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Professional Beauty
Professional Beauty


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The fuller effect

While there are many reasons for thinning brows, there are also many treatments and solutions to address the issue and help clients achieve their desired look, according to the brow experts

Brows can become thinner over time for a multitude of reasons, with stress, lifestyle and diet all having an effect on their thickness. Age can also be a factor, because hair can become coarse or thinner due to lack of elasticity.

“It’s not all down to overplucking as not everyone is born with naturally thick, bushy brows,” explains Laura Murray, HD Brows training manager at The Beauty School in Co Down. “Sparse brows can be due to scars, hair thinning, ageing or just lack of hair growth, causing brows to look patchy. There can be hair loss due to skin conditions, infection, changes in hormones, thyroid problems, an overactive immune system, nutritional deficiencies, stress or physical trauma.”

“Thinning brows can also be a result of uncontrolled habitual pulling called trichotillomania, overzealous tweezing, waxing or threading, or as a side effect from certain medications,” says Ruth Atkins, Salon System educator.

There are, however, several ways the issue of thinning brows can be addressed. From in-salon treatments to homecare solutions between appointments, here are some top tips to help your clients achieve fuller brows.

1: Serum solutions

“Eyebrow growth serums work by nourishing the hair, right at the follicle, encouraging the longest and strongest growth possible,” says Suzanne Egan, Ciaobrow educator and owner of the Suzanne Egan Academy in Dubin. “They should contain a number of key ingredients such as peptides, which help to thicken thin brows, making them denser; bioton to encourage hair growth; vitamin E oil to promote hair regrowth; and panthenol and castor oil to keep hair hydrated.”

“These strengthening and conditioning serums act like a hair conditioner to add plumpness, gloss and strength to brow hairs already in existence,” explains Atkins. “Serums must be used religiously, and clients should see signs of improvements within a few months, rather than overnight.”

2: Time to tint

“Eyebrow tinting is a semipermanent method of changing the colour of the client’s brow hairs, giving them a stronger pigment and making them look fuller in the process,” says Murray. “Tinting is one of the quickest ways to achieve a thicker, natural looking and long-lasting brow.”

“Tinting your client's brows will cover all the baby hairs and light hairs, which will create the illusion of fuller looking brows,” says Egan. “Another option now is a skin stain with hybrid tint or henna brows, which will give your client a fuller brow for longer – the skin stain can last anywhere from three to seven days and on the hair for up to six weeks.”

3: The power of powder

“Brow powder is a fabulous quick fix solution if your client’s brows are naturally gappy and need filling in, or if they have scars where the hair refuses to regrow,” says Atkins. “It’s also good for extending a short brow or enhancing the arch. It’s available in many shades, so you can be as artistic as you like, using one colour or more, creating a block brow or ombre look. Mineral powders with quality pigments have great staying power – they need no touching up throughout the day, and a little goes a long way.”

4: Let it grow

“Around 80% of HD Brows clients are on a regrowth programme,” says Murray. “The brow artist designs the brow shape, factoring in where they want the hair to grow, and then applies make-up in these areas so the client can see the look we’re aiming for over the course of this programme. There’s no quick fix to take a client’s brows from sparse to stunning; it requires a steady, consistent regrowth

‘Eyebrow tinting is a semi-permanent method of changing the colour of the client’s brow hairs, giving them a stronger pigment and making them look fuller in the process’

‘Brow lamination can work well on sparse brows as the hair can be directed to cover gaps in brows and make existing hairs appear fuller’ programme, combined with some skilled filling in, until the brows have grown out. However, there’s no doubt a client’s brow goals can be be achieved with a little patience.

“Clients starting on a regrowth journey need to think about what shape and style they’re working towards, which best suit their face shape. The next step is to say goodbye to the tweezers. As areas begin to regrow, brows may look unruly or uneven, but clients must resist the urge to pluck. They must ban the tweezers until their brows have grown out fully, as a single hair could make or break the shape they’re working towards.”

5: Look to laminate

“Brow lamination is brilliant if the client has thin brows – it can transform them within a short period of time,” says Atkins. “As part of this relaxing treatment, the brows are cleansed and put through a chemical process where the therapist ‘sets’ them in place, manoeuvring each hair to give maximum coverage. This treatment is also great for taming coarse, thick and unruly brows, and as a pre-treatment if the client’s brows are particularly resistant to tint, as it opens up the cuticle of the hair better, allowing the tint to penetrate.”

“Brow lamination can work well on sparse brows as the hair can be directed to cover gaps in brows and make existing hairs appear fuller,” says Egan. “Lasting for up to eight weeks, it’s a non-invasive procedure that is ideal for anyone who wants a thin brow to appear full and fluffy.”

6: Semi-permanent solutions

“Microblading is a technique used to increase the appearance of fuller brows,” explains Sinead Corcorcan, permanent make-up trainer and owner of Beauty Ink in Clonmel, Co Tipperary. “It’s a form of semi-permanent cosmetic tattooing, where the brow artist deposits pigment superficially into the skin of the eyebrow. Small incisions are created using a fine and very precise blade, and then pigment is added into the incisions, resulting in ‘eyebrow hair’. While standard eyebrow shaping only allows the artist to take hair away, microblading allows them to add strokes to areas that are thin or sparse.”

“Semi-permanent brow treatments such as microblading are a serious contender if a client wants a ‘wake-up make-up’ look,” says Atkins. “Techniques have become more sophisticated over time, and results more natural. There are plenty of options and, based on the consultation, the brow artist will recommend the treatment that suits the client best.”

This article appears in the Sept/Oct 2022 Issue of Professional Beauty & HJ Ireland

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This article appears in the Sept/Oct 2022 Issue of Professional Beauty & HJ Ireland