Microblading: Why I'm Obsessed
About 8 years ago, I was hit by a truck on the late night, rainy streets of SOHO (more on this story later) and to say that my life changed overnight, feels like a bit of an understatement. Among nursing deep, black bruises and swollen appendages, my token from that event was a gaping gash that ran right through my left eyebrow, exposing my skull. About 20 stitches later, this long-healing wound would be my forever physical reminder of that night.
Now, years later, the sensitive nerves tracing from my eyebrow into my brain have (thankfully) normalized and all that’s left is a little scar tissue and, yes, my beautiful scar. In some cases, it’s barely noticeable – if the light is just right. But whether it is or isn’t, remains inconsequential compared to the damage that could have occurred, or worse. None of this eludes me. So, for years, I’d gratefully penciled in the parts of my brow that no longer grew hair.
In recent times, however, with jobs and public events, I realized how difficult it was to consistently upkeep equally-shaped brows every single day. Over time, it seemed like more of an encumbrance than anything - especially to perfect it quickly myself on a daily basis. Ultimately, I wished for an easier way.
Then, I heard about Microblading.
What is Microblading? In short form, Microblading is a type of semi-permanent tattoo style using a blade or needle. Once done, a follow-up four to six weeks after is encouraged to either to refine any parts needed (at this point, brows are completely healed and super fresh, so it’s typically the ideal time for a follow-up).
But, after learning about this a few years ago, it became more and more of an investment that felt right for me; not having to do my brows every day for months, even longer? Heaven! After doing a slew of research, I finally landed on an eyebrow specialist (who also happened to be an experienced make-up artist) who I thought was spectacular; her work was clean, precise and most of all, effortlessly natural. I saw her create stunning eyebrows for clients who had little-to-no brow hair and noted how she remedied tons of brow shapes and styles. It’s no wonder she’s dubbed, The Eyebrow Doctor.
However, before doing it, I still had so many questions:
Will this hurt? How long is the process? How long will results last? What if the shaping goes wrong? And more.
Fortunately, the Eyebrow Doctor (Piret Aava), assuaged all of my fears and walked me through the entire process. She carefully asked questions about my brow shape and what I was looking for. After assessing my brows, she then broke down, step by step, what she was going to do, what to expect and how to care for my brows, post-microblade. Now, it was time to start (and as we began each step, another question was answered for me):
Question #1:
Will this hurt?
Answer:
Step 1: Cleaning + Numbing
I know I can be honest with you guys; the truth is, I don’t have a high tolerance for pain. So, I was relieved to know that a numbing process was included before the rubber hit the road. I found this to be extremely effective and, yes, although I felt the pull of the razor on my skin, the cream helped immensely. Since it was my first time, she even did a second pass of the numbing cream as she reinforced the already-bladed parts. The most I felt was a pinching and slight burning, at times, as the razor was making the tiny, tiny incisions. This is all normal. Not to mention, her meticulous cleaning and disinfecting of the area (as well as the use of her antibacterial + sterilized tools), kept all of my germaphobe senses at complete ease. Whew.
Question #2:
What if the shaping goes wrong?
Answer:
Step 2: Eyebrow Grid
Not only does Piret look at – and enhance – a gamut of different eyebrows every single day, she also performs, what I call, an ‘eyebrow grid’. With a special pencil, she designs her point of action: she will carefully draw guiding pinpoints if it needs to be very intricate (like my very first time) and she will always do outlines to scrupulously direct her. As your eyebrows are not identical, you will find some parts more ‘drawn on’ than others. Couple that with her passion and perfectionism (thank goodness!), I easily saw her vision align with my desires and, I knew I was in the best hands.
Question #3:
How long is the process?
Answer:
Step 3: Blading Begins
I’ve found that the Microblading process can take anywhere from between 30-45 mins. This is all dependent upon how much work needs to be done (i.e. are you constructing an entirely new brow or just shaping the fullness of your own? And etc.). My first time took about 40 mins and my second time took only about 30 mins as this was our annual session.
Question #4:
All done! Now what?
Answer:
Step 4: Post-Blade Care
Now that the masterpiece is complete (I was squealing with glee at Piret’s work!), you will experience slight redness surrounding the brow, but they will be snatched to the high heavens. They’ll still feel slightly numb as the cream wears off, as well as sensitive and tender. Piret supplies you with her Eyebrow Doctor Aftercare ointment and adequately prepares you with effective methods for your post-brow care (this includes laying off of retinols and chemical exfoliants for a few weeks and ensuring that no water, soap or makeup touch the actual brows). Daily SPF is also vital as it, along with the previous suggestions, can aid against fading. Your brows are the most vulnerable at this time. Since little incisions were made to the skin, careful diligence and consistent ointment application will help to lessen the possibility of an infection as the brows heal. With both of my sessions, I experienced absolutely no negative side effects and stayed entirely on top of the post-care regime.
Question #5:
How long will the results last?
Answer:
It’s different for everyone.
Results can last typically between 1-3 years, but this is also contingent upon your skin type, your facial routine and your day-to-day regime (for example, I have oiler skin and I also use resurfacing products with AHAs as well as retinol often, so I tend to visit annually for small touch-ups). In any case, this beats the heck out of shaping and reshaping my brows daily and on set. Normally, when it’s time for my next annual session, I don’t mind touching up a few spots until I can see Piret in NY (the spots are always few and minimal, which is a testament to her work).
Question 6:
Is Microblading right for me?
Answer:
It depends.
Microblading is most ideal for those who need the illusion of a fuller brow. If your brows don’t grow in certain areas, if you want to reinforce the hair on your brow to make them seem fuller, or if you’re trying to shift the actual shape of your brow (i.e. create more of an arch or sustain a stronger head or tail to your brow), then Microblading might be the perfect option for you to consider. If none of the above describe you, you might be a prime candidate for one of her other services instead (eyebrow/eyelash tinting or eyebrow shaping).
Question #7:
How much does it cost?
Answer:
A reputable eyebrow specialist will be a worthy investment.
As I said before, a microblading session is an investment. For the lasting results and incredible precision, one could understand why. A reputable and skillful eyebrow specialist can range anywhere from about $750 - $2,000 a session (which should include one touch-up appointment). I’ve seen some charge significantly less and, as much as I like a good deal, I tend to get cautious with those who do. The price charged is normally reflective of years of experience, qualifications, location and annual re-certifications. Piret charges anywhere between $1,500 - $2,000 a session, and yes, for the remarkable work she does, I can attest that she – and your brows – are absolutely worth it.
Thanks to the effects of microblading, not only do I no longer need to spend time drawing my brows daily (hallelujah!) or shaping them for public events or on-camera gigs, but my brow shape, including my scar, is more consistent than it’s ever been.
Needless to say, I’m officially obsessed. x
The Eyebrow Doctor, Piret Aava
To see more of Piret’s work, click here.