Raising eyebrows

Redlands Daily Facts Health Section
Staff Writer

Q: I have bushy eyebrows, but I am afraid of plucking them

Mimi: Eyebrows are the picture frames for your eyes. They must suit you well. Look at your friends' eyebrows. If you like the way that they look, ask where they get their brows styled. Many people have naturally beautiful brows, so ask lots of people. Ask people whose brows you don't like also. Soon you will see a pattern emerge. When you seek out an eyebrow stylist, shoot for the best on your first visit. After you have your style, you can keep it up yourself. Hairdressers are licensed to tweeze and wax brows. Usually they are not specialists. Estheticians (facialists) are specially trained in tweezing and waxing. Ask your esthetician where she took advanced training in brow styling since she graduated from beauty school. Be careful of anybody who hasn't had advanced training. Nail technicians are NOT licensed to tweeze or wax brows unless they have an additional license beyond just nails.

Check out the salon before turning your brows over to the esthetician. How clean is the salon? Is the waxing equipment impeccable? If there is a wooden stick left in the pot of wax, run! This could mean that the person is using the same applicator on each client. This spreads germs.

If there is dirt, dust, or goopy strings of old wax all over the wax pot or melter, leave.

Now that you have a clean shop and an esthetician who has been highly trained and is recommended by your friends, talk to her. She should give you a mirror and talk about your brows, your eyes, and the shape of your face.

Gals with tiny, delicate features need super tidy, refined brows so their China doll eyes, lips, and nose are not overwhelmed.

But with bushy brows, you probably have dark hair and good size features. Do NOT let anyone give you skinny, skimpy brows. That would be like putting a skinny, skimpy frame on a giant, gorgeous masterpiece. Play up your eyes with your magnificent brows.

Your esthetician will hold a pencil from the side of your nose straight up to the brow. Then she will hold a pencil from the tip of the nostril up. The inside point of each brow should start between those two points. She will give you the best starting point to balance the width of your nose. Everything over the bridge of the nose, between the beginning points will be whisked away.

Then she will hold a pencil straight up from the pupil, then the iris, then the outside border of the iris. This will determine the highest point of the arch of the brow. If the highest point of the arch is too close to the center, over the nose, you will look angry. If the arch is too high or too far out, you will look scared or surprised. So good arch placement is essential.

Next she will place the pencil from the flare of the nostril to the outside tip of your eye. This will determine the ending point of the brow. If the brow is too short, she will show you how to fill it in with an eyebrow pencil. If it is too long, she will tweeze off the stray hairs. With a horizontal line, the inside beginning of the brow and the outside tip should be at the same level. If the inside is lower, you will look mad. If the outside is too low, you will look sad.

Hair will be removed from the inside under side of the brow to the arch. Very little hair should be removed here. If too much is taken out, you will get what is called "The Hook." This is an unnatural look and should be avoided. More hair will be removed from the arch to the end, on the underside of the brow. This is the area that usually has the most strays.

If the right and left brows are uneven, a good brow stylist can even them out. Sometimes a guest will have one brow a full quarter inch higher than the other. With skill and patience this can be corrected.

Bushy brows and even skinny brows that have long individual hairs must be trimmed. The hair is combed up toward the forehead and held in place with a comb or the esthetician's finger. She carefully trims strays and hairs that are too long or unruly. Then she will comb the hair down toward the eye and do the same. Usually this is done before the waxing to prevent the long hairs from grabbing in the wax.

Your esthetician will use a magnifying glass and light to check that everything is right. She will tweeze any lingering strays.

When the brows are perfect, all extra wax must be removed with a calming oil. You should never leave the spa sticky. A calming gel will be applied.

Wow! Don't you look grand!

Any redness will disappear in a few hours. On the first visit you may develop little bumps that will calm down by the next day or so. Put cold washcloths, aloe gel, or cortisone on the redness.

If you are using ANY prescription drug for your skin, tell your esthetician.

Do NOT get waxed if you use Differine, Accutane, Retin A or similar drugs or if you are sunburned. If you know that you are sensitive to waxing or have ever had your skin tear or burn, tell your esthetician before you start. You can be tweezed or threaded but not waxed.

Now that you know how to look beautiful, make your appointment today.

Mimi Barre is the owner of International Day Spa, 325 Cajon St., Redlands. Send your skin care questions to her at MimiB@INTLdayspa.com. She and her estheticians are available for personal consultations, (909) 793-9080.