4.1 Tools and equipment

You have all the tools and equipment that you will need when you are starting out in your kit. As you become more experienced, you will likely want to test out other tools, and your kit will continue to grow. In this section, we will look at the absolute essentials every brow artist must have.

Electric wax pot

A wax warmer is an absolute staple for a brow artist. There are many at-home wax pots that you can heat up in the microwave, but could you imagine having to wait 5 minutes for the wax to warm up for every client? Not to mention that the ‘Bing’ of a microwave would be completely unprofessional! An electric wax pot helps to keep your wax warm, so it is ready to use when you need it. The length of time it takes to heat up wax depends on a range of factors, including:

• The volume of wax you are using
• The type of wax – beads or strip wax
• The required temperature of the wax you are using

It is crucial that you read the operating instructions of your wax pot and the requirements for the type of wax you are using in it. Some wax pots are only designed for particular wax types, while others can accommodate both hard and strip wax (separate compartments, of course!). Electric wax pots range anywhere from $50 to $250. Here are some examples:

Given that you will be mainly using hot wax, a single pot wax heater will be all that you need. Wax pots must ideally be wiped down at the end of each brow service, with a full clean at the end of each day. This helps to prolong the life of the equipment and must be done to maintain high cleanliness and hygiene standards.

For more information on wax pots, watch the videos linked:

Brow brushes

There are hundreds of different brushes you can use, and some brushes are better for particular applications. Aside from different application purposes, brushes can come in a range of different materials. These can be categorised into two main categories – synthetic or natural.

At a minimum, you must have brow brushes in your kit. You can use mascara wands as disposable brow brushes, but investing in a few quality brow brushes can really up your brow game! Also, it is good to have an angled brush in your kit (for applying brow highlight) and a fluffy blending brush in case you need to dust translucent powder or talcum powder to the brow area to absorb excessive oil/moisture. Example brushes are shown:

These days, you can get double-ended brushes that have a spoolie on one end and then angle brush or other brush types on the other end. You have Duo Brow Brushes in your supplied kit. While not essential, to help look after your brushes and to keep them organised, you might like to invest in a brush roll, container or holder. Brushes aren’t cheap; in fact, there is a makeup brush on the market that retails for $25,000! While it is unlikely that you will have super expensive equipment when starting out, getting into good habits early on will help you to ensure that your tools and equipment last longer. Brush storage helps to ensure you don’t lose any of your brushes and will also make you look more professional. Example brush storage ideas have been provided below:

Tweezers

To learn about the tweezers contained in your supplied training kit, as well as how to hold a pair of tweezers, watch the below video tutorial:

So, slanted tweezers are an absolute staple for your kit, and you should avoid using straight tip tweezers as these are better for applying false lashes. Most professional tweezers are made from titanium or stainless steel. The reason they are made from these materials is that they are hard wearing and safe to use on clients skin. Depending on the grade of stainless steel, they may contain a small amount of nickel, which can cause reactions in clients’ with nickel allergies and other sensitivities. Do not be fooled by products marketed as ‘hypoallergenic’.

Key phrase | Hypoallergenic: Hypoallergenic means that a product is ‘unlikely’ to cause a reaction.

As the definition suggests, hypoallergenic means that a product is unlikely to cause a reaction, but that doesn’t mean they are allergy-proof! While stainless steel tools will be fine on most clients, if you are concerned about causing allergic reactions, then you should opt for titanium tools. If you are ordering your tools from overseas, particularly from countries where rigorous compliance with alloy materials is not mandated, you can also purchase nickel tests to detect the presence of nickel. You can order these tests online, and they are relatively inexpensive and will give you some peace of mind that your tools are made from the materials they are supposed to be made from.

Trimming scissors

Trimming scissors are a must-have as a brow artist because you would not want some super long strands of hair ruining a client’s newly shaped brows! There are loads of different types of scissors available, with some examples shown:

Sharpener

A decent sharpener is essential for your kit. To ensure that you are practising safe hygiene, your brow pencils all need to be sanitised and sharpened in between clients. This helps to ensure that a fresh product is being applied each and every time. If you are using brow pencils that twist upwards, you can either break a bit of the pencil into a palette and then use a brush to apply the liner, or you will need to spray sanitiser. Sharpeners that have a shavings catcher attached can be really handy because having the catcher attached means you won’t get shavings all over the floor!

Mixing dish or plate

To maintain proper hygiene, products that can be decanted (poured out) onto a mixing plate or palette should be. There are loads of options available when it comes to mixing dishes and plates, and they come in plastic, stainless steel or titanium. When mixing dyed, a mixing dish can be perfect. There are some palettes and plates with rings attached so you can wear them while you are performing your brow services. What you decide to use is totally up to you!