What is the Difference between Waxing and Threading?

Photography: JASON LLOYD-EVANS

Photography: Jason Llyod-Evans

​The rise of express brow-shaping is undeniable – there are brow bars and services available in salons and retailers everywhere. It has become a must-have grooming treatment, but which technique is best? BAZAAR asked two brow experts to explain the differences between waxing and threading.

#1. Waxing:

The pros 
Last year, Benefit performed five million waxing services. It has over 1,400 brow bars worldwide, and the demand is ever increasing for perfectly shaped brows. The brand’s make-up artist and brow expert Lisa Potter-Dixon believes waxing gives a more precise result and is less painful. “You can have your brows waxed and tinted within 15 minutes,” she says. If you have thicker, coarser hair, waxing is the best option as it encourages a thinner, softer regrowth.

The cons
“The most obvious complaint about waxing is the temporary red halo it can create around the treated area,” says Shavata Singh, founder of Shavata Brow Studio in Knightsbridge. Applying a cooling aftercare product containing aloe vera will help reduce any redness.

#2. Threading

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The pros
For those with sensitive skin, threading is the preferred method. “It allows for a detailed definition of the brow shape and creates a more natural finish because you’re working closely with individual hairs,” says Singh. Although threading is more painful, this process means that there is no direct contact with your skin, so you’re less likely to have red skin post-treatment.

The cons
The speedy nature of threading can result in reckless hair removal. “Threading is so quick and one wrong hair taken can ruin the whole shape,” says Potter-Dixon. Blink Brow Bar uses a thread-and-tweeze technique, threading the natural brow line and tweezing any stray hairs afterwards to avoid any mistakes.

BAZAAR recommends:

For redness: to calm brows after a treatment, BAZAAR loves Shavata’s Soothing Gel, £5.95, approximately RM32.90 and Blink’s Aloe Vera Gel, £20, approximately RM110.80.

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For coverage: try Benefit’s Brow Zings Brow Shaping Kit, £22, approximately RM121.80 and Bobbi Brown’s Creamy Concealer Kit, £25, approximately RM138.40  to make your brows look perfectly groomed.

For finishing touches: add a sweep of MAC’s Brow Set in Clear, £14, approximately RM77.50  along each brow to fix them into shape.

From: Harper’s BAZAAR UK