MICROBLADING : EXPLAINED
Microblading is the latest beauty treatment to revolutionise the eyebrow. Everyone’s idea of the ‘perfect eyebrow’ is different. Whether you like a soft feathery brow or a strong power brow, there are products and treatments available to create all kinds of looks. Powders, gels, pencils. You name it, there’s a product out there that will give you a temporary result. The question I suppose is – how good are you at it and who’s got time for that every single morning? Good quality products tend to be in excess of £25 and on a monthly basis that seemingly small amount adds up to quite a lot of money every year.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Microblading is a new treatment to the industry, however despite it’s recent boost in popularity, this popular technique of permanent makeup has been around for decades, going by one name or another. Microblading is perfect for those who want to fully reconstruct, define, cover gaps, or fill-in over plucked brows.
So, what exactly is microblading?
Microblading is an embroidery of small, precise strokes that mimic the effect of real hairs, and uses a special microblading pen to individually draw on the strokes. Unsurprisingly, the technique’s unparalleled natural finish has made its popularity skyrocket in recent years. If you’re still not sure how the technique differs from tattooing, I would explain that during the microblading process we use a special microblading pen to draw on individual strokes one by one as opposed to a digital machine using a needle cartridge. It’s an extremely meticulous process that takes around 2 hours to complete.
Is there any prep-work we need to do?
In the run up to your appointment, you should avoid plucking or waxing your brows because I will be designing your new brow shape based on measurements I will make before starting the procedure, utilising as much natural hair as possible. You should avoid using exfoliators 72 hours before the application, like any skincare products containing glycolic acid, retinol, and alpha hydroxy acids, since they may inflame the skin, and taking medications such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin as they are blood thinners – that includes alcohol. The goal is for the skin to be as insensitive to the procedure as possible to limit bleeding and discomfort. Pregnant, breastfeeding, and diabetic clients should avoid the procedure all together.
Right, once we're all ready and lying on the bed, what will the process be like?
First of all, I will spend some time mapping out your brows. The first half of the treatment I will spend measuring your face, looking at your bone structure and natural growth pattern to determine the best result and then I’ll draw the shape in with an eyebrow pencil. That’s the most time consuming part but the most important step! The shape of the brow is determined by taking six key measurements on the brow bone using a specialised measuring device made for this procedure. You are entirely involved in the design process of your brows. I will make suggestions based on your measurements as to the shape, the colour and thickness, but ultimately you will decide the end result.
Before the microblading begins, a topical numbing cream is applied to the area to minimize discomfort. I only use EMLA or LMX4 numbing cream which is available over the counter at any pharmacy and the safe and legal way to treat clients in the U.K. This should be something that you look for with any Microblading technician as it is the ONLY legal anaesthetic available and there are dangerous alternatives being used in the industry. As a responsible technician I ensure that only these numbing creams are used on my patients.
If you’re worried that the process is painful, the honest truth is that it entirely depends on your threshold. Some clients may feel slight discomfort, but most clients report only mild discomfort. The sensation is decsribed as something like a ‘continuous cat scratch’. After making small hair strokes in your brows, additional pigment is washed over the area and left to sit, before being wiped away, revealing your brand new brows! (My favourite part!) The process is unique and gives extraordinarily natural results.
You may expect thick brows that rival Cara Delevingne’s, but it might take a few appointments before you reach your ideal brows, I may suggest alternative techniques depending on what your expectations are. You should keep in mind that microblading is a multiple treatment process and you shouldn’t expect to see full results after only one treatment. The strokes are very sharp initially, but will soften and migrate into the skin over time. You should take into consideration that different skin types also factor into results. Oily skin, large pores, thicker skin and eyebrow keratosis can affect the absorption of the pigment.
In summary, Microblading is a fabulous technique that gives natural, fuller looking brows with minimum effort and is ideal for those who want to enhance or reconstruct a natural looking brow. I love the results it gives.
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