Have you tried Henna Brows yet?

At V For Hair and Beauty Merivale, our Beauty Therapists are experts with Henna Brows. We have clients coming from all over Christchurch and New Zealand for this Henna eyebrow eye enhancement treatment. I personally have been having Henna brows for a while now and love the results, no more daily eyebrow pencil. Henna brows give the brow a great shape and are excellent at enhancing your eyes as a feature, really opening the eye up.There are several reasons to use henna for eyebrows. The fact that it is considered a natural alternative to other chemical dyes and is plant-based make this an appealing option for colouring the brow hair creating a skin stain. V for Hair and Beauty, Brow Henna tinting helps to make eyebrows more expressive, disguising gaps in plucked or receding eyebrows and the additional unique ingredients help to nourish and thicken the existing brow hairs as well as strengthening and protecting the hair.I thought I would show you the stages of Henna Brows and explain the process as I always have ladies asking me about this service. The best way to do this is to show with photos we have taken over the last few days.

Day One:

Vicki's natural brows with no makeup or tint, ready for Henna Brows.Since we have been doing Henna Bows at V for Hair and Beauty Merivale, I have also been using the Henna to let my brows grow back a bit thicker. After years of over plucking/waxing/threading, they had gotten quite thin. This is still a work in progress, but Henna brows help disguise those unwanted gaps.

Vicki with one Henna brow applied. This shows the dramatic shape while processing.Our Therapists will consult with you to choose your desired shade outcome. When Henna is applied it looks a lot darker than the desired result. A precise desired shape is outlined on the brow with a special brow pencil then the Henna is applied.

Both Henna Brows appliedAt this stage, the brows will look very dramatic and overdone. The Henna needs to process for about 30 minutes, so I usually have other waxing or threading services done while the Henna is processing.

The Henna will stay on until it drys and will feel almost gritty to touch.

Here the Henna has been removed.Once the Henna is removed the eyebrows will look more natural. They will still be quite intense for the next 24 hours. Do not go home and wash your brows or the Henna will not last. On the day you have henna brows done they may feel a bit dark or obvious, this settles after 24 hours giving beautiful long lasting, eye enhancing results.

Day Two:

On day two the excess Henna residue has washed off and the brows are now looking natural. No eyebrow pencil needed. Henna brows create a striking and defined look.

Day Three:

Here I am day three, completely natural no makeup on and casual weekend attire. I love these Henna brows as you can still feel groomed on those makeup free days as well. I also always get an eyelash tint, so I don’t have to wear mascara.At V for Hair and Beauty, we use only the best products, our Henna’s are sourced from the best suppliers globally. This is not a one product suits all and we use various colours and brands to achieve the best outcome for all our client’s needs. Eyebrow Henna is a natural based product that has not been tested on animals and is classed as vegan as it does not contain animal bi-products.The product is mixed without the need for hydrogen peroxide and contains no ammonia making this a wonderful natural alternative to regular eyebrow tinting.Preparation of the eyebrow is extremely important, and we advise for the best results to not have had a traditional brow tint 10 days prior to henna brow tint. We prepare the skin and brows with professional brow cleansers and then prime the brow prior to application.

It is also vitally important to have your therapist give you a great shape prior to and after Henna tinting to remove unwanted hair. Threading is by far the best way to achieve this giving a clean precision look.

At V For Hair and Beauty, we take great care to get your eyebrow shape to suit your face shape. Clients are always welcome to have a complimentary consultation to discuss your individual needs.

Aftercare Advice

• Do not use strong eye make-up removers for 48 hours as they may strip the colour - Please note that oil-based makeup remover can cause the henna stain to fade faster.

We use and recommend the Pure Fiji Purifying cleanser, A gentle cleanser derived from sugar cane extracts. This unique cleanser is boosted with papaya extracts to brighten skin tone while passionflower and drift nut extracts restore skin to a healthy balance.• Do not rub, pull or pick at the area treated.• Do not allow shampoo or conditioner to on the brows for the first 24 hours.• You will want to go easy with your eyebrows when cleansing to extend the life of the stain on the skin. Obviously, if you scrub, peel etc at that area, the stain behind the brow is going to disappear much faster. Also exercise caution when applying any type of skin care products containing exfoliators (topical acne medications, retinol, lightening products, alpha hydroxy acids, etc) keep all these away from the brows as they will strip them of their colour.• Avoid heat treatments/facials that involve steaming for 24 hours.• Avoid sunbathing for 24 hours, as this can cause the henna to fade or lighten.• Avoid swimming/saunas for at least 24 hours after your treatment.• Exposure to the sun/UV lights for long periods can cause the henna stain to fade quicker.• If any irritation occurs, apply a clean cold wet pad to the eye area or contact a doctor.

Points to consider

• With the tint, we use a traditional dye and peroxide mixture and it is designed to only tint the hairs, not the skin. Henna will not only dye the hairs but will leave a stain (for approx. up to 2-4 weeks) on the skin behind the brow, giving the brow a fuller and filled in look. In terms of longevity, Tint lasts up to 4 weeks on the hair, Henna can last 6-7 weeks on the hair.

• How do I know which one I might want to book? If you are someone who does not normally wear any brow cosmetics (or very little) and prefers a subtler look to your brows, then start with the traditional Eyebrow Tint.• If you are accustomed to a very defined and filled in eyebrow and like a richer colour, go with the Eyebrow Henna.• Can Henna be used on the lashes as well? Yes, we sure do the results are fabulous.• If I want Henna, does it matter whether I book Eyebrow Tint or Eyebrow Henna?YES!!!! It DOES matter. In terms of length of service, these are not interchangeable. The Henna service takes our therapists longer. So please be sure to select the correct service when booking.The biggest thing I can suggest is to trust our therapist. There is no use having the Henna brows done too light and then by day two, you can’t see them. I suggest if you feel a bit self-conscious with slightly darker brows then have the service done on a day that you don’t have to go anywhere. In saying that many clients do have Henna Brows on the same day as going to a function and feel fine.

Please feel free to contact us below or at the salon, with any questions you may have or if you require further brow advice.

At V For Hair and Beauty…