microblading: 8 things you should know before you go

Microblading. It's the new thing. It's so new that I had no clue what I was getting myself into when I offered to be a model for a friend that was being trained. What is microblading, you ask? Well, essentially it is a semi-permanent tattoo that looks like strokes of hair to fill in bald or sparse spots in your eyebrows. How is it done? Oh, this is where my friend got me. I thought it would be similar to a henna tattoo or something. How naive I was! They literally take a microblade, make a bunch of paper cuts, and fill the wounds with pigment. When your paper cuts heal they will be tinted scars that look like stokes of hair. I mean, I'm sure there is a more technical way to describe what was done, but that is basically the "Microblading for Dummies" version for you readers out there like me. I should admit, they do use a numbing cream. For me, the cream lasted for about half of the amount of time it took to do my eyebrows. Here's the good new though, you will survive and you will have amazing brows! I've come up with some tips for those of you who are more than ready to get your eyebrows on fleek (did I use that term correctly?).

You Will Turn into a Cartoon
They will map out your new brow shape before they start the slicing. They will also let you check it out before they start. Here's the tip, when you look at your mapped out brows, don't freak out. They basically fill in the shape with pigment, so it looks like you have cartoon eyebrows. Don't look at the color. Look at the shape. Look at where your brows start, stop, and arch. If you like the shape, you'll love the final product.

Pain is Beauty 
It hurts. I mean, they are giving you paper cuts over and over again. You can always ask for more numbing cream. It won't be the worst experience of your life, but just know that you aren't getting a facial.

Eyebrow Water Fast
You can't get your brows wet for a week. Personally, I was too worried that I would get my brows wet in the shower, so I bathed for a week. When you wash your face, you can't get your brows wet. I used the facial wipes from Costco. They were a life saver that week.

Say Hello to Scabby McScabberson
Your eyebrows will scab. It's part of the process, and it will itch like crazy. You have to be strong, and not touch the brows. The healing process is very important and if you mess with the scabs, you mess with the final product. They will give a Neosporin-esce gel to put on in the morning and before bed. It really helps.

From Dark to Light
You eyebrows will heal lighter than they look when you walk away from the salon/spa. After your scabs heal you will be left with normal looking eyebrows. Once the pigment scabs leave you will be left with lighter eyebrows than you have had for a week. You will have a touch-up appointment in 4-6 weeks where you can get your eyebrows darkened (if you'd like) and spots filled that didn't take the first time. This appointment is free for me. You will want to check with your technician to see if this appointment is available for you as well.

$$$
This procedure is a little spendy (in my book). I wouldn't have done it if it weren't free because I was a guinea pig. The price will depend on where you live. I've seen some for $200 all the was up to $500 in Utah. I guess when you take in how much money and time you'll save by waking up to amazing eyebrows it could be worth it.

Short Term Fleekage
Your tattoo will last up to 2 years. The time frame is different for everyone. I will be surprised if mine last that long. My hair color fades really fast when I dye it, so I'm assuming this probably will too.

Perfect Brows Take Time 
Your appointment shouldn't be longer that 2 hours. My eyebrows took about 2 hours from start to finish, and that was with a technician that was learning the ropes. The part that takes the longest is when they map out your eyebrow shape. The actual procedure maybe took 20-30 minutes.

All jokes set aside, this process wasn't bad. It is so nice to wake up to great eyebrows, and it cuts down on my makeup time. 30 minutes of pain and 7 days of itch is a pretty small price to pay for having the fleekest eyebrows on the street.