Brows | December 05, 2019
Where most people think your eyes do all the work when it comes to showcasing expressions, eyebrows are the actual key players here. Be it anger, fear, surprise or happiness, our eyebrows amplify them all. Since they come in all shapes, sizes and colors, you can really experiment with how you want yours to look. For the longest time, pencils, powders, pigments and gels have been used to tweak their appearance but off late there seems to be a new kid on the block. Microblading may sound like a highly technical medical procedure conducted in a whitewashed surgical room in some specialized hospital but it’s not. What it is, in fact, is a semi-permanent technique to enhance your eyebrows, which can be undertaken in private salons and sometimes aesthetics-based medical clinics. However, today, microblading seems to have changed the rules of the eyebrow game. It looks like this semi-permanent make-up technique is looking to become permanent in the near future.
A Little Eyebrow Embroidery
Although this semi-permanent tattoo technique to create lusher eyebrows took the world by storm several years ago, its recent phenomena-like success is contagious. From celebrities to influencers and housewives to working moms, everyone wants to get on this bandwagon. All of it begins with a detailed consultation with an eyebrow specialist who will discuss the brow shape and color options that will best shape your face, match your hair color and accentuate your skin tone. Then comes the part where the brow is thoroughly cleaned, after which it is treated with a numbing cream for the procedure. The major difference between an eyebrow tattoo and microblading is that while the former uses a tattoo machine, the latter uses a handheld pen-like tool outfitted with 7-16 microneedles in various configurations to manually draw hair strokes. 30-40 minutes later, an aftercare ointment will be applied to ensure an effective healing process. Post the treatment, it is best to avoid swimming, sweaty workouts or even washing your face with water for up to a week, since the microbladed area is an open wound and you want to avoid any infections. It is also wise to refrain from using any make-up for at least 2 weeks.
Touch Up To Keep Up
After you’ve completed the actual process, you should keep an eye out for any pigmentation irregularities that surface so you can bring them up at your first touch up appointment. This is a good practice if you want the right color, shade and shape, and if you want your pigmentation to last a while. As previously mentioned, microblading pigments are not implanted into the skin as deep as traditional tattoos, which is why they will fade over time. This may take anywhere between 1-3 years. Of course, if you want to maintain your fuller brow look, regular touch-ups, typically between 12-18 months, are suggested.
Better Safe Than Sorry
So it took you a good approximately 1.5 hours with a capable eyebrow specialist during your initial consultation to fill out the paperwork and discuss the shape, color and density of your future brows. Then you sat through the relatively painless and minimally invasive procedure for another 30-40 minutes before the job was complete. After you’ve dutifully listened to the do’s and don’ts, you head on home to do a little dance as you admire your newly-formed lush eyebrows in the mirror. But don’t get carried away with excitement. It is equally important to pay attention to the aftercare. Ensure you don’t wet your brows because moisture of any kind could affect the pigmentation. Another piece of advice would be to make your eyebrow specialist aware of any allergies you might have. This way, they can be prepared with pigments that don’t cause any allergic reactions when applied. This is why it is extremely important to seek out a professional salon, which is equipped with well-qualified brow specialists who know how to get the job done right. You may be happy in the beginning to pay less but if your microblading is done incorrectly by an inexperienced eyebrow specialist, you will end up paying more in the long term to manage complications and correct the procedure.
Our eyebrows help us communicate whatever we are feeling. When we are angry, they bunch together. When we are happy they pull all the way apart. When we are surprised, they shoot up high. And when we are disappointed, they droop.
Our eyebrows frame our face. Hence it’s important to keep them in shape and tidy. Thanks to experts in the brow industry, we can now play with the shape of our brows, darken or lighten them and even add more texture. Processes such as microblading enhance the appearance of eyebrows. Whether you want fuller, thicker or darker brows, microblading is the way to go. Check out your local eyebrow clinic to learn more about microblading and its benefits.
