Not at all. It's more like being lightly pinched so quickly there's hardly time to register the discomfort. It's on the same pain level as waxing - but faster and without mess. It's more uncomfortable on the upper lip than the eyebrows, and there's a bit of wincing at the start. Some people have their whole face threaded, which takes about an hour. Eyebrows take 10 minutes.

How popular is it?

Debaki Ale has been threading for nine years, having learnt the skill in India. She's been working in Hong Kong for five years. She says threading has become more popular recently.

Why not just pluck?

Ale says hair grows back more slowly because threading pulls it from under the root. Clients usually come once a month, but she says every three weeks is ideal.

How does it work?

Your eyebrows are cleaned and dusted with talc to ensure they're dry. Ale clenches the thread in her teeth and goes to work. To the onlooker, it's as if a thread is being pulled in a north-south direction over the brow or lip for no apparent reason. But hairs come out. Ale pulls many at first and then individual ones. You'll need to use two fingers to pull the skin taut around the eyebrow for a few minutes at the start. Ale applies a cooling aloe vera gel afterwards.

What's good about it?

Impressively smooth and neat brows, with just a hint of redness for about 20 minutes after. Ale deftly created a stylish arch. It was faster than waxing or plucking.

What wasn't so good?

Having to stick your tongue in in the top corners of your mouth to stretch the skin above the lip for the first couple of minutes. Those with sensitive skin should, perhaps, go just for the eyebrow taming. A patch of upper lip suffered from a spotty rash a day after (said to be because there wasn't enough hair), but the brows were smooth for more than three weeks.

How much does it cost?

A full face is $350, eyebrows are $150 and upper lip is $120.

Ale is at the Feel Good Factor, 1 Lyndhurst Tce, Central.

Inquiries: 2530 0610