How to Thread Your Eyebrows

Co-authored by Shipra Taneja

Last Updated: February 16, 2022 Approved

Tired of clumsily plucking your eyebrows with tweezers or damaging the fragile skin around your eyes with wax? Perhaps it’s time to try threading, where you use thread to remove unwanted eyebrow hair. You can try threading at home with a few supplies. Before you start threading, make sure you prepare your eyebrows properly so the threading is quick and easy to do. With the right approach, you can have beautiful, well shaped eyebrows in no time.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Gathering the Necessary Supplies

1
Get sewing thread. To thread your eyebrows, you will need high-cotton sewing thread. Measure out a piece of thread that is as long as your forearm, plus three inches. It should be around 14 inches or 35 cm long.^{[1]
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- Using high-cotton sewing thread will ensure your eyebrow hairs do not snap off between the thread. High-cotton thread tends to grip hair better than synthetic thread.
- Thread is the best thing to use for threading. Do not use floss or string as this will not be as effective as thread.
2
Find small eyebrow scissors. You will use the eyebrow scissors to trim your eyebrows before you thread them. You can also use small hair shears or small sewing scissors. You want scissors that will be small enough to trim your brows and sharp enough to get at the hairs.^{[2]
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3
Get an eyebrow brush. You will use the brush on your brows to prepare them for the threading. You can use a standard eyebrow brush or a fine toothed hair comb. Make sure the brush or comb is clean as you do not want to get bacteria or dirt in your brows before you thread them.^{[3]
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4
Find an eyebrow pencil. You will use the pencil to draw the shape you want for your eyebrows. This will help to guide you as you thread your eyebrows. Go for an eyebrow pencil that is the same shade as your brows or slightly darker than your brows.^{[4]
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- You should also check that the eyebrow pencil will wash off with water or makeup remover so you can get rid of the outline once you are done threading your eyebrows.
5
Get aloe vera gel or an ice pack. You will use the aloe vera or the ice pack to soothe your brows after you are done threading them. The aloe vera or ice pack will also help with any redness or irritation that develops due to the threading. You can use aloe vera from a bottle or a standard ice pack, wrapped in a clean towel.^{[5]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Preparing Your Eyebrows for Threading

1
Position yourself in front of a mirror. To prepare your eyebrows for threading, sit in front of a mirror with your supplies spread out before you on a table. Make sure the room has good lighting so you can clearly see your eyebrows in the mirror. This will make it easier to prepare and thread your brows.
- Do not use a magnifying mirror, as this can lead to over threading. A standard mirror with good lighting will be fine.
- Make sure you know your face shape before shaping your eyebrows.^{[6]
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  Shipra Taneja
  Makeup Artist
  Expert Interview. 6 August 2021.}
2
Brush and trim your eyebrows. Take the eyebrow brush and sweep your eyebrow hair straight upward. Then, hold one section in place with the comb. Use the small eyebrow scissors to trim a very small amount of the tall hairs that stick out from the comb. Then, sweep your eyebrow hair downward with the comb and hold it in place again. Snip any long, standout hairs with the scissors.^{[7]
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- Make sure you do not cut the hairs too short or trim too many of the hairs. You simply want to remove any overly long strands of hair so it is easier for you to thread your brows.
- Repeat these motions on the other eyebrow so both eyebrows have been trimmed. Comb the hair back in place when you are done trimming them. They should appear more groomed and clean.
3
Use the eyebrow pencil to draw out the shape you want. Once you have trimmed your eyebrows, take the eyebrow pencil and carefully draw out the eyebrow shape you’d like to have. If your goal is to have full, clean looking brows, you may draw out a thicker arch and a higher brow line so you can follow the outline when you thread. Start from the inside of your brow and draw outward in a sweeping motion. Try to make the outline for each brow as even and symmetrical as possible.^{[8]
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- Customize the outline based on your existing eyebrow shape. If you have thin arches to your eyebrows, for example, you may not draw a thinner arch outline. If you have a lot of extra hair growth around your eyebrow arches, you may draw a thinner arch outline so you can remove these extra hairs when you thread them.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Threading Your Eyebrows

1
Take the thread and tie it to form a loop. Hold the thread against your forearm and make sure it is long enough. Then, tie the two ends together to form a loop. Make sure the thread is tightly knotted together. Trim off any loose ends so you have a clean loop of thread.^{[9]
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2
Twist the loop four to five times. Hold one end of the loop with your thumb and forefinger. Let the other end hang motionless between your other thumb and forefinger. Twist the loop four to five times while holding one end of the loop with your thumb and forefinger.^{[10]
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- You should eventually have a twisted section in the middle of the loop with the loop taunt between your thumb and forefinger on each hand. It will look like an hourglass or bow tie shape.
3
Practice opening one hand and closing the other hand with the loop. Before you start threading your eyebrows, practice the threading motion with your hands. Open one hand with your thumb and forefinger positioned in the loop. Then, close the other hand. The loop’s center twist should move back and forth as you increase and decrease the distance between your thumbs and forefinger. This twisting motion will be what you will use to remove your eyebrow hairs.
- You may need to practice this motion several times to get the hang of it. If you find the loop is too hard to control, you may try making a new loop that is shorter in length. You may find a shorter thread loop is easier to manipulate between your fingers.
- You can also use your other fingers to help gain control of the loop. You can use the middle finger and ring finger of your dominant hand in addition to your thumb and forefinger to help you get the hang of manipulating the twisted center of the loop.
4
Position the twisted center over your eyebrow. Make sure you position the twisted center over your eyebrow, directly over the hairs you want to remove. Your fingers should be firmly positioned in the loop with your thumb and forefinger on one end and your thumb and forefinger on the other end.
5
Close the hand controlling the twisted center. As you do this, open your other hand. Slide the twisted center against your skin slowly and firmly. The corners of the twisted center will grab your hairs and remove them as you open and close your hands.^{[11]
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- Always thread your eyebrow hairs in the opposite direction of their growth. This will ensure the hair comes out easily and reduces your risk of developing ingrown hairs.
- Do not tug too hard on your skin or press the twisted center too deep into your skin as this can lead to irritation and pain. Instead, glide the twisted center across your skin to remove the hairs.
6
Continue to thread the rest of your eyebrow hairs. Once you finish one stroke and remove a section of hair, place the twisted center back to the starting position and do another stroke, removing another section of hair. Make sure you also remove any hair between your eyebrows with the thread, making sure you move the thread in the opposite direction of the hair’s growth.
- You can remove a small amount of hair or a larger amount of hair depending on how quickly you glide the twisted center over the hair. You may start with a slow glide until you get the hang of the movements and can move more quickly.
7
Put aloe vera or an ice pack on your threaded eyebrows. Once you finish threading both eyebrows, you may have some redness or irritation on your skin. Place some aloe vera or an ice pack wrapped in a towel over your brows to soothe them. The redness around your eyebrows should go away after about an hour.^{[12]
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- After an hour, you should examine your eyebrows and check for any stray hairs you may have missed. You may use the threading to remove the stray hairs or pluck them out.
- You can also fill in any gaps in your eyebrows with an eyebrow pencil to make them look fuller and more uniform.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do I align my eyebrows with my face shape?

Shipra Taneja
Makeup Artist
Shipra Taneja is a Makeup Artist and the Founder of Taneja's Bride, a lifestyle, beauty, and fashion blog. She specializes in creating bold, colorful makeup looks. Shipra is passionate about making colorful makeup comfortable for everybody.

Shipra Taneja

Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

Find pictures and get inspiration, and if you don’t understand the shape you need, get feedback from a professional before handling your brows.
Question

Can I use the threading method to remove hair between my eyebrows?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Absolutely! Just be careful not to remove the brow hair by mistake.
Question

How do I control the thread?

I like sushi

Top Answerer

It takes some practice and adjusting, but once you find what works for you, it's very easy.