Beauty Makeup Tips

The 5-Step Tweezing Method Will Give You Pro-Grade Brows Without a Salon Appointment

Zoe Weiner

June 10, 2020

For as long as I can remember, I've had a standing appointment every two weeks to get my eyebrows done and my upper lip waxed. Blame genetics (thanks, Dad), but if I go any longer without a visit to the pros I wind up with a very obvious unibrow and five o'clock shadow. While some people are able to rock this look and make it look cool, I am sadly not one of them.

So understandably, after a month and a half in quarantine, I was feeling some pretty major separation anxiety from my usual team of hair removal specialists. But thanks to technology (read: Zoom), they were able to pay me a visit in my bathroom to walk me through exactly how to shape my brows.In this episode of Zoe Tries It All, brow superstar Joey Healy and Flamingo Wax general Manager Allie Melnick schooled me on how to tweeze my brows and wax my mustache without the help of a professional. Both parties left me with so many tips and tricks for how to DIY the treatments that I may never need to step into a salon again.

When it comes to doing your eyebrows, Healy has a five-step process to ensure that you're getting rid of any errant hairs without screwing with their shape. You'll need a spoolie, a set of tweezers, and some scissors, plus a little bit of brow gel and powder to really perfect the look. And one last secret weapon he swears by? A facial razor to do away with any extra stubble.

Before you start tweezing or trimming, he says that the most important thing you can do is measure. Using your tweezers as a guide, gauge exactly where you want your brows to begin and end, and pay special attention to where the arches ought to be. And his top piece of advice? "If you're not sure about a hair, leave it," he says.

As far as waxing goes, Melnick explains that taking the proper steps before you start ripping out your hair is critical for getting it right. "Make sure your skin is set up for success," she says. "If you're on retinoids or using any products that are sensitive for your skin, talk to your doctor or stop using them a few days ahead of time." Plus, you'll want to do a patch test (somewhere other than your face) to ensure you won't have any sort of reaction to the wax.

You'll want to start with clean, dry skin—you can use micellar water to clear away any leftover lotion of cream—and work with pre-loaded wax strips, like the Flamingo Face Wax Kit ($10), to make the process as easy as possible. Then, it's time to take a deep breath and get to waxing.

Having spent more hours and dollars on professional hair removal services than I would like to calculate or admit, these 101 lessons made me realize just how easy it is to do them on your own. Don't believe me? Press play on the video above to bring Healy and Melnick's hair removal expertise into your bathroom too.