Protecting eyebrows and the hairline — how do you stop brows going dark?

A thin layer of barrier cream or plain balm brushed through the brows and along the hairline is the simplest fix — a spoolie works well for brows. Use a headband or hair cap pushed right back, and ask light-haired clients to come with dry, product-free hair tied up.

On the face pass, keep the gun moving, stay a bit further back near the hairline, and don’t aim directly at brows. Afterwards, a quick dab with a cotton pad or wipe along the hairline and through the brows removes anything that settled.

If a client has very pale or bleached hair, mention up front that a little transfer is possible and how to rinse it out — it saves the next-day message.