Eyelash and Eyebrow Tinting Services
My own sister had this problem. She had thick, full brows and long, silk lashes, but she was born with pale, straw-blonde hair, which included her lashes and eyebrows. This meant that her lashes and brows were invisible unless she put on makeup to make them stand out.
Of course, now as an adult, “mumbledy-mumble” years later, there are salons and spas all over the world who offer a solution for the fair-haired among us. These eyelashes and eyebrows tinting services are based on the same principles as traditional hair color services.
The practice is ‘old hat’ in Europe and South America and millions of women, who otherwise wake 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 esthetically 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 parlance.) This is about half-strength of the most commonly used strength of hydrogen peroxide. Cream solutions of peroxide are used in order to create a mixture that is thick and will be less likely to run and/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 head hair counterparts 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 in combinations.
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 risks on. Insist on a properly trained technician. Ask how long they have performed the procedure and ask for references from previous clients.
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