Long gone are the days of thin, overplucked eyebrows that were everywhere in the 90s. Nowadays many are bucking the thicker, fuller trend and there are even special treatments you can get now dedicated to all things brow.
Whether it's waxing, threading, plucking, microblading, lamination or HD eyebrows, there's a treatment to suit you. With so many beauty treatments out there it can be hard to know which one to go for, especially if you're new to the game like me.
I've never been a fan of my eyebrows. I normally just pluck at home and whack on a bit of eyebrow pencil when going out, no fuss, no bother. However, the pain of plucking has often left me either delaying my eyebrow self-care or completely ignoring them altogether, to the point where I finally look at myself in the mirror and utter, 'have my eyebrows really looked that bad this whole time?'
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Earlier this month I was invited to the opening of a new salon in Chester that specialises in first-class skin and eyebrow treatments. After realising I had delayed my eyebrow tidy up a tad too long (messy dark eyebrows on pale skin is never a great look), I decided to take full advantage of the invite to Brow HQ, and to trial one of the treatments.
The salon
Brow HQ opened on The Rows, Bridge Street, in Chester on April 28. The salon was previously based in Hoole, and is owned by Leisa Roberts. The move to the city centre of Chester comes off the back of Brow HQ's triple success despite not being able to open to customers for much of the past two years.
As I headed to my 1pm appointment, I discovered the salon is located on the top part of The Rows and after wandering around in the heat, along with the packed Chester crowds I eventually found it. It's not hard to find, I'm just hopeless when it comes to directions.
First impressions
Walking into the salon felt very calming, especially because it was so noisy outside from the shoppers, and the nearby parades and other speakers that take place at the Cross, at the top of Bridge Street.
Brow HQ almost had a clinical feel, but not in an off putting way. Everywhere had a clean finish, furnishings were sleek, the leather couch which awaited you in reception felt like it hadn't properly been sat on yet. Glass tables showcased the drinks menu, and the latest copies of fashion and beauty magazines. I was almost too frightened to put anything down.
The receptionist greeted me and asked if I liked a drink and then I quickly met Olivia who would be conducting my eyebrow treatment, the Signature Brows - Tint, Shape and Finish.
The salon seats were almost set up in the middle of the floor so I felt a little 'on show' as I was led there and sat down. Other customers were waiting for their treatment in reception but it almost felt like there where sitting right on top of me, so next time I think I'd prefer a section nearer to the back of the salon.
The treatment
Olivia talked through the process, and the treatment began with a cleanse, and then included the mapping out of my brow shape, and showing me the shape she was going to go with in the mirror. Happy with that, Olivia then asked how I wanted my brows to look, and I replied thicker and fuller but tidier mainly.
She got to work with the threading, which I have had done before so I'm used to the pain. I'm not used to the eye-watering though. I was glad I was wearing my trusty MAC stack for this.
For those who don't know, eyebrow threading uses a thin piece of thread to remove eyebrow hair. It's a simple process that requires practice to perfect but has quick, controlled results. I could never do it on myself though.
When the threading was over, Olivia showed me the result and we then discussed the colour of the tint. We heading towards a lighter tint, because I am quite fair even though my eyebrow hair can look dark, and Olivia then began to apply the tint to my brows.
After waiting a few minutes for the tint to set, Olivia then took the tint off and applied serum to the eyebrow area to cool down the redness and slight swelling (which is to be expected) from the threading.
I was so pleased with the final result. I've had my eyebrows tinted before but the resulting colour has always been either too light or too dark, but this time it was just right.
Verdict
The salon is beautiful, clean and professional and I would definitely come back for a more higher end treatment. The treatment I had cost £35 which is a little pricey for me. However, depending upon how often you want your eyebrows tiding up or treated it can actually work out cheaply.
I was happy with my eyebrow colour, shape and thickness and I felt Olivia did a great job with so little to work. Before my eyebrows were sparse and messy but now they have a shape and appear thick thanks to the tint.
My only criticism would be that the tint was not tested on my skin beforehand. I didn't realise this until I had left and luckily I've had eyebrow tints tested on my skin before with no reaction, but every salon is different and therefore uses different products, so I feel this was a bit of an oversight on the day.
Overall however, I can see why Brow HQ has a growing clientele and I'm sure it's going to get even bigger now they are in their new home in the heart of Chester.
