As a hairy person, brow-care is something I always have, and continue, to dread. The whole reason we get it done is because society has dumb standards of beauty, I know, but I still do it. It looks better. Unfortunately, no options are pain-free—and laser hair removal is way too expensive for the average college student. We’re really faced with two options: waxing, or threading?
Well, lucky for you, I’ve tried out both the popular options for brow care, so hopefully, I can divulge a little information to you. I will be comparing the two arts of brow-craft based on five elements: price, pain, irritation, speed, and results. I’ll then conclude which I feel is the most worth it based on all these factors, and which I will continue doing in the future. Naturally, all of this is based on my experiences. Compared to some of you, I might have a high tolerance for pain. Others might think I’m a baby. So, be sure to take my opinions with a grain of salt. Let’s get started!
Courtesy: World Tanning Club
Waxing:
I started getting my brows waxed in middle school. My mom did some at-home maintenance at first. I distinctly remember sitting on the counter in my mom’s bathroom, nervous. When she ripped the strip from my skin, I leaned away and exclaimed in pain. My sister was in the room just so she could laugh at my suffering. Needless to say, it was not a good first experience.
A little later, my mom decided I should try it with a professional. While I absolutely loathed getting my eyebrows done my mom assured me that this would somehow hurt less. Instead of warming the wax between her hands, wax from a vat would be applied to my skin. I didn’t understand how it could be any less painful, but I reluctantly agreed. I didn’t cry out this time, but I did tear up. I’m fairly certain I have sensitive eyes, as they water up quite easily with wind or even while lying on my side in bed. Still, it was clearly a memorable event for the woman doing my eyebrows, because each subsequent time I came in, she seemed to know exactly who I was. My mom may or may not have been there poking fun at me as well, so that might have been part of it. (For the record, this is no shade at my mother. My family constantly teases one another. But it is shade at my sister. You traumatized me, Erin. (I’m kidding, I’m kidding).)
We eventually switched shops due to a substantial price difference. While I never found myself enjoying the experience, and it still hurt every time, I think I adjusted to it. Even if I dreaded the hour before the appointment, it was rare to be in there for over ten minutes. When I just get my lip done, it’s even faster. They do one side, the other side, and then they’re done. After having a fiasco where I somehow destroyed my upper lip with a self-wax kit (don’t ask, because I don’t know how), I’ve decided it’s a quick alternative to plucking or trying it myself, and it’s not too expensive either.
Courtesy: Groupon
Threading:
I only started getting my brows threaded a year or two ago. When I was younger this wasn’t a problem, but within the past several years, whenever I would get a wax, I would get irritation bumps. It wasn’t too much of a problem around my lip, but it was around my brows. I’d be excited that the hairy beast had been tamed, but at least a few days afterward, a bumpy beast would take its place. To me, this was even worse.
My mom mentioned threading as an alternative. I had heard from a couple of friends that they did threading instead of waxing, so I decided to look into it. I was pleased to see that most people reported less skin irritation, which totally makes sense, as waxing is basically ripping a layer of skin off. A girl I knew from high school even said she thought it hurt less than waxing. This combination seemed too good to be true, so I made an appointment. It definitely was too good to be true.
Waxing rips a fine layer of skin off, yes, but it’s done all at once. Threading, on the other hand, only takes care of a row of hair at a time. It’s basically extreme plucking, and it hurts like hell. They tell you to pull at your skin, as stretching it out creates better access to the area and as a result less pain, but it is still quite painful to me. After I got it done that first time, I left thinking I would stick to waxing, and that it was nice to try new things.
But it wasn’t how good my brows looked that brought me back. Normally, when I would get a wax, I would have to plan my entire day around it, as my skin would be bright red for hours after. After threading, my redness went away quickly, probably within the hour. There wasn’t the residual sting or numbness either—my skin felt the way it had when I first walked in, just a little more glabrous. I didn’t get irritation bumps either (and since then, I’ve only gotten irritation bumps once). And somehow, perhaps most surprisingly, my brows looked good longer than they did when I waxed them. It wasn’t the process that kept me threading, it was the results. However, I still get my lip waxed instead. The area is already more sensitive and hurts more than when I get my brows waxed. Since threading hurts even more than waxing, I’d rather take the alternative.
So, what takes the cake then?
Courtesy: Word Press
Price: Naturally, there are super expensive waxing places and super expensive threading places. But in my experience, waxing is at least $5 cheaper than threading. This round goes to waxing.
Pain: For me, threading is definitely more painful than waxing. So, if we reverse code (as in the least pain wins), this round also goes to waxing.
Irritation: Threading irritates my skin exponentially less. Afterwards, I’m red for less than half the time, my skin isn’t numb, and I (usually) don’t get irritation bumps. This round goes to threading.
Speed: Threading usually takes between 10-20 minutes. Waxing usually takes between 5-10 minutes. This round goes to waxing.
Results: Going off what I already stated in the irritation category, the results of threading last longer than the results of waxing. This round goes to threading.
If we went by percentages, waxing would win. However, in my book, threading won the two most important categories (though the price is a very close third): irritation and results. I would personally rather spend a little more time and money for better, longer-lasting, good-looking brows. If I need a quick fix and don’t have time to schedule an appointment with my threading-lady—sure, I’ll get a wax. But strictly speaking of brows, threading is my new go-to.