What are Henna Brows?

When you hear ‘henna’ your mind probably goes straight to the temporary body art variety, but turns out, you can also get it on your brows. 

If you’re not game enough to try microblading but you want something a bit more long-lasting than the usual tint, henna brows could be for you. 

To find out everything we need to know before we book in for our best ever brows, we spoke to Charlotte Creasey from Lady Lash Australia. 

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What are henna brows?

First off, “Henna brows refers to the art of applying henna to the eyebrow to create a defined shape on the skin and hair. It’s a great option for those who would like a more defined brow, and want something temporary because they’re not ready to try cosmetic tattoo.  It’s also great for those with very little hair, as the skin stain can make it look as though the brow is much fuller than it is.” 

How do they differ from regular eyebrow tints?

They do seem similar, but there’s some key differences. “Firstly, the product is naturally derived, it’s literally made from finely ground dried henna plants. It comes in a huge range of colours, many more than tint. Secondly, it stains a lot deeper/longer lasting than tint, some people find it will last 2-3 times as long. Thirdly, the consistency is quite different to tint – personally I feel that better shaping results can be achieved as it’s easier to work with.” 

Can I get henna brows if I have microbladed brows?

Already bladed, but still want a little more definition on your brows? Charlotte says henna works great for that. “You would need to ensure that your brows are fully healed (I would recommend waiting at least six weeks) before doing so, because the application process (mainly removing the henna afterwards) can irritate skin that is broken or damaged. Henna brows give a more defined/evenly shaded look than microblade, so if you have henna done over the top of microblade, you won’t see the strokes much (until it starts to fade)”.  

How long do henna brows last?

The longevity of henna is what really sets it apart. “On the hair, it lasts a lot longer than tint – up to 4-5 weeks. On the skin, the skin stain, it will last about 6-10 days, though some people will get up to 2 weeks.”  

Can every hair colour get henna brows?

Regular tint doesn’t usually cater to redheads and greys, but can henna? “Absolutely! It comes in a huge range of shades – we can completely customise it using different blends, plus warming or cooling tones. It’s a lot more diverse than tint in this regard. It’s also great for grey hair coverage, as it will penetrate grey hair a lot more effectively than tint will, as the molecules in it are much smaller.” 

How much do they usually cost?

“We charge $75 including a brow sculpt (wax and tweeze) or $55 for henna brows alone. Henna is a more detailed/technical service than a tint and takes a bit longer.” 

Is there anyone who can’t get henna brows?

“If you have allergies to grasses, seeds, dyes etc, you may be more prone to an allergic reaction, so a patch test is recommended. For this particular service, in fact, we always recommend a patch test as although henna is a natural product, some people can be highly allergic to it.” 

“We also don’t recommend henna if you have obvious sun damage (sun spots or lesions) on the brow area, broken skin or abrasions on the brow area, as the henna can end up patchy if the skin surface is not relatively smooth/healthy. We also find that if you do a lot of skin resurfacing treatments (i.e. glycolic/AHA peels and exfoliation) in the brow area, the henna skin stain won’t last as well, henna requires a reasonably thick epidermis to be able to stain properly, and if that top layer of skin is constantly being exfoliated off, there’s nothing to soak up the stain!” 

Have you had Henna Brows done before?

Main image credit: Charlotte Creasey, Lady Lash Australia