Henna, tint or pigment: three motions, three holds

Henna, tint and pigment all act on the brow, and they are often confused because a photo of any of them shows a denser line. They do not work the same layer, and they are not applied with the same motion.

Henna

Henna is a paste applied to the skin and the hair, then left to sit for a set time before being removed. It lays a tone that covers the skin under the brow line, which visibly thickens a sparse line. The result fades as the skin sheds over a few days to a few weeks, depending on the skin and the motion. It is mixed at the moment, worked to consistency, and does not keep like a liquid.

Tint

Tint is mixed with an oxidant in the proportion its sheet fixes, applied to the hair, and colours the hair itself. It needs a shorter development time than henna and gives a sharper line on existing hair. It does not replace henna on bare skin: it acts on the hair, not the skin. The mix is prepared in small amounts and does not keep once the oxidant is added.

Pigment

Pigment is the product of a permanent or semi-permanent makeup motion, placed with a machine rather than a brush. It lives inside a protocol, with its own training and its own equipment, and it is not applied like a counter tint. We file it with the brows because it works the same area, not because it is applied the same way.

Storing at the counter

Powders and tints are kept closed, away from moisture and light. An opened pot is sealed again after every pick-up, and the same tool is never dipped twice. Write the reference and the batch on the pot: that is what lets you find the same tone three months later.