Beauty Dare: I Got My Eyebrows Threaded

Welcome to Beauty Dare, an exciting new feature on Applied Glamour in which I try unusual/odd/interesting treatments and products. Want to triple dog dare me??? Send your beauty dares to me at appliedglamour (at) hotmail (dot) com!

 
Ever since my amazing friend Chandra wrote a guest post about eyebrow threading, I've been dying to try it.  I enlisted her help and together we headed to the Brookwood Day Spa in Birmingham and paid a visit to Moon, the eyebrow threader on staff.  I was a little intimidated and sooo glad Chandra came with me!

I didn't really know what shape to ask for or how to tell Moon exactly what I wanted, but luckily there was a handy chart on the wall where I could simply point to the eyebrow shape I liked best.  I settled back into the chair and made small talk with Moon while she began the threading.

I'm not going to lie; it was painful.  I've never had my eyebrows waxed so I don't know how it compares, but it was about as painful as plucking them.  I hear it gets less painful on return visits, so the worst is over!  Moon told me she was impressed by how well I handled it; she says most first-time customers flinch and jump and even cry!  I was a champ and didn't flinch at all.  It was over quickly, too.  The whole process took about five minutes and only cost $8!

So now...the results! Drumroll please....

Shazam!  Instant pretty eyebrows!  They weren't awful before I had them threaded but they were definitely doing their own eyebrow thing.  It's amazing how much more polished my makeup looks now that they're shaped and more arched.  It really makes a difference!

 

Will I be returning?  ABSOLUTELY!!!  I'm so pleased with Moon's quick work.  Are you in the Birmingham area and want to try threading?  Visit the Brookwood Day Spa in the Brookwood mall, you won't be disappointed!  They offer a wide variety of services at extremely affordable prices.

If you're curious, here's a video with more information about threading, plus you can watch exactly how it happens.





Have you ever had your eyebrows threaded?  Is this something you'd try?

Your Best Friend Automatic Eyebrow Pencil in Universal Taupe

I was skeptical.  The text on the side of this brow pencil insisted "universal!" but it initially appeared much too dark for my red hair when I swatched it on my hand.  It arrived in my July Birchbox and I was admittedly disappointed, Cynthia Rowley pick or not.  Universal? No way!  I almost gave the pencil to a friend, but then one day, tried it myself on a whim.  It. Was. Perfect!

This eyebrow pencil from Your Best Friend in Universal Taupe really does magically look good on everyone!  It worked with my red hair, my friend's dark brown hair, and even my mom's light blonde locks.  The secret is mostly in how much pressure you use to apply it.  Lighter pressure means a lighter application.  Plus, one side is also a spoolie to keep your brows groomed and in place.  Simple and a timesaver; now I don't need to hunt down a brow brush, it's attached to my eyebrow pencil!  This product is extremely useful.  It never needs to be sharpened, either.  Just twist it up when you need more product, and that's it!  It's reasonably priced, too, at just $12 for an extremely high quality eyebrow pencil.

Sharpening Up Your Look with Pencils! For Your Eyebows, Lips, & Everything in Between

Lately I can't get enough of pencils! From my eyebrows to my lips, pencils are my new favorite way to apply my makeup. I've never been a big fan of them before, but these four products have completely changed my mind. 

Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil in DEA ($18): The pencil that started it all!  This concealer is creamy, blendable, and gives thick full coverage without that gunky "Ugh I have a ton of makeup on my face" feeling you sometimes get with other full coverage products.  It's my favorite formula by far, and even though I'll occasionally obsess over another concealer, I always come back to this one.  I wore my old Urban Decay concealer pencil down to a nub and recently acquired this shiny new pencil!  When someone buys a product twice, you know it's gotta be good.  

Sephora Ultra Vinyl Lip Pencil in Strawberry Delish ($12): I adore patent/vinyl anything, but I despise stickiness on my lips.  This incredible lip pencil gives my lips all the vinyl shine of a gloss I could ever want without the gross stickiness.  The glossiness does eventually wear off, but unlike lip gloss, this pencil leaves color behind so my lips aren't completely pale within two hours.  It's also fabulously moisturizing.  I definitely want more of these!

Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eyeliner Pencil in Jet Black ($4): I've been devoted to my cheapie liquid eyeliner for so long, I forgot how glorious eyeliner pencils can be!  This one is perfect for smudgy sexy eyes and looks great on my waterline and lower lash line in a way that no liquid liner ever has.  And because it's super black kohl, it makes me feel like an Egyptian princess.  Bonus!

NYX Eye/Eyebrow Pencil in Velvet ($4): I initially purchased this as beige eyeliner, but quickly discovered it looks way better on my eyebrows!  I never thought an eyebrow pencil could be such a perfect match, but this is almost exactly the color of my hair and looks so natural.  For a while I considered having my pale-to-the-point-of-non-existent brows tinted, but changed my mind after using this pencil!  I swear, it's that good, and NYX has such a ridiculous variety of shades available, there's something to suit anyone.

L to R: Urban Decay Concealer, Sephora Lip Pencil, Rimmel Eyeliner, NYX Eyebrow Pencil

Eyebrow Threading 101

Today's guest post comes from the super cool and lovely Chandra, who is busy making a name for herself in the world of magazines!  She moonlights as a fabulous girl-about-town and loves trying new restaurants.  She's also an expert on eyebrow threading, so I invited her to share everything she knows.  I think I'll be booking my own threading appointment soon enough!

I have always been very particular and perhaps slightly obsessed with how I want my eyebrows to look. When I was younger, I remember noticing how the eyebrows could flatter a person’s entire face and bring out your best facial attributes.  

From the time I was a kid, my mom taught me how to shape my eyebrows naturally with just my fingers. After I took a shower, my mom always told me to shape my eyebrows because over time they would begin to look more defined. She was right as usual. Once I hit my teens, I begin noticing my eyebrows taking on a more defined appearance.

I didn’t start threading my eyebrows until I started high school mainly because when I was in middle school; I dealt with a lot of skin problems that would have made threading or even waxing a tortuous process. Waxing was something that I actually wanted to try first before threading, but after much persuasion from my mom, I opted to do threading.

Just to give you a little background about threading…It’s a technique that originated in the Middle East and parts of India. A cotton thread is used to remove the hair. The cotton thread is essentially twisted and rolled along the skin’s surface, which allows the hairs to be lifted from their follicles. It’s a very precise way of removing hair and attaining that “perfect brow” that can ultimately transform your face.

Like waxing, the first time that I had my eyebrows threaded was a little painful. I remember wincing every time she pulled my eyebrows. However, by the time she was done, I felt like my face had been transformed. My eyebrows had a lovely arch that really brought out my eyes. My overall face just looked brighter and less tired. 

What I love about threading is that if you are particular about your eyebrows, then you can specify how you want your eyebrows to look. I tried this with waxing and I didn’t get the same results. Keep in mind this does vary with every person.

A word of caution, remember to find an aesthetician who is experienced at eyebrow threading. Inexperience in this technique can result in uneven brows, hair breakage, and ingrown hairs. Also, if you do decide to try threading, make sure you apply some moisturizer around the area that was threaded to keep the skin from peeling.

Some benefits associated with threading include:

*No redness

*More defined eyebrows

*Typically cheaper

*Usually lasts longer (once again this varies with every person) for me, it lasts about 2 ½ weeks.

*No chemical ingredients involved

*More sanitary compared to waxing

*Takes years off complexion

*Long-term process of permanent hair removal

And now, a few words on eyebrows...

Want to know a secret?  My eyebrows, it seems, are starting to thin.  I have no idea why this is happening; it’s through no fault of my own.  Luckily I naturally have very low maintenance, nicely shaped brows.  I’ve never had them shaped, or waxed, and have never, EVER touched them with tweezers (Public service announcement: Eyebrow shaping is best left to professionals.  Your brows may never recover from accidental over-tweezing.  Really, they don’t always grow back if you pluck too much.  Go to a salon or one of those nifty threading places that have recently been popping up.)   Right now I suspect a combination of stress and genetics is the underlying source, neither of which is diminishing anytime soon.  But my sparse eyebrows are unacceptable.  Steps need to be taken.

Ever since the release of prescription eyelash enhancing serum Latisse, over the counter versions have been appearing everywhere.  New mascaras are even being released with lash growing formulas.  My eternal quest for glamorous old movie star eyelashes has been well documented, so of course I wanted to try this trend.  I picked up an over the counter serum called RapidLash.  And lo, what does it claim on the box?  “Great for eyebrows!”  Yes! 

Because I’m a nerd and actually like reading product package inserts, I’ve learned I can expect to see results in 4-6 weeks if I faithfully apply the serum every night.  Unfortunately, dealing with delayed gratification is not one of my strong suits (I want results and I want them now!), but hopefully this time I can stick with it and actually see results.  Getting my eyebrows back to their former state would definitely be worth it.

In the meantime, I’ve been experimenting with all sorts of eyebrow gels, pencils, and powders for instant results.  I wasn’t a fan of the slicked-down look I got from gels.  Pencils seemed a bit too harsh and “yes I have drawn in my eyebrows” obvious for me.  The powder formulas were by far my favorite. 

I finally found the natural, subtle look I wanted in Urban Decay’s Brow Box kit.  Inside this pretty purple and black lacquered box is a mirror, two pans of eyebrow color that matches the shade of my natural brows nearly perfectly, a teeny applicator brush that's exactly the right size, a mini pair of tweezers, and wax.  The wax included here isn't for hair removal; it's to provide texture and keep the powder in place.  Since I've been using it, my friends don't believe that my eyebrows are thinning.  This is definitely one of the best kits and products I've ever used.          



Has anyone else tried these eyelash enhancing serums?  I've heard rumors that while the over the counter kind do promote healthier and stronger lashes, they don't actually do much in the way of making your eyelashes longer. 

And I'm curious what sort of maintenance your eyebrows require, since I've never really done much with mine.  Let me know!