Summer is apt for a bit of tinting, waxing or lamination; for the more sedate healing that cosmetic tattooing demands, winter is generally preferable. Then again, what the calendar says is not as relevant as your aftercare routine, where you live, your skin and whether you have any swimming on the agenda.
I am Fletcher Rosenthal. One learns from experience that beauty appointments do not always turn out like the glossy photograph. Trains are late, the beach has its pull and an unfortunate swim in the hotel pool can make of your aftercare a minor tragedy. The following guide puts the practicalities of brow services in their proper perspective.
Choose Your Season With Confidence
You will not find one season to rule them all in Australia. It comes down to if you are after a quick shape and colour or something like a cosmetic tattoo with a protracted healing time, so choosing brow enhancements depends on your needs.
The seasons are not uniform across the country either. From December through February the Top End is hot and humid, there is dry heat in the Red Centre, milder climes on Tasmania’s coast and bushfire danger in some southern reaches. June to August might see dry skin in Sydney and Melbourne, cooler Perth or the advantage of the dry season up north.
| Service | Easier Season | Why | Caveats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brow tinting | Summer or winter | Little healing required for a short visit | Fading from sweat and cleansing |
| Brow waxing | When it is cooler | To avoid post-wax irritation and sweat | Do not put it in the sun right after |
| Brow lamination | Summer (plan for it) | Good for a low-maintenance style | Humidity, aftercare and swimming |
| Cosmetic tattooing | Winter | Healing is more of a manageable affair | Sun, dry skin and follow-up care |
Do not take these as medical edicts. Put it to a competent brow professional to put your skin and treatment history under review before they get to work.
Summer For The Busy
In Australia the client will often opt for a tint, wax or lamination in the summer. They spare you the morning chore of having to put your brows back in order for a wedding, a holiday or an extended day at the beach.
But it is in summer that a lack of planning is laid bare. You may find yourself regretting not heeding the aftercare sheet rather than just nodding at it when you have had a fresh wax and then put in a full day in the sun, or gone for a lamination on a pool-centric holiday.
Top Treatments For Summer
A tint is a sound way to put some definition on the brow hairs without a long recovery. But the outcome is subject to how you cleanse and the type of hair and skin you have, as well as salt or chlorinated water and perspiration.
Waxing is fine prior to a holiday so long as you put a few days between the appointment and any hard sun. The skin is left sensitive for a while, so to combine the two is to court problems. The beach is not going anywhere; it has been known to wait.
For those with a busy summer to contend with, lamination will give the brows a lifted, fuller quality. Be aware that humidity can be uncooperative and that a lot of face washing or sweating will not let the effect last as long as you would like.
Dealing With The Heat
Sweat is inevitable in the summer heat and can lead to some smudging after you have been styled or tinted. It is not a death knell for the treatment but aggressive cleansing or oily products will compromise the finish.
After waxing or anything that makes the skin a little raw, UV exposure is of concern. Heed the provider on sunscreen and do not put products on newly treated skin unless told to. Travelling in the Pilbara or Red Centre? The sun will not be as lenient as the mirror in your bathroom.
Swimming And Holiday Timing
Then there is the matter of swimming. Water sports and the like can be at odds with the aftercare of a lamination or tattoo. Make sure you know from the provider how long the area must be kept dry before you book in. If you have a one-day occasion, allow the redness to subside by booking in advance. As for a trip to the beach, have the appointment done before you leave, not the night of. A patch test should be done if called for, and one should make time for it; this is all the more so where there is a history of reacting to adhesives, cosmetics or hair dye.
Healing in Winter: Cosmetic Tattooing in Australia
It is no coincidence that clients in Australia are drawn to cosmetic tattooing in the cooler months. With less sweat to contend with, and no strong summer sun or swimming to worry about, healing is not as much of an ordeal. The work of a practitioner may involve microblading, feather touch brows and other semi-permanent makeup.
One would be wrong to think winter is inherently better or safer. It is a matter of logistics for the most part: fewer people are at the pool or beach and the weather is conducive to following instructions. But patience is still of the essence, as is clean hands and realistic expectations in how you use products.
The Advantages of Cooler Weather
The skin must be shielded while a new cosmetic tattoo takes hold. Summer tends to bring its share of direct sun and sweating. In winter these interruptions are minimised, though do not let the cold air, wind and indoor heating dry out your skin.
Your calendar is as important as the weather in deciding on eyebrow work. Make sure you have a window to put off any long days outdoors or strenuous exercise as the provider would have it. And unless you are familiar with how your skin will behave from a prior procedure, do not book right before something major.
Then there is the misconception that the job is done once you leave the chair. Brow colour and shape will alter in the course of healing and it is some time before the final result is apparent. A follow-up is sometimes put forward, but that is up to the technique and the practitioner.
Dealing with Dry Skin in Winter
Winter has a way of making aftercare unpleasant with flaking and irritation. The temptation is to put on the first moisturiser to hand or to have a good scratch and scrub. Not advisable. Stick to what your qualified provider has given you or put his stamp of approval on.
Hydrating is not an excuse to drench the brows or put on heavy creams willy-nilly; it is about being controlled and supporting the skin barrier. If eczema, psoriasis, active acne or dermatitis is present in the brow area, put the question to the provider as to whether to put off the appointment.
Align Your Treatment with Your Schedule
Whether to have a brow service in the height of summer or in winter is best decided by your plans. A quiet week in winter is well suited to cosmetic tattooing, whereas for a summer wedding lamination or tinting might be the practical option.
Be honest about your routine: the train commute, the children, an afternoon on the Stuart Highway or weekends at the pool. Opt for a treatment that does not require you to fight your life to get the aftercare done.
What You Expect and What Is
You may expect a lamination to remain perfectly in place come the humidity and the daily swim. In fact, while it spares you some styling, no treatment will insulate the hair from water and friction.
Or you might think a winter tattoo is free of the need for sun protection. There is still UV exposure when you are travelling or at sport. The Bureau of Meteorology has the official Australian climate information to guide you.
And while a patch test is informative, it is no guarantee against reaction. Put any allergies, medications or past reactions on the table with your practitioner.
When to Hold Off
An infection, sunburn, broken skin or a rash in the vicinity of the brows are reason enough to reschedule. The same applies if you are pregnant, on medication that could impede healing or have had another cosmetic procedure of late; seek professional counsel.
If you have a busy time coming up, do not make the mistake of booking. When your day is filled with a morning swim and a dusty bush track in the afternoon, followed by a return to a crowded campsite, a cosmetic tattoo is hardly a sensible decision. A simple tidy-up or tint is more to the point.
Aftercare in Australia
In principle the aftercare for a good brow treatment is straightforward: respect the restrictions, do not handle the area and keep it clean. The problem is adhering to those rules when you are hot and friends are wondering why you will not get in the pool.
So before you put down a booking, find out who to call if the skin gets swollen or painful, what you can expect in the way of symptoms and when the colour will have settled. Get a clear idea of how long you must eschew makeup, the sun and active skincare, and whether a patch test is in order.
- Plan your waxing for a time when you can be sure of no important events or too much sun.
- Professionals will tell you to have your fresh treatments and any beach or swimming well apart.
- While the brows are healing, see to it that you use only what has been approved and with clean hands.
- Treated skin should be shielded from the sun as much as possible.
- Do not put yourself in a hurry once the appointment is over; make sure parking and transport are sorted.
Pick a clinic within easy reach so there is no need for a perspiring run from the car park or some far off station. Should you be driving, verify parking beforehand. On public transport, map out how you are getting back and take nothing but the products your provider has given the nod to. There is nothing glamorous about a sedate journey home, then again it is preferable to being overheated and at once making a rub of your brows.
Prices in Australia are all over the place, depending on where you are, the practitioner and his experience, the technique employed and if a consultation is part of the deal. Get the figure in Australian dollars before you book, patch test fee and all. One would do well to be wary of cosmetic tattooing that is hard to come by at a price unless the practitioner can put you at ease as to his qualifications, hygiene, pigments and the like.
The Practical Choice
When it comes to brow tinting, the ideal season is one in which you can put off the sweat and the elements. For most, an aptly scheduled appointment in either season will do rather than any hard and fast rule.
Summer is handy for lamination ahead of an event or holiday if you are amenable to the restrictions on aftercare and water. Waxing might be more agreeable in cooler climes though the winter sun is something to consider. With cosmetic tattooing the logistics are simpler in winter, assuming you can look after dry skin and let the area heal undisturbed.
I have a rule that is hardly romantic but it works: book according to the way your life is for the next fortnight. If that means a long day outside, a trip to the pool or even a cyclone warning up north, put it off or go with something less onerous. An obstacle course is the last thing a good brow session should become.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most seasonal queries are really about climate, expectations and timing. Below are the answers to what is commonly put to us.
What constitutes summer and winter in Australia?
For the most part December through February is summer and June to August is winter. But local conditions can be very different; a winter day in Darwin is not to be compared with Hobart, nor a Perth summer with Cairns.
Is there a preferred season for brow services?
If you can plan around the sun and a dip in the water, summer is fine for tinting, lamination and waxing. Many opt for cosmetic tattooing in the winter when they can keep clear of the beach and pools while the brows are mending.
What are the four seasons?
Spring, summer, autumn and winter. Up north they will talk of wet and dry seasons as that is a better description of what one encounters on a daily basis.
And the best month for treatment?
You will not find one that is best for everyone. The month you pick should be free of any heat exposure or outdoor commitments in the wake of the procedure. Let your provider’s aftercare stipulations be the deciding factor.
Is swimming allowed post treatment?
Not always. Lamination, waxing, tinting and the like may preclude it. Find out before you book and abide by the waiting period set down for you. If you must have your swim, book for after the fact.
A word to the wise
Winter lends itself to cosmetic tattooing and the healing process, summer to a bit of definition for the short term. In the end the sensible thing is to have the treatment accord with your skin and obligations.
Before you have your lamination done for a Queensland getaway or a Sydney wedding, or get a tattoo in the quiet of winter, put some questions to your provider and give your skin its due. You will get better results from the work done and from not fiddling with your brows when you feel like it.