Eyebrows

Due to my feet problems I continue to attend the Fun and Fitness swim class. This three day a week class is mainly comprised of senior aged woman most of whom are older than I, some by over two decades. You can read a post about the class here. Last week Monday, I was at the class, and swam for the first half of the 45 minute session. Then the instructor arrived for the fitness portion of the class. The class occupies two swim lanes each side of the bulk head so four lanes total. It is usually mundane, although the other side of the bulk may be more lively as that is where most gossiping occurs. The instructor never gets in the water, but demonstrates from the bulkhead. I am not sure how the conversation on the other side of the bulk head started, but it was about eyebrows and eyebrow treatment. 

Fun and Fitness
courtesy McFarland Thistle

I am guessing one woman noticed the eyebrows on the instructor. It is not unusual for small talk to begin the class, and the instructor with her varied colored hair, mainly blues and purples, often draws rave reviews from the many popcorn heads in the class. They get into discussions about when, and to what color, she will have for her hair. If a woman did notice the eyebrows on the instructor, I have to give her credit for having good eyes, or perhaps a woman would notice something that I pay little attention. I don't think I would notice such a thing, and if I did it would not register in my mind. Does it really matter? What I found out is that for many women eye lashes matter. The discussion was so in depth and went on so long I wondered if I would get to use the foam dumbbells that I even picked out of the bin. 

McFarland pool

The women got into a discourse on what is called microblading and later powder brushing, both treatments to eyebrows. The instructor apparently had micro blading accomplished on her eyebrows in 2017, and the treatment lasts about 5 or 6 years, so she was over do. A friend of her daughters used her to hone her skill on the technique and it did not turn out well. She went to her normal stylist who said she could not correct the situation with microblading, but would do powder brushing. The discourse between the instructor and the senior pool crowd went on for several minutes over the benefits and disadvantages of each technique. What I found out is that microblading costs $495. A few ladies thought she said $4.95, and they were thinking how that was a good deal until it was restated as--Four hundred ninety-five dollars. Powder brushing is $100 less, but it also lasts about 5 to 6 years.  

The details of each I did not understand. Heck, my 66 year old male mind had trouble comprehending the terminology of microblading and powder brushing for eyebrows. The former sounds like small roller blades, and the latter like a Bob Ross painting technique. I had to repeat the words to myself and even ask Barb, one of the swim ladies (who I think colors her hair a deep red), to make sure I was correct. Near the end of the class I could tell it was something that really did not matter because I had trouble with it registering in my mind. Yet, I knew this would make a great blog post, if I could correctly remember the terminology. 

McFarland pool

When I get home from swim my wife asks, "How was swim?" and my usual response, "Oh, fine.", but I that Monday I had a bit of information I could share with her. "So," I said, "I heard a ten minute discourse on eyebrow techniques." I then mentioned "microscrapping" which was supposed to be microblading; this showed how little the terms stuck in my mind, and I then mentioned powder brushing. I told her one of the ladies suggested that it was too bad my wife was not present, to which I said, she would have dismissed it once she heard the cost. Sure enough, I was correct. 

My wife informed me about different women we both know and the techniques they use on their eyebrows, including a woman who has had her eyebrows tattooed on her head. I think that means she is stuck with her hair color. I am not sure what it is, but men lose the hair on their head and women seem to lose their eyebrow hair. My wife had never heard of microblading, but two neighbors she walks with had heard of it. 

The lifeguard, a male college student at UW, just simply shook his head at the conversation and had a few snickers. This had one of the woman comment how fortunate he is to hear about female eyebrow grooming techniques. I think he would rather have avoided the conversation, but the life guard stand is right there, and with all the females in Fun and Fitness gathered around to hear and discuss, and me floating nearby waiting for the exercise portion to begin, his concentration was mainly on the group. Switch of life guards occurred during the conversation, as he had a class to attend, and the pool manager took his spot. The manger recounted to me how this reminded him of years ago when women would get their hair done and then come to class and cover their hair with the old style plastic shower caps. Leave it to female logic to have your hair done and then go to the pool. I wonder if they were trying to impress the other ladies at the time, without saying, but showing a fancy hairdo. 

McFarland pool

I am not sure if most men are like me, but if so, I wonder why women go to so much trouble if the eyebrows are hardly noticed? I have been told it helps make them feel better about their self. I was recounting the story to a couple last Wednesday, who missed Monday, and the wife said, why should women put on makeup when men don't do it?  Although she later said, there are some men that use makeup. What is it about women and their eyebrows, or lack thereof?  I do know if you lack eyebrows it is probably noticeable, but really is all that fancy work required?  Although, if microblading lasts 6 years, that is less than $83 a year, so not too big an investment.

I never got to use the dumbbells that day. We did, finally, get to the exercises, but the instructor brought Menard "grocery" bags for us to fill up and lift out of the water. I am not sure how many gallons the bags hold, but a gallon weighs 8.34 lb, and when filled it was not easy lifting over the head. So much for picking out a nice set of dumbbells. As for grooming, I don't really care to know about microblading or the powder brushing. If the ladies start to discuss grooming techniques of points south, I think I will swim to the other end of the pool. 

Unless otherwise noted, photos by author, spring 2024