How To Wax Eyebrows at Home Like a Pro

January 21, 2022 • Emily LaCroix • eyebrows

No matter what your preferred style of brow is, you probably do some type of brow grooming, (unless you’re very dedicated to the natural look, which we totally respect). But since many of us either can’t pull that off or prefer something a little more structured, keeping your brows neat and shaped can be painful, time-consuming, and often costly.

If you pluck your brows at home, you know how much it can hurt. And you probably also know the feeling of pure, unadulterated rage when you finish plucking your brows to perfection indoors, step out into the sun, get into the car, look in your mirror and see all of the tiny hairs that you totally missed without the benefit of natural light.

On the other hand, there’s threading and waxing. But because eyebrow hair has the tendency to grow annoyingly fast, it means a regular appointment at your local salon. Not to mention the fact that while the price for one waxing sesh often feels affordable, if you have thick brows and have to go even every couple of weeks, it starts to add up!

So what’s left? Other than shaving your brows off entirely and embracing that Whoopi Goldberg look or drawing them on, you do still have choices. One of those choices is waxing your eyebrows at home! While it still might sting a bit, it’s more affordable than professional waxing and more reliable and long-lasting than at-home plucking. So let’s talk about how to wax eyebrows at home.

What Do You Need To Prepare?

Other than the mental fortitude to rip off the wax strip yourself knowing it’s going to sting, there are a few things you should keep in mind before you go about waxing your eyebrows at home. The first and most important is getting your equipment together!

Often, the cheapest and simplest way to get everything you need to wax your eyebrows is to buy a brow waxing kit from a trusted retailer. The kit should include a few essentials, although there may be some variation: a pre-wax cleanser, a wax warmer, wooden applicators, and strips to adhere to the wax. You’ll also need a couple of aftercare implements, namely a wax remover and something soothing to apply to your skin after you’re done waxing.

If you’d prefer to pick your equipment individually, you can do that too! It’s also useful to keep some tweezers and tiny scissors on hand to do any post-wax trims or plucks. As with any beauty equipment, you’ll also want to spend a little time getting familiar with how to clean anything that isn’t disposable. Waxing can leave your skin vulnerable to infection or irritation, so keeping things clean is a must.

Before you actually begin waxing your brows, you’ll want to make sure they’re as clean as possible. Remove any and all makeup from your brows and brush your eyebrows straight with a brow brush. You’ll want to use your scissors to trim any hairs that fall outside of your intended brow shape so you don’t accidentally pick them up with the wax when you apply it.

How To Wax Eyebrows

After you’ve gotten your equipment together and prepared your brows by cleaning and trimming them, it’s time to get down to business! While it might feel a bit daunting the first time you wax your eyebrows on your own, there’s no need to panic. It’s a pretty straightforward process.

First, Warm Your Wax

We’d recommend using a cream wax, which will be gentler on the sensitive skin around your eyes. When the wax is heated to the right temperature, it should have the consistency of honey—and it should be warm rather than boiling hot. If your pot of wax looks more like a deep fryer full of oil, you’ve gone too far.

Next, Apply Your Wax

You should use the wooden applicator supplied with your kit or the one you’ve chosen. Apply the wax thinly—this is not a face mask where you want to apply a thick, nourishing layer!—around the area of your brow you wish to remove hair from. You’ll want to sweep it on in the same direction your hair grows.

Apply Your Fabric Strip

Press the fabric down to the wax. Again, you’ll want to apply it in the same direction your hair grows. If you’re a perfectionist, it might be oh-so-tempting to cut the fabric strip in the exact right size—but you’ll want to be sure to leave a little extra at the end so you have something to pull! Smooth the strip down firmly until it is smooth, and let it cool for about 15 seconds.

Rip It Off!

Once the strip has cooled, you’ll want to hold your skin taut with one hand. This will help prevent removal from being too painful! Then, with your other hand (we recommend your dominant hand so you can give it a good, firm yank) pull the strip back in one quick motion. This time, you’ll pull it off in the opposite direction of your hair growth. It may take a couple of at-home waxing experiences to get up the courage required to get it off in one smooth motion, but that’s the aim. Practice makes perfect!

Clean It Up

You can use the wax removal solution or your preferred cleanser to get rid of any wax that may be lingering on your skin. You can also pluck out any hairs that may have escaped the wax with tweezers, and do a little extra trimming if you have some areas of your brow that look a bit unruly. Your brow area may look red, but it should look neat!

Calm It Down

It’s definitely important not to skimp on aftercare. It can make a huge difference in how your skin responds to waxing and can help to decrease your recovery time, especially if you have sensitive skin that stays red for ages after you wax.

You can use a facial oil, moisturizer, or specific post-wax salve or balm around your eyebrow area after you’ve waxed and cleaned it. This will just keep everything hydrated and healthy so that your skin recovers quickly, rather than remaining raw and vulnerable to irritation or infection.

In Conclusion

Waxing your eyebrows at home can seem like a task best left to beauty bloggers and Instagram models, but it’s actually a fairly easy procedure to replicate on your own! While it may take a few tries to get it right, and the expense upfront in buying the equipment can be a bit steeper than a single salon visit, once you’re waxing your brows at home like a pro, you’ll be glad you invested in yourself and your brows! It’ll save you money over time, and you’ll never have to worry about booking a salon appointment at the last minute again.

You can have perfect, tidy brows any time you want—all you’ll need is a swipe of Ultra Defining Brow Gel when you’re through to thicken up your brows and highlight all your hard work, and you’ll be ready for the day. Or, you know. The Met Gala. Whatever.

Shop the Look

While the majority of this look will come from your at-home waxing equipment, if you want to finish off your newly sculpted brows, here’s what you’ll need!