4. Tools of the trade
To be able to do your job well, you need to have the right tools, equipment and products in your kit! The world of brow artistry tools and products can be a little overwhelming as there are so many options on the market. Like any product, there are some brow products that are better than others, and every brow artist will have their favourite brands and suppliers. At a minimum, every brow artist should have the following tools, equipment, products and consumables in their kit:
| Tools and equipment | Disposable and consumables | |
| – Electric Wax Pot – Brow brushes – Tweezers – Trimming Scissors – Sharpener – Mixing dish/plate | – Wax – Brow lamination solution – Brow tint and developer – Henna – Mapping thread – Tint remover – Mascara wands – Wax sticks – Brow pencils – Brow soap – Brow contour stick | – Powders – Pre-wax solution – After-wax solution – Cotton tips -Cotton rounds – Brush cleaner – Hand sanitiser – Brush cleaner – Face masks – Makeup remover – Cleanser and Moisturiser |
In this module, we will look at the full range of tools, equipment, makeup products, disposables, and consumables that you will need as you start your career. It would be impossible to list and explain every single product as there are thousands of options to choose from. Plus, many brow artists will have their preferences for certain product brands and formulations. We will look at all products in general, and at the end of this module, we will also look at the sorts of equipment you will need to set up a professional workspace.
As you work through this module, we will be showcasing a range of products, but aside from what is provided in your kit, be sure to always ensure that you are doing your research and only deal with reputable suppliers. Reading online reviews and carefully reading product descriptions will help to ensure that what you are buying does exactly what it says on the box! The cosmetics industry is a huge market, and brands are very clever with their marketing. If something appears too good to be true, it usually is!
When stocking up your kit, you want to focus on quality over quantity. This doesn’t mean that you have to buy the most expensive products; you just want to ensure the products and equipment you do have are long-lasting, and this will only help you be a better brow artist. If you are using low-quality products, your brow services will suffer, and so will your clients.
Every product on the market today has a history, and there was a lot of trial and error to get it to the quality it is today. Thankfully today, selecting cosmetics is not a life or death choice because science has evolved, and the industry is regulated.
In Australia, the Australian Government’s Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) regulates the importation and manufacturing of chemicals. This means that every ingredient in a cosmetic product must be scientifically assessed and approved by AICIS before it can be sold. AICIS was formerly the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS), and this changed in 2020. For any cosmetics which claim to have a therapeutic claim, such as skin lightening, these are regulated by a separate government body- the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). In terms of product safety and labelling, this is managed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
If you are interested in learning more about these regulators, check out their websites:
In addition to regulating the industry, requirements for testing have also developed over the years. For decades now, big brands have been testing cosmetics on animals as part of their product development process to determine whether or not products are safe to use. Of course, subjecting animals to rigorous testing is inhumane, but it still happens around the world. Some people argue that it is better to test on animals rather than testing potentially unsafe products on humans. Currently, cosmetic animal testing is banned in Colombia, the European Union, the United Kingdom, India, Israel and Norway. On July 1st, 2020, Australia implemented a ban on cosmetic testing on animals after strong public support.
While the ban is a step in the right direction, it only applies to new products, so any cosmetics which already exist on the market are not affected. This means that big brands can still test on animals in other countries and sell their goods in Australia. In addition to this, the way the legislation in Australia is written, it has created a loophole whereby ingredients used for multiple purposes (not solely cosmetics) can be tested on animals. Some of the major brands on the market test on animals, so if this is something you want to avoid, you should conduct research into cruelty-free products before stocking your kit.
If you would like to learn more about the impacts of animal testing, access the resources linked:
When building your professional brow kit, also research tools that nail technicians, makeup artists and permanent makeup artists use because you will find there is a lot of cross over between industries. For example, wooden nail cuticle sticks can be excellent for applying wax precisely to the areas you need!