It was like catching up with a girlfriend I hadn’t seen in a long time, only I had just met Eleni. That’s her nature: warm, inviting, familiar. We sat in her home, drinking tea, chatting about life, and the unpredictable turn of events that landed us where we are now. Eleni has been in Lausanne for two years now, but her experience with eyebrow shaping precedes her life in Lausanne by 18 years. That’s right, this woman knows her brows.
At first glance, it’s hard not to be jealous of Eleni’s remarkably thick and beautifully shaped eyebrows. But seeing them provides you with a sense of confidence–as well as something to aspire to. Eleni sat me down and gently brushed my brow, assessing their natural shape, where there seemed to be excessive growth, and where there was a lack of growth due to a few waxings gone wrong. She took her time, she listened, and then she performed her magic. She might argue that it is not magic, rather experience, but friends, based on my track record with waxings and threadings and overplucking, the result was something magical indeed.
Meet Eleni
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Eleni. I am an Australian expat & I’m an eyebrow shaper/stylist.
What brought you to Lausanne?
My husband’s job brought me to Lausanne 2 years ago.
What services do you offer?
As an eyebrow shaper/stylist, I help my clients attain an eyebrow shape they desire, that ultimately suits them and makes the most of their features. The art of eyebrow shaping has really come to the fore in the last few years, especially with the rise of the groomed natural brow (thanks to models Cara Delevingne and Arizona Muse).
What makes your services stand apart from the rest?
Women have come to understand that the right eyebrow shape can make such a difference to their appearance. It frames the face, it can accentuate your features and it can even help make you look younger. Being an expat with English as my mother tongue, my clients feel reassured that their requirements are understood and executed. Paired with over 20 years experience in eyebrow shaping/styling, my clients also feel confident that their eyebrows are in good hands.
The methods I use for eyebrow shaping include a hot wax which is delicate and suitable for sensitive skin, tweezers, and brow scissors. My clients leave with their eyebrows looking not only shaped, but groomed and polished. Also, as a new mum myself, my clients are more than welcome to bring their children along with them to appointments.
Any beauty tips or advice for readers?
Creating a new eyebrow shape takes time and patience and is a work in progress. Having your eyebrows completely reshaped/styled can take a few months depending on the speed and rate of hair regrowth, however, clients can see their new shape taking place from as early as the very first appointment with me. Its therefore super important not to give in to the temptation to overpluck. To maintain your new shape, you should only pluck the hairs that start to grow back, otherwise, having them waxed at 3-4 week intervals is ideal. Investing in good quality eyebrow products such as pencils, powders, and gels to maintain your new look is also highly recommended. These can help make such a difference – especially for those with fair hair, or for when you want to look extra groomed or polished for a night out. My clients are also able to purchase/order these products directly from me. In most cases, we are often born with the shape of eyebrow that suits us most, but we seldom keep it. The most common errors (aside from the obvious extreme overplucking) are when the eyebrows have been shortened on the ends, the eyebrows start too far apart from one another, and of course, the popular “comma” eyebrow shape.
Another all to common error seen these days is the use of eyebrow stencils/templates. These are often misused, creating a shape that ultimately does not suit the wearer and does not look natural. Eyebrows that are also filled in too harshly is also another common mistake.
An interesting fact or two about you.
Just before turning 30, I packed up my life in Australia to live and experience the richness of my heritage in Greece. Good thing I did, because that’s where I met my husband! I am an avid backgammon player, which I picked up while living in Greece (seems to be a birth right!). Being a Melbourne born and bred girl, I’m afraid that I am also a bit of a coffee snob, so I am yet to experience an amazing cup of café latte in Lausanne.
What are your favorite spots in Lausanne?
For a healthy and quick bite to eat, a shot of espresso & a chat with the lovely Jean, I always pop into La Confiserie Etoile Blanche. Caffe Bellini, Chez Mario & Lausanne Moudon are dinner favourites & for a hit of authentic Oriental food, you can’t beat Chez Xu. Café des Avenues, Café de Grancy & The Great Escape are also great spots for brunch.
To discover more of her work and book an appointment click here.
