Ask Afrobella Part Deux — On Brows
There were soooooo many comments and questions about eyebrow maintenance in the previous post on hair removal, I’m just gonna go ahead and answer a few questions right here right now. Otherwise it’ll be ANOTHER thing I was supposed to do three months ago.
I’ve done it all. Waxed, plucked, and lately — threaded. I’m a big fan of the threading. I am almost ashamed to admit the inspiration for my heading to the threader…. ok, I’ll admit it. Kim Kardashian. She’s got bangin’ brows! I can’t even hate. On the brows. That is all.
I also noticed that Bollywood stars, like Aishwarya Rai, have gorgeously manicured, thick, real, sexy brows. The kind that women in Indian and Middle Eastern cultures have — cultures where threading is an ancient art. I wanted strong, defined brows like that. Like the ones that gain admiration on Blu’s Eyebrow Blog (there’s a little nudity on that site, beware workplace readers). Eyebrows truly do frame your face, they are the windowsills to your soul. Keeping them neat, arched, and not over plucked has made a huge difference to my look. It’s a damn shame that I am terrible at maintaining my own brows. I really admire the ladies who do.
So basically, I got caught in a bad-eyebrow pattern — let ‘em grow out to the point of ridiculousness, then go to some two-bit strip mall wax joint, you know, the kind where the manicure chairs look like hands with red fingernails? I’d get me an $8 eyebrow wax. Half the time it would turn out alright, but ever so slightly jacked up. One side uneven. Once I wound up with the Vanilla Ice. I got burned. I had enough of the bad-eyebrow pattern, and I decided to give threading a try.
Here’s the thing. Threading is way too expensive in Miami, because there aren’t many people who do it here. At Peter of London, it cost me $35 for Luby, a very sweet, loving, attentive eyebrow expert, to whip my arches into shape. That was my first experience. It’s weird, because honestly you can’t SEE what they’re doing, or how they do it. It’s definitely an art I couldn’t master — I am no good with thread, or knots. I even tie my shoes sloppy.
Every so often, I’d see Luby out of the corner of my eye with thread stretched between her teeth and her finger. Then whizzz, I’d feel a row of tiny hairs disappear from my forehead. Almost any kind of hair removal involves a little pain, except shaving (unless you cut yourself, obvs), and depilatorys (unless you’re allergic or leave them on way too long which really sucks). And both of those methods aren’t recommended for eyebrows. To rank the experience in order of pain, with 1 being the most painful, I’d say:
1. waxing
2. threading
3. plucking
Although, jeez – plucking can really hurt sometimes too.
Over time, I’ve become more immune to the pain of threading. Luby was great, but I decided to give up Peter of London — it’s really a hair salon and it’s insanely busy. I wanted someplace intimate and professional. My eyebrow mission continued until quite recently, when I struck gold and found The Brow Shoppe. The name says it all. I recently reviewed it for Pretty In the City, and I interviewed one of the eyebrow experts, Taina. $35 for 15 minutes, and worth every penny. I don’t think I’ll go anywhere else. She whipped my brows into perfect shape by threading my forehead, and plucking the area just above my eye. I noticed she had a super fly leopard print pair of Tweezerman tweezers, too.
I’ve been meaning to get myself a pair of those, and I like these adorable, smaller sized Go Green tweezers (a new tree is planted for every one you buy, plus $1.00 from every sale goes to the National Arbor foundation. AND the packaging is made from 100% recyclable paper and printed in natural soy ink, for you environmentally friendly bellas out there).
For bellas with thinning brows, Taina recommended filling in the spaces with brow powder — Milani has a good, cheap new Brow Fix kit at your neighborhood drugstore. But of course Milani being Milani, it’s nowhere to be found on their website. (The beautiful Yummy411 went on a drugstore reconnaissance mission, so check out her pics so you know what to look for). To grow back brows, Taina recommended Rogaine, and there’s two amazing products she introduced me to – Renew Eyebrow Revitalizer, and Revitalash Eyelash Conditioner. I just got some of this raved-about stuff, so I’ll let you know if it works or not!
For removal of other facial hair, I’ve waxed aplenty. But if you ask me, upper lip waxing is just as painful as lower lip waxing, if you know what I mean and I think you do. I prefer not to wax my upper lip, or sideburns. Instead, I use the Sally Hansen Creme Hair Remover Kit.
It’s a super gentle two-step kit, it doesn’t stink like chemicals (it has a very mild vanilla scent), and I really like the conditioning lotion. And it’s $6.19 at Drugstore.com, and lasts for a LONG time. Can’t beat that. But like I said in the previous post, if you’ve got sensitive skin or are allergic to hair-removing creams, you’d probably be better off going to a professional who can use a cold wax, or a speciality wax for sensitive skin.
And for the record, I’m against bleaching your body hair — most of the time, all you’re doing is attracting attention to the hair. If you get caught in the wrong light, it’s written all over your face. And when it grows out, you might wind up looking like a bumblebee. So not cute. Trust. I speak from experience.
How do you deal with your facial fuzzies, bellas? Don’t deny — we’ve all got some!
Category: Hair, Product Reviews
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Gee wiz! $35 dollars for threading in Miami?! It’s a paltry $6-$8 here in NYC.
Go to threads in DC! They’re the best!! I loved them when I lived in DC.
Hey Tamz and Blkbuttafly I go to Rubina’s @14623 Beechnut off of hwy 6. There’s a huge Indian Muslim market and Rubina is next door. I’ve had everyone who works there do my brows and I’m always pleased, but Rubina, the owner, has a sistah lookin’ hawt. If you walk around the corner there’s a cute little Somali owned store that sells wonderful perfumes from Arabia and the Gulf states.
I haven’t gotten my eyebrows done in SO long…cause last time I got them waxed they LITERALLY took off skin below my eyebrow and between my eyes. I swear it didn’t grow back for a month or so. After that I went with my cousin to this guy who used an electric razor…it was ok but grew back really quickly.
Yo…this threading thing sounds really interesting. I’ve heard about it before but here in VA (not the DC area, but southeastern VA near the beach) I have no idea where to go. Any hints?…I kinda don’t want to drive 3 hours to get my eyebrows done.
hi bella! i love threaded eyebrows. since i love the tech that waxes mine, i don’t make a big to do about finding some where to get them threaded. thanks for the shout out! i feel special!!!
@Chicago, girl, head back twds Devon b.c. paying $65 is a rip off. i’ve gone to the salons on Devon and they are decent. some other spots if you don’t mind heading a lil further north are Bollywood Salon (847) 674-1616
4029 Dempster St, Skokie, IL 60076. or Guys Barber Shop (847) 679-9491
4338 Oakton St, Skokie, IL 60076. the barber shop has about 3-4 women who do threading. it’s only $5.
I need to find a eyebrow waxer in Orlando. A good one, that is. I always end up crying after someone does it because they fuck them up. And when I finally get a good one, they move away.
On the real, Kim K. has style. Don’t feel bad for checking out her swagger. Her brows are on point. Lol.
I use to get my eyebrows threaded when I lived in NYC and loved it! I would get compliments on my brows everyday. Now (sadly) that I have moved the the west coast I can’t find any wonderful Indian threaders.
I love threading.I got to this place where all the indian girls at my uniersity go. I pay 4 dollars to get them. That’s 2 dollars per brow. Its 6 dollars to get the upper lip and brows waxed and 20 dollars for the whole face.
All this talk of threading prompted me to set up my first appt at an Indian salon in my area. I look forward to seeing how it turns out!
Blkbuttafly826, yes that’s the one! I may check out Mamabella’s one if it’s cheaper.
I just got mine done for the first time when I went back my hometown Fredericksburg VA-Spotsylvania Town Center. Loves it! It was only $8.
I like the job she did but I’m now back in Killeen Texas, I have no idea where to do the upkeep here. Help..
1st post ever, even though i’ve been reading for a while
couldn’t let you continue to pay $35 for threading.
——————-
try nikki’s creations
lady’s name is ranuka, $10 for eyebrows
i guarantee you will be pleased
——————–
4472 n university drive, lauderdale fl.
954-747-1077
I love the look that threading gives – really framing your face without the “suprised” look. You’re getting stung on the prices over there! I’m lucky to live in an area of the UK with a relatively high asian population. I pay £3 to get my eyebrows threaded which I think is about $5. They do offer threading for facial hair but my pain threshold is not that high!
I’m an american transplant in Toronto, and most people look at anybody who charges more than 5 bucks the serious side eye! 35? whoooo lawd. Does it come with a 2 piece and a biscuit? lol
On the serious tip, once I discovered it- never went back to waxing. I love the fact that it is precise,lasts for a long time, and it’s cheaper than waxing here.
Wow! $35 for threading! That to me is extortionate. I have been threading for about three years now and there are definitely places you can go and get it done for about $10.
I currently live in London and get my eyebrows threaded in a little family-run shop for £2 (about $4)!! That is the key. Think small. When you go to the really polished, high-end salons they charge loads for what I have found to be an OK, but not amazing result. But when I go to smaller outfits (normally run by Indian women) its cheap and I am so pleased with my results.
Sorry to go on. But I am obsessed with my eyebrows. They are bushy and nearly unibrow like when unkept so I make sure to head to Dee’s every 2-3 weeks.
If you’re in London I can recommend a couple good places. x
Sumatra 77, i’m in dallas too! i’ve never got mine threaded before, but i’m dying to. . .my brows are heinous! where do you go? TIA
I love the results you get from threading (very precise, no irritation or wax residue left on your face), but I find it extremely painful. I used to get my whole face done for about $20.00, and this is in the Wall Street area of Manhattan! It’s a no-frills place run by South Asian ladies (Eyebrow Zone on John Street).I like that tip about applying Oragel beforehand; maybe I’ll try it again. Anyone who charges 35 dollars to thread eyebrows is a thief!!!!
In P.G. County Maryland there is a woman named Anita who does threading in her shop Shingar at Laurel Mall. (301) 490-6280 She is very nice and does an excellent job.
Hello! My name is Abbey, I thread eyebrows for $15 at Lillian Dion Salon in downtown Chicago. You will feel so relaxed and comfortable in this stunning loft salon. $15 includes trimming, threading, as well as some plucking if needed.
Lillian Dion Salon
1020 S. Wabash
Chicago, IL 60605
(312)386-9311
There is a place in I believe Miramar called Anarkalys they charge $10 for threading and they do a pretty good job you should try it. I don’t know the exact address but I just take 27th Ave straight up to Taft street it’s in a plaza with KFC
I like "Shorty Like Mine" the best.