If you’ve noticed gorgeous brows (especially feathered brows) among your favorite celebs, chances are they got them done at STRIIIKE. Kristie Streitcher, Ashley Streitcher, and Jenn Streitcher are masters of brows, hair, and makeup respectively, and the three sisters founded the eponymous beauty studio nestled away in Beverly Hills. Kristie is the brow expert, and is renowned for bringing full and feathered brows back to Hollywood. She has shaped the brows of celebs like Adele, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sandra Bullock, Mandy Moore, Lorde, Mila Kunis and many more. While I didn’t see Kristie herself, I did see one of her highly trained brow experts, Calvin Saldana, who treated me with a brow lift and tint.
STRIIIKE isn’t just like any other brow studio. They do not wax, thread, or trim your hair. Instead, their approach centers around restoring your natural brow line. Before your appointment, you have to grow out your brows for at least six weeks with absolutely no tweezing, trimming, waxing, or threading (seriously!). This is not the place for people who like the highly arched and extremely manicured look for their brows – they are all about working with what you’ve naturally got. Knowing this, I decided to go all in and kept my hands off my brows for 10 weeks before seeing Calvin.
What is a Brow Lift?
When I arrived for my brow lamination and tint service, I was warmly greeted by Calvin, who took a look at the new growth of my brows before he began the treatment. The brow lift service at STRIIIKE, also known as brow lamination, works by using a chemical solution and keratin to pull the hair straight, and acts as a perm so the hairs will stay in an upward and outward position after treatment. When done correctly, a brow lift will not damage the hair, although you shouldn’t get this done less than 6 weeks apart. Your hair may be slightly drier than normal after, but this can be easily fixed by applying an oil to the brow. Calvin explained to me that the lamination process would “train” my brow hairs to stay up when I brush them, therefore making them easier to style. The result is a fuller, natural looking brow that lasts 5-8 weeks depending on the hair type.
Before With No Product
After With No Product
The Treatment
The treatment process was fairly simple. Calvin took a look at my new growth and strategically plucked the hairs without compromising my natural brow line. He also carefully plucked away my unibrow (I don’t ever think I’’ll ever rock the famous STRIIIKE uni!). After that, a keratin solution was placed on my brows and left on for about 20 minutes. After the lamination worked its straightening magic, a tint was left for about another 20 minutes. And just like that, my brows were done! Calvin sent me home with some amazing brow products to keep my results looking their best.
After With Product
The Results
Immediately, I was in LOVE with my results. I am still getting compliments on my brows, weeks after my appointment. I’ve always had a lot of brow hair, but the hair was thin —I never knew that I could achieve a healthy thick brow look! My idea of what my brows could be have completely changed, and it is now just hitting me how much I over-plucked, waxed and threaded my brows. I am now committed to restoring my natural brow line, and don’t think I’ll ever return to threading or waxing. Truly, these feathered brows are not overrated.
