Purposeful Brows

Thank god for eyebrows. This little ridge of hair above the eye socket does a great job in saving our eyes. Excess sweat, moisture, rain are diverted sideways, away from our precious orbs. Eyebrows are a much appreciated and useful appendage.  

Cosmetically, eyebrows have been altered over the centuries. Hair added or removed. The shape changed. Lots of options to attain the desired goal. Some people do mega eyebrow maintenance, others do nil.

Whether or not you are into your eyebrows, we can’t help but observe them in others. From bushy to plain we gain clues to one’s mood. Anger? Surprise? Sadness? With the mask deleting many facial clues, the eyebrows have become more important forms of expression. However, we view them, we do not want to lose them.

How eyebrows can be lost or damaged

Eyebrow loss or reduction can occur for many reasons. Aging can do it, but so can autoimmune diseases, nutrition deficiencies, eczema, psoriasis, ringworm, hormonal imbalances, drug side effects. Another potential loss is our own doing: excess makeup, plucking, dying, tattooing, microblading. Some people have trouble doing things in moderation and overdoing the brows can mean trouble. 

Bold eyebrows are the rage. Ads tell us that big, thick eyebrows are signs of youth and beauty. Attractively formatted of course, not the mad scientist bushy brows, as fascinating as they may be. 

Ads enlighten us as how to achieve the attractive brow.

Pencils. Tweezing. Plucking. Gluing.

Pencils may appear relatively harmless but side effects can be skin irritations, pore clogging, hair loss, especially if the tool is of the cheaper version.  

Tweezing and plucking can cause permanent damage so if this is a choice, don’t go wild.

Dying the brows is no different from dying the hair on the scalp as the same dyes are offered.  But because of the closeness to the eye, these strong chemicals can cause ‘impaired sight and even blindness’. The FDA has actually banned eyebrow dying and eyelash tinting. Canada, not yet. But even in the US, illegal salons still operate. 

Eyebrow extensions require the use of glue. Alarm bills should be ringing here too.The glue itself is most probably toxic and anywhere hear the eyes, beware. Although it may be a less risky option than microblading and tattooing.

Microblading or Tattooing?

Microblading is a cosmetic tattooing-like procedure that involves breaking the skin and inserting a dye into the second dermal layer of skin. It mimics the appearance of the natural eyebrow hair. Lasts a couple of years. 

Tattooing the eyebrow means ink is used. It is permanent and can fade over time, often unattractively. While still uncomfortable, tattooing the eyebrow can be more painful than microblading. Sometimes the solution is a numbing cream, containing lidocaine. Not good.

If you opt to make changes, do it wisely. Consider the risks, especially if it is permanent. Know and trust your salon (when not in lockdown). You may pay more for good service and tools, but your brows will say thanks. Allow them to continue to be purposeful. 

Our eyebrows benefit from healthy emu and argan oil. Treat them gently and feed them well.