Here’s Why Brow Lamination Is Worth The Hype

The last decade has seen eyebrows become one of beauty’s biggest obsessions. From Kim Kardashian’s super-groomed arches to Cara Delevingne’s browstravaganzas. As a result, those of us born before the 1990s have come to regret over-plucking our brows to spindly lines back when it was fashionable (thanks for nothing, Kate Moss), only for them to never fully grow back. And many new treatments have sprung up to meet this demand, from microblading, where the brows are tattooed on, to HD Brows, where the hairs are tinted and waxed to Insta-perfection.

Brow lamination is another popular choice, which might bring to mind wipe-clean menus in cheap restaurants, but is actually way less weird than it sounds. So, what exactly is brow lamination? The process involves lifting each eyebrow hair at the root and setting it using - basically - a perming solution (again, less scary than it sounds). The hairs are then tinted and brushed into place, to create the illusion of fuller brows.

‘It is all about bushier brows,’ nods brow maestro Shimol Kanuga, who has worked with everyone from Sadie Frost to Maisie Williams. ‘Brow lamination is going to take over. Beauty academies have months-long waiting lists to train brow technicians in the technique.’

The Brow Lamination Treatment Process:

Tested by: Rosamund Dean, deputy editor

My brows are quite sparse in places, which I fill in with brow pencil every day. So I have often been tempted by treatments that promise to remove this tedious task from my morning routine, but am put off by the artificial painted-on look of microblading.

I chat through my brow concerns with Shimol at Bangs salon in East London, explaining that I don’t like the exaggerated arch of microblading - I just want a really natural treatment to fill in my gappy brows, and hopefully restore them to their pre-plucked glory.

The process takes around 30 minutes and, for extra efficiency, Shimol combines it with an LVL treatment on my lashes. Brow lamination actually has a lot in common with LVL, which uses a similar solution to lift and fix the individual hairs in place. Reclined on a treatment table, the process is painless, and actually quite relaxing.

A series of products are applied to my brows, including a styling lotion and ‘fixing adhesive’ (which I realise sounds like Pritt Stick for your brows but, fear not, the result is soft and natural, not at all rigid and glue-like). Shimol manipulates the individual brow hairs to cleverly conceal any gaps - alternatively, your technician might simply brush them up for that super-groomed look. Then a brow lamination serum is used, which contains keratin to hydrate and nourish the brow hair.

I did have a slight stinging sensation towards the end when the tint was applied. And, for a few days afterwards, my brows were a bit flakey (I know, gross), perhaps because I didn’t fully follow the aftercare advice properly. ‘You really need to keep your brows dry and away from heat and steam for 24 hours,’ says Shimol firmly. ‘That means no washing your hair or exercising. I also advise brushing your brows daily with a clean spoolie and applying a serum or oil onto the brows to keep the hair hydrated as the chemicals can dry them out.’

It’s worth it. The result is brows that appear fuller without any make-up or microblading, and the effect lasts for up to eight weeks.

Brow Lamination - Before and After - The Grazia Verdict:

My favourite thing about this treatment is how versatile it is. If you love that brushed-up brow look (which is very now) then you can wake up like that every single morning. But if, like me, you prefer the more natural look, simply smooth down the newly-plump hairs with a spoolie (Shimol gave me one as part of the aftercare), and your brows will look better than normal, but no one will be able to put their finger on exactly why. Having spent years penciling in the gaps in my brows, left sparse by over-plucking as a teenager, I could finally ditch the eyebrow pencil. Also, the fact that a brow tint is part of the treatment gave my brows an altogether more groomed appearance. It wasn’t a dramatic change, but that was exactly the look I was going for. Shaving five minutes off the morning routine? Worth every penny.

How To Recreate Brow Lamination At Home

Grazia's former Beauty Writer, shows you how to recreate brow lamination at home using two products - the B Bare Brow Bae Kit, £30, and Refy Brow Pomade, £14.

Where To Go For Brow Lamination Once Salons Reopen:

LONDON - Shimol Kanuga, Bangs, 66-68 Hoe Street, London E17 4PG

From £45 (bangslondon.com)

EDINBURGH - Velvet Brows, 22 Montrose Terrace, City Of Edinburgh, Scotland EH7 5DL

From £40 (velvetbrows.com)

MANCHESTER - Shavata Brow Studio at Harvey Nichols, 21 Cathedral Approach, Manchester M1 1AD

From £70 (shavata.co.uk/manchester-harvey-nichols)

AT HOME - with blow LTD, the UK's leading On Demand Beauty Services provider, available from 7am until late, seven days a week in London, Birmingham and Manchester.

From £49 (blowltd.com)

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