We’re sure a lot of you ladies grew up over-plucking your brows — it was the only acceptable way to wear your brows for the longest time! Those continuous years of over-plucking have probably resulted in a not-so-full brow game in your later years.
With big, bushy natural brows being all the rave for the past few years, you’ve probably felt pretty left out and not-so-trendy. Well, lucky for you, there are tons of ways to combat thin and sparse brows, aka microblading or eyebrow tinting. Maybe you’ve got those perfect natural brows but are suffering from some discoloration or whiting of the brows. We think this beard dye DIY hack can serve you well.
Suppose you’re a DIY kinda gal and don’t want to spend the time and money on eyebrow tinting or salon eyebrow dying. In that case, we’re sure you’ve been searching the internet for all kinds of hacks to get those beautiful brown full brows at home. Luckily for you, here at TatBrow, we’ve got all the research right here — all you have to do is read up!
Why Use Beard Dye for Your Brows?
Whether you want to tint your brows for a fuller appearance, or you have some grey or white hairs you want to cover up — beard dye can work for both. Beard dye is used over regular hair dye because it’s made for the face.
Trying to do an at-home eyebrow tint can be a little more challenging compared to dying your brows to cover up greys. You have to be a bit more precise with your application. Obviously, we believe you can do it, but we just want to give you some tips to get the best results.
If You’re Trying To Tint Your Brows
If you’re trying to tint your brows instead of going to a salon, this is everything you need to know.
Preparing the Brows for the Dye
You want to make sure your face (and eyebrows) are extra clean. There should be no makeup, sunscreen, or moisturizer. After thorough washing, you must dry your face very well; you don’t want the dye to pick up any liquid as it can make the dye leak and run anywhere.
Buy a Good Quality Dye
First things first, it’s time to head to the store and head straight to the men’s cosmetics section. You want to invest in a high-quality beard dye. Either way, it shouldn’t be too expensive.
Make Sure You Buy the Right Shade
Picking a high-quality dye is just as important as picking the right shade. If you go too dark, it can leave your brows looking very unnatural. It’s best to go one or two shades lighter than your actual brow. If you don’t see a big enough difference after the first session, you can always go back with a darker color.
Do a Test Patch
Before applying the dye to your entire brow, make sure you do a test stripe. Apply a small amount to the very corner of your eyebrow and let it sit for a few minutes. If, after removal, the area looks like it matches the rest of your brows, then you know you’re in the clear to do the whole brow.
How To Apply It
You may be a bit nervous before the application, which is totally understandable; to help you out, we’re going to walk you through the easy application process.
Add Vaseline Around the Brows
To ensure the dye doesn’t leak outside of the eyebrow area, you want to apply vaseline or an oil-based salve on the skin surrounding your eyebrow. Hair dye is notorious for getting everywhere, and it can be a hassle to remove the dye if it gets on your skin, so it’s crucial not to skip this step.
Mix Dye
Your store-bought dye should come with instructions and a developer. You want to mix in equal amounts of dye and develop into the container and mix until fully combined.
If your dye doesn’t come with a developer or has a developer that is higher than 10-volume, then we suggest buying one that is below that. Anything above 10-volume can be kind of harsh or aggressive. Remember, you’re going to be very close to your eyes, so you don’t want to risk injury.
Don’t Use the Brush Provided
The brush provided in the box dye will be much too big for your eyebrows and makes the application process super messy. Instead, use a clean eyebrow brush or spoolie.
Brush the dye through your hair carefully. We suggest doing it in sections to ensure an extra clean and neat look. The longer the dye sits on your hair, the darker it will leave them. If you have some more sparse areas you like to cover up, then we say leave the dye on those sections for a little longer.
The fronts and the tail on your brow usually need the most TLC. You should start with those and then fill in the middle on your second go-around.
It’s best to take your time; rushing can lead to mistakes, which is the last thing you want. Even if they aren’t dark enough after the first time, you can always go back with a second coat. Just keep in mind, if they’re too dark after the first coat, you’ll be stuck with them until the dye fades naturally.
Set a Timer
To ensure you don’t leave it on for too long or for two different amounts of time, you’ll want to set a timer. We suggest three to four minutes max for the first time. Go back with another coat and leave on for one to two minutes the second time if you want them just a little bit darker.
Washing Off the Dye
Wash off the dye with lukewarm water and a gentle shampoo. Be careful of your eyes. We think this is most easily done if you use a damp washcloth with the shampoo applied to the wet area. Have a clean, dry washcloth at close reach just in case anything gets in your eyes.
If Your Brows Are Too Dark
At first, your eyebrows might look super dark; don’t panic! It’s totally normal for them to look very dark right after you remove the dye; it’s probably because the skin before the hair was dyed slightly during the process. After one washing of your face, the dye should wash away, and your brows will look perfect.
Will It Work?
Now that you know how to dye your brows perfectly, it’s time for us to answer the burning question: is it going to work?
We say it most definitely will. It may be a bit more work and preparation than going to the salon, but your brows will for sure be darker than they were before.
Important Takeaways
We know that was a ton of information to retain, so we want to give you all the important steps to remember before trying this at home.
- Apply vaseline to surrounding skin.
- When deciding how long to leave it on, err on the side of caution the first time.
- Always be careful around your eyes.
- Don’t forget to set a timer.
- Don’t use the brush provided (opt for a spoolie).
- Steer clear of any developer over 10.
TatBrow Tip: to ensure your new brows stay on fleek for as long as possible, try to avoid oil-based cleanser and face washes. It will cause the dye to fade quicker.
Is It Safe?
The most important question: is it safe? Yes, as long as you take the proper precautions, it is totally safe for you to do. Beard dye is formulated for the face, so you shouldn’t have any issues with the formula causing irritation or breakouts (unless you have generally sensitive skin).
The only issue you could run into is dye leaking into your eye area. Still, as long as you apply the vaseline and are extra tedious during the application process, we think you’ll be just fine.
If You Don’t Want To Dye Your Brows
If, after all that reading, you’ve decided that maybe an at-home eyebrow tint is a bit too taxing, then we want to give you some other options.
Microblading
Of course, microblading is much more permanent than a semi-permanent tint and can be much more costly. Still, it’s definitely worth it to many people. You have on-point browsing 24/7, and it’s a one-time thing.
Salon Tinting
If you don’t want to commit to microblading and like the idea of a semi-permanent brow but don’t want to do all the work, you should consider going to a salon. They’ll do all the hard work for you, and you can definitely do it on a budget. The standard cost is between $20 and $30.
DIYs are fun and always the cheapest option, but sometimes it’s good to treat yourself to a salon visit!
Filling in Your Brows Daily
This may be at the bottom of most of your lists, but we don’t think it’s that bad! Yes, filling in your brows daily can feel like a hassle, and it seems like most trends nowadays are trying to find ways to avoid it completely, but we think it has its pros.
When you find a product you really love that leaves your brows looking flawless, it can be hard to drop it for anything else. Today there are so many innovative brow application products that are easy to use and that work great.
From our Microblade Pen to our Ultra Defining Brow Gel, we think it gives you ladies the options to switch it up from time to time. Eyebrows have become a sort of accessory in the past year, so it’s good to have the freedom to change your look if you want.
If you get your eyebrows permanently tattooed on or semi-permanently dyed, you can be stuck with boring brows for months (or even years!). Where’s the fun in that? We think filling in your brows is just as fun and beneficial as tinting them.
In Conclusion
Trying new trends is super fun but can get costly if you go to the salon every month with new requests. We know that you ladies like to save where you can, and that’s why DIY trends are the most fun. It gives you something to do while saving you some hard-earned $$$.
Beard dye for an at-home eyebrow tinting is definitely your best bet. It will leave your brows looking just as perfect as if they were professionally done— that is, as long as you follow all of our tips and tricks!
If, for some reason, your eyebrow tinting doesn’t go as planned and they don’t come out just like you wanted, don’t get too stressed. The dye will fade in a few short weeks, and your brows will be back to normal.
There are tons of important takeaways, but the most important is to have fun. Makeup is meant to make you feel beautiful, so no matter what you decide to do, just make sure it helps you feel confident in your skin.
Sources:
How I Tint My Brows at Home | Byrdie