How to Prepare for Eyebrow Threading

For centuries Middle Eastern women have employed the ancient technique of hair removal called threading. This practice has become very popular in the West, with more and more salons adopting this service. If you need a new method for hair removal, you’ll want to check this out.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• The right salon
• An old shirt or tank top

1. Threading gets the hairs that waxing tends to leave behind. While waxing is pretty helpful, there is only so much the wax can actually remove. Ever walk away from a waxing session, only to find that you still have patches of stray hairs the wax didn’t take off? The great thing about eyebrow threading is that it removes every single hair…even the baby ones that wax sometimes misses. The key to having a good experience with threading is to know how to prepare for it and what to expect.
2. Finding the right salon/spa to get your threading done makes all the difference. The first step is to find a good salon that offers this service. The pricing depends on where you live but there are some that offer threading services for as little as $8! Ask your friends, family or coworkers if they get their eyebrows threaded and where they go. Personal references are usually much better to trust than going in blind.
3. Prep your face by avoiding foundation and powder and keep your hair simple and pulled back. Once you’ve found a place and set your appointment, arrive ready. Wear no makeup and don’t do anything fancy with your hair since it will need to be pulled away from your face during the threading session. Wear a tank top or shirt you don’t mind getting dirty, since the hair will get all over it.
4. Don't be afraid to tell the person doing your eyebrows exactly how you want them. It's their job to make you look good. Before starting, make sure to tell the person doing the threading exactly what you want and how you want your brows shaped. Be vocal or else you could end up with brows you don’t like.
5. Holding down your eyelids helps the thread get all of the strays underneath. Take a deep breath and close your eyes. It helps to talk to the person doing your brows to keep your mind off of the process. There will come a point where you’ll need to use your fingertips to hold down your eyelids so they can get the strays beneath your brows. This part of the process can be slightly painful since it is a sensitive area but it goes by quickly.
6. The hairs being removed tend to get sprayed across your face, which can be annoying and may tickle but a brush will be used to remove these pesky hairs.
7. Make sure you like what you see in the mirror before continuing the process. After one brow has been done, the threader may ask you to take a look to see if it’s what you want. Be sure it’s up to par and then they’ll continue with the other brow.
8. Take care of pesky hairs and redness by washing your face in cool water afterwards. Because the hairs tend to get everywhere during the process, you may want to wash your face or hop in the shower afterwards.

Tips & Warnings

• Since threading can get messy with the hairs removed, have this process done before you plan on going out somewhere. If you get dolled up and then get your brows threaded, you’ll be covered in stray hairs.
• It’s normal for slight redness to occur around the area, which will go away after about an hour or so. Tiny dots of bleeding from the follicle is also normal so don’t freak out. This tends to only happen the first time.
• If you are used to waxing then threading won’t be painful. However, if it’s your first time dealing with hair removal, threading may be too much for you. In this case you should try waxing first.
• Avoid wearing eye makeup to your threading session. The pulling on the area can cause your eyes to water up, which may ruin your liner or mascara.
• To get rid of the redness or tingling feeling afterwards, rinse your face with cool water or use a cold compress.
• Threading isn’t just for eyebrows, but for most facial hair as well, including the upper lip area, chin and cheeks.