Style

Brow Pinching Isn't As Scary As It Sounds, & Will Actually Help Your Whole Face

Blink Brow Bar

If you're constantly in pursuit of perfect brows, I feel ya. I actually tend to keep my brow treatments to a minimum as I don't like to mess with them too much, but the odd threading appointment is ideal for me. And in my opinion, Blink Brow Bar do the best threading out there. As well as threading, the brand recently just started to offer a treatment called 'eyebrow pinching'. But what is eyebrow pinching? Here's everything you need to know.

The fact that the tagline for Blink Brow Bar's Brow Pinching service is 'Better Than Botox' will perhaps offer you an indication of the type of treatment this is. Unlike the treatments Blink currently offers for brows, which involve removing hair, pinching has nothing to do with plucking, waxing, or threading. It is in fact more of a massage than a typical brow treatment.

The new ten minute treatment sees Blink experts target key pressure points around the eye and brow area, to both reduce puffiness and rejuvenate the eye area. As the name suggests, it involves very light, delicate 'pinching' around the eye and brow area.

Pinching is a traditional Ayurvedic holistic system of wellbeing, and one that is used to delay the onset of fine lines, hence the Botox reference.

Explaining the appeal of the new treatment, Ayurvedic Health Coach Sunita Passi explains:

"As well as relieving tension, stimulating the brow area with pinching helps encourage lymph drainage and improve circulation. The increased blood fow allows cells to be nourished with essential nutrients that rejuvenate the skin and allow the body to heal."

She continues: "As a result, collagen production is increased, which improves skin elasticity and helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles."

If you fancy a touch of pinching, you can get it done at Blink on counter at stores such as Harvey Nichols (where, BTW, the range of treatments is seriously impressive, from hair options at their new Hershesons salon to light therapy facials) for £15. It only takes ten minutes when done alone, or you can also incorporate it into another brow treatment. For example, you could get your brows threaded for £21, which includes some pinching.

Interestingly, this isn't the first example of treatments that target the facial muscles. Treatments and 'workouts' such as those at Face Gym have become increasingly popular for their unique nature.

A typical treatment at Face Gym involves use of an electrical muscle stimulation device to lift, tone, tighten, and sculpt the face.

"Our signature technique uses vigorous knuckling movements and high-energy whipping strokes to stimulate blood circulations, collagen production, and cell renewal to lift, tone, and tighten the face," FaceGym founder Inge Theron told Byrdie. "It gets your skin sweating and detoxed, leaving it toned and energised."

If you don't have the budget to spend on treatments such as these, don't worry, a Jade Roller or a Gua Sha made from crystals such as Rose Quartz are great for your own at home facial 'workouts.' Just check out YouTube to discover how to get the most out of yours.