Beauty with a Twist – S5E12: The Problems with Eyebrow Threading & At Home Eyebrow Shaving + How Do Brow Artists ACTUALLY Make 6 Figures?

Host: Dede
Guest: Kylie Villalobos (“Kalon by Kylie”)
Release Date: October 31, 2025

Episode Overview

This candid and insightful season finale welcomes Kylie Villalobos—a.k.a. “the brow boss of the Bay Area”—to peel back the layers of the modern brow industry. Dede and Kylie dig into eyebrow horror stories, why Kylie swears off certain brow practices, the truth about six-figure artists, building clientele from the most humble beginnings, pricing strategies, setting boundaries, and the evolving trends of brows. The episode is filled with entrepreneurial wisdom, technical deep dives, and plenty of unfiltered “tea.”

Meet the Guest: Kylie Villalobos

(01:16 – 04:31)

• Kylie shares her journey: 10+ years in the beauty industry, focused on brows for the last 6–7 years.
• Early days: Did it all—lashes, facials, body waxing—before realizing brows were her true calling.
• Kylie’s “origin story”:
  • Started doing brows in her parents’ small bathroom.
  • “The embarrassment! I literally had people sitting on the toilet.” (04:15, Kylie)
  • Built clientele through friends, maintained relationships with clients—some of whom have returned many years later.
• Inspiration: “You can start from anywhere… even in your restroom.” (06:19, Dede)

Climbing the Ladder: Transitioning to Professional Spaces

(07:01 – 13:42)

• First salon job: Only esthetician at a hair salon, working with Eminence Organics and doing facials.
• Microblading license was a turning point but hit roadblocks with unsupportive ownership.
• Early lessons:
  • From believing “talent alone = clients” to learning “it takes grind, consistency, and patience.”
  • “You have to fail at some things in order to learn.” (09:22, Kylie)
  • The brow industry “popped off” after COVID—brows and lashes saw huge demand upticks.
• Both Dede and Kylie recall trying risky at-home lamination during lockdown, leading to some wild brow mishaps.

Why Brows Matter

(10:33 – 11:46)

• “You can have bad lashes and nobody will notice. But you have bad brows—that’s the first thing people see.” (10:48, Kylie)
• Dede: “The brows are the face. Let’s be real.” (10:35)

Building a Lasting Business: The Hustle Behind the Scenes

(13:16 – 17:44)

• Early business was slow to grow—Kylie worked three jobs at one point.
• Growth didn’t take off until she moved back to the Bay Area and put full faith (and “God, if this is for me, make it happen” energy) into her brow business.
• The real turning point: Consistency and trusting the process.
  • “All of a sudden my videos started hitting numbers... totally like a God moment.” (15:15)
• Kylie now supports her family through her brow business.

Growing on Social Media & Marketing

(16:27 – 19:23)

• Instagram is Kylie’s “love child” where most clients find her.
• Consistency is key:
  • “People don’t do the work. They expect stuff to just come to them and it doesn’t happen.” (17:46, Kylie)
  • Daily posting, sharing availability, reaching out to clients—show up even when “the algorithm is down.”
• Advice: “If you’re not posting, how are they gonna see [your work]?... If you’re not putting it out there, you can’t just expect business to flow.” (19:32, Kylie)

Pricing, Upskilling, and Industry Trends

(20:12 – 25:27)

• Waxing is low-ticket; laminations and tints increased Kylie’s earnings.
• Early prices: $15–$20 for a wax, now $65 for a new client—and she’s not even charging the area’s highest rates ($90+ exists!).
• Experience matters:
  • “I specialize in making sure your shape is correct… we talk through your goals, fill them in, show them products... I guarantee you’ll be happy with your results.” (23:32, Kylie)
• Session times:
  • Wax: ~1 hour for new clients (but quality over speed).
  • Lamination: up to 2 hours; more complex.
• Quality over quantity: “Getting brows right is not rushed. It’s art—you can’t just rush through art.” (25:01, Kylie)

The Six-Figure Brow Myth & Self-Care

(28:44 – 34:00)

• “Six-figure estheticians don’t work 7 days a week. You’re not making six figures by being booked out nonstop. Delegation is important.” (29:25, Dede & Kylie)
• The importance of boundaries, strategic scheduling (four days a week, plus some Saturdays), and family time.
• Burnout is real:
  • “You need a breather to get back into it… If I’m doing it so much that I’m killing myself, it’s not enjoyable or fun.” (31:39, Kylie)
• The job doesn’t end on the salon floor; social media, communications, and business admin are 24/7 tasks.

Boundaries, Clients, and Emotional Labor

(34:00 – 38:50)

• Kylie learned the hard way: over-accommodating clients leads to burnout—now boundaries (“If it’s the 4th time you’ve cancelled last minute, I have to charge you”—34:43, Kylie)
• Debate: should you be friends with your clients?
  • “You become a friend with your client quicker than your friends will become your client.” (36:02, Kylie)
  • Good clients respect boundaries, pay on time, and don’t take advantage of the relationship.
• On tipping and pricing:
  • “Your pricing should cover what you need. Tip is gratuity, not an expectation.” (39:02, Kylie)

Eyebrow Nightmares, Threading, and At-Home Shaving

(40:19 – 47:08)

• Kylie’s biggest brow “ick”:
  • At-home shaving and tweezing. “Throw away your at-home razors… why are you doing your eyebrows yourself?” (40:41, Kylie)
  • Parents of teens beware: “The little teen girls are doing it themselves at home, and it’s driving me nuts.” (41:04)
• Worst client behaviors:
  • New clients who bash previous artists—major red flag.
• Disaster fixes:
  • Most disasters (especially from mall threading or DIY) can’t be fixed in one session—brow rehab takes time and patience.
    • “What’s your long-term goal for your brows? Nobody asks that.” (47:05, Kylie)
• Threading tea:
  • “If you’re going to the places in the mall, you better expect to come out with half your brow gone… it’s not the threading’s fault, it’s the artist.” (44:28, Kylie)
  • Hygiene and speed (“thread in the mouth”) get called out too.

Trends: What’s In & Out, and Brow Service Preferences

(47:25 – 50:20)

• Thin brows (a la 90’s) are coming back, but “not for everybody”—the TikTok/teen trend cycle.
  • “I’m so sorry, we’re not doing the crazy thin.” (48:07, Kylie)
• Both Dede and Kylie love a full but clean, sculpted brow—a “fuller, more natural” look that’s still proportionate, not exaggerated.

Product & Brand Hot Takes (“The Tea”)

(50:22 – 58:57)

• Lamination/tint brand favorites and fails—names are omitted for legal protection, but there’s heavy hinting.
• Kylie: “I’m so sorry… I just tried it recently. I’m not with it.” (51:06, Kylie re: a popular lamination line)
• Discussion of “cocktailing” steps from different brands for optimal lamination.
• Bronson Tints called “very underrated—I think a lot of people don’t know how to use it well.” (56:58)
• Brow Daddy products get high praise for both tints and PMU pigments, but the longevity marketing around microblading in the past is called out. “They really lied to us… that it would fade in three years. No, it’s not.” (59:21, Kylie)

Working as a Six-Figure Artist: Reality Check

(28:44 – 34:00, revisited briefly at 33:34)

• Six-figure income is not about seeing more clients, but maximizing service value, building boundaries, delegating tasks, and leveraging social media.
• Hiring help, “wearing every hat,” and knowing when to scale or step back is essential.

Memorable Quotes

“You can have bad lashes and nobody will notice, but you have bad brows? That’s the first thing people see.”
Kylie, 10:48

“You become a friend with your client quicker than your friends will become your client.”
Kylie, 36:02

“If you’re going to the places in the mall... you better expect to come out with half your brow gone. It’s not the threading’s fault—it’s the artist.”
Kylie, 44:28

“People don’t do the work… they expect stuff to just come to them and it doesn’t happen.”
Kylie, 17:46

“Be Kalon: beauty more than skin deep. It’s more than outward beauty… it’s from the inside out.”
Kylie, 60:45

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & Kylie’s Backstory: 0:17 – 6:46
• From Side Hustle to Full-Time: 7:01 – 9:22
• COVID Impact on Brows: 9:33 – 10:25
• The Power of Brows: 10:33 – 11:46
• Business Growth & Social Media: 13:16 – 19:23
• Pricing Evolution: 20:12 – 25:27
• Workweek & Burnout: 26:53 – 34:00
• The Boundaries Conversation: 34:00 – 38:50
• Client Red Flags & Horror Stories: 39:03 – 44:28
• Trends & Aesthetic Preferences: 47:25 – 50:20
• Product/Brand “Tea”: 50:22 – 58:57
• Permanent Makeup Realness: 59:04 – 60:23
• Closing Quote: 60:45

Final Thoughts & Takeaways

For Aspiring Brow Artists:

• You can start anywhere—humble beginnings can still lead to a thriving business.
• Consistency, real hustle, and patience build long-term success; there are no shortcuts in this industry.
• Post regularly, upskill with new techniques (lamination, tinting), and never stop learning about products.
• Setting boundaries (scheduling, pricing, client expectations) is vital for sustainability.

For Clients:

• Brow grooming is an art; respect the process, don’t DIY between appointments.
• Your artist is a business owner, not just a service provider—respect their boundaries, time, and value.

On the Industry:

• Trends shift (and come back again); what matters is customizing to the face and the client.
• The best brow artists charge based on experience, results, and overall “in-chair” experience, not just the service itself.

Closing Note

Kylie’s personal mantra—“Kalon: beauty more than skin deep”—sums up the heart of her philosophy and the episode: great brows are empowering, artistry matters, and genuine entrepreneurship goes far beyond the surface.

For the full vibe and practical gems, listen in to the full episode!