When Noël Del Viscio started out as an aesthetician over 16 years ago, she fell in love with skin, skin anatomy and all that goes along with it. But, there was something special about shaping eyebrows. “I really felt like it was something that could change someone's entire face and look,” she says.
Eyebrows can convey a lot of different moods and feelings such as surprise, sadness, anger, confusion and concentration. “Eyebrows are literally a form of communication, so the shape of the brows can give someone an impression without even speaking,” says Noël. “They’re also a focal point and a sense of recognition.”
There was a study done, she says, where they removed the eyebrows from famous people’s photos. “Almost 60% of them were unrecognizable to others - they couldn't name who they were.”
In 2017, Noël established ART OF THE ARCH & AESTHETICS. Before opening the beautiful and serene high-end salon in Berkeley Heights this March, she’s been in various locations throughout Northern NJ, including Short Hills and Chatham.
During her career, the process of shaping eyebrows was limited to removing hair or filling in with a brow pencil. “When I started to fill in my brows with makeup pencil, I was taken aback by how much I loved it and how much it changed my face and my confidence.”
Some people, explains Noël, have no brow hairs for various reasons such as medical conditions or age, while others may have really nicely shaped brows, but want them more filled in and defined.
The idea of tattooing on brows didn’t come up until one of her girlfriends had it done. “When she did it, I was blown away because it literally looked like hairs and blended beautifully with her existing brow hairs.”
Noël couldn’t wait to get hers done. “I have fair skin, light eyes and light lashes, but dark hair, so I felt like I could easily get washed out. Tattooing gave me this natural look, and I no longer had to fill in my eyebrows or wear makeup. For me, being an artist my whole life, I just fell in love with the aesthetic of it and how it helped me feel about myself.”
She set out to learn how to use tattooing for her clients, and to do it right. “There's an art of creating a specific shape for someone, the placement of the pigment and the strokes,” says Noël. “The technique is important, and knowing and understanding the skin anatomy is crucial. There’s a lot of science that goes into it.” Knowing what you're putting into the skin, how different skin types are going to heal and react with different colors, and taking into account age and lifestyle are all important factors.
“I’m not creating cookie cutter brow shapes because everybody's anatomy and facial features are different,” she says. “I really like creating something that will be beautiful for each individual person.”
In addition to making people look fabulous, Noël’s other priority is her family. Owning her own business allows her to give her best to both. Her husband, Leonardo, is a recently retired fire captain, and who she says has supported her every step of the way. Their daughter, Sofia, will be 4 years old in May, and their son, Leo, is 2 and a half years old. “I consider my business my third baby, but it’s always been family first,” she says. “I want to be with my children as they grow up and also have something of my own to build on. I always say, ‘If I'm creating, I'm happy.’”
To make an appointment to enhance your look, go to TheArtoftheArch.com.