Thinning Brows and What to do About Them
Brows can become thinner over time due to many reasons like
age, hormonal changes, skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis, illnesses
such as autoimmune diseases, thyroid imbalances, nutrition deficiencies,
uncontrolled habitual pulling called trichotillomania, overzealous tweezing, waxing
or threading and some side effects from medications.
Also, since there are no approved prescription strength eyebrow serums on the
market, the products available are more strengthening and conditioning serums
which contain ingredients like caster oil, keratin and peptides/amino acids,
which act like a hair conditioner to add plumpness, gloss and strength to brow
hairs already in existence. Serums must be used religiously, and you should see
signs of improvements within a few months rather than overnight.
For the best serums, ingredients to look out for would be
biotin (vit B7) panthenol, keratin and hyaluronic acid. Other ingredients
for conditioning brow hairs include caster oil, rosemary oil and arginine which
is said to strengthen the hair follicle.
Tinting brows is a great way of helping the brows to appear
fuller and thicker. There are 2 types of tints available in salon.
An oxidised tint – which is made up of a tube of colour and is mixed with
hydrogen peroxide and applied to the brows and left for up to 15-20 mins to
process. Patch testing for this tint is crucial as the ingredients are
known allergens. This type of tint enters the hair shaft and the colour is
locked in and lasts anytime from 4-6 weeks and comes is a variety of colours and
shades that can be mixed to achieve the perfect colour for your client.
This type of tint – when applied to the skin – giving a make-up look, only
stains the skin for a short amount of time.
A non-oxidised tint like Salon
System Marvelbrow tint – which is peroxide and ppd free (so better for
sensitive clients and those that have reacted to an oxidised patch test) is
much better at staining the skin as lasts much longer – between 5-7 days on the
skin and up to 4 weeks on the hair. This type of tint isn't mixed
together but is a 2-step application. The tint is applied first
(colourless gel) and is allowed to absorb into the hair and skin – after this,
the developer gel which is a silver nitrate solution (also colourless) is then
applied on top, in small sections at a time – when the silver nitrate solution
touches the tinted area, a chemical reaction occurs, resulting in a stain of
either black or brown depending on the colour used. As the tint is just
plant based, you are more restricted with colours.
An alternative is brow powder,
which is a fabulous quick fix solution if your brows are naturally gappy and
need filling in, or if you have scars where the hair refuses to regrow. Also
it's good for extending a short brow or enhancing the arch. Available in many
shades – you can be as artistic as you like – using one colour or more,
creating a block brow or ombre look. Mineral powders have great staying power
with quality pigments that need no touching up throughout the day, and a little
goes a long way, meaning they last and last….
Brow laminations like the RefectoCil Brow Lamination Kit and
Salon System Lash & Brow Lift System are a brilliant treatment to have if
your clients have thin or unruly brows. It can transform these into full
fluffy brows within a short period of time that would then just need a daily
brush and setting. This relaxing treatment entails the brows to be
cleansed and put through a chemical process where the therapist ‘sets' the
brows in place – manoeuvring each hair giving maximum coverage, covering, and
disguising any scar tissue or natural gaps to achieve a really full fluffy
result. This will last up to 4 weeks and will need a conditioning serum
applied daily.
This treatment is also great
for taming coarse, thick, and unruly brows and as a pre-treatment if your
client's brows are particularly resistant to tint - like redheads and greys, as
it opens up the cuticle of the hair better allowing the tint to penetrate.
Semi-permanent brows are also a serious contender if you
want a wake-up make-up look. Techniques have become more sophisticated
over time and results more natural if this is what you prefer. Skilled
brow technicians are master artists and finding a good one that suits your
requirements is most important as once you've gone down this route – there's no
going back. In the UK as this is an unregulated industry – make sure you do
your due diligent homework and go with someone you trust.
After treatment, the brows can fade over time and top ups
are recommended and if your natural brow hairs are lighter than the
semi-permanent pigment – you will still need these tinting – so this option is
not totally commitment free. There's also the cost, down time and pain to
consider, although numbing creams are used to help with this. Again,
there are options when it comes to semi-permanent brows whether you opt for
microblading where tiny cuts are made into the skin then pigment is rubbed into
the wounds – or whether you opt for a traditional tattoo brow where a needle is
used. Both have their own pros and cons, and a full consultation to
discuss medical history etc should be done prior to treatment and the brow
artist, based on your consultation, will recommend the treatment that suits you
best. My advice would be – have your consultation and treatment on a
separate day, so you have some thinking time in between before committing.
Finally, there should be an eleventh commandment of ‘though
shalt not remove any brow hairs at home!' If your client's own tweezers –
tell them to only use these in the event of getting splinters and nothing
else! They are investing in having their brows professionally treated and
getting brows into the correct shape can take a long time to then have the
client undo all that work at home! When clients have a brow– it's a commitment
that includes homecare, so that would include using a recommended serum and
leaving them alone until their next appointment – however tempting it might be.
Brows are such an important part of the face. They
frame the eyes, balance out proportions and can even make you look younger –
more awake – if you get them right. When results are long lasting like
semi-permanent make-up or aesthetics – stay away from fashion and trends– leave
that to clothes, handbags, shoes etc as what's in fashion one day is out the
next!
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