5 Dos and Don'ts for Growing a Brow Business

BROW MAINTENANCE IS A GROWING PART of the beauty industry—take it from someone who does more than 500 brow services a month. Malynda Vigliotti, owner of Boom Boom Brow Bar in New York, has built her entire career around eyebrows and believes that any stylist can build business by promoting these services to existing clientele. Waxing has one of the highest profit margins in the industry, and Vigliotti has already done the math: a large container of wax on average will be enough for 250 eyebrows, and at $12 a service, that’s $3,000. Add that revenue to a cut, color or styling service and you could be raking in the cash. But before you dive into this money-making add-on, the first step is education. From technique to promotion, Vigliotti shares her dos and don’ts for getting into the brow business.

 

DO ditch the old-school mentality

The pencil test of holding it on the outside nostril and aligning it with the outer corner of the eye isn’t a foolproof method. The biggest problem is eyebrows begin too far apart. Brows should start at the bridge of the nose. This is the secret to starting a good brow, Vigliotti says. Only use the pencil test to find the arch, which should start at the outer edge of the iris. But remember, everybody’s brows are different, so pay close attention to symmetry.

 

DON’T pluck before you trace

For brow-shaping newbies, don’t over-think it, and use your best judgment. The majority of clients don’t want a skinny brow, so just tweeze out the stragglers. The easiest way to do this is with a white pencil. Draw a line across the top and bottom of the brow as a guide before hair removal.

 

DO put those brows on a schedule

Brow hair grows in 20-30 day cycles. The strategy is to grow all the hair in and pull it all out at the same time. That way it grows in at the same time and gets on a schedule. People that say they need to tweeze every day do so because the hairs are growing on different cycles. Try to have your clients stretch their brow appointments to at least three weeks to get them back on schedule.

 

DON’T skimp on products

In addition to maintaining a clean station and using established sanitation practices, keep an arsenal of post-hair removal products, such as an antibiotic ointment, soothing oil or antiseptic, on hand to avoid unsightly bumps and redness.

 

DO offer free services

It might take 50 tries before a salon stylist is comfortable performing brow services, Vigliotti says. So you’ll most likely need a little practice. Just ask clients, “Would you like your brows done today? It’s complimentary.” Hopefully the next time they’ll ask if you’re still doing brows, and you can tell them, “Of course, it’s $15.”