Henna, Hybrid Brows or Traditional Brow Tint: Which Suits Your Salon?

Every brow professional who tints chooses between three techniques. Each one colours differently, lasts differently and suits a different type of client. Once you know where the differences lie, you can recommend the right treatment for each client – which is why many salons offer more than one technique.

This guide compares henna, hybrid brows and traditional brow tint on how they work, how long they last and when to use them. Already working with henna? Read how to mix eyebrow henna colours as well.

When should you choose henna brows?

Henna stains both the hair and the skin intensely. That lets you correct the shape, balance out asymmetry and temporarily fill in sparse areas. Marie-José henna eyebrow tint colours the hair for up to 6 weeks and the skin for around 1 week. One 1 g sachet is enough for about five treatments.

You mix the powder with water into a paste. Leave it on for a maximum of 20 to 30 minutes; the first time you work with this henna, keep it to 10 minutes at most. The longer the henna develops, the darker the result. It comes in eight shades that you can blend with each other.

Henna brows suit clients who want a clearly visible result and a fuller shape than their natural brow hair gives them. Oily skin or a frequently changing skincare routine can shorten how long the stain lasts on the skin.

What exactly are hybrid brows?

Hybrid brows sit between henna and traditional tint. Hybrid eyebrow tint is a cream tint that you mix with the Hybrid Brow Tint Developer 3%. Use the tint with this developer only; a different activator can affect the colour and how it performs.

• Mixing ratio: 3:2 – three parts tint to two parts developer.
• Processing time: 1 to 8 minutes. The longer you leave it, the more intense the colour.
• Ombré: 5 to 8 minutes on the tail, 2 to 3 minutes on the front of the brow.
• After brow lamination: shorten the processing time to around 3 to 5 minutes.

The tint colours the hair for 6 to 7 weeks and the skin for up to 7 days. The skin stain is softer than with henna and easy to control. Because you can apply hybrid tint in the same appointment as brow lamination, your client gets shape and colour in one treatment. See also the right order for hybrid brows and brow lamination.

Hybrid brows suit clients who are hesitant about henna and want a more natural look. For brow professionals who are new to tinting, it is an accessible technique thanks to the fixed ratio and short processing time. The tint comes in Ash Blonde, Light Brown, Medium Brown and Dark Brown; the Hybrid Eyebrow Tint Set gives you all four shades plus the developer in one order.

And when do you choose traditional brow tint?

Traditional brow tint mainly colours the hairs and leaves hardly any stain on the skin, so the shape itself does not change. The result is predictable and the processing time is short. That makes it a good fit for clients who are happy with their shape and simply want darker, fuller-looking brows.

Clients who want a quick treatment or no skin staining often choose traditional tint too. For mature clients and clients with grey hairs it is frequently the first choice, because the colour sits on the hairs themselves.

Henna, hybrid brows and brow tint side by side

	Henna	Hybrid brows	Traditional brow tint
Colours	Hair and skin, intense	Hair and skin, softer	Mainly the hair
On the hair	Up to 6 weeks	6 to 7 weeks	Shorter
On the skin	Around 1 week	Up to 7 days	Barely
Mixing	Powder with water	Cream with developer, 3:2	Tint with developer
Processing time	Max. 20–30 min	1–8 min	Short
With brow lamination	Separate appointment	Same treatment	Same treatment

How to choose the right technique for each client

Step 1 — Ask about the result she wants

During the consultation, ask how much skin staining your client wants, whether she wants to change her shape and how long the result should last. Ask about any previous reactions to hair dye as well.

Step 2 — Choose the technique

Henna gives the most skin staining and the strongest shape correction. Hybrid brows give a softer skin stain and combine with brow lamination. Traditional brow tint colours the hair only and leaves the shape as it is.

Step 3 — Record what you did

Note the technique, shade or blend, mixing ratio and processing time, so you can repeat the result at the next appointment.

Frequently asked questions