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I'm usually really good with money. Pinky swear. I budget down to the last dime and, when it comes to beauty products, rather than spend lots on designer creams, I make my own moisturizers with olive oil and amazing masks with oatmeal and baking soda. But lord knows I'm no financial hero because my latest beauty splurge is so good and SO, SO bad at the same time.
I am addicted to having my eyebrows shaped. And I don't mean waxed or threaded in a back room at my local nail salon because that would cost $11 and be way too practical. No, I'm talking about a $115 (!!), utterly insane splurge that my husband knows absolutely nothing about. Um, yet.
I've been obsessed with nice eyebrows since long before Cara Delevingne broke onto the scene and inspired women everywhere to embrace fuller brows. I haven't always been kind to my brows and definitely over-plucked them in search of something that resembled whatever Kate Moss sported in the late '90s, but as I've matured, I've realized the importance of this facial feature and in finding a shape that works on me, and not on someone else.
Eyebrows can make or break your look. And they can save you lots of money, time, and energy because, with great brows, the need to apply a lot of eye makeup seriously diminishes. I paint my own nails, give myself home facial treatments, and have the same dark brown hair I've had for years that lacks interesting and expensive highlights -- but don't ask me to tweeze and shape my own brows. I refuse to trust myself with such an important beauty responsibility.
A few months ago, I found out about Joey Healy. He's an eyebrow guru to the stars who is based in New York City and has received tons of press in recent years. He regularly appears on talk shows like Bethenny and his client list includes Charlize Theron and about a million magazines and TV shows, including The Real Housewives of New York City. He charges $115 for a basic eyebrow shaping. I had some extra play money that I'd made from a few freelance gigs and I thought: Oh, why not?
Actually, that's a total lie. It took me two weeks from when I discovered Joey to make an appointment. I wavered between having convulsions thinking about spending all that money and telling myself I deserved one little splurge since I'd been so good.
So, I did it. And I don't regret it one bit.
Joey was amazing. He spent one full hour plucking and brushing and cutting and making my eyebrows the best eyebrows they can possibly be. We talked eyebrows the entire time, which probably seems pretty demented to most, but for me was the equivalent of a budding high school basketball star receiving advice from Dwyane Wade.
It's been one month since our appointment and my brows still look pretty good. I obsessively stay on top of them, trim the tiniest of hairs that are out of place, and fill them in with a light pencil each day.
My husband still hasn't discovered my dirty secret, but I'm going to have to let the cat out of the bag soon because, yes, I want to make another appointment with my guru. I'm thinking of other things I can trim out of my budget to justify this ludicrous personal expense. Clothes? No sweat. Those little chocolate eclair treats I stash in my freezer? Maybe. Call me nuts, but I'm telling you: once you get great eyebrows, you never go back.
Do you have any secret beauty splurges?
Image via Sephora
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