Some beauty professionals make a living following trends, while others make a career by setting them. Kristie Streicher, esteemed brow artist and co-owner of Striiike Salon in Beverly Hills, falls into the latter category thanks to her eternally-chic take on a full, bushy, brushed-up eyebrow. Nicknamed the “feathered brow,” her in-salon bootcamp takes thin arches (often belonging to the rich and famous) to their full potential thanks to a prescriptive protocol that includes tinting, shaping, and styling—all of which come only after her required grow-out period.
“The best way to take your brows into your own hands is to first let them grow completely untouched for six to eight weeks,” the in-demand expert says, noting that only after this can the real work begin. “This means absolutely no tweezing, threading, or trimming of any kind.”
While this first step is undoubtedly daunting, there’s a method to her madness: Removing even a few stray hairs disturbs the hair growth cycle, so taking a hands-off approach allows dormant follicles to produce hairs you never knew you had. With social distancing mandates still in effect across many parts of the country, there’s never been a better time to take on the challenge. In fact, you may have already done this without even realizing it, which is why we tapped Streicher for a pro guide to not only growing out your brows, but grooming them with restraint once they’ve filled in. For this month’s The Consult, Streicher is taking us through a protocol for better brows.
Streicher’s mandatory grow-in period won’t be easy, but it’ll be worth it. She recommends clients apply Grande Brow Growth Serum for the best results. “Use it on clean, dry skin throughout the brow by using one dip per eyebrow, morning and night,” she says. “Let it soak in for two minutes before using other products.”
Use this time to order your supplies: small, sharp scissors; professional tweezers; and a spooly brush. Pick up Streicher’s Essentials Eyebrow Grooming Kit—the same exact tools she’s been using for over 20 years to create ‘feathered brows’ all over the world—to make things easier. Bonus: “Your kit includes access to exclusive tutorials needed to create your perfect Feathered Brow, wherever you are,” she says.
“Proceed with caution,” Streicher says. “Always remember, it’s not about the hair you take, but the hair you leave behind.” She notes that over-trimming can be just as detrimental as over-tweezing, so go slow and be conservative on both accounts—it takes weeks to grow in precious hairs and only seconds to remove them.
“Using the eyebrow spoolie brush and scissors, brush hair up and trim only the longer hair that protrudes past the brow line,” she says. “Cut the hair where it starts to bend or curl. Trim hairs one at a time, staggering the lengths for a more natural look. Do not cut the hairs straight across or all at once.” Once the length of your hairs is adjusted, create a “buffer zone” for tweezing with a brow pencil. “Simply draw a line around your entire brow,” she says, noting that this ‘no-tweeze zone’ should be about the size of the tip of a cotton swab, or approximately half a centimeter. “Tweeze only the hairs that fall outside of this!”
For those who need additional guidance, consider Streicher’s virtual appointment offerings. “With these appointments you will receive detailed eyebrow tweezing and trimming instructions, custom guided grooming tips, and instructions on how to properly fill in your eyebrows,” she says.
The brushed-up brow aesthetic is not only popular among Streciher’s clients—like Mandy Moore, Adele, and Sarah Paulson—it’s universally flattering and can be accomplished with just a tinted brow gel. (Professional tinting is best left to the pros for safety reasons, she says.) “Think of this as mascara for the brows!” Streicher says. “When you add volume and richness to the lighter hairs that grow around and between the thicker brow hairs, it creates the look of a fuller, more natural brow.”
We're partial to the Rose Inc Brow Enriched Tinted Shaping Gel, which contains squalane and vitamins E and B5 to condition the brows while holding them in place. Gently work the product into the brows by brushing them backwards, against the direction of the hair growth, which adds color and volume. “This picks up the hairs and wraps the gel fibers around the follicles, fluffing them up,” Streicher says, adding that the Hourglass Arch Brow Volumizing Gel is another trusted option. Then, before the color sets, brush them up and out before allowing them to set for a few seconds. Et Voilà: Your best brows.
This story was originally published on July 1, 2020.
Photographed by Jenna Jones.
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