Hair Off Instant Eyebrow Shapers Review
Product Name | |
Reviewed by | Sue McCarthy |
Review date | |
Summary | Hair Off instant Eyebrow Shapers are pre-cut and shaped cold wax strips designed to place over the eyebrow, to remove hair in one simple process. There are also strips for removing hair between brows and on upper lip and chin. Retailing at around $5.50, they are inexpensive and very easy to use. |
Rating | 3.2 out of 5 Stars |
Product Overview
This product is manufactured in the USA for CCA Industries.
On first opening, the impression is that of a series of strips similar to sticky back plastic on a paper backing.
Retailing at around $5.50 for a box of 18 sets of brow shapers, it would appear to be a relatively inexpensive way to keep eyebrows in shape - if indeed they are effective.
There are also 16 small rectangular strips included for removing hair in the area between the brows, or can also be used for upper lip or chin hair.
What's in the Box?
Contents of the Box
- 2 Sheets of eyebrow shapers (9 sets on each + 8 between - brow strips)
- Instruction Leaflet
A Look at the Product
Set of 2 Eyebrow Shapers
Each large sheet of strips includes 9 pairs of shapers, one each for above and below the brow, plus 8 small rectangular strips.
It is easy to see which is which shaper by the direction of the arch - as shown in the following pictures; the one on the left is for above the brow and the one on the right is for below.
They are a little fiddly to remove from the paper backing as they are so small and once removed they really resemble clear sticky tape.
Each shaper can be used only once.
Ingredients
You should always perform a patch test prior to using product, and it is also a good idea to check the ingredients if you have any known allergies:
Photograph of ingredients taken straight from the box
Patch Test
Carry out the patch test by using on the inside of the elbow skin, and then wait 24 hours.
If you have no adverse effects then you can carry on and use the product as per instructions.
How Easy Are They to Use?
This is a very simple product to use, and there are full instructions included in the leaflet provided.
This is a basic outline, to give you an idea:
Preparation
- Perform patch test 24 hours in advance, as described earlier
- Wash area with soap and lukewarm water (do not use immediately after a bath or shower)
- Make sure it is thoroughly dry
Above Brow
- Select a top shaper strip and separate from backing sheet (there is a non-sticky edge to facilitate this, but it is fiddly!)
- Place firmly above the brow, positioning only where you wish to remove hair, sticky side down.
- Smooth firmly in the direction of the hair's growth
- Pull skin very taut and in one quick, firm action, pull strip back in the opposite direction to hair growth (do not leave strip in place for more than 10 seconds)
Below Brow
- Repeat the process using the bottom shaper, making sure to keep it off the eyelid
- Rinse skin with cool water and pat dry
- You may experience tingling or slight soreness, which can be soothed with Witch Hazel or Aloe Vera
If the shaper is incorrectly positioned, remove slowly and carefully in the direction of hair growth.
If accidentally adhered to the eyelid, it is recommended that you use a mineral-oil based eye makeup remover to help gently remove it.
Why Use Wax for Eyebrows - is it Effective?
Advantage of Wax
When it comes to shaping eyebrows at home, there are really only 2 options; tweezing or waxing.
Truthfully, the most precise is to tweeze, however if you have thick eyebrows it can be very time-consuming as each hair has to be removed one at a time.
Therefore, wax can be useful in as much as it will remove multiple hairs all at once, making the whole process much quicker.
Also, wax will remove fine hairs that it may be difficult to pick up with a pair of tweezers.
It is not as precise as tweezing, and so it may be that you may also need to tweeze the odd stray hair or two, even after using wax.
Does it work?
As far as this product is concerned, there appear to be rather mixed views on the effectiveness, and I had a mixed experience myself.
I first tried out the above brow strip, and it did remove the hair pretty well, as did the below brow strip. The caveat to this is that I have very fine, not very dense hair, so it was not much of a test in terms of strength.
When I tested the rectangular strip on chin hair, it was less effective and there were quite a few left for tweezing.
Pain?
Waxing any area is painful, however if you are used to tweezing your eyebrows, it is not worse, just more concentrated because multiple hairs are being pulled at once.
With continued use, the skin becomes more resilient over time, and the pain becomes more easily bearable.
Tips for Perfect Eyebrow Shaping
One option, and the one that we would recommend for achieving the perfect shape for the first time would be to visit a salon to have them done professionally.
After this, maintenance is easy following the pre-determined outline to just remove any extraneous regrowth.
If this is not for you, then the following tips may help you to achieve the best results:
Start Point
Using a straight edge, place it vertically against the edge of your nose and line it up with the inner corner of your eye (fig.1)
Mark the point at which it meets your brow with a brow pencil.
Finish Point
Now angle from the same place against your nose to line up with the outer edge of your eye and mark where it meets the brow (fig.3)
Highest Point
To find the highest point, line up the straight edge with the outer edge of the iris and mark where it meets the brow (fig.2)
Now you can draw in the shape you want by joining the marks in a smooth arch, then repeat the process for the other side until you are happy with the shape and they match perfectly.
Once you have your penciled outlines you can remove all the hairs that fall outside the desired area.
There are aids available to help with this e.g. the Billion Dollar Brow Buddy, or you can buy eyebrow stencils pretty cheaply, with various shapes to place over the brow and fill in with a pencil.
Product Questions and Answers
Can the strips be used more than once?
No - they are for one use only
What happens if I position it incorrectly?
Peel the wax strip very slowly and carefully away from the skin, in the same direction as the hair's natural growth. If you have any difficulty at all, use eye makeup remover which is mineral-oil based. Apply to the edge of the strip to loosen it, and continue to keep applying whilst carefully and slowly lifting the edge of the strip.
Are there any side-effects from Hair Off eyebrow shapers?
There shouldn't be, but do carry out a patch test first, as instructed. You may experience mild irritation or redness immediately after treatment, but this is very transient and should disappear within a few hours. We recommend you use the product in the evening before going to bed, so that any irritation has the chance to disappear overnight.
is the product easy for first time users?
Yes, it is very simple, the only tricky part is in ensuring that you achieve the correct shape - you may like to have your brows shaped professionally for the first time and then just use for maintenance.
Does this product need to be warmed?
No - it is designed to be used straight from the backing sheet
Conclusion
Overall, I reached the conclusion that, providing you have fairly fine hair this product gives pretty good results, and is very easy to use.
However, if you have coarse hair and thick eyebrows, I am not so sure that this is the right product for you.
Things we Liked
- Inexpensive -- at less than $6 for 18 sets of strips
- Easy - very easy to use, with no mess or effort
- Good for fine hair - got rid of the fine hairs that are so difficult with tweezing
Things we didn't Like
- Effectiveness - Not as effective as we would like for thicker hairs
- Fiddly - a little fiddly to remove from backing sheet
