I am what you call a late bloomer when it comes to anything “kikay.” When before I’d scoff at anyone telling me to have my bushy eyebrows trimmed (I called them Fred and Barney, FYI), I’d roll my eyes and go on my merry way. Heck! They've always kept me company anyway.
But that all changed when the school make-up artist shaved and shaped them for my college graduation picture. Surprisingly, I liked it. I then bid goodbye to my Helga-esque (of Hey, Anold! fame) bushy uni-brows. Hello sophistication! I’ve had them shaved ever since.
There are disadvantages of having them shaved though. First off is the dreaded chicken skin. Razors tend to brush against sensitive skin near the eyes. I’ve experienced getting rashes and dry, flaky skin after each shaving.
Finally, those darn hairs grow back so fast. You’ll see small hairs popping out immediately the following day. Since shaving removes the hair only at the skin level, you see stubble immediately after a few days. The hair also appears coarser since razors tend to cut hair ends flat instead of pointed.
So how, oh how, can I make do without the fuss and still maintain those brows I’ve already come to love?
And like a bolt of lightning, it hit me! The solution was so simple -- eyebrow threading!!! No more chicken skin, no more flakes and best of all, hairs grow at a much slower rate since threading removes hair at the roots. Furthermore, the hair grows in with a naturally pointed end, so the hair always appears fine and soft.
What exactly is eyebrow threading? According to Wikipedia.com, threading is an ancient method of hair removal practiced many Asian countries. Practitioners use a pure, thin, twisted cotton thread which is rolled over untidy hairlines, moustaches and so on, plucking the hair at the follicle level. Unlike tweezing where a single hair is pulled out each time, threading can remove an entire row of hair, resulting in a straighter line. However, due to a larger area of hair being removed at once, it can be quite painful for some.
So off I went to David’s Salon (my hairdresser of choice) and prepared myself mentally and physically. My hairdresser, with powder in hand, asked me to recline in my seat. I could see his hands expertly twisting the thread in between his fingers, as he closely advanced at me (I swear I was hearing the Jaws theme!)
The first pluck – WTF!!! My eyes teared immediately. And so continued the second and the third. I would be lying if I say the succeeding plucks would be easier (IS SO NOT!) and for each excruciating second, I’d pray that this ordeal would stop.
But no pain, no gain right? And so it went, until it finally ended. The results? Amazing! Would I do it again? Of course! =)
For those who wish to undergo this feminine torture (although from what I’ve heard, guys are slowly invading the market for this as well), it is important that one takes note of the following reminders:
1. Make sure you go to a professional. Make it known what you want, but still listen to what he/she feels is correct. More often than not, they do know what they're talking about.
2. Try to avoid wearing make-up as much as possible as this may further irritate the skin.
3. If it helps, you can bring a stress ball or anything you can squeeze on as the threading progresses. Personally, I just bring a tissue to play with.
4. Similar to having a facial, threading opens your pores. It is advisable that you do not wet your face for the rest of the day, although some people mention that a toner works to close the pores immediately.
5. Don’t worry about the redness. It will subside in a few hours.
Threading for both brows usually takes less than 15 painful minutes to complete but the results are amazing! The best part is you don't have to do this everyday. Most people undergo threading again after a month or 2. Beats having to shave your brows everyday, right?
David's Salon offers eyebrow threading services at around P190.00 to P210.00. Prices vary depending on the branch's location.
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