If you’re wondering how celebs like Lizzo, Cardi B and Miley Cyrus get their fluffy brows looking so damn on-point, look no further than brow artist to the stars René de la Garza and his LA-based Brow Down Studio.
De la Garza spoke on the Glam Squad Confidential podcast in a recent episode on everything from why brow lamination is for everyone (and what it is) to why unibrows are having a moment, and a styling tips and tricks he himself swears by.
Related: 2021 beauty trend watch: Get the best brows of the year.
So what is brow lamination?
Brow lamination is a trend towards full, fluffy brows that’s really taken off this side of the Atlantic via TikTok a couple of years ago. But in Spain, where de la Garza got his process, brow lamination has been a thing for some 30 years now, he explained in the podcast.
The practice is basically a reverse perm, as the host Gwen Flamberg put it; “it’s a chemical process that breaks down the protein in the hair and can direct wayward brows in any direction,” added de la Garza. The process seals in any wayward brows for those who have a lot of volume naturally to work with, while those who are on the thinner side can redirect existing hairs to any sparse spots.
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Related: I tried the NYX Brow Glue Instant Brow Styler and this is why I’m obsessed.
De la Garza’s at-home pro-tips
He stressed though this is not something to try at home on yourself, though de la Garza did create an at-home conditioning wax product, BROW NATURALE Brow Lamination To Go, you can use if you have your brows laminated or if you’re simply looking to recreate the look. Good news for Canadians too, because it looks like the product does ship here.
He explained that he could not think of a single person who would not be a good candidate for this non-surgical cosmetic procedure. “Makeup – there is no rules, and it’s kind of the same thing for brows,” de la Garza stressed.
If you pick a colour that’s somewhere between your skin shade and your brow colour, that’s the shade for you.
To play around with different looks and shades, rather than going for a bleached brow, you can play with a tinted brow gel lighter than the shade you’d normally reach for. For something more subtle, “If you pick a colour that’s somewhere between your skin shade and your brow colour, that’s the shade for you. It’s always best to go a little bit lighter. And with that pencil you can always add in any little parts that are missing or that are a little bit thinner.”
And for the thin-browed crowd, wondering if de la Garza recommends castor oil to naturally grow brow hairs, he advises, “Castor oil is great for conditioning and hydrating and strengthening existing brow hair, but in terms of boosting new growth it’s all about a brow serum with peptides.”
The one he recommends? GrandeBrow.
And in the meantime, there are many brow gels with fibres in them to help fill out any missing patches.
As for what tweezers you should have in your brow toolkit? He swears by Tweezrman because they stand by their product and will even sharpen them for you, once they’ve blunted.
- For any hair type, angled tweezers will work.
- For those with ultra-thin brows or ingrown hairs, he recommends pointed tweezers.
- For those with coarse or thick brows, he recommends mini-angled tweezers.
Related: Microblading: Everything you need to know to get wow-brows.
What’s next for brow trends?
I think unibrows are happening right now.
You may have noticed a trend towards unibrows. That’s right – Frida Kahlo’s signature brow is having a moment. “I think unibrows are happening right now. I think what’s next is that we are going to continue to focus on the brow hair and brow texture but I feel like we are moving toward like a sculpted tail.”
As for what he doesn’t expect to see back, ever? The 1920s notoriously thin, drawn-on spaghetti brows.
And in terms of who he’s brow-crushing on? Dua Lipa, Lily Collins and Emma Roberts.
