Last year I began waxing my eyebrows. Since then I have experienced a lot of skin irritation in the eyebrow area as hairs grow back; in addition, some of the hairs are sticking straight out, are very brittle and are not lying flat.
I consulted dermatologist Dana Sachs, who suggested that the irritation could be due to partial removal of the top layer of skin (epidermis) along with the hair, a common hazard of waxing. Also, some products that contain ingredients like glycolic acid or topical retinoids, which remove some of the top layer of skin, will aggravate your symptoms.
The first thing to do is stop getting your eyebrows waxed. Your skin is too sensitive. Then follow my threefold plan of attack:
Moisturize: To ease the brittleness of your brow hairs and to train them into a smoother, more flattering shape, try moisturizing the area just as you do your skin. Massage an emollient cream, pressing down in a smooth flat motion from the inner to outer area, spending a full minute on each side. (Make sure you massage in an upward and outward stroke.)
Condition: Treat your brows to your conditioner in the shower. After you wash and rinse your hair, massage a tiny amount of hair conditioner into your brows and leave it on.
Coax: To help coax brittle brow hairs in the right direction, use the old-fashioned secret of many makeup artists: Wax pomade, also called moustache wax, is thick and gummy and works miracles -- but you must only use a teeny bit. Follow these steps: First, rub a smidgen between your fingers to melt it and make it soft. Press it into the brows. With a disposable mascara wand or extra-firm toothbrush, brush the wax through your brows, pushing flat and outward.
Designer Handbag:: 2009-06-19 15:03:55