Why Do Makeup Artists Lick Glue Sticks? The Brow-Blocking Trick Explained

What the Glue-Stick Brow Trick Actually Does

Blocking the brows is a classic stage and drag technique. Natural eyebrows sit low on the face relative to the exaggerated arches performers want, so the real brows are flattened and painted over, then new brows are drawn higher. The glue stick is the tool that makes the hairs lie flat.

• Glue is combed through the brow hairs against their growth direction, then smoothed flat.
• Several thin layers are built up and allowed to dry until the surface is smooth and hairless to the touch.
• Powder sets each layer and removes tack.
• A thick, full-coverage concealer or foundation is painted over the dried glue to match the skin.
• More powder locks it, and the new brow is drawn above or across the blocked area.

Done well, the brow disappears under stage lights and in photographs. The technique was used in theatre and drag for decades before social media made it famous.

Why the Stick Gets Licked

The answer is practical. Glue sticks are designed for paper, where they are rubbed firmly on a flat surface. Brow hairs are neither flat nor absorbent, so the glue needs help.

• A dry stick is firm and waxy; dragging it over hair pulls the hairs and leaves lumps.
• A little moisture softens the surface so the glue spreads thinly and evenly.
• Saliva is always available backstage, which is why the habit stuck.
• Some artists lick a fingertip or a brush instead and press the glue into the brow that way.
• Older, drier sticks need more moisture, so a well-used stick seems to need licking more often.

The lick solves a texture problem. Anything that adds a little water to the stick or the brow solves it just as well.

Why Licking Is a Bad Idea

The trick works, but it moves saliva and mouth bacteria to one of the most sensitive areas of the face, and often onto a tool that is used again and again.

• The brow sits just above the eye, and glue, powder and concealer are all worked close to the lash line.
• A licked stick carries bacteria and viruses, including cold sore virus, and can pass them to anyone else it is used on.
• Saliva dries quickly, so the artist licks again, repeating the contamination.
• Mouth bacteria on freshly plucked brow skin can cause folliculitis or small infections.
• Clients who watch an artist lick a tool reasonably question everything else in the kit.

Safer Ways to Block Brows

Every professional alternative does one of two things: it adds water without saliva, or it replaces the glue stick with a product designed for skin. The table compares the main options.

For most people who are curious about the look, a purpose-made brow wax is the sensible starting point. It behaves like a softened glue stick but is formulated for skin and comes off with cleansing oil. Our guide on how to sanitise makeup tools covers keeping any of these tools clean between uses.

Is a Glue Stick Safe on Skin?

A washable school glue stick is not a cosmetic and has never been tested as one. In practice, the non-toxic, washable types are tolerated by most people for short periods, which is why the technique has survived, but there are clear limits.

• Use only glue sticks labelled non-toxic and washable, the kind sold for children. Craft glue, super glue, hot glue and permanent sticks are never acceptable on skin.
• The glue is mostly water, a polymer and a thickener, and washes off with warm water; the main risks are irritation and dryness rather than toxicity.
• It is not sterile or tested for use near the eyes, so a little in the eye can sting and cause redness.
• Repeated use dries out brow skin and can cause flaking or sparse-looking brows.
• Fragrance or colour in some sticks can trigger contact dermatitis in sensitive people.

The FDA’s page on allergens in cosmetics explains that fragrances and preservatives are common causes of allergic reactions, and similar ingredients appear in craft glues without the cosmetic labelling that would warn you. Our guide on what hypoallergenic makeup means explains why even that label is not a guarantee.

How to Cover Eyebrows with a Glue Stick Safely

If you want to try the traditional method, these steps keep it as safe and effective as possible.

1. Patch test the glue

   Apply a small amount to your inner forearm, leave it for a day and check for any reaction before going near your face.

2. Start with clean, dry brows

   Cleanse the area, skip moisturiser and oils, and brush the hairs upward and outward.

3. Mist the brow with water

   Spray a fine mist onto the brow hairs or lightly dampen a clean spatula. Do not lick the stick.

4. Comb the glue through

   Swipe the stick against the direction of hair growth, then flatten the hairs with the stick or a spatula.

5. Dry and powder

   Let the layer dry fully, then press translucent powder over it to remove tack.

6. Repeat until smooth

   Add two to four more thin layers, drying and powdering each one, until the brow feels flat.

7. Cover and set

   Paint a thick concealer or full-coverage foundation over the blocked brow, powder again and draw the new brow above it.

8. Remove gently afterwards

   Soak the area with cleansing oil or warm water on a cloth until the glue softens, then wipe away without pulling.

How to Remove Glue, Wax and Spirit Gum from Brows

Removal is where most brow damage happens. Pulling dried glue off takes hairs with it, so every method relies on softening first. Match the remover to the adhesive.

After any removal, cleanse the brows twice, apply a plain moisturiser and leave them alone for a day. Our guide on treating dryness around the eyebrows helps if the skin feels tight or flaky afterwards.

Who Should Skip the Glue-Stick Method

Blocking brows is harmless for most healthy skin when done occasionally, but some people are better off with a brow wax or no blocking at all.

• Anyone with eczema, psoriasis or dermatitis on the face, where adhesives and removers flare the skin.
• People with very sensitive skin or a history of reacting to lash glue.
• Anyone with freshly plucked, waxed, threaded or microbladed brows, where the skin is healing.
• People who have had eye surgery, infections or styes recently.
• Children and teenagers, who should use brow wax or soap if they want the look at all.
• Anyone with thinning brows, because repeated removal pulls hairs.

If you still want the look for a specific event, a brow wax applied by a professional and removed with oil is the gentlest route.

Dos and Don’ts of Blocking Brows

Honest Limits

The glue-stick method is a workaround, not a product designed for the job. It persists because it is cheap, reliable and gives a flatter finish than many cosmetic waxes, and generations of performers have used it without serious harm. That is reassuring but not the same as safety testing.

The alternatives have limits too. Brow wax is gentler but may not hold through heavy sweat or long shows. Spirit gum holds longer but is one of the more irritating adhesives and needs its own remover. Whatever you choose, the biggest risks are the same: sharing tools, getting adhesive in the eye and ripping dried product off.

When to See a Dermatologist

Most reactions to brow adhesives are mild and settle within a day or two once the product is removed. Some need medical attention.

• Swelling of the eyelid or eye, or glue in the eye that does not rinse out with water.
• A rash, blisters or weeping skin on the brow after an adhesive.
• Signs of infection such as pus, spreading redness, warmth or pain.
• Brow hair loss or bald patches that do not regrow after a few months.
• A reaction that keeps returning even with purpose-made brow products.

Frequently Asked Questions

Summing Up

Makeup artists lick glue sticks because moisture softens the glue so it combs flat through the brow hairs for a blocked-brow look, but the habit is unhygienic and a water mist does exactly the same job.

Use only non-toxic washable sticks or a purpose-made brow wax, patch test, keep adhesive away from the eyes, never share a stick, and soften everything with oil or warm water before removing it.