gel or brow oil to create an extra sleek & glossy look!
Service: Microblading
Price range: $$ - $$$
Service Time: 2 -3 hours + 1 hour touch-up service at 6 weeks
Results last: 2 to 3 years, up to 5 years with proper aftercare and annual touch-ups (optional)
Microblading is worth all the attention it has been getting over the years! Just ask all those with better-than-ever brows who no longer need to draw-on or fill-in their brows each morning!
Microblading is a more permanent solution that involves using a small tool, equipped with many micro needles to manually implant a small amount of pigment into the upper layers of the skin. The application is design to mimic natural hair strokes, and the results are amazing and nearly undetectable!
Pros:
Microblading is a service that is entirely customized to each client. So regardless of your natural brows (or lack there of), your brow artist can help you achieve dream brows that compliment your face perfectly!
Microblading mimics realistic hair-like strokes, which are designed to flow like a natural eyebrow.
Microblading technique deposits small amounts of naturally-derived, cosmetic grade pigmentation at a depth of only 0.08mm to 0.15mm, between the epidermis and dermis. More permanent tattoo procedures penetrates much deeper, to a depth of 1mm. The result is the microbladed hair strokes fade more gradually over time, offering a softer, more natural brow look.
Wake up with perfect eyebrows each day - no more need for brow make-up or midday touch ups :)
Cons:
You need to do your research! Since microblading is a semi-permanent solution, it is extremely important to do your research before booking your appointment. Find an artist who knows their craft and has invested in the highest quality tools and pigments for their microblading services.
Microblading correction and cosmetic tattoo removal procedures although available, can be painful, expensive and cannot guarantee results.
Since microblading doesn’t penetrate deep layers of the skin, the brows will lighten over time and may require touch-ups services at the 2-3 year mark.
Not every skin type is ideal for mircoblading: ie, very oily skin types, those with extremely thin or mature skin. As such you will want to consider alternative options, like those list below.
Pro Tip: make sure you base your decision on skill, and not price! A bad microblading service is not worth the small amount of money you might save up front, and correction services can be expensive and prohibitive.
They say: the most expensive brows you’ll buy, are the ones you pay twice for!
Service: Powder Brows
Price range: $$$
Service Time: 2 -3 hours
Results last: 2 to 4 years, up to 6 years with proper aftercare and annual touch-ups (optional)
Powder brows is a cosmetic semi permanent makeup technique designed to create eyebrows with soft powder effect, very similar to powder makeup. Powder effect is done with a shading technique using a permanent makeup device, which is similar to a tattoo gun. The technique produces an ombre look, instead of individual hair strokes (as in Microblading).
Pros:
Powder Brow is a service that is entirely customized to each client. So regardless of your natural brows (or lack there of), your brow artist can help you achieve dream brows that compliment your face perfectly!
Offers full coverage and is a great options for those who prefer a “full make-up” look
Thanks to it’s full coverage capabilities, Powder Brow is a great service to use when you wish to transition from a microbladed hair stroke look to a more defined brow.
An effective brow service if you are attempting to correct or cover up a poorly performed microblading service.
Wake up with perfect eyebrows each day - no more need for brow make-up or midday touch ups :)
Cons:
You need to do your research! Power Brow is a semi-permanent solution, it is extremely important to do your research before booking your appointment. Find an artist who knows their craft and has invested in the highest quality tools and pigments for their microblading services.
Powder Brow correction and cosmetic tattoo removal procedures although available, can be painful, expensive and cannot guarantee results.
Unlike Microblading, where over time you can transition to a Powder Brow look if you wish to change your brow shape or fullness. With Powder Brows there are essentially no services, other than Brow Removal that can change or alter a brow that you no longer love.
Pro Tip: make sure you base your decision on skill, and not price! A bad Powder Brow service is not worth the small amount of money you might save up front, and correction services can be expensive and prohibitive.
They say: the most expensive brows you’ll buy, are the ones you pay twice for!
Service: Combo Brows
Price range: $$$
Service Time: 2 -3 hours
Results last: 2 to 4 years, up to 6 years with proper aftercare and annual touch-ups (optional)
Combo Brows, also known as Combination Brows, combine the techniques of Microblading and Powder Brows to offer a softer, less dramatic alternative to Powder Brows, and a more “make-up” look than can be achieved with Microblading alone.
Using a manual tool, Microbladed hair strokes applied to the front of the brow (the end nearest to your nose), and using a machine-powered needle, a Power Brow technique is applied to the tail of the brow (the end nearest to your ear). The middle section of the brow is where both techniques meet and transition into one another. Microbladed hair strokes are often applied first, and then softly shaded in with the machine-needle to provide more colour and depth to the brow.
Pros:
Combo Brow is a service that is entirely customized to each client. So regardless of your natural brows (or lack there of), your brow artist can help you achieve dream brows that compliment your face perfectly!
Is a great alternative for those who are not consider a candidate for microblading alone: ie, very oily skin types, those with extremely thin or mature skin.
An effective brow service if you are attempting to correct or cover up a poorly performed microblading service.
Wake up with perfect eyebrows each day - no more need for brow make-up or midday touch ups :)
Cons:
You need to do your research! Power Brow is a semi-permanent solution, it is extremely important to do your research before booking your appointment. Find an artist who knows their craft and has invested in the highest quality tools and pigments for their microblading services.
Powder Brow correction and cosmetic tattoo removal procedures although available, can be painful, expensive and cannot guarantee results.
Unlike Microblading, where over time you can transition to a Powder Brow look if you wish to change your brow shape or fullness. With Powder Brows there are essentially no services, other than Brow Removal that can change or alter a brow that you no longer love.
Pro Tip: make sure you base your decision on skill, and not price! A bad Combo Brow service is not worth the small amount of money you might save up front, and correction services can be expensive and prohibitive.
They say: the most expensive brows you’ll buy, are the ones you pay twice for!
Service: Brow Transplant
Price range: $$$$
Service Time: 3 -4 hours
Results last: permanent
An eyebrow transplant is a cosmetic procedure where hair grafts (plugs) are transferred to your brow area. This goal is that new hairs will grow from these grafts, producing a fuller look. A surgeon transfers not just the individual hairs, but the hair follicles, too. This helps to ensure that new hairs are able to grow in your eyebrows once the initial transferred ones fall out.
Pros:
Where are most eyebrow services listed above require regular, or annual touch-up sessions to maintained flawless results, a brow transplant service is a lifetime solution.
With Brow Transplant the new hairs look extremely natural since they are your own.
Wake up with perfect eyebrows each day - no more need for brow make-up or midday touch ups :)
Cons:
While most eyebrows stop growing when they are about a half inch long or shorter, transplanted hair will keep growing and will need routine grooming to maintain a desired look.
An eyebrow transplant is performed by a cosmetic or plastic surgeon, making the procedure the most expensive brow service discussed in this blog.
It can take several months until the new follicles to properly root, and for you to see full results.
Note: there is a chance that these new follicles won’t produce new hairs at all post-transplant
Still unsure which Brow Service is right for you?
Faux Real Studios offer complimentary brow consultations, and we invite you to book an in-person consultation with us today!
During the Brow Consultation we will evaluate your current brows, explore what we call your “ultimate brow wish list”, we’ll discuss the options that we recommend to be best suited for you and we’ll help to answer any questions or concerns you might have.
We also perform a Brow Mapping session for you, a technique that allows us to draw the perfect set of brows on to your face with a cosmetic eyebrow pencil - the effect, you are able to see firsthand what a new set of brows can do for your face :)
We offer virtual consults over the phone, or in-person consults at our studio. If booking virtually, please e-mail us a clear photo of your eyebrows in bright light. Click here to Book A Free Brow Consult with one of our Brow Experts
And start building your “ultimate brow wish list” today :)
Life is too short to live with brows you don’t love - Allison xo