Everything you need to know about eyebrow threading

If you’re all about precision when it comes to your brows, you need to know about threading. This highly efficient method of facial hair removal has been around for centuries, and once you’ve tried it you’ll see why.

For brows so sharp you should really need a license, read on. You’re about to look amazing.

What is eyebrow threading?

Eyebrow threading is a method of brow hair removal that uses cotton or polyester thread to pull hairs right out of the follicle.

We can thank India and Iran for this genius technique, where it’s been in use for hundreds of years. More recently, it’s found favour in the west, and we couldn’t be happier about it. A brow shape from a threading expert will have you swearing off the tweezers and wax for life.

How does threading work?

Beautifully, to put it simply. It’s like a little hair lasso. The thread is doubled and twisted, with the looped end held in one hand, the twist in the middle, and the other two ends held in the threader’s mouth and other hand. By moving the twisted thread across your skin, your tech is able to catch the hairs and pull them out either one by one or in a line.

Your technician will ask you to hold your skin taut so the thread can really get involved, but don’t worry about getting this right as they’ll be able to position your fingers just right. All hands on deck ⚓️.

Because the thread only moves exactly where they tell it to, this offers a very high degree of precision, and it’s also very quick. It’s kind of hard to visualise threading until you see it in action, though, so have a look at this video:

Does threading remove hair from the root?

Great news: it sure does. One of the main advantages of threading is that it can grip onto really short, fine hairs and get them out of their follicles. It’s able to target hairs you might struggle to grab with a pair of tweezers or with wax.

Does eyebrow threading hurt?

Well, it’s tugging hairs out of their little houses, so it doesn’t tickle. For the most part, though, it’s nowhere near as bad as you’re expecting. A lot of people find threading hurts less than waxing, or about the same. Both treatments are pulling out hairs, just that waxing is a once-and-done pain, whereas threading takes a little longer.

How long does threading last?

Like any form of hair removal, how long you’ll go between eyebrow threading appointments depends on how fast your hair grows. {{answer}}As a general rule of thumb, most people come back every 2 to 5 weeks.

Eyebrow Shapes

Eyebrow threading shapes

This is where the experts come in, right? The right brow shape is basically an instant eye lift - it can completely change your face. The thing is, there are about as many brow shapes as there are brows. It can be a little overwhelming. Fear not. We’re here to help.

To give you a rough idea, here are a few of the classic shapes:

You get the idea. From an easy-breezy straight brow to a hyper-glam high arch, there really is a brow shape for everyone.

If you’re not sure what shape you’re after, have a word with your threading expert and see what they think. The whole thing should be a bit of a collaboration, with the end result being a pair of brows you’re low-key obsessed with.

Eyebrow grooming

The level of at-home grooming your brows get will depend on your vibe. Maybe you’re happy with a quick comb-through with some clear brow gel, maybe you do the whole pencil-powder-pomade routine, maybe you’re somewhere in the middle. Regardless, your brows will benefit from a brush-up to get all those little hairs working together 🥂.

Eyebrow threading vs. waxing

Not going to lie, this is where it gets really interesting. Both waxing and threading remove hair from the root, so they give you well-shaped brows for a good long while. However, waxing can irritate the skin, both via the formulation of the wax itself and due to the fact it takes a little skin off along with your hair. That’s before we’ve even talked about heat.

If your skin is more sensitive than Seth Cohen on Chrismukkah, threading may well be a better option. The only thing that touches your face is the thread itself, and that’s brand new every time, reducing the risk of acne and irritation. In addition, while the thread will run along the surface of your skin, it doesn’t remove nearly as many skin cells as wax. Love it.

On top of that, compared to threading, waxing is a bit of a blunt instrument. Threading gives your tech a lot more control of exactly what hairs they’re removing, so you can expect a truly precise (and fabulous) result. You could run into Cara Delevingne, and she’d raise a brow in approval when she clocked them.

Benefits of eyebrow threading

To start with, we’re calling beautifully shaped brows a major benefit. You can’t put a price on that kind of confidence. Add to that the fact that threading is less irritating to the skin than waxing, but lasts a similarly long time, and you’ve got a winning formula.

Threading is also a better bet if you’ve been doing any chemical exfoliation or using retinol products, which can make your skin that little bit more delicate. You’ll still want to mention that to your tech, so they’ve got all the intel, but you are less likely to have an adverse reaction.

Bonus feature: Many people even find that over time, threading means their brows don’t grow back as quickly.

• Some of our favourite benefits of eyebrow threading:
• Beautiful, precise brows
• Less irritation
• Hair growth can lessen over time
• Safe for those who use retinol

Is threading or waxing more painful?

Everyone’s different, and pain tolerances vary, so this is a tricky one to answer. They’re in the same ballpark, though, so if you can handle waxing, you can be confident you’ll be fine with threading. It’s nothing to stress about, promise. Save your worries for who’s getting kicked off Love Island.

Side effects of facial threading vs. waxing

We’ve gotta be straight with you: threading will sting a bit, so that is a side effect. But it’s almost definitely not as bad as you’re thinking, and the treatment is so quick it’ll be done before you know it. Depending on how reactive your skin is, you might go red, but this will go down in pretty short order. We wouldn’t book in to get your eyebrows threaded and then go directly to a job interview, but other than that you’ll be golden.

The only other thing to note is that if you’re prone to a bit of acne, any kind of disturbance on your skin can lead to breakouts. However, if you head home and wash your face before popping a bit of spot cream around the area you had threaded, that should be kept to a minimum.

One major waxing side effect you won’t deal with when it comes to threading? The potential for burns. It’s done without heat, so you’re very much in the clear in that regard.

Eyebrow threading before and after photos

This is what we all came to see, right? Everyone loves a good before and after.

Feast your eyes:

This could be you and your divine brows, friends. All you need to do is book in.