Eyebrow lamination has become one of those beauty appointments that promises instant polish with barely any effort. The idea is simple, smooth and set the hairs into a fuller, tidier shape that frames the face. But as one athlete found out, the results can sometimes swing from “freshly groomed” to “what just happened” in a matter of minutes. Her story has now turned into a cautionary tale for anyone tempted to book a last minute pre holiday treatment.
Emily Rudge, a 34 year old women’s rugby league player, decided to try brow lamination for the first time right before Christmas. She later shared the experience online, capturing the moment she revealed her new brows after initially covering her face with her hands. When she finally looked up, the brows were dramatically styled and far more intense than she expected. Viewers didn’t need long to decide it was a beauty risk that had not paid off.
The reactions came fast, and they were not subtle. Some people compared her look to the Grinch, while others said the bold brows reminded them of Leonid Brezhnev, the late Soviet leader known for his famously heavy eyebrows. The comments weren’t just about shock, they were also full of disbelief that she’d been allowed to leave the appointment looking so surprised by the outcome. One follower even wondered how the technician could have waved her out the door without a warning or a fix.
@emrudge The Santa hat legit saved my life 😅😂 . . Throw back to Christmas last year 🥲🤪 . . #eyebrows #browlamination #eyebrowfail #funny #browcoverup ♬ original sound – A
Rudge leaned into the humor instead of hiding from it. She joked that a Santa hat essentially saved her, and she framed the whole thing as a holiday memory she can laugh about now. It’s the kind of response that instantly makes an awkward moment feel more relatable, because many of us have had at least one beauty mishap that looked better in our head than in real life. And the timing, right before festivities and photos, made it even more painful and funny at once.
As the video circulated, others jumped in with their own lamination regrets. People shared stories of looking unlike themselves for weeks, with one commenter saying the result made them feel like Mr. Bean. A few tried to be helpful, too, suggesting that rubbing brows with oil and soap right after the treatment and brushing them out can soften an overly harsh finish. For some viewers, the whole thread was enough to cross brow lamination off their list entirely.
Have you ever taken a beauty risk right before a big event, and did it turn out better or worse than you hoped? Share your funniest pre party beauty win or disaster in the comments.
