Brow lamination vs henna brows: which one do you actually need?

Lamination softens the bonds in the brow hair and re-sets it in a new direction — usually brushed up and outwards. It does not add colour and it does not add hair. What it does is make existing hair sit where you want it, which instantly covers gaps, evens out an asymmetric shape and creates the full, fluffy look.

It suits unruly, coarse or downward-growing brows best, and lasts six to eight weeks. Very fine, sparse brows sometimes gain less from it because there is less hair to redirect.

Henna stains both the hair and the skin underneath. That skin tint is the key difference from a standard eyebrow tint: it visually fills gaps, so brows read as denser and more defined even where no hair is growing.

Colour on the hair holds for around four to six weeks; the skin stain fades sooner, typically after one to two weeks depending on skin type and skincare. Anyone using acids or retinol near the brow will see the stain fade faster.

Pick lamination if your hair grows in every direction, if you have a fuller brow that never sits neatly, or if you want the brushed-up look. Pick henna if your concern is colour, definition or visible gaps. Pick both — laminated and then tinted in the same appointment — if you want maximum impact, which is what most clients ultimately book.

Keep brows dry for 24 hours after either treatment, avoid steam and heavy sweating, and skip exfoliating acids on the brow area for a couple of days. Brush laminated brows into shape each morning and apply a nourishing brow oil at night to keep the hair conditioned.

A patch test is required at least 24 hours before henna and lamination. It takes two minutes and it is not optional.