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Waxing your eyebrows gives you fast, long-lasting results, but it’s also pricey to have it routinely done at the salon. The good news is that you can get everything you need to wax your brows right at home. We know , waxing your eyebrows can be a little scary the first time, but knowledge is power, and this article will walk you through all of the dos and don’ts of at-home brow waxing. Once you know what you’re doing, you might even find that you like your brows better than when you get them done at the salon.
Steps
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Set aside the necessary supplies. You will need microwaveable grooming wax, tweezers, a makeup brush or Popsicle stick, a brow comb/brush, brow shading powder or pencil, a pair of small scissors, and strips of cotton fabric (from an old t-shirt is fine). -
Rinse your face with warm water in order to open the hair follicles, which helps it be less painful. Next, prepare to do the upper region of one brow. Only wax one brow at a time so that you can concentrate on what you’re doing. You don’t want any of it to get in your eye! If you feel jittery at all doing it yourself, then stop and have someone else it apply it for you.Advertisement -
Outline your eyebrow with loose powder to mark the areas you are going to wax. This will ensure that you don’t remove more hair than you intended. Use a small makeup brush to apply the powder to your face.- Alternatively, you can trace over the brow with an eyebrow pencil to create a stronger line of demarcation. You should make sure that the starting point, end point, and arch of each brow are clearly marked before beginning. You can do this by making dots with a makeup pencil.
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Microwave the container of wax, uncovered. Only microwave for 10 to 15 seconds, 5 to 10 seconds if less than half is in the jar. Don’t let it come to a boil, though, which it can easily. Stir to make sure it’s evenly heated. (It should be the consistency of warm honey.) -
Dip into the wax using the Popsicle stick. Quickly but carefully, while the wax is still warm, glide the wax on the hair that you want removed between your brows or below the brow. You should apply the wax in the direction that the hair grows. Next, place a strip of fabric over the area, press firmly and rub over it going in the same direction that the hair grows. Let it set for a few seconds. Then pull your skin taut with your non-dominant hand and pull off the strip in the opposite direction than the hair grows. But don’t worry! It only grabs the hair, not the skin, so it shouldn’t be painful.- Avoid pulling up and back, as this could result in pain.
- After you remove the strip, press your fingers onto the skin with firm pressure to minimize stinging.
- You should only wax under and between your brows, never over them. Waxing above your brows can result in an unnatural look.
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Repeat the procedure on the opposite brow. Take your time. You want it to match as perfectly as possible to the other brow. Otherwise, you’ll have eyebrows with two different shapes! Put soothing lotion onto the areas when you’re finished. -
Brush the eyebrow with your brow brush. Then, using the comb side, gently comb the hair upwards. Trim any excess and long hairs (only the ones sticking over the comb) by cutting straight across with the scissors. Be careful to not cut into the actual brow. -
Put vitamin E lotion or another moisturizing product onto the areas. You don’t want to skip this step, as it reduces puffiness and redness in just a couple minutes. Wait a few minutes, then wipe off. -
Shade both brows in lightly using brow pencil or powder. No one’s brows are perfect, even after waxing. This helps make them look more symmetrical.
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Mark the desired shape of your eyebrow. You can use either powder or an eyebrow pencil. This will help you wax your brow without pulling hairs you want to stay. Use a small makeup brush to apply a powder in the shape of your brow, or use an eyebrow pencil to create the shape you want. -
Set aside the following supplies. Two teaspoons brown sugar, one teaspoon honey, one teaspoon water, butter knife or Popsicle stick, and cloth strips for peeling the mixture off. -
Blend the brown sugar, honey and water in a microwaveable container. You can also heat it up on the stove if you don’t have a microwave. -
Heat the mixture until it bubbles and turns brown. You need to find the right balance, though. If you don’t heat it long enough, it will be too soft and sticky. If you heat it too long, it turns into hard candy. You may have to experiment with a few batches until you get it right. Generally, 30 to 35 seconds is good.- It will take longer to heat if you’re using the stove.
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Let it cool. This part is also important. You won’t know if you’ve heated it too much until it cools down. If it’s too thick, dilute it with a little water. -
Apply the sugar wax with your stick or flat knife between or below your eyebrow. For safety reasons, only do one brow at a time. And if you feel jittery at all doing it yourself, stop and ask someone to apply for you. Remember you’re working with a small area.- Be careful to not accidentally get wax on the area you just finished! If you do, though, it’s not the end of the world, just dab a little baby oil on it to take it off.
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Place a cloth strip on the brow. Press and smooth it in the same direction as the hair. Let it set for several seconds. Next, pull the cloth off in the opposite direction from the hair. Know ahead of time that sugar wax is not as painful as paraffin wax can sometimes be!. -
Put vitamin E lotion or another moisturizing product onto the areas. You don’t want to skip this step, as it reduces puffiness and redness in just a couple minutes. Wait a few minutes, then wipe off. -
Repeat these same steps to do the opposite brow. Take your time. You want it to match as perfectly as possible to the other brow. Otherwise, you could have eyebrows with two different shapes! Fill in any sparse areas with pencil or powder; tweeze stray hairs.
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Check the waxing kit to make sure it has everything you need. Most waxing kits contain a pre-wax cleanser, a waxing applicator, paraffin wax, wax warmer, and pellon strips or muslin. Along with these items, it’s also good to have baby powder, tweezers, small scissors and baby oil, which is a great wax remover should you get it anywhere other than where you want! -
Pull your hair back. Shape and trim your eyebrows. If your eyebrows are less than a one-quarter inch in length, they probably won’t be long enough to wax. -
Wash both brows with the pre-wax cleanser. Wipe the cleanser off with a damp washcloth. Also put a little baby powder in the palm of one hand, pinch a bit out and sprinkle some onto both brows. This helps to absorb any excess moisture so that the strip and wax adhere well. -
Outline your eyebrow with either powder or an eyebrow pencil. You should mark the desired shape of your brow to make waxing easier. You can use a makeup brush to apply powder to mark the shape, or you can use an eyebrow pencil. Simply color in the shape of your brow. -
Heat the wax based on the time given in the instructions. If the kit you’re using doesn’t have a warmer, then you can eat it in the microwave or in a small container on the stove. -
Begin waxing your first brow. For obvious safety reasons, only wax one brow at a time so that you can concentrate on what you’re doing. If you feel jittery at all doing it yourself, then stop and have someone else it apply it for you. Using the applicator, apply the wax in the same direction that the hair grows. Make sure it covers the entire area; though it’s not necessary to make it too thick either. -
Cover the area with one of the enclosed strips. Leave a little extra on the side to help you remove it. Using your fingers, rub over the strip in the same direction as the hair. Allow it to set for several seconds. -
Remove the strip with a single pull in the opposite direction of the hair growth. Don’t pull up though. Just pull straight across. If any hair remains, replace the strip and pull again. Be prepared. If you’re not used to how tweezing feels, it could be a little painful.- To help with redness, put a soothing moisturizer on the brow. Aloe vera works well. Wipe off after a few minutes.
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Tweeze any excess hair.. If there’s any excess hair, remove with a tweezer. If there’s any remaining wax, remove with baby oil. Follow these same steps to wax the other eyebrow.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionIs it better to wax or pluck your eyebrows?Cassandra McClure is a clean beauty advocate, working to increase use of sustainable and healthy cosmetics, based in Palo Alto, California. She has worked in the beauty and cosmetic industries for over 15 years, as a model, makeup artist, and entrepreneur. She has a Masters in High Definition Makeup from the MKC Beauty Academy.Over time, waxing a lot can actually cause your skin to lose elasticity. You want to be careful because the skin around your eyes is so sensitive and delicate, and waxing can damage it. Plucking your eyebrows is definitely preferable.
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QuestionIs it bad to get your eyebrows waxed?Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.It is only dangerous to wax your brows if your skin is sunburned or if you use retinol products. Some people are also allergic to wax and should avoid it.
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QuestionIs it better to wax or thread eyebrows?Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.Waxing and threading are both effective methods of removing hair from the root. Waxing is faster but threading is more precise and gentler on sensitive skin.
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Tips
- If you’re leery that it could be painful, you can purchase numbing spray to apply to the area before starting.Thanks
- You should only wax between or below eyebrows, except in rare cases where you have a low forehead with excess forehead hair.Thanks
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Warnings
- For safety reasons, complete the procedure in front of a large mirror, not a small one that you hold in your hand.Thanks
- Going over the same area more than twice could be painful as well as damage the skin. If you see that you have stray hairs after applying the wax twice, just use tweezers to remove them.Thanks
- Pull the strip the opposite way in which its growing, it may hurt more but can guarantee almost all hair removed. Pluck the leftoversThanks
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References
- Videos provided by Jennifer Chiu
About This Article
Article Summary
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Waxing your eyebrows at home can be a bit intimidating at first, but you can use a sugar and honey mixture to make the process painless and easy. First, mix together 1 teaspoon of honey with 2 teaspoons of brown sugar. Then microwave the mixture for 30 - 35 seconds or until it turns brown and begins to bubble. Apply the wax to one eyebrow at a time using a wooden popsicle stick. Place a cloth strip over the wax for several seconds and then pull it off. For more advice about waxing your eyebrows at home from our Cosmetologist co-author, like how to use paraffin wax or a professional waxing kit, read on!
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Reader Success Stories
- "This worked great. I have blonde eyebrows so I had to put a light up to them so I could see them. Still worked amazing! People at work complimented them! I regularly fill my eyebrows in and this was good!" ..." more
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"This worked great. I have blonde eyebrows so I had to put a light up to them so I could see them. Still worked amazing! People at work complimented them! I regularly fill my eyebrows in and this was good!"
..."
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