Whether fashion says they should be full and bushy or thin and arched, neat eyebrows are always on
trend. Even if you’re rocking the natural look, you can spend a bit of time shaping and contouring
the edges of your brows.
Eyebrow threading is one of the oldest methods of removing facial hair, especially in the brow area.
It’s been around for centuries and supposedly originates in Asia. Now, it’s done the world over by
beauty experts, and celebrities and ordinary people shape their brows using this ancient technique.
What Is Eyebrow Threading?
Threading is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the use of a thread to remove individual hairs from the
face. The technician will twist the thread and grip it tightly over the hairs, using the force created to
pull the hairs out from the roots.
The traditional method of threading has the beauty therapist gripping the thread with one hand and
their teeth while using the other hand to pull the skin tight when needed. Today, many therapists
will rather use their hands and forego the mouth, asking you to assist with pulling your skin tight in
places as needed.
When done by an expert—and threading should always be done by a professional with
training—threading is far more precise than other forms of hair removal on the eyebrows. It’s also
gentler because you never pull directly on the skin, only on the hair you want to remove.
What To Do Before A Threading Session
Just because threading is gentler than waxing or tweezing, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have to be
careful about what you do before and after a session. You need to ensure that your skin is prepped
and ready before you go to the salon.
● Don’t Pluck Before You Go – The beauty therapist needs something to work with, so you
should give your eyebrows time to grow before your threading session. This means that you
shouldn’t pluck the hairs in the two or three weeks leading up to your appointment. This is
especially important if it’s your first session or if you’re trying to train your brows into a
specific shape.
● Prepare Your Skin – To make the threading process easier, it’s a good idea to exfoliate the
skin around the brow area the day before your appointment. This will clear away any dead
skin cells, open up any ingrown hairs, and make the skin smooth for the therapist to work
on. It’s also a good idea to avoid any treatments that stimulate the skin and bring more
blood to the surface just before threading. You don’t want to make the skin more sensitive.
● Don’t Wear Makeup To The Session – If you’ve prepped your skin nicely the day before your
session, don’t clog it up again with makeup before your appointment. It’s best to avoid
wearing any makeup on your eyebrows and eyelids whatsoever. You should also avoid
wearing mascara if possible.
● Keep Your Face and Hands Clean – With threading, you’re opening up your skin and
exposing it to the elements with each hair that’s pulled out from the follicle. This is putting
you at risk for breakouts and even infections. Not only should the beauty therapist’s hands
and the thread they’re using be clean, but you should also ensure that you wash your face
and hands thoroughly, too.
● Plan Your Appointment Properly – Threading can leave you with red, slightly swollen skin so
you’ll need to ensure that you book your appointment at a sensible time. Avoid booking on
the same day as a big event or special occasion. Rather, opt for an appointment a few days
in advance. If you’re booking during the week, you can always book at the end of the
workday, rather than having to face the day after a threading session and no makeup.
● Work Around Microblading or Piercings – Another part of proper planning for a threading
appointment is to ensure that you don’t have an unhealed piercing or microblading that still
requires recovery time. If you have an eyebrow piercing, it’s best to wait until it’s healed
completely to reduce the risk of infection. With microblading, the suggested recovery time is
two weeks. But it may be longer if your skin is sensitive, so you’ll need to avoid threading
(and plucking) your eyebrows until they’re completely healed.
What To Do After A Threading Session
Care for your skin doesn’t stop after the threading session ends. You need to think about the fact
that you have open pores and an inflamed area of skin that’s at a higher risk of breakouts and
infections for the next 24 hours.
● Use Gentle Products Afterwards – The products that you apply to your skin after threading
need to be gentle. Even though threading is gentler than waxing and tweezing, you have still
pulled hair out from the roots and the skin will be inflamed. You should never apply products
that are too rich and perfumed after threading. You don’t want the open follicles to get
clogged up. If your skin is a bit sore and dry, rather opt for aloe vera gel.
● Don’t Use Makeup for 24 Hours – Makeup can clog your pores and cause a reaction, so it’s
best to avoid it. The skin around your eyebrows may be a bit red and swollen, but covering it
up with makeup can make it worse.
● Avoid Touching The Area – Any time that you have recently irritated skin, hygiene is a big
deal. If you’re consistently touching the eyebrow area after threading, you can easily
transfer dirt and bacteria that could cause inflammation, irritation, or even infection.
● Say No To Heat And Sun – It’s important to avoid anything that’s going to stimulate the skin
even further. For the 24 hours after your appointment, you should only wash your face with
cold water. If you use warm water, you could open up the pores even more. It’s also a good
idea to avoid hot showers or baths, as well as steam rooms or saunas. Additionally, too
much direct sunlight is a bad idea straight after threading because the skin will be extra
sensitive at this stage.
Frame Your Face Beautifully
Threading really can create that flawless finish for any eyebrow shape. The technique is far more
precise than waxing or tweezing and it offers a much cleaner, sharper result. A trained beauty
therapist can remove all the small, fluffy hairs as well as the thick, prominent ones, leaving you with
perfect arches.
A major bonus of threading is that it’s quick and the process just gets faster with time, as you’re
simply maintaining an established shape. The key is to ensure that you are properly prepared for
each session. This means following the hygiene recommendations and prepping your skin before
threading, as well as being gentle to the skin in the 24-hour period after your session.