Show of hands – who loves a low-effort, high-impact beauty hack? Yaaaaaas. Us too. Eyebrow tinting is an excellent example of this. Why waste time with daily filling in, when one quick tinting sesh will save you weeks of faff?
A decent eyebrow shape, emphasised by some strategic tinting, means you can “wake up like this” a little later and skip sketching in your arches. It’ll also give you some banging face-framing action, especially if you’re brows are quite fair.
Before you get stuck in, we asked the pros for their top tips, whether you’re heading into a salon, or trying it yourself at home. So, here’s everything you need to know to ensure you get your best-ever brow before and after.
What does an eyebrow tint do?
“Eyebrow tinting is when semi-permanent dye is applied to the brow area to enhance and define them,” explains permanent make-up artist and CEO of Nouveau HD Beauty Group, Karen Betts. “Tinting can create fuller brows, as the colour-matched tint darkens the fine and light hair around the main brow area to add width and length.” She adds that it’s now possible to darken, colour match or even lighten brows to enhance the face, depending on your skin tone and hair colour.
How do you choose the right colour?
Getting the colour right is super important. Too dark and they can look a little harsh, too light and they won’t frame your features as well. If you’re heading to an appointment, your brow technician will guide you. Suman, Founder of Suman Brows London, says: “After years of experience, I can choose the shade for each person simply by looking at their skintone and hair colour – but I will always chat with each client to assess which shade they want.”
But as a general rule of thumb, Suman always goes a shade darker than the hair. If you like your brows bold, you can go a little darker. Or, to play it safe, select as closely to your natural hair colour as possible (a good guide is the colour of your baby hairs).”
There’s also the option to go for a bespoke blend. “Instead of using the traditional ‘light brown’, ‘dark brown’ or ‘black’ tints, I like to offer my clients a bespoke blend that will flatter their natural hair colour and skin tone,” says Asma Docrat, London-based lash and brow specialist with 20+ years’ experience. “Professional tints have come a long way and there are brands such as Elleebanna and Supercilium that provide a multitude of colours that you can custom blend.”
How long does tinting eyebrows last?
“Those who go for a more dramatic look with the tint will tend to see it last longer, from 3-4 weeks”, says Suman. “Those who want a more natural look will last a couple of weeks, and may have to re-do them more often as this will tend to fade earlier.” Try to avoid getting your brows wet for at least 12 hours following your tint – chlorine can also shorten the wear of your tint. Betts also says to avoid using strong skincare actives such as retinol, and acids such as AHAs and BHAs around the brow area, as these will cause the tint to fade faster and could cause irritation.
What is the difference between brow dye and tint?
A brow tint and dye are essentially the same thing, but don’t go confusing them with hair dye. The dye used to tint eyebrows is entirely different from hair dye, so make sure you’re using the correct products if you’re attempting it at-home. “I’ve heard that people go to their hair salons to get their hair done and ask their hair stylist to add a bit of dye on their brows”, says Suman. “Hair dye is far too harsh for the delicate skin on the face – consider its proximity to your eyes, too.” Whichever dye you go for, ensure you do a patch test 48 hours beforehand.
What is the downside of eyebrow tinting?
One of the downsides of eyebrow tinting is the fact that it doesn’t last – meaning you’ll need to commit to regular appointments to maintain results. “As the dye is semi-permanent, it fades with regular cleansing,” confirms Docrat. Her advice? “Invest in a good home dye kit (like Eylure’s Dybrow Tint) and use this in-between professional treatments to eke out the results.”
