Friday 17 July 2009

Practical magic

Did I ever tell you about my threader? Her name is Suk (pronounced Sook) and she runs a “for women only” spa. My dentist Pam told me about her one day last year as she was checking over the work the hygienist had just finished in my mouth. I’ve told myself that she was just making casual conversation and not giving me much needed advice. But it turns out, it was one of the most useful conversations I’ve ever been a part of.

Anyway, I love Suk. She’s around my age, from India, has two of the cutest kids I’ve ever seen, is recently divorced and is the best eyebrow shaper I have ever had.

Her tiny little shop doesn’t have air conditioning or a comfortable waiting area. Often when I enter the shop, there are several people standing around awkwardly because the four black anomalous chairs are taken. She has posters of some of India’s most famous beauties – Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukherjee - on her wall, offers beauty products I had never known existed – did you know that turmeric is really good for your skin? and you can get things like a henna tattoo or an ayurvedic facial.

Her clientele are a wonderful exotic mixture of East Indian, Middle Eastern and Canadian women ranging from the ages of 12 (hey us dark skinned women didn’t luck out in the facial hair department and the onset of puberty only made this more obvious – you should see my prom picture if you want to get clear on what a unibrow looks like) to 70. Just today an ancient tiny Indian woman shuffled in with her granddaughter leading her by the elbow to have her chin threaded.

And threading is Suk’s specialty. This is a really healthy, green and inexpensive alternative to waxing. The speed and accuracy with which she removes the hair has me worshipping Suk as if she was the second coming reincarnate. I told her a while ago that if she ever thought about moving out of this city, I would easily pack up my family and home and follow where she was going. And I know that I’m not the only one that feels this way. Last month she went to visit some of her family in India and you have never seen so many uncomfortable looking brown women walking around town being mistaken for Magnum P.I. We simply will not go to anyone else now that we’ve found her.

One of the difficulties Suk faces as the result of being in such high demand is that all of her clientele will only accept her services. She has hired a second person in the past but people will absolutely not trust their eyebrows, upper lips or chins to anyone else.

We have a wedding to go to tomorrow – actually all three of us are a part of the wedding party. (I’ll post some pictures of Deaglan as the ring bearer next week.) And so I called several weeks ago and couldn’t get an appointment till this morning. There were 15 people ahead of me all waiting patiently to have Suk work her magic.

It’s funny how such a small thing like your eyebrows being a bit unruly can make you feel so unattractive and incomplete. I usually walk out of that salon with my head held high and my back just a little straighter.

Oh and the best part? It costs me just $12.60 to have my eyebrows and upper lip done!

11 comments:

  1. I have an Asian lady "Anna" (that's not her real name but that's what she goes by). She totally got me into getting my brows down and I only trust her. The first time I went in for a pedicure (my first ever) I was modified when she said "you need eye brow wax". She was right. I've struggled with my brows my whole life. My family used to say I had caterpillar brows. Well, not any more and only she is allowed to touch them.

    Enjoy the wedding - can't wait to see photos of Deaglan!

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  2. Kim -funny, I love thick eyebrows. Don't like the real thin nearly drawn on ones. I like anything that has character. But glad you have someone to make yours the way you like. enjoy the wedding.~rick

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  3. Threading is AMAZING. My daughter-in-law turned me onto the practice. Man, it hurts, but the results last longer than wax. I can't say why but I know that they do. I didn't have a moustache until menopause came for a visit, and WHAM, there it was, I did look like Tom Selleck, come to think of it!

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  4. Does the fact that I had no idea what "threading" was make me an ogre?

    I'm intrigued...

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  5. i wondered about the threading. i havent tried that. i usually just get them waxed. i might try that next time!

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  6. I had my brows threaded while in houston last month I love it. now how to find someone in Brasil - impossible.

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  7. I really have to look into threading. I've seen a woman do it a mall kiosk. I always wondered if it hurt. Your post makes me want to give it a try. Hope you enjoy the wedding. I'm sure you'll look beautiful:)

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  8. What is threading? I've not heard of it. It is crazy how yucky I feel if my eyebrows aren't nicely waxed/plucked and/or if my nails are all short and yucky. I'm so happy with my nails lately. I've finally gotten them to grow long by applying this stuff called "Mystic Nails.". hee hee

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  9. I go to Reema Salon for eyebrow threading. I will never wax again!

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  10. Very funny Kim, I loved the reference to Magnum... I have had my brows threaded once. I really liked the way they turned out. Unfortunately, I have really sensitive skin and my brows needed lots of love for a week or so after. I am stuck with plucking. :) I'm glad you have Suk-she sound awesome.

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  11. dang it! i wish she could have a go at my eyebrows! i am sure she would make them all better. and maybe she could help out with these other hairs that are cropping up in inappropriate places that are horrifying me to the core!!!

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