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Taylor Thoman / Her Campus
Style > Beauty

The Great Brow Battle: Waxing vs. Threading

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UC Irvine chapter.

The shape of eyebrows can dramatically alter a face, so it only makes sense that they have become the biggest beauty trend over the last few years. From wanting to achieve the perfect arch to Cara Delevingne’s level of fullness, people are obsessed with all things brows. Naturally, there is a debate about the best hair removal method — waxing or threading? Luckily for you, I have tried out both methods and here is my insight into which method will take the brow battle championship. 

Waxing

On the day of my high school’s senior ball, I decided to get my eyebrows waxed. This was my first time doing anything to my brows besides the occasional tweeze so I was very nervous. I went in early in the morning and I was greeted by the technician. We went into a room and she asked me what I wanted done to my brows. I told her that I just wanted my brows shaped and cleaned up. She cleansed my eyebrows then applied a warm wax. I was not expecting the wax to be as warm as it was, so it definitely caught me off guard. After the wax had cooled, she ripped it off quickly. The sensation was unpleasant, but the pain was not that bad. I think that it hurt more after the wax was off than when she was ripping off the wax. The whole process took about ten minutes. My brows were definitely shaped, but they were thinner than I anticipated. Overall, it was a pleasant experience. 

Big tip: I do not recommend getting your brows waxed the day you have an event. Your brows are really red for several hours and I had little bumps that developed around them. 

Threading

I decided to try threading because my mom had been getting her brows threaded for a few years. I was always very hesitant to try threading. I was scared of the pain that would result from getting your brow hair ripped out by pieces of string. But, I convinced myself to give it a try anyways. I went with my mom on a random afternoon. We walked in without an appointment and were seated within two minutes. I told the technician that I just wanted my brows cleaned up. Once she started threading, my eyes started watering. It was painful in the beginning. After all, they are plucking each brow hair at the follicle. However, you quickly get used to the pain. The whole process took about seven minutes. After she finished, she applied a cooling gel, which instantly soothes your brow area. When I looked in the mirror, my brows were much more defined, but the level of thickness still remained. Threading allows for greater precision, resulting in exactly what I wanted. 

So which is best? 

Cost: Threading — $10, Waxing — $20

Pain: Threading — 4/10, Waxing — 2/10 

(I think I have a high pain tolerance, so I am probably not the best person to consult on pain) 

Longer Lasting and More Precise: Threading 

Personally, I prefer threading. The results are the most important factor in determining which eyebrow method reigns supreme and I loved how my brows looked after I got them threaded. Which do you prefer?

Taylor is a fourth year Psychological Sciences and Criminology double major. As a born and raised Northern Californian, she is passionate about the outdoors with hiking and camping being some of her favorite activities. When she is not doing that, she can also be found exploring record shops, watching Netflix, or trying to relive her soccer glory days.