Espoir introduces itodatsumou practice of facial threading

Nadine Kam photos
At the newly open Espoir salon in Kaimuki, Emiko Singh offers an itodatsumou, or threading, treatment to remove facial hair.

Threading originated in India and started gaining popularity in the West about a decade ago, primarily for shaping eyebrows.

In Japan, the procedure evolved as a technique for removing all facial hair. Itodatsumou, literally “thread hair removal,” is now one of the services offered at the newly open Espoir salon in Kaimuki.

As the name implies, thread is used in the process, rolled and twisted over unwanted hair to pluck them at the root, a process that is said to stimulate capillaries, which in turn gets the blood flowing and promotes the production of collagen and elastin to help firm and tone skin.

The hair removal also helps to remove dead skin cells on the stratum corneum, the outermost skin layer.

During a grand opening celebration and demonstration that took place Sept. 23, salon owner Emiko Singh showed how it’s done, starting with the application of a powder of hyaluronic acid, collagen and clay to reveal fine hairs.

After the hair removal, she finished with a cleansing and skin-tightening pepperment mask treatment. The basic treatment is $100 for 65 minutes. Maintenance treatments are $70 for 45 minutes.

Singh, who is on a mission to provide women with the hope of maintaining their skin well into their senior years, named her salon with the French word for “hope.” She also offers relaxing European facials and korugi, a bone massage technique from Korea to reduce face size.

Salon owner Emiko Singh measures out lengths of fine threads in preparation for the hair removal process.

Twisting the string and intertwining hair removes both hair and dead skin cells on the surface of the skin, and is said to stimulate the hair bulb, activating capillaries to promote collagen and elastin production necessary for youthful-looking skin.

There was a rush to feel model Kae’s smooth skin after the demonstration.

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Espoir is at 3632 Waialae Ave., Suite 201, across from Goodwill. Call (808) 202-3443. The salon is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily by appointment only.

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Nadine Kam is Style Editor and staff restaurant critic at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser; her coverage in print on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Contact her via email at nkam@staradvertiser.com and follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Rebel Mouse.