Everything you need to know about microblading

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Another day, another makeup trend that we just have to try. This month it’s all about microblading. Beauty bloggers and insiders have been writing and tweeting about this revolutionary way of getting fuller brows all year. So we chatted to an expert and some beauties who’ve already upped their brow game to find out more.

What exactly is microblading and how is it different from tweezing and threading?

Microblading (also known as hair stroke brows, micro stroking and micro pigmentation) is a form of permanent makeup and is a relatively new technique of enhancing the appearance of eyebrows. Microblading is performed with the use of an ultra-thin blade. This blade is a grouping of extremely fine needles fixed to a handle to manually create clean and crisp lines that resemble eyebrow hairs. ‘We use a hand tool and blade to apply a natural pigment into the upper dermal layer of the skin, making it semi-permanent for up to two years, depending on the skin type and lifestyle,’ says Tania Schroeder from Vogue Brows. She adds that tweezing and threading are methods of removing unwanted hair whereas microblading is used to fill in the gaps of the eyebrow creating ultra-thin hair-like strokes.

What are the advantages of this technique?

Well, for one, gaps and scars in the eyebrow area will be filled in, so there’s no need to colour or pencil in your eyebrows every day. It’s also a form of semi-permanent makeup which means it should not wash or rub off. Another benefit is that it restores the natural eyebrow shape, making it appear fuller and darker if desired. Katie-Leigh Coetzee chose microblading for exactly those reasons. ‘I have naturally light thin and patchy eyebrows that require filling and shaping daily using pencils and eyeshadows. My eyebrows would “come off” if I swam or went to the gym and this meant constant reapplication. I wanted thicker brows and a very natural look, as well as one less thing to think about in my daily beauty routine. Microblading promised a soft feathered look, and permanent results. I liked the idea of never having to fuss over my eyebrows every day.’

How long does it take to do the procedure?

The procedure takes between one and a half or up to two and a half hours to complete.

How is the pain relative to other methods of eyebrow shaping?

‘The pain is very similar to eyebrow tweezing. Most clients experience little to no pain as we use two topical anaesthetics to manage the pain,’ says Tania. ‘It wasn’t painful at all as a numbing cream is applied to the area, and constantly reapplied during treatment to ensure comfort,’ agrees Katie-Leigh. Cheryl Reid’s account of the experience is slightly different, though. ‘Local anaesthetic cream was applied before and at regular intervals during the process to numb the area but it did start becoming quite painful after repeatedly etching deeper into the skin,’ she recalls. So we guess the level of pain is really dependent on the individual’s pain threshold.

What kind of aftercare essentials do you need after microblading?

Very strict aftercare methods are recommended by Tania:

  1. Do not touch, wet or apply any other products for five days after the procedure.
  2. After five days you need to apply the recommended barrier cream (Vitamin A&D ointment) three to four times per day for 10 days.
  3. Cleanse the brows with a clean damp cotton pad only.
  4. Peeling, flaking, fading and loss of pigment can occur during the first 28 days after the treatment and is completely normal.
  5. Do not pick any scabs as this can affect the outcome.
  6. The follow-up appointment which should happen four to six weeks after the initial procedure is a vital part of the process.

Would you recommend the procedure?

Katie says she wouldn’t recommend the procedure simply because she still has to fill out her brows every day. ‘Another very important thing to consider is the downtime, post treatment. You cannot get the area wet for a number of days – which meant a break in my swimming and exercise routine. I found this very inconvenient and did not enjoy the fuss of having to keep the area dry,’ she adds. Cheryl agrees. For her eyebrow tattooing achieves the same results as microblading and is less painful and expensive.

So there you have it. Two very different views on microblading. If you’ve had the procedure done, you can share your views in the comments below.

If you want to try microbalding visit Vogue Brows to find a salon closest to you.

Images courtesy of Vogue Brows

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7 Responses

  1. Just wanted to share my story. I can’t be happier that I microbladed my brows. They were so thin from all the waxing I did in past. Procedure was a liiiiitle bit painful, but after few minutes I was ok. It is manageable pain. One thing that I didn’t know is that during the healing process (4-6 weeks) brows are going through some really crazy changes. From super dark, then they almost disappear and then they come back in a nice colour. Girls, do your research! Make sure to check as many as possible artists and see the photos of their work. I was using http://www.microbladingmap.com for my research. It is your face, don’t go for cheaper price or a good deal. I saw some bad, bad work and I saw some fantastic work. Vogue Brows are legit!

  2. I would have this procedure done in a heartbeat! From over plucking and waxing over the years my eyebrows are looking very sad! I yearn for naturally fuller eyebrows!

  3. “but it did start becoming quite painful after repeatedly etching deeper into the skin” – after I read that, it put me off completely. I would rather stick to filling if necessary.

  4. Wow the techniques these days are next level. It sounds interesting and I would try it but it is quite long

  5. I saw it on tv and it didn’t look scary. The results on the model looked amazing after she had healed.

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