So I just had an annual touch-up for my microbladed eyebrows, and I thought I’d share my advice and experience with microblading. I had my brows originally microbladed for the first time in May 2016. Following my initial session, I went for an enhancement about 2 months later for fine tuning. After that, I went for an annual touch-up between 9-12 months in 2017, and just had my latest 9-12 month touch up today for 2018.
Choosing to get your brows microbladed is a pretty big decision, but one I’m personally so happy I made. It can be scary to essentially tattoo your brows on your face, but that’s why it’s sooooooo important to find the right artist. Please do not go to the cheapest person you find, or places with Groupons, or deals that are too good to be true. The old adage “you get what you pay for” rings true, and you don’t want discount brows – seriously, you don’t want to mess around with your face! If you can’t afford to go to the best, wait and save; I truly believe it is worth it to always go to the best. Be sure when doing your research you see consistent work from an artist you are considering, not just a few before and after photos in a brochure; you want to see regular and consistent work. Instagram is a great tool for artists to showcase their work, and an even better way for prosepective clients to view an artist’s portfolio. There are so many places that “do” microblading now, but you want to go to a reputable place that has experienced artists and are experts at their craft. Trying to correct botched brows is so much harder and costlier than doing it right the first time.
With all that being said, I get my brows done at Dollistic; they are the leader in the Washington, DC, metro area (and beyond, I’m sure) for brows and permanent makeup. Anyone who has done their research knows Dollistic rules the brow world. I trust my brows to Lizzeth who is the co-founder of Dollistic. Lizzeth is just awesome – as are all the ladies at Dollistic! Lizzeth is incredibly sweet and patient, extremely professional, and of course uber talented. I always enjoy my time at the Dollistic studio; it’s so glam and luxe and the energy is always upbeat and fun. They just recently moved their studio to McLean, VA which is now so convenient to get to!
To be honest, before microblading, I actually never paid too much attention to my brows and never even liked filling them in. I look back at some of my pre-microbladed photos and can’t believe I ignored my brows so badly! I clearly did not realize what brows can do for your face and how they can make you look and feel more polished. Same with lashes, but that’s for another post lol. Ok, so onto the process…initially, you will consult with your artist about your preferred style and look. Your artist will measure your facial features and draw the outline of your brow design so you can see and approve the shape as well as color. The actual microblading process involves manual use of a tiny needle that deposits color pigment to resemble hair strokes. Many people want to know if it will hurt, or what it feels like. It honestly shouldn’t feel like anything if your artist takes the proper precaution to numb your brow area before and during the procedure so that any discomfort is extremely limited. You may feel pressure or hear the strokes, but it shouldn’t be painful, if so, you should speak up and let your artist know so that they can provide more anesthetic. After your initial session, prepared to be a little shocked; your brows will be dark, they will be bold, and they will stand out to you because you’re not used to them yet; you may even have the oh god, what did I do panic moment. BUT, rest assured, they don’t look as crazy as you might think they do, and they will settle down after a few days. They take some getting used to at first, but once they start healing, you’ll get a better sense of how they will look overall. Be sure to follow the post-care instructions to a “T” to help ensure proper healing! Even after they have healed, it’s important to keep in mind that certain skincare products can and will affect your brows. I learned this the hard way as I accidentally ended up turning my pigment a pink tone because of products I used on my face. I am now extremely careful to avoid the forehead and brow area when using products that contain ingredients such as Glycolic Acid, Retinol, Vitamin C, and/or any other product intended to brightening the skin. A tip my artist shared with me is to put vaseline on my brows before putting any heavy duty skincare agent on my face as it can help act as a barrier, but really, it’s best to be super careful and avoid your forehead and brow area if possible. It’s also really important to make sure you use sunscreen on your brows if you’re outside. The sun can cause premature fading of your brows, so sunscreen and use of a hat are recommended. Annual touch-ups are the norm so you can keep them looking fresh as they will fade some over time, but your brows can certainly stay in good shape for quite a while if you take good care of them.
Here are before and after photos of my brows:
OMG, so much better after right??? 😛
Hopefully this little recap was helpful, if you have any specific questions, comment below and I’ll do my best to try and answer them!
