One of the fastest-growing and affordable, international beauty treatments right now is brow lamination. And this is your VogueDrift guide to the semi-permanent brow treatment that exploded in popularity in the U.K., before recently reaching the U.S. and Australia!
If you’re a fan of Instagram, no doubt you’ve already seen many images of beautiful women with fabulous, slicked-up eyebrows with a glossy finish, read this post about Why Brow Lamination Is Taking Over Instagram. This is the look of a glamorous brow lamination treatment! We’ve worked our way through tweezing, tinting, micro-blading, feathering and threading in our search for the best-shaped and groomed eyebrows. But brow lamination is now the best way to add style and balance to your facial features!
So if you want to find out all about this must-have beauty treatment, read our expert guide to updating your brows!
What exactly is brow lamination?
Essentially, brow lamination is a needle-free option that works like a perm for your eyebrows. It controls untidy brow hairs and fixes them into a stylish, combed-up shape similar to celebs like Zendaya, Cara Delevingne and Emilia Clarke. And even if you have thin or sparse eyebrows, the treatment grooms your hairs into a vertical shape that stays in place as long as the treatment lasts.
So think of it as a brow perm that lasts until all of your eyebrow hairs have grown-out and been replaced by new hairs. There are no needles and no tattooing or blading, but you get natural-looking, fashionable brows. The process is done with a keratin treatment that strengthens your eyebrow hairs. And there are no strong chemicals used in the process.
Who is brow lamination treatment recommended for?
Brow lamination is recommended for a range of different existing eyebrows. For instance, anyone who doesn’t have time to fuss about with brow pencils or gels and wants their brows to look good 24 hours a day, will benefit from this treatment.
So lamination is very popular with:
- busy women who need to look perfectly-groomed
- women who live in hot, sweaty climates
- regular swimmers
- athletes and gym-goers
- women who like to look good at bedtime and first-thing in the morning
- women with sparse brows or poorly shaped brows
Even if you have sparse brows or a brow shape that doesn’t suit you, lamination can re-shape and define the hairs you have to create the look of thicker, more feathery brows.
The only exceptions are people who have had burns near their brows and anyone with scars, skin conditions, swelling or eye infections in that area of the face. And anyone with large gaps in their brows wouldn’t be a good candidate for this treatment.
What happens in a brow lamination session – step by step?
- First of all, you will have a consultation with your beautician about the exact nature of the treatment and what results you are expecting.
- Just like an ordinary hair perm, a chemical knows as the ‘lift lotion’ is used to loosen the chain-link bonds within each hair-shaft.
- This is covered with saran-wrap, (which is just another name for ‘cling-film’) and left to work for about 7 minutes or so.
- Afterwards, the solution is ‘blotted off’ with dry gauze.
- And then the beautician gently moves the brow hairs into the shape you’ve both agreed to before the treatment. So small gaps or areas of sparse coverage are effectively covered.
- Next the ‘fixing lotion’ is applied to the brows in their new shape and cling-film is once again placed over each brow and left for 5 minutes, before being ‘blotted away’ away with sterile gauze. This is the step that makes the new shape ‘permanent’ and the chain-link bonds are fixed in place for the life of each brow hair.
- And the next step in the process is to have a nourishing brow serum applied to your brows. This is also cover with cling-film and left for 5 minutes to let your brows soak up keratin oil, which will replace any natural oils lost during the treatment. And finally, your brow artist may want to trim your brows to leave you with the perfect shape for your face.
How much does it cost to have brow lamination?
The whole process takes approximately 30 – 40 minutes and the price varies greatly according to your location and the experience of the beautician. However, the prices are usually set between $80.00 and $265.00. So brow lamination is also more affordable, too!
Can I have my brows tinted when I have brow lamination?
Yes, you certainly can. Tinting is another great way to add semi-permanent color and definition to your brows. So after your brow lamination, you can opt for a tinting session, which only takes 5 minutes to leave your brows looking younger and darker.
How long does a brow lamination treatment last on your eyebrows?
You can expect your brows to stay in their fuller and beautifully symmetrical shape for the following 6 – 8 weeks. And sometimes the new look lasts up to 12 weeks, if you give them the correct, simple home after-care.
Are there any side-effects to brow lamination?
Women with a tendency towards eczema can get skin irritation from the process. So you are advised to have a consultation and brow laminating session only from a fully trained brow lamination expert. And ensure you follow the correct home aftercare to keep your brow hairs and skin in a healthy condition.
How can I prepare for a brow lamination treatment?
- You should avoid any plucking or trimming in the days and weeks before you have an appointment. This allows the brow beautician to have as many hairs as possible with which to complete a successful laminating session.
- In addition, don’t apply any brow gel in the 36 hours before a treatment. Brow gels contain ingredients that produce a film which keeps your brows tidy. And this is a ‘barrier’ film that’s hard to remove. So to avoid it affecting the uptake of the ‘lifting’ lotion, you need to have completely product-free brows.
- Furthermore, if you are using creams containing retinol, or Retin-A, vitamin A creams, leave off applying it for four days before your laminating session.
- And make sure you attend your appointment with a recently cleaned face and eyebrows, so there’s no trace of oil or facial cosmetics creating a barrier, either.
How to maintain your brows after a brow lamination treatment?
There are just a few things you need to do to keep your newly shaped brows in shape for as long as possible. First of all, for the initial 24 hours after a session, you need to avoid hot showers, swimming or saunas. Do not use any creams, gels or make-up on your brows for 24 hours, either. And avoid rubbing your brows during this time, too.
Keep your brows as dry as possible and feed them with a special brow oil or brow lamination serum. Your brow beautician will advise you whether you need to apply it daily or just once a week, as this depends on your hair type. And this will ensure your brows are well-conditioned, healthy and glossy.
Is brow laminating a new trend in the U.S. right now?
It certainly is and even if you can’t immediately find a local brow laminating artist, you’ll soon find they are setting up everywhere! Brow lamination came to the west coast from the U.K. and is one of the fastest growing trends in the beauty world.
And The Art of the Brow training sessions are springing up all over the country, attracting beauticians from all over the states. So this is just the beginning of a very successful, new treatment that gives you full, beautifully shaped brows that are brushed upwards and look natural and healthy.
The laminated brow’s special, vertical shape is a fresh look, which many women prefer to the more expensive and uncomfortable experience of semi-permanent, brow make-up. Because micro-blading fades and can leave you with odd colors, like green or orange on the skin that’s been tattooed. But brow laminating and tinting never do that.
Brow laminating is a low-maintenance way to enhance your facial contours, without the need to be constantly applying brow powders, gels or pencils. And as the brow is lifted, more under-arch area is presented, giving your face a more open aspect, which makes everyone’s face look more youthful. And, of course, that’s exactly what we all want, don’t we? LOL! 🙂
Be a trend-setter!
Contact your local beauty salons now and let them know you’re ready to get your fabulous new look as soon as you can! Be a trend-setter – and if there’s a waiting-list at first, make sure you’re right at the top!
What’s your experience of brow treatments been like? Have you been happy with your new look or were there unexpected complications? Let us know your thoughts and opinions about the brow revolution – we love to hear from you! Subscribe to get more beauty trends on herstylecode.com!
