Shall I tint my eyebrows?
I asked myself that question the other day.
Should I let my eyebrows go natural, aka white, or should I buy the $9.99 eyebrow goop, tint my eyebrows, and present myself to the world — and to myself — as someone whose brows, along with the rest of her body, mind and spirit, are not actually fading into oblivion.
It’s an existential question: do I go gentle into that good night — or do I tint my eyebrows?
I ‘ve made a lot of concessions lately to nature and to its sidekick, mortality:
- I got an appointment with an audiologist to have my hearing tested. And none too soon. Everybody in my spin class this week could hear my watch alarm go off. Everybody but me.
- Also, my baby toes have gone numb — a condition that dates back to the Zoom Zumba I did on the concrete floor of our den during covid. “Neuromas,” said the podiatrist as he injected my foot with something that’s supposed to numb the nerve that’s numbing my toes.
- And what about those mysterious gastro symptoms, not fit to mention here. Are they caused by (age-related) lactose intolerance? Is my gut telling me it’s time to cut out milk, along with all those other perks of youth? The second glass of wine. The late afternoon latte. The 12K Bay to Breakers race. Conversations with friends that last deep into the night. Sleeping under the stars in a sleeping bag. Sleeping through the night.
Am I fading along with my eyebrows?
It’s true that I don’t have much control over developments like hearing loss, numb toes, and balky intestines.
But I do have control over the state of my fading eyebrows. I have the financial wherewithal to purchase the brow tinting kit. I have a fairly steady hand. In short, I have what it takes to give myself a face with eyebrows.
And that’s what I did. I took Dylan Thomas at his word. I paid the $9.99. I raged against the dying of the light.
More beauty and fashion musings at “My Upper Lip and Other Sorrows.” And, “Wedding Dress Shopping — When Your Daughter Lets You Tag Along.”
Barbara, This is hilarious! I’m taking a printout to my hairdresser who also tints my eyebrows with great courage. She’ll love your post.
Yes. Definitely a wise choice — let somebody else apply the tint. I did a pretty splotchy job on mine. Next up — lipstick. Watch this space.
you made me laugh, and smile at how good you look either way.
😉 I’m smiling because it’s nice to hear from you.
Well, I have to admit that you look good. Couldn’t you just do it with eyebrow pencil too? Then it is not a permanent decision, but just deciding whether to go gently into this night.
The eyebrow pencil takes too much time. I like not having to bother with that step.
Good. You look great! I’m raging against the dying of the light also, until the bitter end.
Rich. FYI. The exercise dance classes I’ve been taking lately have introduced what they’re calling swing, but that we referred to as fast dancing. I admit, I bragged a bit about how good we were at it! And if I’m looking good, all that aerobic exercising we did on the BHS dance floor in our teens has to take some credit.
Your brows look like mine. I bought the goop even though my hand isn’t as steady as it once was. Of course there’s always permanent makeup for this problem. I find that a bit scary.
I’ve considered getting eyebrow tatoos. That would put an end to the goop and the eyebrow pencil. But, yes, it’s scary. What if the the tatoo artist messes up? Then I’m permanently deformed.
You are beautiful with or without the dyed eyebrows. As long as we are still vertical we can’t complain…life throws us all kinds of curve balls and we have to learn to hit them.
Vertical. Yep. That’s where I stand these days.
You are beautiful either way — with or without tinted brows — it’s simply a different look. But now that you’ve gone and done it, be warned (learn from my brow experience) that when knitting your brow in consternation, it could appear as if you’re angry — lol — so be sure you don’t go out until you’re fully dressed (i.e. with a smile). 😉😆
Thanks, E.E. During covid, with all that mask wearing, I would pay attention to what I was doing with my eyebrows. I’d raise them cheerfully in what I hoped was a friendly manner. It was the only way I could think of to suggest that I was smiling behind my mask . . . I will now go to the mirror and put on a look of consternation — see how it looks with my highlighted brows. Thanks for the heads up.
I like the eyebrows. eb
😉 I like them, too. I definitely prefer the eyebrow over the no-eyebrow look. Though I think I should have saved the leftover goop so that I could go back later in the day and fill in the patches I missed.