Microblading Truths

Microblading may be a little past its ‘hot new trend’ phase, but there's no halt on the inquiries! It goes to show how many are still searching for their brow saving grace. But is Microblading really ‘the miracle’ its marketed to be? As with most invasive procedures, Microblading requires continuous commitment, investment and time to reap its benefits. I explain all the ‘behind the scenes’ about Microblading so you can decide whether its right for you!

For a brief moment in my career, I attempted to enter the invasive world of permanent makeup. To be honest, I thought it was gonna be easy... boy was I wrong! It all started a few years back when I worked at Smooth Lines Salon as their Brow Specialist/Makeup Artist. The owner found out about Microblading through a newspaper clip that featured brow services. Seeing the average cost (which was a couple hundred dollars), she was ready to invest in my Microblading training. I chose Brow Design International, founded by Julia Milin, a well renowned permanent makeup artist. The only reason why I agreed to such an idea, was because I've been told I'd make a really great tattoo artist.

After my training in Houston, I came back inspired to be the best Microblading Artist in San Antonio. Once I got into it, my tattoo work was ‘eh’ at best. In all fairness, any beginner needs time to master a skill but working on the skin was not as easy as it seemed. Microblading requires specific hand coordination, proper skin stretching and extreme focus. To not lose the skill, its highly encouraged to practice daily. For me, the discipline wasn't the problem... it was the stress of the service and the consumers unrealistic expectations that caused me to let the trade go. Before I get into my experience with it, let me tell you what Microblading is and what it entails.

Microblading is a form of eyebrow tattooing performed by using a manual blade (made up of fine needles) that implants cosmetic ink into the basal layer of the epidermis, resulting in hair like strokes. Even tough its semi-permanent, its still considered tattooing per state law. By semi-permenent, I mean its a tattoo that lasts about 6 months - 2 years (depending on your skin type). The initial visit which includes; eyebrow mapping, pigment selection, application of topical anesthetic and detailed implantation of pigment into the skin, takes approximately 3 hours. After the initial visit, you have to nurse the open skin for 7 days with ointment and avoid moisture. The tattoo fades 40-50% after 1 week. It takes exactly 30 days for the skin to properly heal, and whatever healed less than perfect... that's what the 30 day touch up is for. After that, you have to maintain it depending on how long your results last.

During my consultations, my goal was to keep every potential candidate well informed, feel comfortable with my work and the service price. A high price point demands perfection (and rightfully so) but I openly voiced that perfect results were unrealistic with Microblading. The truth is Microblading provides different results for different people due to its manual form of etching the skin. Its not as invasive as regular tattooing done by machine, so there's no guarantee that everyone will benefit from the procedure... which does come with its share of risks such as; pain, infection, swelling, bruising, allergies and/or sensitivities. Although most people were happy with my work, I wasn't. I'm a perfectionist and I compared my work to the Permanent Makeup European Masters. I wanted to be at that level but I lost the patience to work towards that level. I leave the trade to those who dedicate their craft to Permanent Makeup.

My advice to anyone considering Microblading is this: 1.) Please do not look for the ‘beat deal’ out there and do your research; 2.) Meet and greet with an artist who has a lot of experience and a strong portfolio; 3.) Make sure they're properly licensed by the health department; and 4.) If you can't justify paying for a tattoo that's not guaranteed, find a talented permanent makeup artist that also performs regular cosmetic tattooing for longer lasting results! In my opinion, many people who desire Microblading usually don't need it. I highly encourage all invasive services be your last resort option. There are many great brow services that help people discover new ways to love their natural brows again with the help of a brow specialist!

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