Threading and tinting solve two different problems, not the same one: threading shapes your brows by removing stray hair, while tinting adds colour to the hair you keep. Neither replaces the other, which is exactly why so many clients book them together rather than choosing between them.
What Threading Actually Fixes
Threading removes hair precisely, line by line, to correct shape — clearing stray growth below and between brows, tidying an uneven arch, or bringing a brow that's grown out back under control. It changes the outline of your brow. It does nothing for colour, so a fair or sparse brow will still look fair and sparse immediately after a thread, just with a cleaner line.
What Tinting Actually Fixes
Tinting adds semi-permanent colour to the hair that's already there, deepening it for a fuller, more defined look without any change to shape. It's the difference maker for naturally fair or light brows, where the hair itself is often present in perfectly good density — it simply doesn't show up without added depth of colour. Tint doesn't correct a wayward shape, and it won't thicken brows that are genuinely sparse; it just makes the hair that's there more visible.
Why They're Often Booked Together
Shape and colour are separate variables, and most people who feel their brows aren't "finished" are actually seeing a combination of both — an outline that's grown a little uneven and colour that's too light to read as intentional from a normal distance. Threading first, then tinting, addresses both in a single visit, which is why the combination is such a common request rather than a genuine upsell.
Which One Do You Actually Need?
- Brows feel unruly, uneven or overgrown, but the colour reads fine — threading alone is enough
- Brows are naturally fair, light or thinning, but the shape is already good — tinting alone will do most of the work
- Brows are both uneven and hard to see from a distance — book both in the same visit for the most noticeable change
- You're not sure — start with threading, since shape is the more immediately visible fix, and add tint at a future visit if colour still feels flat
A Note on Timing and Upkeep
Threading needs rebooking more often than tinting, typically every three to four weeks as new hair grows in, while a tint tends to hold for four to six weeks before it visibly softens. Because the two fade on different schedules, it's common to keep them roughly in sync by booking a tint at every second or third thread, rather than tinting every single visit.
A patch test is required at least 24–48 hours before any first-time tint, regardless of how it's paired with threading — it's a genuine safety step for skin-contact dye, not a box-ticking formality, so it's worth booking that ahead if tinting is new to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I get my eyebrows threaded or tinted first?
Threading first, then tinting — shaping before colour means the tint is applied to the brow in its finished shape rather than to hair that's about to be removed.
Does tinting make eyebrows thicker?
No — tint adds colour to existing hair, making it more visible, but it doesn't add density. Genuinely sparse brows will still look sparse, just darker.
Can men get eyebrow tinting as well as threading?
Tinting itself is offered through Lavish Hair & Beauty; Maverick Grooming Studio offers precise men's eyebrow threading for shape. Ask either team if you want both.
How often should I get my eyebrows threaded and tinted?
Threading roughly every three to four weeks, and tinting roughly every four to six weeks — many clients tint at every second or third threading visit to keep both in sync.