What is Threading?

Eyebrow threading is an ancient hair removal technique using a thread of twisted cotton. Originating  in India, it  has been used in Western countries for many years, but its only become fashionable to Europeans and Americans in recent times.

Advantages of Threading

• No chemicals
• Less painful than tweezing and waxing but still can hurt a bit
• Very fast
• Lasts for approximately 2-3 weeks
• Precise, leaving you with perfectly shaped brows
• Kind to the skin
• Minimal redness
• Can be used on any part of the face

Disadvantages of Threading

• It takes many years to master the art of threading . Finding an expert is essential
• Some people may find that it hurts slightly
  

How Threading is done

A thin thread, usually cotton,  is tied at the ends and held in a circle between the hands. It is then twisted and rolled along the surface of the area where the hair is to be removed. (see image)

The hairs are caught in the thread and removed from the follicle. An entire row of hairs is pulled out at one go leaving a clean area.

This process is continued along the entire area to be treated.

Once you have experienced eyebrow threading you wont go back to any other method of hair removal.

How to prepare your eyebrows for waxing

• Clean the eyebrow area with cleansing cream and apply witch hazel to de-sensitise the under brow area.

• Brush your eyebrows with a small soft brush, maybe a soft clean toothbrush, into their natural shape, using an upwards movement to keep the hairs in place.

• Hold a ruler parallel to your nose and the inner corner of your eye to calculate the length of the brow. Mark the point where the brow should begin with a brow pencil. If your eyes are close set, you can widen the gap between your eyebrows and vice versa for too wide apart eyes.

• Now keeping the ruler against your nose move it from the inner corner of your brow to the top of the brow arch and mark again with a brow pencil.

• Link the dots in a smooth arch.

How to apply the wax

• Buy a professional waxing kit and follow the instructions, but briefly, the kit will contain a jar of wax which must be heated in boiling water and then applied carefully in the direction of the hair growth with a spatula or applicator underneath the line of your brow.

• Never wax above the eyebrow.

Removing the wax

• To get a professional look its important to remove the wax quickly, with the strips provided, in the opposite direction of the hair growth. Not only will it be less painful but you wont be left with unsightly marks.

• If you find there are some straggly stray hairs which somehow missed the wax you can gently pluck them with tweezers.

• Apply a soothing lotion such as tea tree oil onto the waxed area to soothe any possible redness and avoid direct sunlight and harsh makeup products for a few hours to give the skin time to recover.

• For thicker growth its better to wax a little at a time.

Advantages of waxing at home

Its cheaper than going to a salon
Its quick
Lasts longer than plucking. Opens the eyes up to give a more wide awake look

Disadvantages of waxing

Costs more than plucking
Not for sensitive skin

Well the main reason, it’s believed, is so that rain and sweat is kept out of our eyes keeping our ability to see intact.

The arched shape forces the moisture to run down the sides of our face and keeps our eyes dry and free from the salt in sweat.

This was obviously beneficial for early man in his daily fight for survival.

If you find this hard to believe, try shaving off your brows, going out in the rain and running fast for a mile or two. You’ll notice the difference.

Eyebrows are also helpful in preventing small items such as dust, dandruff or grit from falling into the eyes and causing eyesight damage.

Eyebrows are able to give the face expression and show surprise or anger.

Today’s eyebrows play more of a cosmetic role. Being one of the most distinctive features they shape and frame the face. Therefore grooming them regularly is very important to the overall appearance.

Tweezing, threading or waxing are all methods of tidying up stray eyebrow hairs used by both men and women and the sales of eyebrow cosmetics grow yearly as more and more companies try to meet the insatiable demand for new and better products.

If you are not yet eighteen talk to your parents and think carefully about their opinions.

If you are older than eighteen, and that means any age that wants to be up to date in todays fashions, trendy or simply wants to make the most of themselves it is only sensible, and dare we say mature, to think about the consequences.

However, if you follow these tip you should be able to avoid any eyebrow piercing scars.

• First of all you must always go to a reputable piercing studio. If possible find one that your friends have been to, if not and you want to be the innovator amongst your friends, make sure that you go to a piercing boutique or salon that you know is qualified,  professional and established. If it costs a little extra than some of its competitors – so what. Better safe than sorry!

• You must be sure the premises are clean and the instruments are properly sterilized. This way the risks of infections will be minimized.

• Once you have had the jewelry inserted into the skin aperture you must follow all the instructions for keeping the wound clean.

• If you decide you have had enough and want to take the ring or jewelry out, you will possibly be left with a scar caused by an overgrowth of skin tissue. This may in time become covered over with another layer of new skin  but still can continue to look unsightly, although this may diminish over time.

• If you insist on having your eyebrows pierced please do your research thoroughly before undergoing the procedure. Going to a good practitioner hopefully will minimize the risk of leaving you with any unsightly scars or holes if, and when, the fashion changes, as it surely will.

A good plastic surgeon will, in most cases, be able to correct any scars or other deformity caused by piercing but please remember that the areas around the eyes are the most likely to be noticed for any uncorrected tissue scarring.

However carefully you apply your make-up, the overall picture will only be perfect if your eyebrows are fashioned to fit the shape of your face. Many people pay a visit to the experts to have their eyebrows shaped but if you would rather do it yourself, here are some handy hints to help you make a good job of it.

What are the qualities of perfectly shaped eyebrows? Well, firstly, they should be equal and symmetrical. They should be even and their shade should match your complexion and eye colour. If you would prefer to change the color of your brows, say light brown if you have blonde hair, or black if you are a brunette, you are advised to let the experts in the cosmetic salon do this for you.

The eyebrows have three points:

• the base, which is located at the top of the nose
• the middle, the most angled section
  
• the extremity at the edge

If the hairs of your eyebrows are sparse, a special eyebrow pencil of the same shade as your hair can be used to shade in the thin or empty parts.

When correcting your eyebrows, you should bear in mind the shape of your face.

• If you have a circular face they will not require further rounding, but obliquely correcting towards the superior part of the base.
• For square features, the brows are usually thicker and more horizontal. You should, therefore, concentrate on making them thinner and giving them more shape.
• A triangular shaped face should have oblique upwardly shaped brows, separated a little from the nose area.
• Diamond shaped faces are likely to only need a small amount of adjustment, with an oblique as possible look.

Now you have perfectly shaped eyebrows and if you comb and massage them with face cream each night, they will become shiny, smooth and healthy looking.