How I Finally Conquered My Brows

September 20, 2017

One word: microblading. Permanent makeup isn’t exactly new, but microblading has recently come into the spotlight as the gold standard of eyebrow grooming. In a matter of minutes, microblading promises perfect, natural-looking brows.

What is Microblading?

Despite the name, this procedure isn’t done with a blade. Instead, a row of tiny needles is dipped in pigment and then scraped across your skin, embedding the color just under the surface. If you really want to see how it works, check out this slo-mo microblading video.

Before

My eyebrows are better described as ‘bleak’ than ‘on fleek,’ mostly due to an preteen incident involving my older sister’s pink Bic razor and half of my left brow. To add insult to literal injury, I was a teenager in the early 2000’s, the height of over-tweezing, so let’s just say I’ve put my poor brows through the wringer. Even after I stopped abusing them and discovered brow makeup, I could never get the Lily Collins look of my dreams. So, after trying every brow trick in the beauty book, I went under the needle in hopes of finally achieving perfect eyebrows.

During

First, the technician measured and marked my face, mapping out the ideal brow shape. An hour into the normally 15-minute prep, I realized my brows were far more uneven than the average gal. Once I finally had the perfect shape drawn on and the perfect shade picked out, a topical numbing cream was applied and we were off. Microblading permanent makeup

She made tiny little cuts within the guidelines of each brow, mimicking natural hair growth. The numbing cream helped, but I could definitely still feel it - and hear it. After 30 minutes of trying to ignore the scratching sounds resonating through my skull, it was over. She applied more pigment, let it soak in for a few minutes, then cleaned everything off. Microblading eyebrow tattoo

After

To be honest, I was terrified when I first saw myself in the mirror. I wanted a super natural look, so the intensity of the fresh color had me a bit worried that I was going to look like a cartoon character for the next year. But after a few days, I was relieved to find they had faded a bit, and looked less like an eyebrow tattoo and more like they belonged on my face. Like a normal tattoo, I had to use an antiseptic and keep my brows dry for ten days to let the skin heal and scab properly. While it was slightly annoying not being able to wash my face or take a proper shower, it was all worth it in the end.

How Much Does Microblading Cost?

Price will vary depending on where you live and who your technician is. I spent $300, which included the first procedure, a 6-week follow-up appointment and all necessary aftercare products.

Is it Worth It?

Eyebrows are the centerpiece of the face, so if yours are a bit lacking, microblading is definitely worth the investment. I get to have perfectly arched, full eyebrows 24/7 for the next year and once they’ve faded I’ll be going right back in for another round.