There are a lot of brow services out there, and if you’ve never been to a brow-focused salon before, the menu can be confusing. Waxing, threading, lamination, tinting, what’s the difference? And more importantly, which one do you actually need?
We’ve been doing this for years at our salons in Santa Monica, Brentwood, and Austin, and the question we get asked more than anything else is: “What should I book?”
The honest answer is that it depends on what your brows look like right now and what you want them to look like when you leave. So let’s break it down.
Start With Your Brows, Not the Service
Before you look at any menu, take a good look at your brows. What’s actually going on with them? That tells you where to start.
If your brows are overgrown or messy
You’ve got hair growing where you don’t want it, between your brows, above them, below the arch, wherever. The shape is hidden under all that extra growth. You need hair removal first. That means waxing or threading. Either one works. Waxing is faster for bigger cleanups. Threading is more precise and better if your skin is sensitive. Both give you the same end result, clean, shaped brows.
If your brows are thin, sparse, or patchy
Maybe you over-tweezed in the past. Maybe they just grow that way. Either way, removing more hair isn’t going to help you, you need to work with what you have and make it look like more. That’s where brow lamination comes in. It lifts and sets your hairs so they lay flat and full, covering gaps and making thin brows look thicker. Add a tint and you’ve got brows that look fuller without any makeup.
If your brows are light-colored or hard to see
Blonde, red, grey, if your brow hairs are there but you can barely see them, you don’t need shaping. You need color. Brow tinting deposits semi-permanent dye onto your hairs so they actually show up. It makes a bigger difference than most people expect. Suddenly you have brows.
If your brows are fine but you want less daily effort
Your brows are decent. You just spend too much time filling them in or brushing them into place every morning. Lamination solves this, your brows stay styled for weeks without you touching them. Pair it with a tint and you can skip brow makeup entirely.
The Four Main Services, Explained Simply
Here’s what each service actually does, without the marketing fluff.
Eyebrow Waxing
What it does: Removes unwanted hair using warm wax. Cleans up the shape quickly.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Lasts: 3-4 weeks
Best for: Overgrown brows, general shaping, people who want quick results
Eyebrow Threading
What it does: Removes hair using twisted cotton thread. More precise, hair by hair.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Lasts: 3-4 weeks
Best for: Detailed shaping, sensitive skin, people who want precision
Brow Lamination
What it does: Lifts and sets your brow hairs in place so they look fuller and stay styled.
Time: 45-60 minutes
Lasts: 6-8 weeks
Best for: Thin brows, unruly brows, anyone who wants that fluffy brushed-up look
Brow Tinting
What it does: Deposits semi-permanent color onto your brow hairs.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Lasts: 4-6 weeks
Best for: Light or grey brows, adding definition without makeup
Most People Need a Combination
Here’s something the menus don’t always make clear: most people benefit from more than one service at a time.
The most popular combinations we do are:
Wax + Tint: You get your shape cleaned up and color added in one appointment. Takes about 30 minutes. This is what most of our regular maintenance clients book every 3-4 weeks.
Lamination + Tint: The full transformation. Your brows are lifted, set, and colored. You walk out looking like you have twice as many brow hairs. This is what people book when they’re tired of doing their brows every morning.
Thread + Tint: Same as wax + tint, just with threading instead. Good choice if you have sensitive skin or prefer that method.
First time? If you’ve never had professional brow services before, start with a wax or thread to get your shape right. You can always add tinting or lamination later once you know what you like. There’s no pressure to do everything at once.
How to Decide Between Waxing and Threading
This is probably the most common question we get, and the answer is pretty simple: they do the same thing differently.
Choose waxing if: You want it done fast, you have a lot of cleanup to do, or you don’t have particularly sensitive skin.
Choose threading if: You have sensitive or acne-prone skin, you want really precise shaping, or you’ve had reactions to wax before.
Some people try both and develop a preference. Some people switch depending on the season or what their skin is doing that month. There’s no wrong answer here.
When Lamination is Worth It (And When It’s Not)
Lamination has gotten really popular, and for good reason, it makes a noticeable difference for the right brows. But it’s not for everyone.
Lamination is worth it if:
• Your brows are thin or sparse and you want them to look fuller
• Your brow hairs grow in different directions and won’t lay flat
• You spend time every morning styling your brows with gel or pomade
• You want that fluffy, brushed-up look without daily effort
Lamination might not be necessary if:
• Your brows are already thick and full
• You’re happy with your brows after just a wax or thread
• You don’t mind doing them with makeup every day
If you’re on the fence, ask us when you come in. We’ll take a look at your brows and tell you honestly whether lamination would make a difference for you or not.
A Note About Tinting
Tinting is probably the most underrated service we offer. People overlook it because it seems simple, just adding color. But for anyone with light brows, it’s a total game changer.
Here’s what happens: the tint colors all your brow hairs, including the tiny fine ones you can’t see. Suddenly those invisible hairs are visible, and your brows look twice as full. You didn’t grow new hair, you just made the hair you have actually show up.
The color lasts about 4-6 weeks, fading gradually. It’s low-commitment and low-maintenance. If you’ve never tried it, it’s worth adding to your next wax or thread appointment just to see the difference.
What to Book for Your First Visit
If you’ve read this far and still aren’t sure, here’s a simple starting point:
Your brows are messy or overgrown? Book an eyebrow wax or threading.
Your brows are thin or light? Book a brow lamination with tint.
Not sure? Book a wax or thread for your first visit. When you’re in the chair, tell your artist what you’re hoping for and they’ll guide you from there. That’s literally what we’re here for.
Book Your Appointment
We have three locations, Santa Monica, Brentwood in Los Angeles, and Austin, Texas. All of our artists specialize in brows. That’s all we do, all day, every day.
Questions? Check out our guide for first-timers or call any of our locations. We’re happy to help you figure out what’s right for you.
