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What to Know About Getting Your Eyebrows Tinted
Posted by Jess on Aug 30, 2023
Are you tired of spending half an hour every day perfecting your eyebrows? If your brow pencil is the most frequently used tool in your makeup bag, it's time to consider an easier solution.
Yes, your brows help frame your eyes and give your face dimension. However, you don't have to fuss over them every day. Instead, we recommend getting your eyebrows tinted!
This is a quick and painless procedure that can make a world of difference in your daily cosmetic routine. Today, we're breaking down how the process works, what you can expect, and why it's one of the smartest (and fastest-growing) beauty hacks around.
Eyebrow Tinting 101: The Basics
Before we dive into how it can revolutionize your morning routine, let's take a step back. What is eyebrow tint in the first place?
Put simply, this is a process in which a stylist dyes the hairs on your brow. This helps fill them out and gives them dimension. Whether you were born with thin brows or you've over plucked them throughout the years, tinting can help give you that full, luscious look you want.
Here are a few frequently asked questions about this procedure and the answers you need to know.
How Long Does It Last?
Eyebrow tints are semi-permanent, and the initial stain lasts about one week. However, that doesn't mean that you have to book four standing appointments with your esthetician every month! Even after the stain wears off, the actual color of your hair strands will continue to deepen and darken over time, lasting between two and four weeks.
When the stain first hits your skin, it will help to fill in thin or sparse areas. Instead of covering up or totally replacing your natural brows, the tint is designed to define, shape, and enhance them!
What Are the Benefits?
With so many salon services to choose from, why should you opt to change your eyebrow shade? Here are a few of the main reasons why clients choose to get their eyebrows tinted:
- Fuller, healthier-looking brows
- Darker eyebrows
- Simpler makeup routine
- More youthful appearance
- Better-defined brow shape
- Long-lasting results
- Pain-free enhancement
- No smudging or smearing
- Symmetrical brows
When your brows are already ready to go, you don't have to worry about using a pencil to darken or shape them in the morning. This helps you get out the door quicker, so you have more time to focus on the rest of your routine. In addition to more depth and dimension, you'll notice that your brows also look longer.
Natural brows tend to lighten toward the ends, as the hair becomes finer. With tinting, you can have color all the way to the tip! Plus, you don't have to worry about using a ton of extra products to get this look. This means you don't have to accent your eyes with expensive mascara or artificial lashes -- your brows will speak for themselves!
How Long Does It Last?
Eyebrow tinting normally lasts around three to four weeks. At the end of this period, the color will slowly begin to fade away. The process is gradual and uniform, and you don't have to worry about your roots showing or a messy grow-out period as you would with hair color.
Of course, you play a role in how long your new brows will last. If you follow all of your esthetician's guidelines when caring for them at home, you can extend their life for as long as possible! Also, keep in mind that your lifestyle can affect longevity.
If you work out frequently or live in a warm climate where you sweat often, your brows might not last quite as long. If this is the case, you may need to come in for more frequent touch-ups.
What Does It Cost?
If you're thinking about going for darker eyebrows, you'll naturally be curious to know what these sessions cost. There isn't a one-size-fits-all amount that applies to every practice. Instead, there are several different factors that can affect the price of your service.
These include:
- The experience of the provider
- The location of the salon
- Any other eyebrow services you're getting (e.g. lamination, microblading)
While you want to be budget-conscious when scheduling salon services, don't sacrifice quality for price point. You want to visit a safe and reputable provider, with licensed estheticians who can provide a professional, safe experience every time.
Eyebrow tinting services usually range somewhere between $20 and $40 but can go as high as $100 or more. Always make sure you understand exactly how much the service will cost before you commit to it.
Preparing for Your Eyebrow Tint
Before you head to the salon for your eyebrow tinting appointment, it's essential to know what to expect. Here are a few preliminary steps you can take.
Discuss Skin Allergies
Above all, your esthetician will want to rule out any skin allergies. They will be placing chemicals near your eyes, and want to ensure against any type of reaction.
The skin near your eyes is especially sensitive because it's so thin. This can make it more susceptible to irritation and infection. The esthetician may want to do a patch test on a small area of your skin to make sure you're not allergic to any of the chemicals.
This is especially the case if the tint they're using contains para-phenylenediamine (PPD), which can cause reactions in people who are allergic to it. If you know that you have any skin allergies, be sure to disclose this to your esthetician before you attend the appointment.
Ask Questions
Even if the eyebrow tinting process sounds relatively straightforward, you may still have questions about what will happen and what you should expect. Go ahead and ask those! Your esthetician will have the knowledge to answer any inquiry.
The results of your tinting process will last for around a month, and you want to make sure you're satisfied with the results. Don't go into the appointment with unanswered concerns.
Share Expectations
Before you go for your appointment, you should have a general idea of the look your want to achieve. It can help to browse the internet or social media for brow inspiration!
Features to consider include:
- How dark you want to go
- The shape you want to achieve
- How noticeable you want the changes to be
If your brows are sparse, thin, or patchy, you may just need a small amount of a custom tint. If you want them to look as natural as possible, your esthetician may use a color that mimics the darkest shade of hair on your head. Then, they will carry that color throughout the whole length of your brow, helping them look fuller and more healthy.
If bold definition is what you're after, ask your esthetician to go one or two shades darker than your hair's base tone. This will help your brows pop more and give your face more vibrancy.
What to Expect at an Eyebrow Tinting Appointment
When the big day finally arrives, what can you expect from your eyebrow tinting appointment? While each esthetician will have their own unique touches, they should all follow the same basic process.
Before you attend the appointment, they should have verified that you're a good candidate for this procedure. This is why that initial question-and-answer session is so important! Once you have the green light to go ahead, you're ready to begin!
Though the lead-in can be a little lengthy, the actual tinting process normally takes just 15 minutes or so. Let's take a look at the general steps you should expect.
Prep Time
First, your esthetician will take the time to thoroughly prepare and clean the area around your brows. They may use a special cleaning solution to do so, taking care not to irritate your skin.
In addition, they may also apply a thin layer of protective moisturizing cream, such as petroleum jelly, to the skin around your brows. This cream makes sure the dye stays where it's supposed to go and doesn't wind up on your skin!
Create Custom Shade
Next, they will work to create an eyebrow tint shade that will look at natural as possible. To make sure yours blends seamlessly, your esthetician may need to blend a number of different shades together.
As they do so, they'll take several different factors into account. These include:
- Your natural hair tone
- Any highlights in your hair
- Your skin tone
- The underlying color of your eyebrows
All of these elements can affect the way your brows look, so they're important considerations to keep in mind when mixing brow tint.
Apply Brow Dye
Then, all that's left to do is apply the brow tint and wait! Your esthetician will carefully apply the tint over the area in your newly defined brow shape. As they do, they'll capture all of your lighter, finer hairs and bring them into greater contrast.
Most clients wait around 15 to 20 minutes for the color to take full effect. However, this isn't the case for everyone.
Your wait might be a little longer or shorter depending on the effect you want to achieve. More intense, dark brown or black brows may take longer than lighter ones, for instance. Once your time is up, your esthetician will carefully remove any excess dye that remains.
Complete Final Shaping
Once the tint is completely removed, your esthetician might perform a final touch-up on your shaping. They may also apply a special kind of eye gel to soothe and nourish your skin. It might be a little red around the parts where the work took place, but this should fade fairly quickly.
Final Consultation
Before you head home, your esthetician should talk to you briefly about how to take care of your brows at home! Proper self-care is the key to making sure your tint lasts as long as possible.
If you notice that your skin is especially irritated, you can apply a calming solution or a cream over the affected area. Simple aloe vera can be very effective in reducing redness and irritation. You can also apply a cool, damp compress directly on the spot.
To protect the delicate skin around your eyes, use a small amount of Vaesline right above or below your eyebrow area. If you do experience initial irritation, it should not last long. If it persists even after a few days have passed, reach out to your esthetician to follow up.
At Home vs. In the Salon
To achieve the best results, we recommend booking an appointment with a licensed esthetician to get your eyebrows tinted! These are experts who are properly trained in the correct application technique required to help your brows look beautiful.
Unless you have that same eye for detail, it can be difficult to get the shape of your brow precise. It's also challenging to choose or mix the correct shade. Often, at-home dyers tend to accidentally go too dark.
When this happens, they have to wait until the dye gradually fades before their natural brow color comes back. To avoid this frustrating wait period, always start at the right source!
Should You Get Your Eyebrows Tinted?
Now that you know a little more about how the process works and what to expect, are you thinking about getting your eyebrows tinted? This is a technique that can transform your appearance and boost your self-confidence, but it's important to choose the right salon and discuss all of your needs, expectations, and concerns up-front.
At Lash Stuff, we have everything we need to help estheticians hone their craft. This includes vegan eyebrow tint and all of the related accessories you'll need! Join our VIP Program to learn more and start earning points with every purchase!