Highbrow Eyebrows
...from Page 15 of the October 2005 issue of Limited Edition Magazine
Eyebrows give definition to a face so Gail Perera says farewell to her wispy ones and has permanent make-up to make an impression.
I used to say that if I were ever marooned on a desert island and could only have one personal item with me, it would probably have to be my eyebrow pencil. I've always had skinny, sparse eyebrows which need boosting every morning with pencil. Only people with skinny sparse eyebrows will understand this.
Eyebrows can make more than a little difference to your appearance. Pictures of Catherine Zeta Jones and Liz Hurley before their eyebrows got the Hollywood makeover show just what an impact these two little strips of hair can have.
I never really thought there was any worthwhile alternative to my trusty eyebrow pencil until I heard about Shahla Moody who runs the Forever Young Clinic in Stoke Poges. [Edit: We have now moved to Stokenchurch! Please see Contact page for details.]
She offers a range of marvellous skin and beauty treatments including permanent make-up which can be used for eyebrows, lips or as an eyeliner.
It wasn't without some nervousness that I made my appointment. I kept trying to keep the word tattoo out of my head. But Shahla's wam and friendly nature immediately put me at ease and dispelled any lingering doubts about my imminent treatment.
After chatting with Shahla I was more than happy to undergo a transformation of my sparse eyebrows using permanent make-up.
Shahla has worked as a qualified RGN and Aesthetic practitioner with top plastic surgeons in Mount Vernon Hospital. For the past 15 years, she has gained an invaluable experience working in the NHS and the private sector.
"..Shahla's warm and friendly nature immediately put me at ease.."
Before my appointment I had to attend her salon for a patch test to eliminate any possibility of an allergic reaction to the dyes that Shahla uses. This involved a small pinprick of dye behind my ear which was then left an observed after 24 hours. There was no reaction of any kind and in fact Shahla has never had a client who has reacted to the organic dyes she uses.
A week later I turned up for my treatment and my eyebrows were immediately covered in a gel which numbs the area to be treated.
After a while Shahla drew in a shape for my eyebrows and asked for my opinion. She is very happy to change the shape is you are not sure and will only continue when you are happy with this outline.
Next she mixed the dyes together to create a colour which was natural for my hair and skin.
Her permanent make-up machine is a state of the art Cryo system which cools down the skin as she works. The dye was injected just below the skin using tiny movements of the needle. The she followed the lines of the shape that she had drawn in.
This process creates a natural look which resembles the hairs of your eyebrows. As my skin had been numbed before treatment began the sensation was one of light scratching. Each brow took about half an hour to finish to Shahla's exacting standards.
When she had finished the 2nd brow, she handed me a small mirror to observe the result. I was amazed to see what an immediate difference my new eyebrows made to my face. They certainly made me look younger and my eyes looked somehow bigger.
"..They certainly made me look younger and my eyes looked somehow bigger.."
To begin with, my brows were slightly red and this lasted about 24 hours. They also tingled a bit but this sensation soon settled down.
The good thing about my new eyebrows is that they look totally natural and blend well with my other features. As I am blonde, Shahla had chosen a pale caramel mixture of dyes which is perfect for my colouring.
After 6 weeks I will go back to the clinic for Shahla to touch up any tiny imperfections. This visit is included in the original cost of the treatment.
If, like me, you have little or no eyebrow hair you will be stunned by the benefits of this treatment. The effect is far more natural than any pencil or powder and I can't wait until I go on holiday without an eyebrow pencil in my bag. I can swim, apply suncream and shower without thinking about re-applying my eyebrows.
The whole procedure takes nearly two hours and the cost is around £260. However the effects last for at least 2 years before you need to think about having them done again. Shahla also does microdermabrasion, Restylane treatment and Environ Ionzyme intensive machine facials.