The European Wax Center, a hair removal salon chain with dozens of locations throughout the US, has added a brow tint to its waxing services.

 

Touted as the “perfect makeup-free alternative for sculpting amazing brows,” it lives up to the hype. Last week, I went to the Hoboken location for my first-ever professional eyebrow wax and brow tint. The wax specialist cleaned up my eyebrows with what the franchise calls an “exclusively developed, proprietary hard strip-less comfort wax” from France specifically designed to make waxing more comfortable. After trimming my eyebrows and then removing stray hairs from in between my eyes, underneath and over my eyebrows to clean and shape them, the wax specialist applied a clear brow gel to keep them groomed in place followed by a semi-permanent brow tint, which lasts between 2-3 weeks. It felt painted on with a few brush strokes on each brow. European Wax Center offers brow tints in five shades from blonde to black. Because lighter-haired guests are recommended to go two shades higher and darker consumers one shade higher, I used the medium brown shade, since my eyebrows are a brownish-blonde color by nature. 

 

Like with the wax, the tint adheres to the hair, not the skin, to yield a fuller, bolder look, according to Gina Petak, European Wax Center’s learning program manager. EWC’s brow tint formula is FDA-compliant and ophthalmologist tested, legal in all 50 states and does not legally require its estheticians to obtain any additional certifications, Petak said.

 

After allowing the tint to “sit” for two minutes, I had a good feeling and was anxious to see the result. As I arose, I was handed a handheld mirror and violà: two perfectly sculpted eyebrows. But in addition to seeing my eyes framed so nicely, I saw way beyond that. I hadn’t remembered the last time I was actually able to see my eyes clearly, especially underneath all that excess hair that could have benefited from more of a shape. My new eyebrows really made my eyes pop, especially my mascara and shimmery eyeshadow that elicited my hazel eye color (I opted for a rusty copper color that day). Upon heading to the full-length mirror to see my transformation, the experience felt like proof that a woman’s crystal eyes are indeed her weapons per The Shocking Blue’s “Venus.”

Petak calls the EWC the “experts in eyebrows,” and this beauty writer can attest.

 

“Guests come to see us because we are the experts in eyebrows,” Petak told Happi. “They have come to expect an elevated brow experience from EWC. At EWC, we need to do our best to deliver that unmatched quality and elevated experience to every guest we see. Offering brow tinting to our guests is an easy way to enhance our guest’s eyebrow experience without adding time to a reservation. Our brow tint process was designed to be added directly after a brow wax and can be completed in less than 5 minutes!” 

 

To help consumers sculpt their own brows at home, European Wax Center offers a brow building serum, brow liner and shaper, brow powder duo and tinted brow gel for purchase on their site. 

 

New year, new me! (Yes, I’ll be back!)