What is eyebrow lamination?

As a BeautyTok watcher, I can confirm with 100% certainty that brow lamination is taking over my feed. Some are sharing their oddly satisfying brow treatments in the office, while others are posting "how-to" tutorials for at-home brow lamination kits. What they all have in common is "long-lasting, fluffy, bushy, flat brows with perfectly defined hairs throughout."

"Eyebrow lamination is a chemical eyebrow treatment process that aims to remove curl, kinks, and texture from the brows and straighten them," explains brow specialist Joey Healy (opens in new tab).

"The end result is fluffy, but because all the hairs are maximized in length, they become fringed, making the brows appear very high."

With a few seconds of editing, the procedure may seem like an easy and uneventful process, but it is not always that simple. Before you start applying mystery gel or saran wrap to your eyebrows, you need to be aware of the chemicals, important preparation steps, and *very* important aftercare. Read on to find out all the information and to find out if you are a candidate for the treatment. If in the end this doesn't sound like the right eyebrow treatment for you, check out our expert backup guide to eyebrow microshading and microblading.

Simply put, brow lamination is a brow perm. Says brow specialist Elke von Freudenberg, "[Brow lamination] changes the direction of the hairs and the shape of the hairs themselves."

The straight hair look is achieved in two separate steps. First, a chemical solution is applied to break down the bonds in the hair. Once it is applied with a brush (it looks like white goo), the technician layers old-fashioned saran wrap over the top to maintain the shape. Healy adds, "Then a neutralizing agent is applied so that the bonds in the hair are modified into this new straight, laminated look." Ultimately, eyebrows should become thicker and fuller, and all curly and frizzy hair will be straightened."

A new at-home option is also on the market (more on that later), but this is usually done in a salon and takes approximately 30-40 minutes from start to finish. The effects last four to eight weeks, and the cost ranges from $70 to $200, depending on the location.

First and foremost, you must decide if you are interested in an eyebrow lamination. On a more technical level, a good candidate would be someone with naturally long, strong brows with an "unruly" texture. Healy adds that brow lamination should never be done on tanned or spray-tanned skin.

While you may want to go all out with brow lamination, those with sensitive skin or sparse brows should think twice. Healy warns, "If you know you have sensitive skin, you may want to have a patch test done by a specialist before the procedure."

"Also, if your eyebrows are already brittle, fine, or vulnerable, this process can strip and damage the hairs."

There is also the risk of not liking the final result. 'This is the negative I have experienced the most, some people just don't like it and there is no way to undo it. It has to go away and mellow out on its own. There's no button to undo it," he says.

If you have an eyebrow lamination appointment, avoid waxing, trimming, or plucking. "I recommend not trimming or cutting your eyebrows for at least two to four weeks. It is a good idea to leave the newly grown hairs in place. Because I can usually incorporate those hairs into the look to create a fuller brow," says von Freudenberg. Healy advises avoiding benzoyl peroxide, acids, and retinol for 48 hours before the appointment date.

Specific aftercare instructions will vary depending on the products used by the practitioner. In general, however, the eyebrows should not be wet for one to two days. If the brows feel a bit dry, natural oils (coconut, grapeseed, castor oil, etc.) can be used to moisturize the area.

Von Freudenberg also recommends grooming eyebrows daily. He says, "Eyebrows can still be brushed and moved around (for a few days), but they should not be brushed and moved around as much as they should be brushed.

The problem here is that social media inherently makes home kits look easy and effortless. In reality, however, there is a risk of leaving the solution on for too long, permanently damaging your eyebrows, and getting chemicals in your eyes. Your best bet is to see a professional with years of eyebrow lamination experience.

Additionally, professional treatments are more likely to yield better results. Says von Freudenberg, "I do about eight laminations a day, so I know from experience what solutions will work and what results to expect from the condition and texture of a client's brows." 'Based on my training, I can make adjustments as needed. Most home kits are one size fits all and have very minimal instructions. I am very careful."

If you're not ready to take the plunge and sign up for a semi-permanent option, you can get the same straightforward effect by choosing your brow products carefully. Healy recommends using a clear, buildable brow gel, such as Joey Healy Brow Structure Clear Set.

"Sometimes, I like to apply the brow gel and then, while it's still wet, use the Joey Healy Elite Sculpting Tweezer to bring it all together a little bit.

Another option is to use soap. For the strongest hold, an old theatrical trick has "soapy" eyebrows. It is often used to hold hair in place in the theater and lasts for hours," says Van Freudenberg. 'Clear or golden soap is applied to the eyebrows with a dry spoolie. The hairs stay in place much longer than with traditional brow gel or brow wax."

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