Eyebrow threading vs. eyebrow waxing: What's best for you?
By Monica Godnick
April 6, 2021
Image Credit: Courtesy of Rune Enstad for Unsplash
The eyes might be the window to the soul. However, according to the owner of Brow Wow Studio (@browwowstudios on Instagram) Urja Savaliya, a good pair of eyebrows can make your eyes look more open and fresh. “Ever since the pandemic and the use of masks, all you see of a person’ s face is their eyes and eyebrows,” said Savaliya.
Eyebrows have always been known to frame the face. The dilemma is which eyebrow hair removal technique to use to accomplish this framing. The two most common ways to remove eyebrow hair from the root are waxing and threading. Keep reading to find out which technique suits your brows the best:
The difference
Waxing consists of applying hot wax onto the areas where hair removal is desired. Once the wax is solidified, it is ripped away in the opposite direction of the skin. Savaliya said that she uses honey or aloe vera wax.
Alternatively, threading consists of plucking the hair while it is between two cotton strings, and then moving the strings back and forth around the follicle. The method was first developed in Asia. She said that after either waxing or threading a client’s eyebrows, she always puts soothing lotion on the areas where the hair has been removed.
Savaliya’s beauty studio is located in Gaithersburg, MD and specializes in both techniques.
Pros and Cons of Threading
Threading pulls the skin in a less intense way, therefore this is perfect for sensitive skin. “I always consult the client’s skin before doing their eyebrows,” Savaliya said.
Greater control and accuracy over the shape of the brows is another positive aspect. “The shape of your brows look so nice after threading it,” said Yasmina Iminova, a freshman Letters and Sciences major.
Freshman international business major Ruma Dewal also prefers threading. “It gives me a more natural eyebrow shape,” she said.
However, there are a couple downsides. Threading takes a relatively longer time and even though it irritates the skin less, the process could hurt more than waxing. Savaliya said, “it depends on tolerance level and the pressure of the thread on people’s eyebrows.”
Pros and Cons of Waxing
Waxing is quick and has instant results. Savaliya said wax is more widely available than threading as well. “I recommend waxing to people with non-sensitive skin, especially teenage girls, that are not used to pain of threading,” she added.
Freshman Letters and Sciences major Samantha Metcalf has been getting her eyebrows waxed since middle school. “I’ll never switch. The key is finding the right person to wax them,” she said.
Nonetheless, there is more tugging on the skin and therefore the skin looks relatively more irritated afterwards. Not to mention, this method is not the best if you are looking for a specific eyebrow shape.
Which one is better?
The right method is up to personal preference. The Brow Wow Studio owner said they both clean up the brows effectively, and that is the most important thing.
“Eyebrows are vital to showing our emotions. We move our eyebrows when we are happy or when we express anger and sadness.” Savaliya said, “either technique enhances this delicate feature and works with your natural beauty.”