You do not have to put yourself through a chemical lifting service to get that fuller, brushed-up appearance; there are plenty of alternatives in Australia for that. Put simply, if you are after the best way to go about it, your choices will come down to one of three: an at-home styling session with some clear gel or brow soap, a colour service such as henna or tint from the salon, or something more permanent like cosmetic tattooing and microblading.
Then again, not everyone is keen on laminated brows and who can blame them. There is the stiff finish to contend with, or sensitive skin, or just a preference for something softer and natural rather than having your brows shellacked into submission. I am Beatrice Hollowbrook and my experience of putting beauty routines to the test, with as much circumspection as I would a dodgy pie from a country bakery, has taught me that what is right for your brows has little to do with the latest trends and everything to do with your budget, patience for upkeep, hair pattern and skin type.
That is doubly true in Australia where the likes of sunscreen, salt water, humidity and heat, not to mention washing your face, will tell on how well a product or stain performs. So I will put you on to the more sensible brow lamination alternatives below and set out in realistic terms what they cost, where people tend to go wrong and which is of any use.
Why You Might Want Something Else
For all that social media would have you believe, brow lamination is no panacea. To understand the after brow lamination effects, many in Australia come to see that they want fullness and lift but not the ultra-set, slicked-up result and put in for an alternative.
It is a matter of tolerance too. Should the skin around your brows be dry, sun-stressed or over-exfoliated, lamination is overkill. Read up on the after effects of the procedure and you will see why some are put off by the irritation, brittleness and overprocessing.
What Drives People Away
The reasons are the same ones you will hear. The hairs can be unacceptably flat once the novelty of the first day is over. Or the grow-out is a shambles when your natural brows are unruly in one spot and thin in another. Add to that the upkeep of conditioning and being careful with cleansing so you do not rub the shape off with your towel in a frenzy post-shower.
And then there is the disparity between expectation and reality. In the salon mirror your laminated brows may be sharp enough; a week on, after you have been to the gym or had a swim and put your face in the pillow at night, they are quite another thing.
Lift From At-Home Styling
At-home products are the simplest route if you do not want to part with a lot of money and want some flexibility. They are good for when you are yet to decide on a shape or finish before making a longer term commitment.
You will find brow freeze, brow gel and brow soap in this vein, all reasonably priced and for the most part effective, if not created equal.
Brow Soap
The vogue for soap brows is down to the fact you need very little of it to make the hairs stand up and look fluffy. It is ideal for medium to full brows where there is hair to be directed upwards; for the sparsely endowed it will not conjure density out of nothing.
Water is where people err with brow soap. Use too much and it becomes foamy or flaky, too little and there is no hold. My advice is to keep the spoolie only slightly damp, brush and push the hairs up and angle the tail to your liking while it is still setting. It makes for a fine finish until the midday humidity gets to it.
Brow Gel
The difference between brow gel and brow soap is easy enough to put your finger on: the former is tidier and less of a hassle. Any beginner or those with an office to attend to will find a clear brow gel, available from online or local outlets in Australia, does the job without the bother of working up a soap. A tinted version of the gel will give some visual heft to fine or fair brow hairs. Adore Beauty, Posh Deluxe, Agent Nateur, Browconfidence and Browco are among the names in Australian beauty circles at present, although stock and ranges are subject to change. Gel is the go to for a lot of Australians as an alternative to brow lamination; it is portable and fast, and should you overdo it, it is not hard to put right.
Brow Freeze Formulas
A wax-based balm or brow freeze is of a piece with soap and gel. You will get a hold that is firmer than your average gel and a neater finish than what traditional soap brows provide. Coarse or recalcitrant hairs are best tamed in this way. The downside is the propensity for buildup. Put on too much and you end up with a crispy appearance that conveys “stuck in a headwind” despite your best efforts at looking untroubled. Err on the side of caution and use sparingly.
Salon Colour Services To Create the Illusion of Fullness
When the problem is one of definition and not unruly hair, a salon staining service has more to offer than lamination. Tint, henna and hybrids all serve to make the brows seem denser by way of colouring the hairs and at times putting a light stain on the skin. For those with fair brows that disappear in natural light, or to fill in a gap from over-plucking and thin tails, it is the wiser course of action. It is also a very natural substitute for lamination if soft structure is to be preferred to anything too rigid.
Brow Tint
The tried and true method. A tint adds contrast and darkens the hairs so the shape is fuller even if the pattern is unchanged. In a matter of tint versus lamination, the former is simpler and softer, the latter provides the lift. Tint is fine where the brow is already well formed and calls for some presence, but it will not help if the gaps are in the skin rather than the hair line since standard tint does not take to the skin.
Henna Brows
There is still a following for henna across Australia because it can put a stain on the skin as well as the hair for a more filled in result. That makes all the difference with patchy arches or meagre tails. Oily skin is another matter though; henna will not be the answer as it fades in short order, particularly with active skincare in the vicinity of the brow. A reputable salon will be upfront about realistic wear and do a patch test, instead of selling you a miracle.
Hybrid Stain
For a bit more oomph than a tint without the commitment of a tattoo, hybrid stain is popular. There is a stronger colour payoff and the skin stain will see you out longer. Some salons will put it under the heading of hybrid brows. A good middle ground for an event or a holiday, or when you want something full and neat for the next fortnight with little fuss. One sees names like Alison Jade, Ailana, Lash Blossom and Tones of Brow come up in Australia but methods differ from one technician to the next, so look at the quality of the consultation and how the work has healed, not just a photo of a new treatment.
Semi-Permanent for the Sparse Brow
Where stains do not hold and styling products have a habit of sliding off, semi-permanent may be the way to go. They are suited to structural work: to put some symmetry back, or to do away with the pencil each day and reconstruct a sparse arch. But the stakes are higher. And the cost. With poor technique the outcome can be a pain to put to rights.
Microblading
This is not in the same league as lamination. Lamination is about making do with the hairs you have, microblading with fine strokes creates the impression of hairs that are not there. Normal to dry skin is best for it; oily skin has a way of blurring the crispness of the work before you know what hit you. If you are after the most natural procedure for a sparse brow, a competent cosmetic tattoo artist with healed examples to put in front of you can make microblading excellent.
Hybrid Brows
What is meant by hybrid brows will vary from salon to salon. Often it is a mix of mapping, sculpting, waxing and stain to put together a cleaner, fuller brow sans tattoo. Not ready for a needle but want to be polished? This is the option. Or if your brow has a shape in theory if not in practice on your face.
Cosmetic Tattooing
The term covers powder brows and the like, as well as other machine techniques. It is a good fit for those in search of a softer fill and definition that will last, something stroke microblading does not offer. With mature or oily skin one will find powder tattooing can hold up better over time than a fine hairstroke.
Then there is the question of safety in Australia. Healthdirect, being a government service, is a sensible place to put in some homework before you book anything of an invasive nature. Their advice on cosmetic tattooing makes clear the need to look at aftercare, qualifications and hygiene; they are also frank about the possibility of allergic reaction or infection.
How To Put The Look On At Home
You can make it yourself if what you require is a fluffy, upright shape for everyday. It is the way to go for cost and control, and so you can put an end to it with a wash at night should things not turn out as planned. I have been known to do this in a hurry on a morning before a trip to the market in Castlemaine, propped against the bathroom mirror with my coffee, and would say the method is of more consequence than any product hype.
A Routine Of Sorts
Make sure the brows are dry and clean first; oils and moisturiser from your sunscreen will undo the hold quicker than one might think.
With a spoolie, brush the front up. Leave the tail to run diagonal rather than vertical unless you are for the surprised cockatoo effect.
Set the hairs in sections with a bit of brow soap or an Australian formula of clear gel or brow freeze.
Only then put in the filling where there are gaps, a pen or fine pencil will do once the shape is apparent. A fingertip or some other clean implement to press down on any flyaways and you have locked in the direction.
For a single day or occasion this is where to focus. You get the lamination without having to be tied to it and a wonky job can be put right in two minutes, not two months.
Upkeep, Wear Time And Cost
Value is as much an issue as price. There is little point in a salon service that will not agree with your skin when you can put that money in the dunny, but a cheap item needing twice daily reapplication is not necessarily superior to what a salon puts on for weeks.
The figures below are what you will see in Australia, though they will differ according to the technician and whether you are in a regional town or a city.
| Option | Typical Cost In Australia | Longevity | Best For | Main Drawback |
| Brow Soap Or Brow Gel | AUD 15–45 per product | 1 day per use | Beginners, flexible styling | Fades in the heat, a daily chore |
| Brow Freeze Balm | AUD 20–50 | 1 day per use | Stubborn hairs | Tends to be heavy handed |
| Brow Tint | AUD 20–40 | 2–4 weeks on hair | Low-contrast or fair brows | Does not stain the skin |
| Henna Brows | AUD 40–80 | 1–2 weeks on skin (longer on hair) | To even out patchy brows | Oily skin sees it go fast |
| Hybrid Stain | AUD 45–90 | Days to weeks with care | A sharper line sans tattoo | Needs a skilled hand |
| Microblading | AUD 400–900+ | Months, top-ups included | For a hair-stroke in sparse areas | Skin type can be an issue |
| Cosmetic Tattooing | AUD 500–1,000+ | Months to years, maintained | Depth and shape for the long haul | A bigger commitment and healing |
By way of comparison, take a hybrid stain at around AUD 60 and a brow gel at 30. The salon is 100% dearer at the till but could do away with two weeks of styling. Daily styling has the lowest initial outlay, tattooing the highest.
To Match Your Brows
It comes down to the problem at hand. What you do for a lifted appearance is not the same as making them seem fuller. One is apt to be disappointed by a treatment of the hold variety when what one is after is really colour, shape or to close up some gaps.
To put it in plain English:
Brows that are full if nothing else but untidy call for a brow freeze, some soap brows or a good strong gel.
For fair brows or ones with little contrast, a tint or hybrid stain is the way to go.
Where there is sparseness and you can see the odd gap, henna, hybrid or microblading will do the job better.
Then there is the matter of sensitive skin or dry brow hairs; in which case leave the more forceful chemical processing well alone and make do with styling products or a mild tint.
Desire to put in very little effort on a day to day basis? Have a word with a cosmetic tattooer at a consultation.
And for those not versed in the art, cosmetic tattooing is out of bounds. One does not wing it. A salon’s Instagram feed may be all gloss but you would be wise to look at patch tests, do your research on the artist and see photos of healed work.
Brow Care, Safety And Skin Reactions
Given the delicate nature of facial skin, an ounce of caution is warranted. What is in vogue this month is no substitute for what is safe for your skin.
That is of some importance should you have eczema or psoriasis, have been using retinoids or acne treatments, have had a recent sunburn or are prone to reacting to dyes. Such things will have their say on the outcome and how comfortable you are.
What To Look Out For
Any service with dye or pigment requires a patch test, as does tint, henna or a hybrid stain. Should a salon not make an issue of it, consider it a red flag.
The results can be ruined as easily as they are preserved in the aftercare. Heed your artist and keep active skincare, steam and friction away from the area in the immediate aftermath. All too often a person will put down good money for a service then scrub at the brows like they are trying to clean a barbecue plate the night of, shortening its life.
There is no magic bullet for an alternative to lamination, but you will find something that suits you rather than put up with a treatment that does not.
Beatrice Hollowbrook’s view
I would say the alternatives to lamination with the least drama are best. Brow styling products first, then perhaps a tint or hybrid stain for definition. You can proceed to microblading or a cosmetic tattoo once you have a handle on the shape you want, your skin is up to it and you have a technician whose healed work you can put your trust in.
Put simply, use the smallest fix for the problem. Do not bring a road train to a laneway. Your wallet, your skin and your brows will thank you.
Frequently Asked Questions
An alternative to brow lamination?
You have brow soap, a clear or tinted gel, brow freeze balm, a tint, henna or hybrid stain. Microblading and cosmetic tattooing for anything more long lasting.
Which procedure looks most natural?
A soft tint or some microblading done right for most. It is a question of whether you need the colour, the shape or to feign an extra hair or two.
If you are not fond of your lamination?
Do not attempt to reprocess or flatten them in an aggressive fashion. Condition the hairs and take any professional aftercare advice. If there is damage or irritation, talk to the salon. In time you might opt for an alternative with less commitment.
How to get the lamination look?
With a spoolie and a little brow soap, freeze or a strong-hold gel, brush the front up and put some diagonal on the tails. A pencil will fill in the rest once the shape is in place.
Is a tint preferable to lamination?
If your brow hairs are pale or lack definition, yes. Lamination has the advantage where direction and lift are concerned. But if you are sparse, a stain or something involving a tattoo could be of more use.
