Learning how to tint your eyebrows at home is quite a money-saving skill. For those who already dye their hair at home, you’ll probably find the process easy-peasy. And even if you don’t, we’re confident you’ll become a professional brow tinter in no time.
These days, DIY brow tint kits make it easy to pull off each step in minutes. But to help you steer clear of any mistakes, we sought the help of Hannah Mutze, National Brow Artist for Benefit Australia, to offer some expert guidance.
How to tint your eyebrows at home
What you’ll need:
- Paw paw ointment or Vaseline
- An angled eye brush
- Cotton tips
- A brow tinting kit
Try:
- 1000HOUR Brush-In Lash & Brow Dye Kit, $20.99 at Chemist Warehouse
- Ardell Brow Tint, $19.99 at Adore Beauty
- Eylure Dybrow, $21 at Big W
Important note: Always do a patch test for your tint, applying a small amount to the skin on your wrist or behind the ear 24-48 hours prior.
Step 1. Create a skin barrier
As eyebrow tint is a semi-permanent hair colour it can stain the skin, particularly if you’re working with a dark colour. “Apply a layer of Vaseline, paw paw ointment or similar around the entire perimeter of your brows to prevent staining, I use a cotton tip!” says Mutze. Make sure to avoid the hairs you’re hoping to tint.
Step 2. Prepare your tint
Most at-home tint kits will come with a colour cream and colour activator liquid that will need to be mixed together to form your tint. Or, if you’re using the 1000HOUR Brush-In Lash & Brow Dye Kit, you won’t have to mix — instead, the two will remain separate and you’ll apply one after another.
When choosing which shade is best for you, Mutze says, “a general rule of thumb is to stray no more than 2-3 shades darker than your natural brow colour.”
Step 3. Apply the tint
Most tint kits will come with an applicator, but Mutze says she finds these difficult to create a precise shape. “I always use a small angled brush instead, preferably a firmer one for added control,” she tells us. Cotton tips will come in handy for clean up here too, in case you accidentally apply a little haphazardly.
“Apply the tint neatly on your brows and then leave for 10 minutes or as the product directs,” instructs Mutze. If you’re worried about how dark your tint is turning, you can always wash it off with water, check the colour and then reapply if you would like to go darker. For first-timers, Mutze recommends starting slow and building up your colour.
Step 4. Remove
Once the time is up, or you’re happy with the colour of your tint, remove the product with a damp cotton pad. Your tint should now last anywhere between 1-4 weeks, “depending on the depth of colour and your hair type and texture,” says Mutze.
Top tip: Save any shaping of your brows until after you tint. The colour will make it easier to spot any strays!
FAQs
Can I dye my eyebrows with hair dye?
You technically can but it doesn’t mean you should. Eyebrow tinting kits are specifically formulated for use on the face and will be less likely to cause irritation. They also tend to have a thicker consistency to allow for precise application and to ensure they won’t drip into the eyes.
Plus, matching your eyebrow colour to your hair colour doesn’t always turn out the best. Some people with lighter hair might find a darker tint to be more flattering and dark hair might need a lighter tint on the brows so it doesn’t look so stark.
If you’re not sure what colour of eyebrow tint will suit you, we’d recommend having a professional appointment first to see what an expert suggests. Then, once you’re happy, you can find a matching colour to DIY.
Can you tint your own eyebrows at home?
Yes, you definitely can. Tinting your eyebrows at home is easy with the help of a DIY kit and our tips above. While there are some professional treatments we’d recommend leaving to the experts, this isn’t one of them — give it a go!
How can I remove tint if I dye my brows too dark?
In the event that your tint turns out darker than you expect, there are a few tips you can try in order to remove it. “Gently cleanse the area several times using your normal face cleanser or makeup remover (silicone or oil-based work best here) or even a clarifying shampoo,” says Mutze. “If the tint has stained the skin beneath your brows, gently exfoliate your brows with a physical exfoliant to remove.”
“You can also try massaging eye cream through your brows to soften the skin, then wiping excess colour and the cream away with makeup remover.”
And if in serious doubt about your self-tinting skills, just fake it ’til you make it. “Use a brow gel like Benefit’s Gimme Brow+ ($48 at Sephora) and just brush through your brows for added definition and fullness,” says Mutze. Simple.
Have you ever tinted your brows at home? Would you try dying your own eyebrows?
Luckily mine are dark enough
I would definitely try but I always get scared that I’ll do something wrong or it’ll turn out bad and won’t come off 🙁
I’ve tried the 1000 hour for lashes
Might give it a go lash tint looks good.
I have use 1000HOUR Brush-In Lash & Brow Dye Kit before and found it worked well.
I do mine at home every 3 weeks, it’s so easy.
I guess one would get better and better and then find it easy?
I’ve been dyeing mine for years. I do them when I dye my hair every month.
I’ve used 1000Hour & Dybrow & they’re about as good as each other, but the Dybrow expires 6 months after opening, while 1000Hour lasts 12 months. Oh, & the 1000Hour can be used in lashes too, but not Dybrow.
I’m curious about the Ardell one.
I need to do this more oftten – my brows are too fair
Yes I tint my brows at home. I did them yesterday. I normally use the original 1000hr dye but this time I used the 1000hr Plant Based Lash and Brow Dye. I found it stained the skin more which makes my brows look fuller. Just make sure you use paw paw around your brows because I must have missed a bit and now I have a stained eye lid and one of my thumb nails is dark brown. I prefer the original 1000hr tbh.
I should really try to do this. I have not been too happy with the last few eye brow tints that I have had. Patchy and dont last very long.
I’ve never tried to dye my brows. Thanks for these tips.
Want to do lashes. My brows are perfect as they are.
Great tips, thanks for sharing. I never tried tinting my eyebrows.
I haven’t tried this before so thanks, a very informative and helpful read.
oh! I get Groupons for doing this. Too scary otherwise.
I have used the Eylure kit before which was pretty good!
Yes I tint my brows at home, wax them too 😊
Id be keen to do this at home.
I must try one of these
Nice to be able to do things at home
Will have to try these