With so many modern options available for shaping your eyebrows — from wax kits easy enough to use at home to precision-tip tweezers — it may seem strange to choose a method that has been around for centuries. However, there's a good reason threading, which involves a thin thread being rolled over the skin to pull unwanted hairs out at the follicle, has lasted through generations of eyebrow groomers and made its way from the East to the West.

1. It's precise.

"The thread doubles as a ruler, allowing a specialist to measure and create the desired eyebrow shape," explains Hibba Kapil, owner of Hibba salons in New York City. "Several hairs can be removed in a row or a single hair can be plucked at a time.

You can make a dramatic or subtle change with threading.

2. It's less painful than other hair removal options.

Is threading like getting a pleasant little eyebrow massage? No. But many people who swear by it say it's way less uncomfortable than the alternatives. "Threading is much quicker than tweezing," which, unlike threading, requires plucking one hair at a time, Kapil explains. "An arch can be sculpted with minimal irritation, unlike waxing, which tugs at the delicate skin around the eye."

3. Maintenance is infrequent and fast.

Everyone's hair grows at a different pace, but you can expect to see your threading specialist only about once a month for upkeep. And depending on how much you're looking to change the shape of your brows, a professional threading session can run from 10 to 20 minutes, and you can get right back to whatever you were doing without significant redness.

If you do happen to experience irritation after a threading session, Kapil says that, "Rose water or aloe vera gel are excellent, natural ways to reduce redness and irritation post hair removal."

Threading is perfect for grabbing a few strays while enhancing your brow shape.

4. It's safe.

Although your threader will likely hold one end of the thread between her teeth, her saliva will never touch your skin if she's a properly trained specialist. Other things to look out for to know you're going to someone legit: "A specialist with several years of experience will take the time to address your concerns, analyze your brows and will pause to examine her work while threading." ( http://www.goodhousekeeping.com )

Artificial Nails: Acrylics, Gels, and Silks

There are plenty of reasons to get artificial fingernails. Maybe you're going to a wedding or reunion and you want to look sharp. Or perhaps you've had trouble growing your nails long and need assistance.

Gel, acrylic, and silk nails are widely used. Most people choose gels or acrylics when they're committing for a longer time. Silks are most often used for a shorter time to strengthen nail tips or repair nail trauma, rather than making nails longer.

Acrylic Nails

Your nail technician will mix a liquid with a powder and brush the mixture onto your nails. They'll usually cover your entire nail, though sometimes they'll just add tips or a flexible form that they can sculpt to extend your nails.

The product hardens as it is exposed to the air. You may notice a strong odor during the application process, but it isn't harmful, provided the room has good ventilation.

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Upkeep: Over time, acrylics grow out with your nails. Every two to three weeks, you should return to the salon to have your nails filled in. Your technician will gently file down the acrylic edge closest to your nail bed, then fill in the empty area between your nail bed and the existing acrylic nail.

Removal: When you decide to have your acrylics removed, your nail technician will remove them quite easily, with no forcing or prying, after soaking your hands in nail polish remover for 15 minutes.

"If you accidentally catch on something, like the edge of a drawer, the whole nail can get lifted off of the nail bed," says dermatologist D'Anne Kleinsmith, MD, of West Bloomfield, Mich. "When you break that seal, you're able to get a yeast or fungus or bacteria brewing in that space."

Gel Nails

Unlike toothpaste-thick gel products of the past, today's gels have a similar consistency to nail polish.

They are brushed onto your nails, nail tips, or nail appliqués to extend length. After your nail technician applies each coat, you must put your nails under ultraviolet (UV) light for up to two minutes to "cure" or harden the product. There is no odor during the application process.

There have been reports of skin cancer risk from the UV exposure, which may be a consideration, though you're not getting exposed to a lot of UV light per session.

Gels are more expensive than acrylics, but they may hold their color longer without chipping, so you may not mind the steeper price.

Maintenance: Like acrylics, gels grow out with your nails and need to be filled in every two to three weeks. Your technician will gently file down the gel edge closest to your nail bed, and then fill in the empty area between your nail bed and the existing gel nail.

Removal: You can remove most gel nails by soaking them in nail polish remover. Some nail-sized wraps are filled with nail polish remover, which can loosen the artificial nails enough for removal, without drying out your hands.

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As with acrylics, you could get an infection in your nail bed if minor trauma (such as getting your finger caught in a door or accidentally banging your nails against a countertop or other hard surface) causes your gel nail to lift your entire nail off.

With either gels or acrylics, the nail doesn't have to come completely off your finger to cause an infection. If it's loose, but still attached, that could be enough for bacteria or other germs to cause problems.

Silk Nails

These fabric wraps are glued in place to strengthen weak nails or help a cracked nail grow out. Some wraps are made of silk, but others are made of linen, paper, or fiberglass.

Your nail technician will fit the material to your nail's shape, hold it in place, then brush on glue.

Silks are intended to be temporary, and the adhesives will loosen within two or three weeks, or sooner if you wash dishes by hand without gloves. Your nail technician can remove or reapply them at your follow-up visit.

10 Tips for Artificial Nails

Go to a pro to get your nails. At-home products "require a lot of skill, far more than do-it-yourself hair color," says Doug Schoon, co-chair of the Professional Beauty Association's Nail Manufacturer Council on Safety.Don't peel off your artificial nails. "They're designed to adhere to the nail, so if you peel them off, it yanks off the top layer of your nail," Schoon says. After they're off, your own natural nails should look healthy. Go to a pro to get it done right.Choose a nail technician based on recommendations from friends, rather than basing it only on location or price. "A lot of people walk into the salon down the street because they see a price in the window that looks attractive, but they're not getting the same service as they would going to someone educated with the right skills," Schoon says. "If your nail technician isn't experienced, she can file your nail plate too thin when applying gels or acrylics, which can damage your nails."Your nail salon should look clean and disinfect tools between clients.Your nail technician should wash their hands before working on your nails and ask you to do the same.Leave your cuticles alone. Don't let anyone at the nail salon cut or push back your cuticles. Breaking the seal between your fingernail and nail bed can lead to infections.Don't bandage or try to repair a damaged nail yourself. Go to a professional so you don't get a nail infection.Ask your technician how to care for your nails between visits. "It's important to get a good, knowledgeable nail technician, someone who can teach you how to properly maintain your nails," Schoon says.Speak up if something seems off. Tell your technician if you're in any pain after your artificial nails have been applied, because they aren't supposed to hurt. If you develop rashes or itchiness around the fingertips or your eyes, face, or neck (which many women often touch with their hands), Kleinsmith says you could ask your doctor if you're sensitive to one of the ingredients in your artificial nails.Go natural now and then. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends skipping artificial nails occasionally, to give your own nails a break.

What are Lash Extensions?

Lash extensions are individually applied synthetic fibers attached to the base of each eyelash with surgical glue. Each fake lash is applied one by one (it is a painstaking process) to your own eyelashes. If you are careful in your daily handling of the eye area and have touchups every two to three weeks (think about it the same way you do about touchup visits for artificial nails or dyeing your hair), your lash extensions can last a long time. How often you need a “fill” depends on your own natural eyelash growth cycle and on how well you take care of your lashes.

Before You Book Your Lash Extension Appointment

If you decide to give this a try, you need to know these essential tips to ensure your experience goes as smoothly as possible:

Research your lash professional.

An experienced lash esthetician (that's their title) should be professionally certified (meaning trained) in an established method (Lavish Lashes, NovaLash, and Xtreme Lashes are popular examples). Be sure to see the certificate and be sure their training is current—believe us, you want to do this! Don't be embarrassed to ask about credentials; a reputable lash esthetician will be proud to show you!

Choose your look wisely.

Just the way you choose a hairstyle by looking at pictures, it helps a great deal if the person you want to apply your lash extensions has a portfolio of their work so you can see the various options—how the different lengths and thicknesses of various lash extensions look. There is a fine line between gorgeous, fluttery lashes and spidery, too obviously fake-looking lashes.

Potential risks?

Because lash extensions are applied using surgical glue it is essential to keep it out of your eyes, which is another reason a skilled aesthetician is so very important. The most common complaints about lash extensions are allergic reactions to the glue, eye infections from contact with unsanitary tools, or an infected follicle from two lashes being glued together, and/or from the glue itself clogging a hair follicle.

Understand the process.

Applying a full set of new lashes can take anywhere from 90 to 180 minutes. Depending on the look you want to achieve, anywhere from 60–120 individual lashes will be applied to each eye. To prepare the eye area for extensions, your esthetician may tape your lower lashes down to your skin, and place hydrating eye pads on top. If that sounds uncomfortable, well, it can be—at least at first, but it helps prevent the lower lashes from getting accidently glued to your upper lashes.

Then, with your eyes closed, your lash professional uses tweezers to meticulously go through and separate your lashes to find the best lashes for extensions to adhere to—too short, and the lash isn't strong enough to support the extension; too long, and the lash extension will have a shortened life span.

Pros & Cons of Lash Extensions

As with any beauty treatment, there are pros and cons to consider before deciding if it is right for you. With lash extensions, the positives and negatives are almost equally weighted, though you will rarely hear the downside in a salon that provides lash extension services! Here's what you need to know to make an informed decision:

The Pros:

They look fabulous.

More dramatic than mascara, yet far more natural than a strip of fake eyelashes, lash extensions are simply stunning when done right. See the before and after photos of our team member below for proof!

They're instantly gratifying.

Lash extensions deliver the gorgeous lashes you want with one appointment, and you won't have to bother applying and removing mascara every day.

They can save you time.

There is an initial time commitment of getting eyelash extensions applied, but we found that they look best with minimal makeup, so you'll need less time to get ready in the morning, and have less wear and tear on your eyes from applying and removing makeup.

They can last for months and beyond!

Typically, lash extensions stay looking good for 2 to 3 weeks, but beyond that they will look less and less full. However, with regular refills, your overall lash extensions will last indefinitely.

The Cons:

They're expensive.

Expect to spend anywhere from $70 to $150 for your first full set of lashes. From there, refills (typically needed every 2–4 weeks) cost $50–$100 per visit. That's anywhere from $1000 to $2500 per year on lashes—Yikes!

They're high maintenance.

You must plan to go in for hour-long refills every 2–4 weeks, which can be a big commitment if you travel frequently or have a busy schedule. Your lashes also need extra attention to stay gorgeous between fills. You must avoid oil-based cleansers and makeup removers, and avoid using mascara regularly because applying and removing mascara can snag the extensions and cause them to fall out prematurely. Most women love how their extensions look and simply forgo mascara.

You also must be careful when washing your face, avoid allowing water from the shower to beat directly on your eyes, and take care not to rub your face with a towel or press your face too hard into the pillow when you sleep. (Tip: Switching to a firmer pillow or sleeping on your back helps.) Obviously, the less you rub your eyes or tug on your lashes, the better!

They limit your makeup options.

Not only must you avoid oil-based skin-care products as mentioned above, you also must avoid oil-based mascara and eyeliner. This means you must check the labels and be very careful when applying eye makeup, especially near the lash line. The more makeup you apply, the more you'll have to remove, which means rubbing more over or near your eyelashes, and that means lashes will fall off.

They're hard to quit.

Once you have lash extensions, it's difficult to phase them out of your life. Not only because you'll miss the lush lash line you've grown used to, but also because, not unlike growing out a bad haircut, the in-between stage doesn't look the best.

Essentially, there are two options when you want to stop: You can either let them fall out on their own (which can take two months or more) or you can pay to have them removed by your aesthetician (about $50).

What causes the lifting of nails on some clients and not on others? We are asked this question many times. Is there really a way to keep nails from lifting before the client comes in for her normal two to three week fill? CAUSES FOR LIFTING. Years of research has revealed that there are basic causes for nails lifting. They fall into three categories: (1) observable, (2) hidden, and (3) chemical. OBSERVABLE CAUSES. Many times the cause is tied closely to the lack of proper preparation by the Technician at the time the nails are applied. The general consensus of opinion is that No Lift Primer is the best on the market. The best products will not adhere the acrylic to the nail plate if the preparation has not been performed properly.

Natural Oils. The natural oil must be removed so that the nail has a dull finish prior to the application of the No Lift Primer.Moist Nails. Moisture on the nails at the time the primer is applied prevents bonding in much the same manner that natural oils do.Pterygium. The pterygium is an overgrowth of cuticle that sticks to the nail plate. It must be completely removed, or the primer cannot reach the nail plate and lifting will result.Excess Dust. Grit can cause lifting. Remove with a duster brush, be thorough!Nervous Habits. Caution your clients that picking and biting nails can cause lifting.Occupational Hazards. Typing, keypunching and similar activities can cause pressure on the nails.Misuse of Nails. Using nails as screwdrivers or other such tools is not recommended and can cause lifting.Filing friction and heat build up by drills or files.Diseased Nail Plate. State Licensing Boards have determined that this problem is beyond the scope of the technician's practice. Professional medical attention is required.

HIDDEN CAUSES

Heart MedicationsDiuretics and too much Vitamin B-6Medication for sugar diabetes (Insulin)Thyroid MedicationsAllergies and sensitivity to the product itself.Bacteria in the client's system.

CHEMICAL CAUSES

Contaminated primer (dust in the primer) or liquid or acrylic powder.Smoke in the air accumulates on the nails before the product is applied.Mixing products from two or more manufacturers which may be chemically incompatible.Nail plate saturated with too much primer.GlueHousehold cleaning productsLemons and Limes and other Acidic Juices.

Threading hair is an ancient method commonly practiced in Eastern countries, like Egypt and India, but is becoming very popular here in the West. Threading removes the entire hair follicle, lasting up to 6 weeks.

How Does it Work?

A cotton thread is pulled along unwanted hair in a twisting motion, to trap hair in a mini lasso, and lifts hair right out of the follicle.

It's extremely sanitary. Nothing but the thread touches the skin, and it's thrown away after use.Great for people with 'trouble' brows. Threading has this amazing ability to be so concise in the hair that it removes. It's sworn by people who say they can never get their eyebrows even, despite tweezing, waxing or sugaring.