Eyebrow tinting: the benefits, kits and what not to do

Blame it on original brow queen Cara Delevingne, but bold, brushed-up arches are going nowhere. And the best way to give your natural brows a believable boost is eyebrow tinting – the heavy-handed, overdrawn ‘Insta-brow’ need not apply.

“Brow tinting is addictive!” enthuses Benefit Cosmetics Australia national brow artist Hannah Mutze. “As they say, once you go black (or brown, or blonde or whatever colour you tint) you never go back!”

Considering a tint yourself? This is what you need to know.

Eyebrow tinting benefits

If you’re looking to fake fullness, brow tinting is your best friend. “Your brows look instantly thicker as the tint darkens the finer, lighter hairs within and surrounding the brows,” explains Mutze. “Most often this added brow definition works to frame and lift the face and makes the eyes appear brighter and more open!” Since you’re tinting existing hairs (and initially, the skin beneath them too), there’s no risk of looking OTT – you’re simply enhancing what’s there already.

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The process

Brow tinting is simply an add-on to your usual wax and shape – at a Benefit BrowBar, the whole process takes 15 minutes. It’s pain-free, and nowhere near as intensive as eyelash tinting. There are also eyebrow tinting kits on the market for a DIY approach, but we recommend sticking to the experts, as they can custom-match the colour to suit you.

Who suits eyebrow tinting?

In a word: everybody. “Once upon a time, brow tinting was one colour fits all and this did scare a lot of people away,” Mutze says. “But now, just like semi-permanent hair colour, brow tint colour is completely customisable to suit the individual.” Even those with dark brows can benefit from a tint to create definition and shape, while lighter brows “will love the deeper shade a tint brings,” according to Mutze.

When to avoid brow tinting

A word to the wise: don’t book your brows and your spray tan on the same day. “Those who have a fake-tanned face should avoid tinting their brows as the tint tends to stain the skin a lot more than normal,” cautions Mutze. “Try having your brows tinted at least 24-hours before tanning for best results.” That aside, eyebrow tinting is for everyone.

What else you can try

Tinting or not, every woman’s brow kit should contain a pencil matched to their brow colour, a clear gel to keep hairs in shape and a wax or pomade kit for added definition and colour. See three of our favourites above.

Anna McClelland

Anna is marie claire and InStyle's assistant digital content manager, reporting on everything from sell-out skincare to Meghan Markle's messy bun. Her work has taken her to tea with Miranda Kerr, the red carpet with Margot Robbie and New York with Jason Wu. Her words can also be found on Vogue, Body & Soul and Buro 24/7.