What are Henna Brows: Everything You Need to Know
Henna Brows is an undeniably popular brow treatment - colouring the hair AND the skin for longer than a traditional tint, and being derived from plant extracts make it the go-to choice for so many of our brow clients!
Despite its popularity, Henna Brows is still a relatively new treatment, and we know you probably have lots of questions - luck for you, we have lots of answers! We’ve done a little bit of research into what you and your clients are searching for, and we thought we’d put them all into one handy little FAQ for you!
What is Brow Henna?
Brow Henna is a treatment that colours the hair and skin of the brows, making them appear thicker and darker. Think brow tint, but longer lasting and generally more gentle as it is derived from plant extracts; though it would be remiss of me to not mention that if you are allergic to traditional tints and dyes, you may also be allergic to brow henna as it still contains the PPD necessary to keep the colour in place. ALWAYS do a patch test 24-48 hours prior to treatment.
So Henna powder is mixed with water instead of chemical-rich accelerator, which adds to its gentle nature!
Do Henna Brows Fade?
Yes, they do. As your skin cells regenerate the colour will fade, and as your hairs fall out and new ones grow, the colour will be taken with them. Henna only colours the epidermis, and is not the same as semi-permanent makeup which goes to lower layers of the skin and stays there for years.
How Long do Henna Brows Last?
So Henna lasts on the skin for up to two weeks, and on the hairs for up to 6 weeks. This will of course be dependent on skin type, and the growth rate of the hair. If a client has very oily skin you may see the henna fade more quickly as the skin produces more sebum. Conversely, if a client has very dry skin you may see the colour flake off with their dry skin. This can be helped with aftercare advice - oily clients should be advised to gently cleanse their brows and pat dry, applying oil to the brows to nourish the skin there. If they are using any products to reduce the oil during the day, it should be blotted and not rubbed.
Clients with dry skin should be advised the same with regards to gentle cleansing and oil - they can use oil more than once per day to really help to nourish the skin on the brows. All clients should avoid rubbing their brows with their hands or clothing, and manual or chemical exfoliators should be avoided on the brows in order to prolong the colour.
How Much Are Henna Brows/How Much Should I Charge?
Like with any beauty treatment, how much you charge will depend on a few different factors:
- Cost of materials
- Cost of your time
- Where you are located
- Rent
Cost of materials is pretty easy to work out, it’s the price of the perishables (ie. henna powder, wax, oil etc.) divided by the number of uses. 1 pot of So Henna is £24.99, divided by 30 treatments means that each Henna Brow treatment will cost about £0.83 in Henna Powder alone. Let’s estimate, then, that the whole treatment will cost £5, give or take.
Now, consider how many hours you put into learning, practicing and perfecting your craft. How much is your time worth? £10 for an hour? £20? And then any margin you add for profit has to consider how much you pay in rent and utilities etc. - hence why location comes into it. A salon in central London will likely charge more than a salon in Bolton, for example, simply because there’s a big difference in the cost of living. Check out prices for similar treatments in your area if you need a guide. Generally speaking, £25 - £45 would be about average for a Brow Henna treatment.
Can You Have Henna Brows Whilst Pregnant?
Yes and no - while the treatment isn’t harmful to you or the baby (unless you’re allergic, of course), during pregnancy the body changes so much. Due to hormonal changes, you can see big changes to hair growth cycles, how hair behaves under certain conditions and with certain treatments, and you can even see a change in skin type and sensitivity. In short, it’s really difficult to predict what kind of results you’ll get during pregnancy (and breastfeeding!) so it’s better to not have the treatment.
How to Get Brow Henna Off
The tricky thing about Henna removal is that it sinks into your skin to stain it for longer so removal isn’t the easiest thing. If it’s just a case of a slightly wobbly line as you’re applying the henna, taking a microfibre brush and just tidying up the line right away is perfect. If you’ve put the Henna on for too long or it’s too dark for your client there’s not very much you can really do except wait for it to fade. A gentle exfoliation may help you, but keep in mind that you’re likely to have already exfoliated, and we don’t want our clients to be uncomfortable.
The best thing to do if you’re not sure about a client’s shade is to opt for a lighter shade and less processing time, and repeat the process if you need to. Make a note on their client card of the shade and timing that worked best, or what to do differently next time.
Now you're ready to know the ins and outs of how to create gorgeous henna brows! Check out this article for a step-by-step.
Hopefully this helped you to get a better understanding of So Henna Brows, keep your eye on the blog for more Brow Henna posts coming soon!
