I want to teach you how to get the look of Miss Cara Delevigne's brows, even if you don't have a lot in the way of natural brow hair — using brow extensions. They're a nifty little invention and look wonderfully natural. Learn more about them here.
By now, you probably know that you can get eyelash extensions — teeny tiny little pieces of hair that a stylist glues one by one onto your eyelashes to give you the appearance of a gal with a "look at me" flutter without having to get out your makeup bag. Brilliant for holidays, the beach, or those times when you're feeling a little bit lazy.
But there's something new. The same kinda process used for lash extensions is now being used for brow extensions, to give you the thick, full, Cara brows of your very dreams, and luckily, it's completely painless and lasts for weeks on end — which means that during that time, you can let your own brows grow in, establish the perfect brow shape, and you'll soon have gorgeous brows without having to get extensions. Yay! Here, I walk you through each and every step of what happens during the appointment, as well as how long your brows will last and who they are suitable for.
All About The Extensions
First up, the stylist will likely give your face a quick cleanse to make sure that the extensions can properly adhere to the hairs already there. They'll take a look at what you're already rockin', be it full and bushy brows, or absolutely nothing at all. The brilliant thing about brow extensions is that they are suitable for literally everyone, even folk who have no eyebrow hair at all, because they hairs can adhere directly to your skin.
The only difference is that they don't last for very long, around seven to 14 days, because they don't grow out with your own brow hair: instead, they'll come off when you rub or wash your face or when you sweat, so they're more suited to a special occasion. If you have a full set 'o brows they'll last for up to five weeks, which is a real time saver if you're always using a lot of powder and pencil in the mornings.
An infill set of brows (if yours are partially grown out) costs less than a full set, and you can also get an in-between set if you have some brow hair but not a lot, so there's something here for everyone.
The Application Process
Once your brows are perfectly cleansed, the stylist will help you decide which color extension you need to be going for. Most salons offer extensions in a range of colors that will work with your skin tone, and it's always best to go a little bit darker than lighter, because this will make your face appear more youthful. They also offer hairs in two types: coarse, and fine, which is brilliant if your hairs are a little thicker and more wiry so that you get an exact match for your brows and no weird "my eyebrows are mismatched" feeling. Some salons even offer hairs in "curly" and "straight" varieties. Once that's all sorted, the stylist will literally draw a line right around your eyebrows so that there's a guide for where the extensions should sit. Yep.
How To Apply Eyebrow Extensions
Next, if you already have your own brow hair, it'll be plucked and preened to give you a decent natural brow shape, especially if they're a little bit all over the place. This doesn't mean that you'll lose any valuable hair — as in, hair that will make up the shape of your natural brows, the brow shape that you're looking for — but rather those stragglers that are making things look a bit messy and unkempt.
Once this has been established, each time you go back to the salon — if you do — your stylist will keep to that brow shape. Or, if you pluck at home, you should keep to that brow shape. Eventually the hairs will grow into that shape, and you can just maintain that shape by plucking any strays. You might need to give them a trim every now and then, but make sure you go to the salon first so you figure out how to trim them.
Once the shape of your brows is sorted out, the stylist will dip each individual brow extension into the adhesive, and then if attaching it onto the brow hair, will apply it right next to the root, which a) helps to make your brows look thicker and b) means that they'll hopefully last until your natural hair grows out.
If applying to skin, then the hairs will each be individually applied to the skin. The stylist has to take into account the direction of your hair growth, so more hair may be applied in some areas than others, but don't fret. The stylist knows what they're doing, so go with it. All in all, the process will probably take about 30 minutes.
What Happens Next
Well, for your extensions to last for the longest possible amount of time, you gotta keep your hands away from your face and away from those brows. Mess with them too much and they'll fall off. Wash them too much and they'll fall off. Heck, scrub 'em with makeup remover or wipes or exfoliator or just about anything too hard and they'll fall off more quickly than they're supposed to. You know how when you're wearing eye makeup you remember not to scrub your eyes so that you don't get stuff all over your face? It's the same thing here — don't scrub your face.
I'm not saying they'll all instantly fall off, but you'll get much more longevity if you just keep. Your. Hands. Off.
You're also not supposed to use brow makeup when using extensions, so if that sounds like too much for you — and I can see why — you might want to consider brow dye instead, which can darken what you do have for up to sevenish weeks. Used with pencil and gel (only a smidge) and you'll get a similar effect. You'll still have to keep away from your brows though, otherwise you'll run the risk of smudging them all over your face.
Have you ever had brow extensions? Let us know!
Sources & Links
- Photo courtesy of quinn.anya via Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/2610653699
- Photo courtesy of quinn.anya via Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/2610653699
- Photo courtesy of llorias via Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/llorias/12693271093