Two clients walk into our salon with the same request: fuller, more defined brows. One leaves with a tint. The other leaves with a lamination. Both walk out thrilled with their results, but the treatments they received could not be more different.
This happens all the time. Brow tinting and brow lamination are often lumped together as if they do the same thing, but they solve completely different problems. One is about color. The other is about shape. Understanding which one addresses your specific concern is the difference between loving your brows and wondering why you bothered.
The Short Version
If you cannot see your brows clearly because the hairs are too light, blonde, gray, or just lack depth, you need tinting. It adds color.
If your brows have plenty of hair but they grow flat, point downward, stick out in weird directions, or just never look groomed no matter what you do, you need lamination. It changes the direction and hold of your hairs.
If you want both color and shape, you can absolutely combine them. Many of our clients do. But knowing what each treatment actually does helps you understand what you are paying for and whether you need one or both.
What Brow Tinting Does
Tinting is exactly what it sounds like. A semi-permanent dye is applied to your brow hairs to make them darker and more visible. The process takes about fifteen minutes, and you see results immediately.
Think of tinting like coloring your hair. It changes the shade but not the texture, direction, or hold. Your brows will look the same shape as before, just darker and more defined.
This treatment is transformative for people with light colored brows. If you have blonde, red, or gray hairs that disappear against your skin, tinting makes them visible again. Even if your brows are naturally dark, tinting can add depth and make sparse areas look fuller by coloring the fine baby hairs that normally go unnoticed.
At The Brow Fixx, we offer both traditional semi-permanent tints and henna. Regular tints last about three to four weeks on the hair. Henna lasts longer and also stains the skin underneath, which creates a filled-in look that mimics brow makeup. During your appointment, we match the shade to your natural coloring or go a touch darker if you want more impact.
Tinting works best if you have:
Your hairs are there, you just cannot see them. Tinting makes them visible and gives your face more definition without daily makeup.
Tinting covers grays seamlessly and restores a more youthful, uniform color to your brows.
Tinting colors the fine vellus hairs that are normally invisible, creating the illusion of fuller brows.
If you fill in your brows with pencil or powder every day just to make them show up, tinting gives you that finished look without the effort.
What Brow Lamination Does
Lamination is a restructuring treatment. A solution is applied to your brow hairs that softens them and allows them to be repositioned. Your brow artist brushes all the hairs upward and outward into a uniform direction, then sets them in place with a neutralizing solution. The result is that fluffy, brushed-up look that normally requires brow gel and constant fussing.
Think of lamination like a perm, but instead of adding curl, it straightens and lifts your brow hairs so they lay flat in the direction you want. The hold lasts for weeks.
This treatment is a solution for unruly brows. If your hairs grow downward, stick out at odd angles, or refuse to stay in place no matter how much product you use, lamination trains them into a consistent shape. It also creates the illusion of fullness because the hairs are brushed to cover gaps rather than clumping together.
The process takes about forty-five minutes to an hour. Results last six to eight weeks, gradually relaxing as your hairs grow out and new ones come in.
Lamination works best if you have:
If your brows never look groomed no matter what products you try, lamination gives them structure and hold.
Some people have hairs that naturally point down, which can make the eyes look droopy. Lamination lifts them upward.
By repositioning the hairs you do have, lamination can cover sparse areas and make brows appear fuller without adding anything.
If you spend time every morning trying to achieve that feathered, editorial brow style, lamination gives it to you semi-permanently.
How They Compare
| Brow Tinting | Brow Lamination | |
|---|---|---|
| What it changes | Color only | Shape and direction only |
| Best for | Light, blonde, gray, or sparse brows | Unruly, flat, or downward-growing brows |
| Appointment time | 15-20 minutes | 45-60 minutes |
| Results last | 3-4 weeks | 6-8 weeks |
| Aftercare | Minimal | Keep dry 24 hours, then minimal |
When You Need Both
Here is the thing. These treatments are not competing with each other. They address different concerns, which means many people benefit from combining them.
If your brows are both light in color and unruly in texture, getting just a tint will make them darker but still messy. Getting just a lamination will make them neat but still invisible. Doing both gives you color and shape, which is why the combination has become one of our most popular services.
When you book both together, the lamination is done first. Once your hairs are lifted and set in place, the tint is applied. You leave with brows that are darker, fuller looking, and perfectly groomed without needing to touch them for weeks.
Aftercare for Both Treatments
Tinting requires almost no aftercare. Avoid oil-based products around your brows and skip harsh exfoliants in the area, but otherwise you can return to your normal routine immediately.
Lamination needs a bit more attention in the first twenty-four hours. Keep your brows completely dry, avoid makeup and skincare products in the area, and do not rub or touch them. After that initial period, you are good to go. Brush them daily with a spoolie to maintain the shape and apply a brow serum if you want to keep the hairs conditioned.
Both treatments are semi-permanent and fade gradually, so there is no awkward grow-out period. You simply book your next appointment when you notice the color starting to lighten or the hairs starting to relax back into their natural pattern.
Not Sure Which Treatment You Need?
Book a consultation and we will assess your brows and recommend the right service. First time clients receive 15% off.
