Delphine Sorel, Sydney

A slice of Gallic heaven tucked away in the heritage Dymocks Building overlooking Sydney’s George Street, Delphine Sorel has quickly cemented a reputation for excellent arches since opening in early 2020.

In the short time since she opened her doors, Delphine’s salon has attracted a 160 person waitlist and is fully booked for the next six months – not a small achievement in Sydney’s surprisingly competitive brow styling scene.

The brainchild of the eponymous Delphine, who honed her craft at Kristin Fisher Eyebrows before heading off to create her own space, the salon is intimate but with chicness in spades. The room is decked in a muted palette of beiges and pale greys, with design by Laura Downie from Studio 1 Interiors ; a whimsical swirling wallpaper adds understated interest, as does an eye-catching half-moon mirror. Preserved floral bouquets adorn the back bar created by Delphine’s “flower wizard”, Myra Perez of My Violet.

Having grown up on the French Riviera, Delphine arrived in Australia in her early twenties but has continued to preserve the Gallic sensibilities she was raised with, and to imbue her salon and work with this sense of French refinement. The whole ‘less is more’ philosophy is not an invented cliché: it’s based in truth. “I believe the art of beauty lies in enhancing someone’s natural beauty,” explains Delphine. “My work is about making clients look their best without changing who they are.”

“After falling victim to the 90’s skinny brow trend I resolved to find a better way of caring for my eyebrows. I discovered how a set of well-balanced brows can accentuate a face in the most incredible way. From that moment on I was obsessed with eyebrows and my passion has only increased over time.”

Delphine is most renowned for her eyebrow style and tint, which is what I’m trying today (she also offers cosmetic tattooing and lash styling). I’m a little nervous as I’ve had some dodgy eyebrow tints in the past – while I like some definition, I’m not a fan of the ‘one-size-fits-all’ heavy dye and block shape that many salons dole out. But Delphine’s attention to detail immediately allays any latent fears I might have had: she quizzes me about how I’d like the intensity of the tint, how full I want my brows, whether I’d prefer them trimmed or not. She happily shares her expert opinion while adapting to each client’s preferences, and the individual style each face requires.

I’m thrilled with my results: gently tinted, groomed but still fluffy and full. I need nothing more than a quick comb through and a slick of clear gel to look instantly put together in the morning.

For home care, Delphine offers a considered edit of products if you want to recreate her effortless style chez soi: she stocks brow pencils and gels from Le Sourcil by French MUA Angélik Iffennecker, and highlighter and brow brush duos from cult Perth salon Alison Jade.

Ultimately, Delphine is dedicated to bystepping trends to create a timeless brow look that won’t have you cringing at photos of yourself in 20 years’ time. “Beauty ideals can convince you that you have to change,” she shares. “The problem is that those ideals are constantly shifting with each new trend. I believe in bringing to life an ameliorated version of my clients without changing who they are. I work to enhance their natural beauty steering clear of ridiculous trends and unrealistic expectations.” Tout à fait.