The eyes, as the cliche goes, are the windows to the soul. Beautiful, wide eyes have always been a trend, lending character to the face and giving the wearer a deep, meaningful expression. But in actual fact, it’s the eyelashes and eyebrows which do all the heavy lifting, accentuating the eyes and making them appear brighter and larger by drawing attention to these key beauty features.
The brows, in particular, help us express moods and show off personality, communicating those subtle (or sometimes not so subtle) differences the eyes can’t. Brows are also key style indicators — across the decades, they’ve moved from thin and hidden to big and bushy and now, most commonly, bold and shaped.
To get that defined brow shape and colour that 2024 is all about uses two methods that, in practice, are almost as old as time themselves. In this blog, we’ll delve into brow lamination and hybrid staining, two popular techniques that have gained a lot of attention on the international beauty scene.
Brow Lamination: Elevating the Arch
Brow lamination is a technique designed to enhance the natural beauty of eyebrows. It involves a semi-permanent process that redirects the eyebrow hairs, creating a more defined and lifted appearance. The procedure typically includes the use of a specially formulated solution to set the brow hairs in the desired direction. The result is a well-groomed, fuller look that lasts for weeks.
Hybrid Stain: A Fusion of Colour and Shape
On the other hand, a hybrid stain combines the benefits of brow tinting and microblading. This technique not only imparts colouration to the eyebrows but also creates hair-like strokes to fill in sparse areas, providing a fuller and more defined look. The combination of tinting and microblading ensures a seamless blend of colour and shape, resulting in a naturally enhanced brow that can last for an extended period.
The technique is close to henna brows, which also involves tinting and shaping the brow, for a look that lasts around six weeks. The practice dates back to ancient Egypt and India, eventually working its way around the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. Today, it's still used in parts of the world as part of wedding and festival celebrations.
Choosing between brow lamination and hybrid staining
So, how do you choose between the two? Well, there are a number of points to consider, depending on your beauty routine and the desired look you’re after.
- Technique
Brow lamination involves the restructuring of eyebrow hairs using a lifting solution whilst hybrid staining combines tinting and microblading techniques to add colour and definition. In essence, lamination is about using what you have to your fullest advantage, giving your brows a glossy look — just as if they had been a laminated glossy poster (although no plastics are used)!
Hybrid staining uses colour to bring the brow out and removes arrant or stray hairs, which gives a clearer definition to the eyebrow, lending a strong, well-shaped appearance.
- Duration
Brow lamination is a semi-permanent solution that lasts for several weeks before another treatment is required. In comparison, hybrid staining provides longer-lasting results than traditional tinting but may require occasional touch-ups along the way.
- Maintenance
As a treatment, brow lamination is fairly permanent as long as it lasts, requiring minimal maintenance and allowing clients to enjoy a groomed look effortlessly. Hybrid staining, as mentioned above, may need touch-ups to retain colour.
- The look
Essentially, brow lamination will give the user a lifted eyebrow with uniform, smooth hairs. Hybrid staining, on the other hand, is better for a darker eyebrow where the eyebrow shape needs a trim
Which one is better?
Choosing between brow lamination and hybrid staining depends on individual preferences and desired outcomes. Brow lamination is ideal for those seeking a lifted and groomed appearance, while hybrid staining is perfect for individuals looking for a more defined and lasting enhancement. Hybrid staining will also benefit those with lighter eyebrow colours aiming to darken their brows or create a more stylised, less ‘wild’ look.
Conclusion
Ultimately, whichever treatment you choose will depend on the look you’re after. Both treatments can be taken together if you’re looking for a complete eyebrow treatment, and they can also be paired with eyelashes. The effect in either case is bold, striking eyelashes and brows that help frame the eye, giving a tidy appearance and shifting the focus to these all-important visual features.
If you want to learn a little more about the techniques used, or just find someone to talk to about your own beauty routine, The Beauty Parlour are experts in all things eyes, whether its brow lamination and hybrid staining or henna brows, eyebrow shaping and tinting, waxing or eyelash lifting. We also offer combination packages if you’re after a few of our services at once. Feel free to reach out to us about your enquiry or book an appointment if you know what you’re after.