Your Guide To Threading Your Eyebrows At Home
Eyebrow threading is a popular method of removing unwanted eyebrow hair, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes that the practice is especially common in South Asian and Middle Eastern communities. Whether you can't find a technician you like near you or something else has come up to keep you from your regular threading appointment, you might be wondering if it's possible to do your eyebrow threading yourself.
The short answer is that you can thread your eyebrows at home, but you're likely better off leaving the task to a professional. As eyebrow technician Sonam Choeden explained to Byrdie, "... the difference is knowing that a professional who has been educated, trained, and professionally licensed with many years of experience can provide you the quality and reliable service that you need. Especially concerning your eyebrows, which are the most important feature of your presentation — professionally and personally."
However, if you've weighed the pros and cons of threading your own brows and still want to know how to do it yourself, make sure to keep in mind a number of important tips.
Learn the technique
Since there is a risk of cutting your skin instead of removing your unwanted hair, brow technician Vanita Parti told Women's Health that it's important to know what you're doing before you attempt to thread your own eyebrows. Parti advised watching tutorials on YouTube so that you are aware of what you should be doing before you try to tackle it. "Threading requires you to understand the art of how to move the thread with your hands, and that's not something you can do off the bat — it takes practice," eyebrow technician Umbreen Sheikh similarly told Cosmopolitan.
Eyebrow technician Sadia Brangan added to Byrdie that threading is not a one-size-fits-all process, either, explaining, "The step-by-step process of threading brows is different for each esthetician. ... The actual process of threading is the same, creating the loop and taking the hair out, but some may take the hair out one by one, [while others] do a few at a time... there is no one step-by-step process."
Get the right supplies
In the transcript of a video for Insider, eyebrow technician Sabah Feroz clarified what supplies you'll need to thread your eyebrows at home, commenting, "I mean, you can use any type of thread. I basically use a normal sewing thread," she said. "The next thing is if you don't have a tamer, which is a brow brush, ... then you can use ... a toothbrush. ... And so this way you see more of your defined shape to your brows, so you know which hair, where to take out."
In its list of supplies for those planning to thread their own eyebrows, Women's Health also advises having an ice cube or Orajel available for numbing, plus a tweezer if needed. Meanwhile, Sonam Choeden tells Byrdie that it's important to "[sanitize] the area with a gentle cleanser" too, so be sure to put an antiseptic on your list.
Practice elsewhere first
Before you even think about touching your eyebrows after learning how to thread them, multiple experts suggest starting with something else — such as your leg hair — first. "Practicing on your leg is a classic technique I have all my students try before moving to the face," Umbreen Sheikh, founder of Wink Brow Bar in New York City, told Harper's Bazaar. "This is the best way to get a feel for how you will be rolling the thread and removing hair."
London-based eyebrow technician Suman Jalaf also suggested this tip to Elle, saying, "Practic[e] on your (or your boyfriend's, if they're willing) leg hair before attempting the brow. It is hard to control the thread in the beginning. If you don't practice first, you may end up with very oddly shaped eyebrows."
After all, remember that old adage that practice makes perfect? That's one that you'll definitely want to listen to here before moving on to threading your brows. Besides, it's a lot easier to correct or cover up botched leg hair.
Get someone to help you out
According to the eyebrow experts out there, threading your eyebrows at home is likely to be something that you'll need to take on with assistance in order to keep your skin pulled taut while you work.
"When you are brave enough to tackle your brows, ask a family member to stretch your skin," brow technician Vanita Parti told Women's Health. Cosmetologist Kayla Weiss further explained the importance of this step to Harper's Bazaar, saying, "When threading is done properly, the skin must be properly stretched to keep the brow bone tight. This prevents cutting your skin."
If you don't have someone else you can get to serve as your brow-threading assistant for as long as the process takes you, this might be a good indication to put the thread down for the time being and either wait until someone else is available or find a professional to thread your eyebrows for you.
Don't try to do too much
While it might sound tempting to dive right in and thread your eyebrows to perfection after watching a few videos on the internet, make sure to take your time. The other thing you'll want to do is ensure that you aren't removing too many of your eyebrow hairs. As Wink Brow Bar founder Umbreen Sheikh warned Cosmopolitan, "Using the wrong technique can be really, really detrimental to your brow shape. It's not like the hair on your head — if you remove one too many brow hairs, you can end up changing the entire shape."
If you find that threading your own eyebrows at home is too difficult for you, listen to your instincts, and don't be ashamed to put down the thread and pick up a pair of tweezers instead. Likewise, Sheikh told Harper's Bazaar of eyebrow maintenance, "'The least possible to get you through' is my motto, unless you really know what you're doing."