I tried a HD Brows treatment and it’s not your average tint and wax

Like most, I went a really long time without having my brows tended to this year.

And while I too did my best to DIY with an at-home tint and careful under-only plucking, there’s really nothing quite like a professional working their brow ninja wax-on wax-off.

So when I was invited to try the HD Brows treatment at Ciara Gallagher Eyebrows, I couldn’t get myself to Bondi Junction fast enough.

No idea what a HD Brows treatment is? Neither did I, but turns out it’s a bit different to your average eyebrow appointment...

What is a HD Brows treatment?

HD Brows is actually the trademark of High Definition Brows Ltd, and claims the title of the UK's number one salon treatment for brows. Ciara, who hails from Ireland, underwent the intensive HD Brow training program in the UK before setting up shop in Sydney.

In a nutshell, the treatment itself is a brow shaping and tinting service with all the trimmings. You’ll have a bespoke consultation about your brows (the history, plus your hopes and dreams for the future) before getting started with the tint. This is then followed by a wax, and then some threading above the entire brow area, before a final precise pluck of strays and complete style.

See? All the trimmings.

How I found the HD brow treatment

This was my first time at Ciara Gallagher Eyebrows, and not only was it conveniently located five minutes from Bondi Junction station, but the studio itself is a beautifully styled little oasis. Ciara was so lovely and warm, and most definitely knew her sh*t about brows (guess that happens when you’ve been doing it for over a decade).

After we spoke about my furry fellas—bit scraggly from lockdown, sparse at the front and down for a deep tint—Ciara set to work crafting the perfect colour before applying. Me? I laid there.

Tint developed and removed, we moved on to the wax. All the very same and swift as I’d experienced at other salons. But next came threading, something I of course knew about, but had never had done myself. Wow, it feels weird. 

For those unfamiliar with it, twisted cotton thread is rolled over the skin to capture and remove the hairs. It kind of felt like someone was going over my forehead with sticky tape, slowly removing a bunch of my hairs at once. I wouldn’t say it hurt, but there’s some discomfort there that I suppose you’d get used to the more often you go. 

One thing is for sure though, my entire forehead felt so damn smooth for weeks afterwards. I’d like to believe it has a slight dermaplaning effect, too.

The shaping was then finished with a little trim of my longer hairs, and a pluck here and there for extra precision. 

For styling, Ciara took my preferences into consideration and taught me how to pencil-in the way I like (feathery and natural) before adding some gel for hold, and concealer to finish.

HD Brows treatment results

After months of not having my brows done I was stoked with how my HD Brows treatment looked. The finish kind of reminded me of when I had my brows microbladed (so damn precise) but a lot more feathery and natural because there was no tattooing. 

I like to go quite dark with my tint to begin with (because I’m a religious double cleanser), so the colour was ideal and lasted so much longer than the home stuff I’d been using. It’s now been a few weeks after my treatment and my brows are still nicely defined with only a few strays creeping back from underneath the arch. I’ll definitely get away with a few more weeks before another treatment, so I’d say six weeks as your average lasting time is pretty accurate.

And in actual fact, my forehead area has felt the smoothest for the longest, so the inclusion of threading is definitely a perk and what sets this treatment apart for me.

If you’re someone who takes their brows seriously, I think it’s worth sussing out. Prices start at $68 for new customers and $58 for returning customers.

You can book at ciaragallaghereyebrows.com/

Main image credit: @perrieedwards 

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