I’ll start by telling you that microblading wasn’t something I thought I needed. I’ve always had full, dark eyebrows, which is a blessing—but it does come with its own set of inconveniences. Let’s just say I never go far without a pair of tweezers.

I’ve been grateful to see the trends change towards a more natural (albeit groomed) brow. And fast forward to a few weeks ago, when I found myself thinking that a lot of people might be interested to learn more about microblading. We’re hearing the term more and more, but I’d venture to guess that most people still don’t really know what it is or how dramatic the results can be. So I decided the best way to give an accurate account of what to expect, is to go ahead and just have it done myself. And guess what...I’m OBSESSED!

Microblading has made my morning routine so much easier, I feel prettier without makeup, and the best part is, my brows are perfectly even all the time! It looks much more natural than powder or pencil, but also more polished than natural brows. I’m not kidding, I think this procedure is for everyone!

So let me tell you what to expect.

First of all, you’ll need to schedule a consultation with your brow artist to make sure you are a good candidate for the procedure. Most people are, but certain skin conditions and products can interfere, so she may have you change your routine a bit before proceeding. Once you’ve had a successful consultation, you can schedule your service, which should take about two hours. When Jasmine at Fresh started my service, I was pleasantly surprised to find out a topical anesthetic would be applied. Looking back, it makes perfect sense, but in my mind I thought, “It’s a type of tattoo. Who gets numbed for a tattoo?”

After about 20-30 minutes of numbing, Jasmine carefully used a measuring tool as well as a thread to measure and make marks exactly where my brows were to be filled. This involved measuring from the inner and outer corners of my eyes, and both the top and bottom of my arches. This sets the template for where each stroke will go, so it’s extremely important that it’s done correctly. Once this is complete, you are prepped and ready to be microbladed.

Microblading is defined as a semi-permanent technique for enhancing the appearance of the eyebrows, in which pigment is scratched into the skin in fine, short strokes resembling hair, using a hand tool with a blade formed by tiny needles. It is semi-permanent because the tool only penetrates the epidermis (traditional tattoos penetrate through the epidermis into the dermis). The blade that’s used is unique to this procedure. I personally expected something more like a small razor blade, when in actuality it’s not really a “blade” at all, but a closely spaced row of very fine needles. The needles hold the ink and the artist makes small “scratches” across the surface of your skin to deposit the pigment. It’s these short strokes that create the illusion of hair where there is none.

Once your procedure is finished, your brow artist will clean you up, place a mask on your brows for a few minutes and send you on your way—with brows A LOT darker than you ever wanted! Yep, you read that right. It’s pretty shocking; especially the next morning when the pigment really deepens. But don’t panic—this is a normal part of the healing process.

The first week can be tough. You must keep your brows completely dry, and it takes at least 7 days for you to lose the Groucho Marx look. After 7-10 days your brows will begin to peel, which can be a bit itchy—but once they do, your beautiful new brows will be revealed!

It will take about a month to achieve the final result, and at that point you may require a small touch up. Proper after-care may reduce the need for a touch-up but if you need one to get them perfect, know that’s normal.

As of the day I’m writing this I’m about two weeks out, and I couldn’t be happier with my results! I’m looking forward to a year or so of amazing, maintenance-free brows and you can bet this is going to be added to my personal list of beautifying treatments to keep up with. My brows may not be the most dramatic “before and after” I’ve seen, but I’m still an advocate. Check out these incredible, natural-looking transformations that can only be achieved with this service:

Before:

After:

Before and After:

 

Ashley Guttridge
Owner
Fresh Salon & Spa
941.906.7709 
Fresh Salon Sarasota Website