Eyebrow Mommy

November 9, 2007

Stay at home moms. Sometimes you have to admit that although you wouldn’t change it for the world…..you do become bored at times. My mommy boredom has manifested itself in different ways such as: moving furniture; changing window draperies; moving plants; switching wall pictures; cutting my children’s hair….oh, yes, and hair coloring – from blonde to midnight black. I’ve been them all. All out of sheer mental boredom – but at the same time, being very busy taking care of little ones.

So when my husband wins a hairdresser prize package worth $300, I found it thrilling. The prize was two haircuts and eyebrows. I call for the eyebrow waxing and quickly learn it is for permanent eyebrows. Investigating on the web, I find out permanent makeup seems to be the new rage. One less thing to do in the morning in a busy mommy’s life. Then I start noticing on television how many actresses had such wonderful, distinct eyebrows. That’s it.

Early Saturday morning, I set off to receive my FREE permanent eyebrows. However, my resolve wavers when I enter the tiny salon. Time has stopped here somewhere in the mid 1950’s. Old hairdressers and even older customers sit in chairs while wheelchairs converge in the corners. No one under the age of 60 seems to be here, except me. Once the eyebrow technician sees me she says, “my, my, you have eyebrows.” And I think, ‘that’s a strange statement.’ But then I look around and see a whole room filled with either no eyebrows, thin-penciled eyebrows or little hyphen brows. My inner alarm goes off, ‘maybe this isn’t a good idea.’

Nevertheless, I allow myself to be led back to a small room. Really, the room is a cluttered closet with old Christmas decorations flowing out of a large dresser pressed right up against the eyebrow chair. Dust sits on one of the low step stools where I set my pocketbook. And the technician puts on thick bi-focals as she chats away about permanent makeup and her half price sale coming up. All she needed was a cigarette hanging out of her mouth to complete the picture. As I lie there, I wonder if she is certified. I don’t see a certificate anywhere in all the clutter; but at this point, I don’t really want to know.

When it is all done, she hands me a cracked hand mirror and apologizes for the crack. I take my first look, and I wonder if my reflection might have cracked it? Oh my goodness, what have I done? My hair was reddish brown with blonde highlights (another bored moment decision), and now I had two very large, very black eyebrows. I looked like Joe Pesci as the transsexual in the movie JFK. Next, I start to notice a resemblance to Grumpy in Snow White. Two very large, very black eyebrows kept staring back at me. The technician said that 50% of the color would wash away in a week or so. I was hoping in the next 24 hours or so. I refused to leave the salon until they colored my hair black.

I returned home to my husband’s laughter and his teasing “why do you have that surprised look on your face, ha ha”– in between, “I’m just kidding — 50% of it will fade.” That night and the next morning I scrub and scrub my eyebrows and say many prayers.

Thank the good Lord!!!! In a day or two, my eyebrows are on par with Brook Shields !!!! I hadn’t realized how much eyebrows did for a face. Although the rest of my body hadn’t dropped an ounce, my eyebrows made my face look thinner, my cheekbones higher. Permanent eyebrows – one bored mommy moment changed my whole perspective. My husband said my face even seems more lively. Now if that “liveliness” could just travel down to my belly, we’ll be in business.

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