A Complete Guide to Brow Lamination

Also known as the “eyebrow perm,” brow lamination is a semi-permanent treatment that takes unruly or thinning eyebrows and gives them a fuller, lifted, slick “soap brow” look for up to two months. Originating in Russia and now a worldwide procedure, celebrities such as Lizzo have popularized the trend. It’s different from microblading, as it doesn’t require needles and doesn’t use any coloring to fill your brows, and the procedure is super easy, usually wrapping up in an hour or less. Here, L’OFFICIEL rounds up everything you need to know about brow lamination. But beware, it’s not recommended to DIY brow lamination because it requires professional-grade ingredients, so read carefully to learn everything you need to know about the in-office treatment.

First, a cream will be applied to your eyebrows to lift your hairs, then your provider will brush your brow hairs upward for the lifted brow look. Next, they will apply a neutralizer to help your brows stay in place, and lastly, oil will be applied to prevent your skin from becoming dry or irritated from the chemicals. Afterward, your provider may tweeze stray hairs or wax your brows for an arched look, and you can even get them tinted if you desire a different color than your natural one. See how simple that is?

Brow lamination is great for brows with thinning hair, gaps that are either natural or from overplucking, unruly hairs that you can’t control, and eyebrows that lack shape, creating the appearance of fuller, growing brows.

Plus, the treatment is non-invasive compared to other eyebrow filling procedures and seems to be cheaper, costing around $50 to $100, depending on your location and providers.

Unlike other eyebrow procedures, this treatment is temporary. Plus, if overused, the chemicals in the treatment can potentially damage your brow hair, so you’ll want to book appointments for touch-ups about six weeks to a few months apart, but no sooner.

Additional drawbacks could be skin irritation from the chemicals, including swelling, redness, bumps, peeling, or itching around the eyebrow area that might possibly even spread to your eyelids, or cause severe eye damage if the chemicals get into your eyes while the treatment is happening, so be cautious.

If you have a history of sensitive skin, rosacea, eczema, or contact dermatitis, this treatment may not be for you, but contact your doctor before making any decisions.

Brows can be laminated in different ways and shapes, so if there’s a specific look you’re going for, make sure to show it to your provider.

Think of how perming your hair can lead to possibly dryness and damage—it’s the same for eyebrow lamination. So, make sure to time out your appointments at least six weeks apart or more, depending on how your brows have held up from the previous procedure. To keep your full brows lasting longer, you can apply a clear brow wax every day.

Post-procedure, try to avoid water and steam (yes, that means shower before), sweating, makeup, and skincare products for 72 hours, as your hairs will be settling into their new look. But after 24 hours, feel free to brush them to soften the intense look of the straight brows. Additionally, to prevent general dryness, you’ll want to apply an oil or cream nightly over your brows.