Glossary
The vocabulary of good brows.
Plain-language definitions for the techniques, terms, and ingredients that come up around brow appointments. Useful before booking, useful between appointments.
- Brow mapping
- The measuring step at the start of a shaping appointment. Three reference points — the inner corner of the eye, the outer edge, and the natural arch over the iris — are marked with a removable pencil to find the shape your face is already structured for. Mapping replaces the older method of working from a stencil, which forces every face into the same template.
- Brow lamination
- A semi-permanent treatment that softens and rearranges brow hairs into a uniform, lifted direction. A lifting solution breaks down the disulfide bonds in the hair, the brows are brushed into the desired shape, then a setting solution locks the new shape in place. Results last three to five weeks. Best for unruly, downward-growing, or sparse-looking brows.
- Brow tint
- A semi-permanent dye custom-blended to harmonize with your hair color and skin tone. Tints the hair itself plus a faint stain on the skin underneath, which fills the appearance of sparse spots. Lasts four to six days on skin and up to two weeks on the hair, depending on aftercare and washing routine.
- Threading
- A South Asian hair-removal technique using a single twisted cotton thread to lift hair out at the follicle. More precise than waxing for fine work around the brow line, gentler on sensitive skin, and produces a softer regrowth pattern. The technique that defines most brow-shaping work at the studio.
- Waxing
- A faster removal method using warm wax applied in the direction of growth and pulled against it. Useful for clearing larger areas (above the brow, between the brows) but less precise for the tail end of the shape. Threading is preferred for the actual brow shaping; wax may be used for surrounding cleanup.
- Tweezing
- Stray-hair refinement after the main shaping is done. One-by-one removal of fine hairs that wax or thread can miss, used to clean the final outline. Quick, precise, no chemistry involved.
- Shaping
- The full process of giving brows their outline — mapping plus the chosen removal method (threading, waxing, tweezing, or a combination) plus a final review under proper lighting. The "shape" is the result; "shaping" is the act.
- Brow oil
- A nourishing oil — typically castor, argan, or a blend — applied to the brows daily to keep hair flexible and the skin underneath conditioned. Particularly important after a lamination, since the lifting chemistry can leave hair feeling dry. Apply with a clean spoolie at night.
- Aftercare
- The routine you follow at home to extend a treatment's results. For lamination, this means keeping brows dry for the first 24 hours, brushing them upward daily, and using a brow oil. For tinting, mineral sunscreen on the brow area extends the color noticeably.
- Patch test
- A small application of tint or lamination solution on the inner forearm 24-48 hours before an appointment, to confirm there's no allergic reaction. Required for first-time tint clients and anyone with a history of skin sensitivities. Takes two minutes; prevents a much worse outcome on appointment day.
- Retinol, AHA, and BHA
- Active skincare ingredients (retinol from the vitamin A family, AHA from glycolic/lactic acids, BHA from salicylic acid) that thin and sensitize the top layer of skin. They make the skin around the brows reactive to lamination chemistry, increasing the chance of irritation, burning, or pigment lift. Stop using them on or around the brow area three days before any tint or lamination appointment.
- Hair growth cycle
- Brow hair grows in three phases: anagen (active growth, ~30-45 days), catagen (transition, ~2-3 weeks), and telogen (rest, ~3-4 months). At any given moment, only about 10-15% of brow hairs are actively growing, which is why brows take longer than head hair to recover from over-plucking and why patient regrowth strategies work better than aggressive shaping in early appointments.
- Touch-up
- A maintenance appointment between full services — typically a quick shape or a tint refresh, usually about half the price and time of the original service. Recommended every three to four weeks for tint clients, and around the five-week mark for laminations to refresh the lift.
- Consultation
- The complimentary opening to every appointment. A few minutes of conversation about what you want, reference photos if you've brought any, and an honest read of what's achievable in one session versus over a few. The consultation is where the appointment is shaped before the work begins.