Brows: beaten

The allure of the perfectly arched eyebrow cannot be underestimated. Just look at Angelina Jolie. Her brows - fastidiously plucked and shaped - frame her enormous eyes and pneumatic lips. Without that balance, instead of looking gorgeous, she'd look cartoonish, more Lara Croft than . . . you know what we're saying. These days, it seems, everyone is trying to achieve a beautiful brow, and "brow bars," or waxing and tweezing counters, have popped up for one-stop grooming. We tried out three, and rated the experience on an admittedly unscientific tweezer scale: 1 (monobrow barely diminished); 2 (a few stray hairs still around); 3 (brows smooth and shaped); 4 (could be Jolie's long-lost twin). - LINDA LABAN

Anastasia

Nordstrom, Natick Collection, 290 Speen St., Natick.
Procedure: Brow wax.
Walk-ins? Best to call ahead to make sure an aesthetician is available.
Pain: Minimal. Anastasia has its own brand of wax, designed for less painful extraction.
Shape: The brow specialist offered an extensive consultation and advice on achieving a sophisticated, natural brow.
Average time per brow: 4 minutes.
Afterglow: Redness, stinging. Gone within the hour.
Amenities: Anastasia is the brow service to the stars: Jennifer Lopez and Reese Witherspoon are some of the names dropped. Lip, chin waxing also available, as is tweezing.
Cost: $30.
Result: A few strays hairs were visible the next day.
Rating: 2 tweezers.

The Threading Spa

South Shore Plaza, Level 1, 250 Granite St., Braintree.
Procedure: Threading. Involves pulling out hairs using ordinary cotton thread.
Walk-ins? No appointments - just stand in line. On busy weekends, expect a wait.
Pain: People with heavier brows be warned, as the procedure wears on pain increases.
Shape: The process allows for a uniform arch.
Average time per brow: 7 minutes.
Afterglow: Redness, slight swelling.
Amenities: Lip, even full face depilation also available ($10-$40). The Threading Spa is a kiosk, so privacy is nil. Curious shoppers peer over to see what's going on.
Cost: $12. Cash only.
Result: Clean as a whistle. Slow regrowth.
Rating: 3 tweezers.

Benefit Brow Bar

At Macy's, 450 Washington St.
Procedure: Tweezing. Waxing is available too.
Walk-ins? To avoid waiting around, make an appointment.
Pain: To the uninitiated, tweezing strikes fear, but the pain is minimal.
Shape: Tweezing allows for a more subtle shape and more precise hair removal.
Average time per brow: 6 minutes.
Afterglow: Some redness.
Amenities: The brow bar is part of Benefit's extensive cosmetics counter, where you can also get a makeover and product advice for brows and beyond.
Cost: $20.
Result: No stray hairs visible.
Rating: 3 tweezers.