Neatness & Vanity

After writing such a serious blog posting last week, I thought that I might lighten the mood a bit with the following story.

Yesterday I did something extraordinary. For me, it's simply amazing. Okay, it may be something of a fad.

I didn't think that I would ever do it. I've seen more men do it in the last couple years.

I never thought that I would ever go through an event like this one.

GOT MY BROWS WAXED AND TRIMMED.

Before you start laughing. You have to understand this. I've got the bushiest set of eyebrows. It has been bothering me in the last few years. During my 20s/early 30s, I have noticed that the hairs have grown longer and the brow areas growing thicker. It didn't bother me until now. Some say that it is vanity, but I think it is about neatness. Maybe, it's a little bit of vanity too. I have been talking to my friend "K" about this for a couple months. She recently started to have her brows shaped and trimmed too.

Another reason: I've started to notice that other guys are doing it too. Recently, I was at a party, and I was talking to one the guys hosting the party, a Christian brother in his mid 20s, and noticed, while talking to him, that his brows were neatly trimmed.

Please note that I DON'T ever notice guys (or girls) brows when talking to them, unless there is something seriously strange about them. I thought that they looked polished. That's all.

To continue with the story, she calls me yesterday morning if I wanted to watch her get her brows done. She wanted them done in preparation for the upcoming holidays before she heads out to see her parents in the Midwest. "Sure", I said, without any thought.

So, I met her at the local salon. After we arrived, waited for her appointment, introduced to her cosmetologist, and explained that I was going to watch the process, we are led to the back of the salon into a small private room with a reclining barber chair in the middle of the room. Behind the chair were many tools, a bowl of what I guess contains the hot wax, and wooden sticks. "K" laid down with her face up, and closed her eyes. Surprisingly, the procedure ran up to around 5 minutes, while I was watching her.

It was interesting to observe such an elaborate procedure for something that is probably very mundane to women. Men don't usually get to watch this sort of thing or care to watch something like this.

The beautician placed small amounts of warm wax on these wooden sticks and carefully moved the wax over her eyelids like it was cake frosting. After positioning the wax on the necessary facial areas, she covered white strips over "K"'s eyes and pulled quickly. Immediately, the beautician showed me the hairs on the strips.

Quite a bit of hair and too up front for my sight, I thought.

She then took out from the shelf a small pair of petite scissors. She continued with the process by trimming her hairs, in particular on top of her brows. Although it happened for a few minutes, it felt like a half hour watching the procedure.

So, I got an opportunity to observe from a distance to evaluate the process, and I asked a couple inane questions after it was done.

I had to decide immediately. Before I really thought about it, the word "yes" came out of my mouth.

The stylist reassured me repeatedly that the shaping and trimming of my brows would look natural. It wouldn't appear too thin or awkward. I went to take my turn in the barber chair. After my eyes were closed and the warm wax was poured over my eyes, I just realized that my future facial appearance is in her hands. Not a very nice thought if something bad occurred.

I recall a story from college. It may be that you had heard similar stories. It happened in my freshman year during the fall semester. One of the guys in our residence hall had either fallen asleep or passed out from too much drinking. His roommates then continued to shave one of his eye brows. I may be worrying, but I didn't want that to happen to me.

What either "K" or the beautician did NOT tell me was the pain. Yes, guys, there is some pain involved here. She and the person waxing my brows did not warn me about the strip and quick yank would hurt! "K" later told me that was pondering if she should tell me about it. Next time, warn the guy.

After the pain subsided quickly, I was still undergoing through the procedure I never thought that I had a "unibrow thing", but she had poured wax over the area between my two brows and pulled some serious hair. At least, I thought so. Not only did she pull some hairs, but she got the tweezers and pulled a few of them out that were missed. Ouch!

The cosmetologist then continued by trimming the top of the brows with shears.

After opening my eyes and looking at a small hand mirror, I felt very exposed and naked. I could tell my skin felt very aware of the air and the cold temperature.

After 24 hours, I'm still adjusting to living with shapier brows. The verdict is still out, if I'm going to continue to get the brows done. Interestingly, a mole over the former area covering my right brow was uncovered.

Today's verse:Ezekiel 44:20 (The Message)
They are to neither shave their heads nor let their hair become unkempt, but must keep their hair trimmed and neat.