Eyelash and Eyebrow Tinting Services

Eyelashes and eyebrows — Photo: Shutterstock

Many women and men find themselves feeling shortchanged when it comes to their complexion and coloring. They are usually the fair-haired and fair-skinned among us. They have such lightly-colored brows and lashes that they spend a good portion of their grooming routine in applying cosmetics to make their "faintest features" more apparent.

My own sister had this problem. She had thick, full eyebrows and long, silky lashes, but she was born with pale, straw-blonde hair, which included her eyebrows and lashes. This meant that her lashes and brows were invisible unless she put on makeup to make them stand out.

Now, as I have always had an interest in cosmetics and hair, I used to help her with different things that I read about and saw. We tried countless techniques to accentuate her eye area over the years – from traditional mascara and brow pencils, to henna preparations. For the brows, anyway; it never occurred to me to even think of applying the color on her lashes. These worked with varying levels of success, but nothing really seemed like a good, lasting solution.

Of course, now as an adult, "mumblety-mumble" years later, there are salons and spas all over the world who offer a solution for the fair-haired among us. These eyelash and eyebrow tinting services are based on the same principles as traditional hair coloring services.

The practice is "old hat" in Europe and South America, and millions of women who otherwise wake up in the morning to a "ghostly image" staring back at them in the mirror have regular appointments to keep their otherwise transparent brows and lashes tinted to a visible and aesthetically pleasing color.

The Process:

The chemical process involved in dyeing the eyelashes and eyebrows is principally the same as that of coloring the hair. Generally, the technician performing the service will cleanse the face carefully and then take a precaution of using a protective cream and or padding to safeguard the surrounding tissues in the area before applying any product.

The color portion of the formula contains aniline-derivative dyes (coal-tar dyes) and is usually mixed with a 3% peroxide cream solution. 3% peroxide is commonly known as 10-volume peroxide in cosmetic terminology. This is about half the strength of the most commonly used strength of hydrogen peroxide. Cream solutions of peroxide are used to create a mixture that is thick and less likely to run or drip.

The mixture is applied to the desired areas using a small brush to provide maximum control of the application. The goal is generally to apply the mixture as much as possible only to the hairs being colored themselves. With the lashes, this is to make sure to avoid getting the product in the eyes, and with the brows, it is to prevent staining of the skin beneath and subsequently having to use a color remover to erase the stain (which can lighten the color results).

The product processes for the necessary time period (depending on the texture of the hair involved) and is washed away carefully. Many salons offer combination packages which include lash and eyebrow tinting as well as brow shaping and other luxury facial services. These services generally take much less time than their counterparts for head hair because of the reduced areas involved. And clients generally expect to spend certain amounts of time in the salon. So, the added services are an easy sell when combined.

Cautions:

It should be stated that just as everyone should insist on patch testing before any chemical service in a salon (and the salons themselves should insist on them) the tissues surrounding the eyes (even in the eyebrows) are typically much more sensitive than perhaps the palm or back of the hand.

You should select a salon and technician that you trust and never hesitate to ask questions. This is a service that you don't want to take chances on. Insist on a properly trained technician. Ask how long they have been performing the procedure and ask for references from previous clients.

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