Would you spend $18K for new eyebrows?
A closeup on our brows: the money we spend on the pair framing our face
They’re definitely a statement item. Think Frida Kahlo or Brooke Shields. Marilyn Monroe and Cara Delevingne. You could almost argue their eyebrows framing their famous faces are our visual memory. And it’s not limited to women. Consider Jack Nicholson, who’s made quite the career wiggling about his famous pair — I met his son once. I could immediately tell they were related — same distinct brows.
The distinct nature of an eyebrow is what becomes a key to the familiarity of a face. If yours happen to be frozen in place from too much Botox, not to fear, it’s happened to all of us. But you want your brows to move so you can talk to the world. One word:
“Honey find someone new — that doesn’t have to be you.”
What We Spend to Buff Our Brows
So to what extreme do us mere mortals go to buff up our brows? American women are spending anywhere from $500 a year on the low end to $1,200 a year for regular tints, grooming and maintenance. The wildest craze is an eyebrow transplant, with some people spending as much as $18K!
What $18,000 Could Buy
A first-class round-the-world ticket
60 pairs of designer shoes
1,800 visits to your favorite coffee shop
On average, the going rate for an eyebrow transplant is $7,633.
In total, American women spend an average of $3,756 a year on products and services to boost our beauty. Of that, we’re spending between $500 and $1,200 on our brows. Let’s put our brow pencil to it, at a cost of at least $25, and break it down.
The Cost of Beautiful Brows
What’s Not Included: Another $625+
Before you judge, I want to share what’s in my own brow drawer. Mind you, these are only the products I use daily. It doesn’t account for the rest I purchased to shape, color and grow my brows, beyond my regular services.
For $28, I use the tinted Precisely, My Brow Wax from Benefit Cosmetics. It lasts a long time and works. ((this is not an affiliate link; just sharing))
But of course, that’s not all I’ve got in the drawer.
I’m a fan of the OBAGI NU-CIL® Eyelash Enhancing Serum on my lashes and brows and neither have looked better. Ever. Both are growing faster and are bushier. I switched after learning why my aesthetician’s lashes look so amazing — and they’re real! No wonder the whole place switched to this product. ((this is not an affiliate link; just sharing)) I need at least 5 containers a year. Right there is $625
Go Bigger: Brow Transplant
In the context of what we’re already spending on bushy brows, getting a whole new set actually starts to seem like a good investment, especially if you’re already microblading, which has to be redone every few years.
The average cost of an eyebrow transplant is around $7,633. In the U.S. it ranges from $3,800 to $14,000. The best part is Eyebrow Transplants have a 94% “Worth It” rating from nearly 200 reviews on RealSelf.
Unlike “natural” brows, which take forever to grow, grafted brows grow crazy fast.
Hair follicles are removed from the back of your head and attached to your face. The procedure has been so successful, those who opt-in find they have to trim their brows weekly because they grow so quickly. Wild to think you’d need a literal comb for your eyebrows. Or maybe a brush!
This is a great solution for anyone whose plucked their eyebrows away, which is a thing, especially for those of us who went through that time when it was all about the barely there brow.
Of course, traveling to an exotic location can be an opportunity to get a set of new brows and a vacation, all in one. Especially when a permanent solution is sensible, going elsewhere can make the procedure more affordable.
As for me, my luck they’d end up plucking my gray hairs. I’d end up with old-man eyebrows and look just like my dad. If you get yourself some new brows, be sure and let us know how they grow!