How To Choose an Eyebrow Treatment You Won’t Regret for Your Wedding

Keeping up with the different eyebrow treatment options is like an Olympic sport, TBH. Thanks to TikTok and iconic celebrity selfies, modern eyebrow treatments like laminations, brow tints and microblading have taken center stage on salon service menus everywhere. With so many types of eyebrow services and trends out there right now, you may be tempted to pick the first brow treatment that the beauty guru on your feed or your bestie recommends. Let me stop you right there. Picking an eyebrow treatment is unique to your goals. The truth is that choosing the wrong eyebrow service can lead to disastrous results, and there's really no going back once it's done.

My advice: don't pick a brow treatment lightly. The last thing you want is to be unhappy with the color or shape of your brows on the day of a wedding or special event.

To help you get the brows of your dreams, I tapped one of Florida's most sought-after brow techs, Ingrid Sulin, CEO and Business Owner of VAMPD Brow and Lash in Oviedo and Delray Beach, Florida. She helps us break down the most popular eyebrow services, whether they could be right for you and how much you can expect to fork out for picture-perfect brows.

Eyebrow Brow Treatment 101

Illustration: Natalie Romine

Before we dive into the different types of brow treatments, let's take a quick look at what they are and what they do. Deciding what brow treatments are right for you depends on your goals, making it a "choose your own adventure" type deal. There are brow volumizing treatments that are all about giving your brows the perfect lift and arch. There are also brow hair removal treatments that will get rid of unwanted hair and reveal your ideal brow shape. Eyebrow coloring treatments, on the other hand, involve filling in sparse or thin eyebrows to make them fuller, darker, and more defined. "Tinting, henna, and brow stains are all incredibly darker on the first day," says Sulin. "I highly recommend any bride try it a few months before the wedding to see which day they love them the most after. Days two and three will be softer, and clients tend to love them most around that time period, but everyone is different. Never get them done the day before the wedding."

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Eyebrow Coloring Treatments

Whether you want a dye that lasts a few weeks or a more semi-permanent tattoo that lasts a few years, these eyebrow coloring treatments will give your brows a fuller, darker appearance with plenty of shape.

Brow Tinting

Goal: If you're looking to enhance the brow's definition and overall appearance, tinting is a great place to start (and also beginner-friendly). "Tinting is used primarily to darken eyebrow hair and will do minimal shaping," says Sulin. "My experience is that most client's skin does not absorb the tint well, so it's not intended to be used for shaping."

What to expect: When getting a brow tint, a semi-permanent dye is applied to the eyebrows, which helps darken or lighten them based on your preference. The dye is left on for a few minutes before being wiped away, revealing beautifully tinted brows.

Best for: "The best results are with clients who have full brows but want to darken them," says Sulin. AKA if you have thin or light-colored brows and are looking to create more definition and depth, brow tinting is for you.

How long it lasts: A week and a half.

Difficulty level: Easy

Price range: $20–$40

Henna Brows

Goal: Henna brows provide a longer-lasting alternative to traditional brow tinting. "Henna does a better job shaping eyebrows where there is no hair. It's a drying solution, which allows it to penetrate the skin barrier," Sulin says. The treatment aims to darken and fill in the eyebrows using henna dye.

What to expect: Similar to tinting, a custom henna paste is applied to the brows, allowing the dye to penetrate the skin and hair follicles. After approximately 15–20 minutes, the paste is removed, leaving behind beautifully tinted brows that can last up to six weeks.

Best for: Henna brows aren't just suitable for those who want a longer-lasting tint, as Sulin explains, but also "for clients who may have missing patches of hair that they're looking to fill in or need a more definitive shape." It's also a great option if you prefer a natural, organic alternative to traditional dyes.

How long it lasts: A week and a half to two weeks.

Difficulty level: Moderate

Price range: $20-$100

Microblading

Goal: If you've been on the internet lately, then you know that microblading is one of the hottest brow services on the market. "Microblading is a semi-permanent tattoo that creates hairlike strokes," says Sulin. "It uses a manual blade to create each individual hair stroke and is perfect for brows that are full but need shaping and definition."

What to expect: This process is a bit more complex than a simple tint. Microblading the brows includes mapping the brow shape, numbing the area, creating hair-like strokes that mimic natural brow hairs and finally, applying aftercare ointment.

Best for: Those with sparse or uneven brows looking for a long-lasting, natural-looking solution.

How long it lasts: 12–18 Months

Difficulty level: Hard

Price range: $250-$1,500

It requires two sessions six weeks apart and lasts up to a year. Brows are fully healed after 6 weeks from session two.

Ombre Powder Brows

Goal: "Ombre powder is also a semi-permanent tattoo but uses a tattoo machine to gently graze the top surface of the skin and create fullness," Sulin tells me. Basically, the machine creates a soft, shaded effect that gradually transitions the brow from lighter to darker at the tail end of the brow, creating the "ombre" effect" for a more defined and fuller appearance. "This is the most natural, semi-permanent option on the market, and the end result is a soft, filled-in brow."

What to expect: A cosmetic tattoo machine is used to create a powder-like effect by implanting tiny dots of pigment into the skin. The technician carefully blends the color, achieving an ombre effect that suits your desired look. "The brows are fully healed six weeks after the second session.

Best for: Anyone looking for a natural, semi-permanent brow treatment "best for clients who have little hair or need drastic shaping," according to Sulin.

How long it lasts: Two to three years after two sessions spaced six weeks apart.

Difficulty level: Hard

Price range: $500–$1,000

Volumizing Eyebrow Services

The 90s called, and they're saying perms are back in! This time around, it's for your eyebrow hairs. Lamination, one of the hottest brow treatments at the moment, is perfect for anyone wanting to achieve thick, fluffy brows.

Lamination

Goal: Yep, you can get perms for your brow hair too. "Laminations are perms that make eyebrow hair more manageable," says Sulin. The eyebrow treatment will straighten, set and shape unruly or sparse brows, creating a fuller and more defined look.

What to expect: First, a mild chemical solution and lifting cream are applied to the bows. Then, a shaping cream is used to mold the brows into the desired shape. Then a nourishing serum is applied at the end to keep your gorgeous brows hydrated and healthy. However, Sulin notes that laminations do require some maintenance in the morning to help keep them in the direction and shape you want them to stay in. The lamination will just ensure that they stay there.

Best for: Those with unruly or thin brows will love the structured and polished appearance a lamination can give. "This is the perfect product for clients who have stubborn hair that does not turn in the direction that they want or who find themselves using a brow freeze product to create a fuller or fluffier look," says Sulin.

How long it lasts: 4-6 Weeks; Treatment every 8 weeks to keep the brow hairs healthy.

Difficulty level: Moderate

Price range: $40–$200

Hair Removal Brow Treatments

Feeling plucky? These hair removal brow treatments will give your eyebrows the shape and arch that they deserve.

Eyebrow Wax

Goal: Eyebrow waxing involves removing unwanted hair from the brow area to achieve a clean and defined shape. This will both define the existing brow hair and give it shape, according to Sulin.

What to expect: This simple brow treatment is easy and only takes a few minutes to complete. A warm wax is applied to the desired areas, and a cloth strip is placed over the wax. The technician swiftly removes the strip, taking the unwanted hair along with it. Afterward, soothing lotion may be applied to calm the skin.

Best for: Clients with unwanted baby hair, vellus hair or those just looking to create a sharper shape. However, Sulin emphasizes that "This treatment is not intended for clients on Retin-A, retinol, accurate, or glycolic acids." Be sure to consult with and disclose to your tech if you are using any of these treatments or medications beforehand.

How long it lasts: Up to eight weeks.

Difficulty level: Moderate

Price range: $15-$40

Eyebrow Threading

Goal: Much like its waxing counterpart, threading is a technique used to shape and remove unwanted hair from the eyebrows, creating a clean and precise look. However, this treatment "uses string to shape the eyebrow by pulling individual hairs and gives a very precise, clean look." Sulin explains.

What to expect: A skilled technician will use a twisted cotton thread to gently and precisely remove individual hairs from the root. The thread is twisted and rolled across the skin, plucking the hair in a precise manner to give you your desired shape.

Best for: Individuals who prefer a natural and precise method of hair removal. "This method is better for clients who have sensitive skin or are on retinol," Sulin notes, making it perfect for those with sensitive skin (my hand is raised!)

How long it lasts: Up to eight weeks.

Difficulty level: Moderate

Price range: $10-$40