As an eyebrow and eyelash stylist, you should know the differences between eyebrow pigmentation with powder henna and gel paints. The following guide will help you understand how to properly pigment your eyebrows, as well as which coloring methods are most effective. If you are involved in eyebrow and eyelash styling, be sure to review this article. You may find that you will gain additional knowledge that will help you perform more effective eyebrow styling that will delight even the most demanding clients.

Powder henna or gel dye - how to take care of clients' eyebrows?

There are various types of preparations for ey elashes and eyebrows available on the market today. Products used on a daily basis in the course of coloring and care of eyebrows are powder henna and gel dye, which is a chemical product. The alternative is chemical powder, the use of which is rather discouraged, if only because of the high risk of irritation on the client's skin.

Powder henna in eyebrow coloring

Powder henna is a product that has been known for decades. Until now, it has only been used to color the skin for short-term tattoos. It is worth mentioning that henna is a natural product made from the powdered leaves, stalks of lavsonia sans librans. The natural composition, unfortunately, does not give a 100% guarantee that irritation and allergic reactions will not appear on the skin, as phenylenediamine (PPD), one of the products responsible for the occurrence of allergies, is also added.

The standard color for powder henna is brown. In eyebrow styling, you can achieve slightly cooler tones, but only with ancillary products. Among other things, it is phenylenediamine that gives you the opportunity to achieve cooler tones. This ingredient is responsible for coloring. Unfortunately, it is a carcinogenic product that causes severe allergies. In the case of powdered henna, the amounts of this substance are trace, but due to the fact that the coloring is done directly to the skin - the risk of rashes or redness can occur.

Gel dyes for eyebrow coloring

The use of chemical (gel) dyes needs the right chemical ingredients to generate the color. These are activators that act as an oxidizer. You need to know that chemical dyes, unfortunately, can damage the structure of the hair, which in extreme cases can lead to its weakening.

The principle of gel dyes is simple. Their use causes the hair cuticle to be abrogated, so that the pigment enters the cortical layer. Eyebrow coloring done in this way is permanent, although it carries the risk of damaging the hair structures, especially if these were already weakened.

Eyebrow coloring with powder henna - is it worth it or not? What to watch out for?

A huge advantage of powder henna is the fact that this henna does not affect the hair structure in any way. This means that the eyebrow hairs will not be stressed. Unfortunately, before coloring the eyebrows, you need to consult with the client to make sure that she does not have any wounds on her skin or allergic reactions. These are the primary contraindications for a henna eyebrow coloring procedure.

Do you want to serve your clients to the best of your ability? Then you need an extra dose of knowledge to answer all the questions that bother women coming in for eyebrow coloring or sticking on false eyelashes. Check out our guide: Why do eyebrows and eyelashes fall out?

Mechanisms of powder henna and eyebrow application - the most important information in a nutshell

Powdered henna is a substance that has star molecules in it. This is a molecule that sticks gently to the hair and epidermis. This prevents the coloring substance from penetrating deep into the hair. Gel dyes, on the other hand, cause the pigment to penetrate the cortical layer and combine with melanin molecules to create a new permanent color.

You also need to know that the type of mixture composed makes a huge difference when it comes to the intensity of the color for eyebrow pigmentation. In the case of henna, we combine the substance with mineral water in the right proportions. Depending on the consistency created, eyebrow coloring will be stronger or weaker. Using pigmentation with gel paints, choosing proportions, is much easier. Here, use the principle of 1 to 1. Mix the same amount of paint and activator and start coloring your eyebrows.

How to care for eyebrows after coloring? Summary

Once you've done eyebrow coloring for your client, be sure to point out a few tips she should follow to maintain the effect of beautiful and defined eyebrows for longer. Some proven tips are:

• moisturize and oil your eyebrows after coloring - proper home care will strengthen the pigment and prolong its durability,

• don't touch or rub your eyebrows too often - this way the coloring will last longer.

Also suggest to the client to avoid over-wetting the eyebrows for about 2 hours after the procedure is completed. This will allow the henna to safely oxidize to the initial color and prevent a situation where the pigment simply discolors to unwanted shades after coloring.