It’s the beauty trend that’s taken off in recent years, with celebrities like Madonna and Australia’s own Roxy Jacenko swearing by it.
But there’s no doubt microblading, a form of semi-permanent makeup, has raised a few eyebrows.
The idea of getting a tattoo on your face can be a terrifying prospect, but for women – or men – who are not blessed with well-endowed brows, the procedure has become a popular procedure.
Tegan Martin (right) with Brooke Nash (left) with their microbladed eyebrows
With a super fine hand-held blade, microblading simulates the appearance of hair using deposits of cosmetic tattoo pigments under the first layer of skin, creating a bolder and natural-looking eyebrow. And the result can last years.
Microblading, which takes under two hours, has become one of the beauty industry’s most popular procedures, soaring in popularity among Australian women.
Thanks to the ’90s, many women over-plucked their eyebrows to fit in with the thin brow trend. When fuller, thicker eyebrows kicked thin out of the spotlight, some women were unable to grow the hair back.
In an effort to find out what all the fuss was about, Daily Mail Australia spoke to one of Sydney’s most popular microblading therapists, Tanya Do from Tanya Beauty Care who answered all of our pressing questions.
Monika Radulovic, crowned Miss Universe Australia in 2015, with her Tanya Beauty Care feathered brows
Horror stories
There’s no doubt there are some horror stories to come from various eyebrow procedures done both here in Australia and overseas, but Tanya said it was unlikely anything would go wrong if the patient did their due diligence.
There are women who have walked away with big black, clearly fake lines where their eyebrows should be, but Tanya said this was the result of a poor technician.
For natural results she said the technician should always follow the natural shape of the brow, not shave off a woman’s natural hair and shape the brow from scratch.
Tanya Do (pictured) says the microblading procedure can work wonders for a woman’s or man’s face – as long as they compliment the natural shape of the brow
Microblading works for all shades of hair, including very fair blonde brows
‘The worst thing for a therapist to do is completely change the shape of someone’s eyebrows, it just needs to be a natural enhancement on the brow,’ she said.
Another risk is scarring. If the therapist cuts too deep into the skin, the patient can be left with permanent scarring on their face.
Tanya assured scarring was extremely unlikely if a trained therapist was performing the procedure.
Is it a tattoo?
While there are similarities, the short answer is no. Unlike tattooing, microblading is not permanent.
Microblading lasts anywhere between one and three years, so the end result is not permanent.
If a patient opts for the longer-lasting tattoo, it can last for about five or six years.
Tanya Do (pictured) said almost anyone could be a good candidate but urged people to do their research first
One risk with tattooing however, is the patient could be left with blue-coloured eyebrows if the ink is not correctly matched to the patient’s skin tone.
Tanya said she often had patients asking her to fix another technician’s work because it looked too thick or unnatural.
She said it was a long road for the patient if they wanted to fix a tattoo, because they would need to get the tattoo strokes lasered off before they could undergo microblading.
She said eyebrow enhancement had come a long way from the old traditional ‘block tattoo’ job and there were many different techniques that could be used to achieve the best result for each person.
Again, Tanya said it all came down to due diligence, and if a patient did their research first, they could avoid going to the wrong person.
When looking for the right therapist make sure they have a qualification, completion certificate, and are registered.
Because there was a lot of money in the industry, Tanya said it was possible for someone to ‘give it a go’ without having the proper skills and training.
When looking for the right therapist make sure they have a qualification, completion certificate, and are registered, Tanya (left) said
Who is a good candidate?
If you are unhappy with your natural brows and are constantly filling in your brows, then you are likely to be a good candidate.
Although anyone regardless of age can get it done, Tanya said it worked better for some more than others.
If a person has oily skin, it still works but may not last as long, she said.
For a person with oily skin, she said a combination technique rather than feathered technique would work best.
Combination is where the eyebrows are shaded in between the fine hair strokes.
Skin and medical conditions might make someone a less-than-ideal candidate. People with eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, or anyone on blood thinning medication might not be able to undergo the procedure.
She said people should check with their doctors if they fell into this category.
She also said microblading could be used to simply fill in sparse brows, or be used to fully reconstruct the brow.
Tanya said it worked wonders for women who may have over-plucked their eyebrows and those with alopecia – a condition in which hair is lost from the body.
People with trichotillomania – an impulse hair pulling disorder – are also perfect candidates, as it fills in gaps that may have been created by the person habitually pulling out their hair.
Microblading – or tattooing – is a great option for cancer patients too, Tanya said.
‘I have a few clients who have cancer who come to me before their hairs falls out, it just helps them through the process,’ she said.
This woman is showing off her fresh ‘combination brows’ (feathering and shading technique) two years after first getting them done
So why get the procedure done? The eyebrow, if done well, can shape a woman’s face.
With microbladed eyebrows, you can walk out of the house without any makeup on, and still feel made-up. Tanya said it all came down to self-confidence.
‘When you feel beautiful, it has such an impact on your happiness,’ she said.
‘It’s not a selfish thing to do. It’s not narcissistic. You have to love yourself first before you can give love to others.’
When choosing the right look for someone, Tanya said ‘less is more’.
‘You want soft and fluffy eyebrows more the most natural looking result,’ she said.
‘I tend towards thicker strokes for middle eastern women, just because it blends with their natural brows better, but for Asian and Caucasion women, I do a softer, thinner hairstroke,’ she said.
‘Everyone has different brows, every face is unique, so every brow has to be unique too.’
Does it hurt?
There are differing reports; some women claim it was excruciating, but others report feeling nothing at all.
A good technician will use numbing cream on the eyebrows for up to 30 minutes before the procedure to minimise any discomfort.
Hygiene
Hygiene is the difference between a great end result and a nightmare. If the right precautions are not taken, a patient is at risk of infection.
Research the therapist and look at reviews before going ahead with the procedure.
Tanya said therapists should follow the natural shape of a woman’s brow (combination brows pictured)
Aftercare
Patients are told they cannot touch their eyebrows for about six days after the procedure, to give the skin time to heel.
The skin might even bleed slightly immediately after the procedure. This is normal.
Patients are warned against exercise or swimming or exposing the brows to too much direct sunlight for a week or two following the procedure.
Picking, peeling or scratching the pigmented area should be avoided, because it could remove some of the pigment or even scar the skin.
Patients are also told not to drink alcohol in excess as it could lead to slower healing of the eyebrows.
Tanya said the most important thing was to listen to your trusted professional, and follow their directions.
Pricing
Eyebrow microblading can cost anywhere from $600 to $1,500 – depending on where you go, and how many sessions you do.