In brief
- With a brow lamination your own brow hairs are brushed up and set in that position. Nothing is added and nothing is tattooed.
- It stays visible for six to eight weeks. If you add colour, that lasts about four weeks.
- For the first 24 hours your brows stay dry. From the second day you brush them up every day, with a drop of oil or serum.
- It works best on hairs that hang down or point in all directions. If you have few hairs, henna often does more.
- At Moons in Enschede a brow lamination costs €50.00, or €55.00 with tint. Shaping is always included.
Written by Nilay, owner and beauty therapist at Moons BeautyUpdated on
What is brow lamination?
Brow lamination is a treatment that lays your own brow hairs in a new direction and sets them there. Usually that is upwards and slightly outwards. It does not make your brows any denser. They do look fuller and sleeker, because each hair lies neatly beside the next.
It works just like a lash lift, only on your brows. A first lotion makes the hairs soft and pliable. Then they are laid in the right direction hair by hair. A second lotion sets that position, and nourishing care finishes it off.
Other names for the same thing are brow lift, eyebrow lamination and laminated brows. Be careful when you search: brow lift sometimes also means a treatment with botox at a doctor's, and that is something quite different. Microblading and powder brows are something else too. With those, colour goes into the skin.
What happens during the appointment?
You lie or sit back, and within an hour you are done. The lamination itself does not hurt. The shaping with wax and tweezers at the end is briefly sensitive.
Deciding the shape
First we look at your face and your hair growth, and we agree on the shape you want. That can be sleek and upright, or soft and natural instead.
Softening and laying
The first lotion makes the hairs pliable. Then we lay them hair by hair in the direction we agreed on. This precise work decides the end result.
Setting and nourishing
The second lotion sets the position. Then care goes onto the hairs and the skin, because the lotions are drying.
Shaping and colour
Finally, wax and tweezers remove whatever falls outside the line. If you chose the lamination with tint, the colour goes on now.
How long does brow lamination last?
A brow lamination stays visible for six to eight weeks. Your hairs renew themselves during that time, and new hairs grow their own way again. So the result fades gradually and is never suddenly gone.
In the first few days the hairs lie at their sleekest. After that they soften a little, and they stay like that for weeks. Colour fades sooner than the shape: tint on the hairs shows for about four weeks.
How you treat them makes a difference. If you keep your brows dry on the first day and then brush them every day with a drop of oil or serum, you are more likely to reach eight weeks than six.
Aftercare: what is allowed when?
For the first 24 hours the new position is still setting. After that it is all about care, because lifted hairs dry out faster.
| Topic | First 24 hours | After that |
|---|---|---|
| Water and showering | Keep your brows dry, also when you wash your face | Fine |
| Make-up on your brows | Don't use it | Fine, though you often no longer need pencil and gel |
| Sauna, steam, swimming and sweating | Skip them for a day | Fine |
| Touching and brushing | Don't touch them | Brush them up every morning with a clean spoolie |
| Oil or serum | Not yet | A drop every day, so the hairs stay supple |
| Touching up | Not needed | After two to four weeks, shaping makes the shape crisp again |
If your own salon gives you different advice, follow that. It depends on the products that were used.
Wet in the first 24 hours, what now?
If your brows got wet in the first 24 hours, gently pat them dry and brush the hairs up into the shape they had. Don't rub. A few drops usually change very little.
If they got properly wet, for example in the shower, the hairs may not stay as sleek. You notice that in the days after. If they clearly lie differently than intended, contact the salon where you had it done.
Who does it work for, and when is it best to skip it?
A good idea if
- Your hairs grow downwards or point in all directions
- Your brows seem to have bare patches, while the hairs are there but lie the wrong way
- You have thick, coarse hairs that take no notice of a brush or gel
- You want fuller brows, but no permanent make-up
- You are growing out your brows and the hairs are already a bit longer
Check with us first
- Very thin or sparse hairs. Then there is little to lay, and henna often gives more effect
- A previous reaction to hair dye or brow tint. Tell us beforehand, then we test first
- Small wounds, eczema or an inflamed spot on your brow. Wait until your skin has recovered
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding. The lamination and the shaping are fine, the colour we decide on together
- A recent peel or microneedling. Then we leave time in between, and we tell you beforehand how much
The pros and the cons.
The advantage is that your brows stay in shape for weeks without you having to do anything. Hairs that always hung down now stand up and fill the shape. Many people stop using their pencil and brow gel afterwards. And it is temporary: if you don't like it, it grows out by itself.
These are the downsides you will want to know beforehand.
- The effect depends on your own hairs. With few hairs you see little difference
- For the first 24 hours you have to be careful with water, steam and make-up
- Lifted hairs dry out faster. If you don't look after them, they can become coarse and brittle
- Laminating too often puts strain on your hairs. That is why there are at least six weeks in between
- In the first few days the hairs stand more stiffly than you may be used to. That softens afterwards
Not happy with it, what can you do?
It usually goes well. If it is disappointing after all, it is almost always one of these four things.
Too stiff or too upright
In the first few days the hairs stand at their stiffest. Brush them a little flatter, with a drop of oil if you like. After a few days it softens. Next time, ask for the hairs to be laid less steeply.
Frizzy or dry hairs
That points to a processing time that was too long, or to laminating too often. Don't have a new lamination done over it. Care for your brows every day with oil or serum and give them at least six weeks' rest.
It drops quickly
Then your brows got wet in the first 24 hours, or the lotion was not left on long enough. Talk to the salon where you had it done before you have anything redone.
The colour is too dark
Tint is at its strongest in the first few days and gets lighter after that. After about four weeks the colour on the hairs is gone.
Brow lamination at home with a kit?
Kits are sold for laminating your own brows. At home the processing time is hard to judge, because it depends on how thick and coarse your hairs are.
If you leave the lotion on too long, the hairs become frizzy and brittle, and that only grows out after weeks. Lotion on the skin can cause irritation. In the salon we match the timing to your hairs and care for the skin straight afterwards.
If you do it yourself anyway, read all the instructions, do the allergy test that comes with the kit and start with the shortest time. Don't laminate more than once every six weeks.
What does brow lamination cost?
The price differs from salon to salon. These are the prices at Moons in Enschede, as they are in our price list now.
| Topic | Price at Moons | Duration | How long you see it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brow lamination | €50.00 | 45 minutes | Six to eight weeks |
| Brow lamination with tint | €55.00 | 60 minutes | Shape six to eight weeks, colour about four weeks |
Shaping with wax and tweezers is always included. If you are torn between lamination, henna and hybrid brows, read brow lamination or henna brows.
Combining and planning.
With a lash lift. That combination is booked most often. Together it takes about two hours. Everything about the lift is in lash lift: everything you want to know.
With colour. The lamination with tint gives shape and colour in one appointment. We don't do henna in the same appointment, because your skin has just been treated then and takes up the colour unevenly. A week later it is fine.
For a wedding or party. A lamination looks its best a week or two after the appointment.
After a skin treatment. If you recently had a peel or microneedling, we wait with waxing around your brows until your skin has calmed down again.
What to look for when choosing a salon?
These are the signs of a salon that handles your brows with care.
The shape is discussed first
Your face and your hair growth are the starting point. You are also told whether a lamination will do much for your hairs.
They ask about allergies
If you have ever reacted to hair dye or brow tint, a test should be done beforehand.
The timing fits your hairs
The processing time is matched to how thick and coarse your hairs are, not to the clock.
They apply care afterwards
After the lotions, care should go onto the hairs and the skin.
You get an explanation of the aftercare
You are told what to avoid for the first 24 hours and how to look after your brows afterwards.
You can see real work
Look at photos of their own clients and read what others write. Ours are on the results page and under reviews.
Is your skin still red or itchy?
If the skin around your brows stays red, swollen or itchy after a lamination, or you get blisters, don't wait and call your GP. Also tell the salon where you had it done.
Frequently asked questions about brow lamination
What is brow lamination?
With brow lamination your own brow hairs are laid in a new direction and set with two lotions, usually upwards and slightly outwards. Your brows look fuller and sleeker, while not a single hair is added. The result lasts six to eight weeks.
How long does brow lamination last?
Six to eight weeks. Your hairs renew themselves, so it fades gradually. If you brush every day and add a drop of oil or serum, you are more likely to reach the eight weeks.
How long does a brow lamination take?
At Moons 45 minutes, or an hour if colour is added. Shaping is included in that.
How often can you have brow lamination?
Leave at least six weeks between two laminations. Laminating more often puts unnecessary strain on your hairs. Most people come every six to eight weeks.
How long do your brows need to stay dry after brow lamination?
24 hours. During that time the new position is still setting. Keep your brows dry in the shower and when you wash your face too.
Can I exercise after a brow lamination?
Better not for the first 24 hours, because sweat and steam make your brows wet. After that it is fine.
Can you wear make-up on your brows after brow lamination?
Not for the first 24 hours. After that anything goes again, though most people no longer need their pencil and gel by then.
Is brow lamination bad for your brows?
With enough time in between and good care, it isn't. The lotions work on the hair itself, not on the root. Laminating too often or not looking after your brows afterwards can make hairs dry and brittle, though.
What are the downsides of brow lamination?
The effect depends on your own hairs, you have to be careful with water and make-up for the first 24 hours, and lifted hairs need care every day after that. In the first few days they also stand more stiffly than you are used to.
Does brow lamination work on thin brows?
A lamination only lays the hairs that are already there. If you have few, you see little difference and henna gives more effect, because it also colours the skin underneath. If your hairs mainly lie the wrong way, a lamination does help.
Can you have brow lamination during pregnancy?
Mention it when you book. At Moons the lamination and the shaping can go ahead as normal, and we decide on the colour together. If you are in doubt, ask your midwife as well.
Can you do brow lamination at home?
Kits are sold, but the processing time has to suit your hairs. Too long makes them frizzy and brittle, and that only grows out after weeks. If you do it yourself anyway, start with the shortest time and do the allergy test first.
What does brow lamination cost?
At Moons in Enschede a brow lamination costs €50.00, or €55.00 with tint added. Shaping is always included. Elsewhere the price may differ.
What is the difference between brow lamination and henna brows?
A lamination gives shape: your own hairs are brushed up. Henna gives colour, on the skin under your brows too. The full comparison, including hybrid brows and tint, is in brow lamination or henna brows.
What is the difference between brow lamination and microblading?
A lamination lays your own hairs differently and grows out within two months. With microblading and powder brows, colour is put into the skin, and that stays for months to years. We do not do permanent make-up at Moons.
Is a brow lift the same as brow lamination?
In a salon it usually is: brow lift is another name for brow lamination. At a doctor's, a brow lift sometimes means a treatment with botox. That is something quite different.
My brow lamination is too stiff, what now?
In the first few days the hairs stand at their stiffest. Brush them a little flatter, with a drop of oil if you like. After a few days it softens. It cannot be reversed, it grows out in six to eight weeks.
Does brow lamination hurt?
The lamination itself does not. At the end we shape with wax and tweezers, and that is briefly sensitive.
Can you combine brow lamination with a lash lift?
Yes, that combination is booked most often. Together it takes about two hours.
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