Behold the brow

Brittany Kress

Capital Style

Behold the brow

For some women, eyebrows are an obsession. Others don't think beyond routine plucking. But while they're designed for a physiological purpose -- shielding our eyes from moisture and small particles -- it's fun to redesign brows ourselves to complement or even define our look. And so it goes that those few strands of facial hair have prompted their own cottage industry. Want a different color? Shape? Permanent ink? The services explored here let you do that and more.

Threading

Charles Penzone
Grand Salon Dublin
6671 Village Pkwy., Dublin
614-418-5350
Process: Senior esthetician Sunny Desai works quickly to twist a cotton thread over the brow line, capturing hairs that she then pulls out cleanly from the root. The feeling is like that of plucking. She does this repeatedly to achieve the desired shape.
Cost: $20
Pros: It's great for sensitive skin because it doesn't involve wax, and you can walk out the door and onto the rest of your day without worrying about redness. Plus, it tends to be more precise.
Cons: Threading can go drastically wrong at the hands of someone who isn't trained. (Sunny's been doing it for almost 30 years.)
In a wink: Waxing's effects gone au natural

Brow tinting

Mukha Custom Cosmetics & Medi-spa
980 N. High St., Short North; 614-294-7546
Process: An esthetician discusses the desired shade, whether lighter or darker, and applies the appropriate brow-dye formula. The longer it's left on, the lighter (or darker) the hairs become. After the initial layer is wiped off, the color can be fine-tuned through additional applications.
Cost: $24
Pros: A quick and easy service for those with light brows or looking to make their brows match their hair color. Lasts four to six weeks.
Cons: Dyes the hair only, so doesn't do much for sparse brows.
In a wink: Matching color -- without daily makeup

 



Waxing

Simpure Salon and Spa
4355 W. Dublin-Granville Rd., Dublin
614-384-0200
Process: An esthetician smoothes a soy-based wax over the areas of hair that are to be removed, and after a few seconds, presses down a strip of fabric and then pulls it quickly away from the skin.
Cost: $20
Pros: Simpure's soy-based wax is anti-bacterial and anti-microbial.
Cons: Waxing can cause redness in the affected area and needs redone in a few weeks or months, depending on how fast the hair grows back.
In a wink: The old standby

Laser hair removal

Premier Aesthetic & Laser Centre
7651 Stagers Loop, Lewis Center
614-384-2999
Process: While the patient lies on a table, a doctor uses a BroadBand Light wand to deliver focused laser pulses to each hair (shown below). The zap feels like a tiny rubber band snap and destroys the follicle, resulting in permanent hair removal.
Cost: $50 and up, with four or five additional treatments
suggested
Pros: The hair removal is permanent. This also means that because styles change, only hairs you know you'll never want again should be zapped. Great for wayward hairs or men with hair between the brows.
Cons: Additional brow services are usually required -- and available at Premier Aesthetic -- to finish the look. Follow-up visits are usually needed to remove any hairs that weren't on the surface during the initial treatment. Redness and swelling might occur.
In a wink: Strays and unibrows be banished

Permanent makeup

Skin Perfect Clinic
47 E. Wilson Bridge Rd., Worthington
614-846-8420
Process: During an initial meeting to discuss the patient's shape and color preferences, owner Jaclyn Peresetsky sketches the desired look and tests the semi-permanent, oxide-based pigments on the scalp. During the treatment (shown above), she applies a local anesthetic to prevent bleeding and uses a computerized needle to insert the pigment.
Cost: $465
Pros: Color lasts for about a year, at which time a "refresher" service can be applied or the look can be adjusted.
Cons: The healing process includes some scabbing and lasts five to 10 days. Any existing hairs will continue to grow.
In a wink: Perfect brows come rain, shine or sleep

 

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