The impulse to change your hair is real. But if you're itching for a new look that doesn't require something as drastic as, say, going platinum, would you consider changing your brow color instead?
I have a full, dark Latin unibrow that I love. It serves as a gaudy frame to my face. My brows are important to me, so I let them be—no plucking or waxing. But this summer I'd like to change them because change is fun and also because experimentation is important to personal style. So I bleached them.
Now, this wasn't for a no-brow look. I wanted a warm brow—brassy, even. And I know that word can be scary, but this time around, the idea didn't bother me. Brassy, let it be known, can be pretty. Warming your brow a few notches changes everything about your face. Your eyes look lighter, your skin tone looks slightly deeper, your bone structure pops a bit more. It's a beautiful effect.
How to warm a brow:
It all starts with Sally Hansen's Creme Hair Bleach, which is gentle enough for delicate skin. This can be done with any hair color, but if your brows are already pale, simply leave the face bleach on for less time. If you have dark brows like mine, it's more of a waiting game.
Start with clean brows. The cream comes with a little spatula and mixing tray, so scoop 1/4 of the powder activator and then 1/2 teaspoon of the cream onto to little tray and mix until you have a gritty cream texture. Take the spatula, dip into the mixture, and completely cover your brow hairs. Leave on for 8 minutes. When the bleaching is done, remove cream with a damp towel. If you have deep brows like my Frankenstein ones, the resulting color will be strawberry blonde. I prefer to go a step lighter, so I wait 5 minutes and reapply. Then I'm left with warm golden brows. If you already have golden or auburn brows, leave the bleach on for 4 to 5 minutes and the bleach will leave them warm in color. I suggest you do a tiny patch test first. Alternatively, patch test on your boyfriend. (I did my boyfriend's golden brown brows for about 3 minutes, and they came out beautifully.)
To finish the look, I use a deep taupe brow powder and fill them (the green undertone of the taupe cuts through the brassiness).
—Stacey Nishimoto
Photos courtesy of the author.
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