Bad brows: how to fix a bad eyebrow tint

Dyed your brows too dark? Try these tips to tame the tint

Bad brows: how to fix a bad eyebrow tint

Dyed your brows too dark? Try these tips to tame the tint.

Eyebrow tinting is a tricky task and achieving the right shade is crucial to avoid looking and feeling a little unlike yourself. We always like to start by saying: go to a professional — but even when you do, things can still go wrong.

1. Take five and breathe (five days that is).

The number one rule for a botched eyebrow tinting is to not stress about the immediate colour. Eyebrow dye always fades within the first week due to the skin’s natural oils and regular showering/cleansing.

2. Is it your eyebrows or your skin?

The second point you should be aware of is the amount of dye pigment left on the skin under the eyebrow hairs.

To remove the excess dye on the underlying skin use an oily (or silicone based) makeup remover, and lightly wipe with a makeup pad. If the pad is left with a brown residue on it, you’re on the right track. When dry this should calm the colour by at least one shade.

SEE ALSO: Chop n’ change: celebrity hair makeovers

3. Clarifying shampoo

If you don’t have a week to wait and need to fix your brows ASAP, the next step is using a clarifying shampoo. Clarifying shampoo is used to strip off the residue build up on your hair caused by hair products and oils, so when you apply it on your eyebrows (with utter care for your eyes of course) it should do the same thing. Brush the product through with an eyebrow brush or old toothbrush and leave on for 60 seconds. Wash to remove.

4. Home recipe

If the dye still won’t go or you’ve waited a little while and your eyebrows are still too dark there is a home-made remedy that some salons also use to remove hair dye. In a 1-to-1 ratio combine baking soda and your normal shampoo to create a thick paste.

Brush on with a foundation brush and leave the paste on your eyebrows for a few minutes, then rinse (the thicker the hair, the more baking soda). Keep in mind it may take a few goes.

5. Facial bleach

We don’t really recommend doing this yourself but if you are game and the dark colour is being persistent, this could be a last result. Facial bleaches are generally a first aid strength hydrogen peroxide, which is quite safe, but of course you have to be extra cautious of your eyes by only

placing a few drops on a cotton pad and wiping your brows lightly. In saying that, we still don’t recommend this and suggest an expert instead (just remember, we told you so).

6. Where to go

If your beauty salon gave you the brows that caused you all this drama, yet you still want to give it one more try, think about going to your hair salon. Hair stylists may be a better starting point due to their rich understanding of the different shades - even better ask them to liase with your beautician for the best result.

Originally published on vogue.com.au

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