Brow Lamination 101: What You Need to Know

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If you enjoy scrolling beauty trends on Tik Tok, chances are you’ve seen brow lamination popping up on your feed. Fluffy yet structured laminated brows only continue to increase in popularity, but…what exactly is brow lamination?

To understand just what laminated brows are, this blog answers all your questions about this latest brow trend.

What is brow lamination?

Brow lamination is a semi-permanent treatment that texturizes your brows. A treatment applied to your brows softens and straightens brow hairs, which helps cover gaps while adding the appearance of fullness. Essentially, a brow lamination resets brow hairs into the shape you want.

What are the benefits of brow lamination?

Brow lamination offers several benefits:

Shapes and sets brows: have unruly brow hairs? Brow lamination is perfect for taming brow hairs
Provides the look of fuller brows: brow lamination can provide the look of stronger eyebrows
Makes your eyes look more awake: upright, polished brows open up the eye area
Non-invasive: brow lamination only involves the application of several solutions to brow hairs
Painless: brow lamination causes no discomfort
Natural looking results: brow lamination results are noticeable but not overly dramatic
Alternative to microblading: brow lamination does not involve any tattooing or microincisions to your brows

Where do I go for a brow lamination?

Reputable salons have experienced lash and brow technicians. Do your research first to find an experienced lash and brow technician. View their portfolio of work and read client reviews, to see if you like their work and if clients feel comfortable in their salon.

Know that any trusted and experienced brow technician will consult with you first before you receive any sort of treatment. This consultation allows you to discuss your desired beauty goals and any concerns you may have. A consultation also allows the brow technician to tailor the treatment to your specific needs.

Here’s a helpful tip: bring in some photos of brow lamination results you like, so you and your brow technician can discuss.

What is the brow lamination process like?

First, your brow tech will clean your brows and eye area, removing any dirt, oil, and makeup. Next, they will apply a relaxing cream, to soften brows hairs. To speed up the process, they may apply plastic wrap to your brows.

After the relaxing cream sets in for 5 minutes or so, next a neutralizer cream, also known as setting cream, is applied to lock in the new shape. The setting cream sits in your brows for several minutes. During this time, your brow technician uses a clean spoolie (eyebrow brush) to further brush your eyebrow hairs into their desired shape.

After this, your brows are now set. The brow technician may tweeze any stray hairs. Note that it’s best to avoid trimming any long brow hairs—after all, the goal of brow lamination is fluffy yet natural looking brows, and trimmed eyebrow hairs can interfere with the look.

Lastly, a conditioning treatment applied to your newly laminated brows nourishes brow hairs. Your brow technician should provide you with a brow conditioning treatment that you can take home.

Does brow lamination hurt?

No, brow lamination does not hurt. At most, you may feel a mild tingling sensation as the solutions set your brows into place.

Are there any risks with brow lamination?

Since brow lamination is a chemical treatment, it is possible to overprocess your brow hairs, making them weak and frazzled looking. This can result from either poor brow lamination techniques, or having your brows laminated too often.

To avoid overprocessed brows, always seek a trained professional. Only have your brows laminated every once in a while.

How often can I have my brows laminated?

While several sources recommend laminating your brows every 6 to 8 weeks, some professionals recommend waiting longer, up to 8 to 10 weeks. This can help prevent your brows from becoming overprocessed. If you note falling or missing brow hairs, that’s a sign to take a break from brow lamination.