I am all about making life easier, especially when it comes to my morning routine. My goal is to either wake up “ready” or wear as little make up as possible. Obviously, if I am going to an event, a photo shoot, or going out with friends I will go all out with my makeup. But for every day, I want to do as little work as possible. So that my mornings have little to no maintenance, (other than my skincare routine… priorities lol) I get my lashes tinted, my brows tinted, and keep up with my self-tanning routine. However, this is the first time I have ever gotten my brows laminated. In this blog post, I am answering all your questions and breaking down the cost, the process, and showing photos along the way.
BROW LAMINATION
Brow lamination is basically what is sounds like. You are laminating your brows or giving them a “perm” to stay a certain way. This process smooths and lifts the brow hair to give it a fuller appearance. This is perfect for people who have thin hair (me) or for those who have unruly brows. This process doesn’t permanently set your brow hair in place, but it breaks down the natural bonds in your hair to a smooth and straight texture, so that they only need to be brushed into place with a spoolie. To fix them in place, apply a clear or colored brow gel. The results should last 6-8 weeks.
THE PROCESS
I went to Bangin’ Brows in Chicago, IL to get my brows laminated. I chose this salon because I had a few friends that had good experiences, the reviews were good, and the before/after photos on their Instagram looked amazing. For my Chicago babes, if you are booking an appointment here, make sure you book now because the waitlist is insane! (Another reason I knew they were probably a great place to go.)
Step 1: Wax or Thread Brows
They need to shape your brows to make sure the final result is clean. Whenever you get any service done, explain exactly what you want or bring pictures of the look you are going for, otherwise you can’t expect to be perfectly happy with the outcome.
Step 2: Lifting Treatment
The lifting treatment is a clear cream that strips the hair of its natural memory, which allows the hair to be moved into a new shape. This step looks a little crazy because of the plastic wrap, but it works!
Step 3: Fixing Step
This step puts memory back into the hairs. Like a perm, this tells the hair what texture it needs to take on. In the lamination process, the new texture will be straight and brushed up.
Step 4: DON’T TOUCH THEM
The last step is basically don’t touch or sleep on them. After 24 hours you can get them wet and brush them. See the do’s & don’ts below!
DOs & DON’Ts
DO
+ Exfoliate off all self-tanner before treatment
+ Plan to not wear makeup or get your brows wet for 24 – 48 hours
+ Buy Brow Conditioner – Your brows will naturally be damaged from this treatment, just like your hair gets damaged from any color/perm processing. And just like the hair on your head needs a routine condition or mask after treatment, your brows will need conditioning. If you don’t use any conditioner, your brow hairs will break off and get wispy. The conditioner also can prolong the treatment and make your brows grow in thicker.
DON’T
+ Get your brows wet for 24 hours
+ Direct sunlight, saunas, pools, and self-tanner (on your face) for 48 hours
+ Use retinols or harsh/acidic skincare 3 days before & after service
+ Sleep on your face. If you sleep on your face, especially within the first 48 hours, you risk putting a permanent crimp or fold in your hairs and they won’t sit right.
COST
Every salon is different, but remember you get what you pay for. I’m not saying you have to pay top dollar to the get your goal brows, but you want to make sure you go to someone who knows what they are doing. Read reviews and stalk their Instagram before making an appointment.
Here is the breakdown of what I paid:
$30 – Brow Thread
$20 – Brow Tint
$75 – Brow Lamination
$15 – Tip
$140 TOTAL (before tax)
FINAL THOUGHTS
I really enjoyed getting this process done and the outcome is amazing. I am always interested in making life easier and this does just that. However, it is a bit pricey to do every 6 weeks. I will definitely be pushing this treatment as long as possible to try to save a little money, but it is worth it! I save 15-20 minutes every morning doing my makeup and time is money! Overall, I would highly recommend trying out this service. On that note, also make sure you follow the Do’s/Don’ts otherwise you will have an awful experience and even lose your brow volume.
What are your thoughts? Have you gotten a brow lamination before? Tell me about your thoughts and experience in the comments below!
*This post is not sponsored, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
