Threading

Somebody once told me this was a painless alternative to plucking your eyebrows.  Yeah right.

I finally decided to give it a go when I saw a stand in the middle of a local shopping centre - so it might have been my choice of location as much as the treatment itself.

Essentially the therapist uses a piece of thread pulled taut between his or her fingers and usually their teeth (nice and hygienic), this thread is then looped around any unwanted hairs and, with a little tug, they are pulled out.  Why I should have believed that this would be any less painful than plucking I have no idea.

Not only did it really make my eyes water, and little pin pricks of blood appear, but the therapist also gave me a really stern look when my eyes were watering and then asked if I wanted her to thread my top lip hairs.  As my top lip hairs are completely invisible this was a definite no.  “But you really need it.”  Even if I had needed it I would not be asking this particular therapist to do it, but this kind of comment always annoys me.  I am pretty stubborn, but I still went home and scrutinised the hairs on my top lip for days.  It was only when I polled my friends that I truly relaxed.  But if you were an impressionable teenager this could be the start of a painful and costly dependence on having someone thread your top lip for the rest of your life...

For me it’s back to plucking the occasional stray eyebrow hair (I’ve relaxed on my once uber plucked brows for a more natural look), and trying to let the little arch at the side that is so much in fashion grow back - but it’s slow going.

Anyway I’m going to let you in on two very special eyebrow shaping secrets

I’ve picked up over the years.

1. If you find plucking painful then, before you start, run a flannel under a very hot tap, wring out and then place the still warm flannel against your brow for a minute.  The heat will open the pores, relax the skin and make it much easier to pluck.

2. If you find that your hairs are in the right place but too long, and plucking them might make your brows a bit gappy, don’t pluck - cut.  Just trim them to the perfect length.  A lot of beauticians frown on this, but I read this in advice from a world class plucker (who knew there was such a thing) and it’s made all the difference.  The important thing is to remember to do this only with a few hairs and keep it natural.