Microblading

So, you know there are some women in this world that just have this gift with make-up. I personally would never say I fall under this category. Especially, if it comes to anything past some powder, mascara and a gloss. I pay people to do anything past that. I’m almost certain I have never even used a eyeshadow color that didn’t fall in the “neutral” color zone. I play it as safe as I can because anything outside of my safe zone has me looking like a hot mess.

I love watching the YouTube tutorials, I love seeing the Facebook Live videos of girls ROCKING all their bright color eye shadow and new lipstick shades. I truly do enjoy them. I get to watch, take it in and then go about my life cause I know unless I pay someone to do it for me… it ain’t happening.

Growing up we didn’t contour and we didn’t do anything with our eyebrows. I remember usually just wearing some blush, a coat of mascara and chapstick. I did go through a awkward stage where I’m pretty sure I just drew white circles around my eyes with a eyeshadow and then did a blue eyeliner. Maybe that’s why I’m so scarred? One day I’ll show you a photo. It was bad.

So now a days make up is on like a whole other level. If you know me in real life, even on social media actually, most days I am seen without any makeup at all. I truly don’t like to wear it unless I have a meeting or something going on that day. I feel like I waste my time and money putting it on for no purpose. My husband thankfully loves me and thinks I am most beautiful without and I truly like to just let my skin breathe and not feel so weighed down. I do enjoy contouring though but, I am almost 100% positive I do not do it right. Oh well, YOLO right?

I have friends that have some of their makeup tattooed on. To be honest I LOVE the thought and the idea! One less thing I have to do or worry about and just get to wake up with. I just personally have never taken the time to go get it done. So if you have, let me hear about it? I would love to know your thoughts and if you love it or not. Most of my friends have their eyeliner done and a few have their lip liner done and they seem to love it. I’ve heard the pain isn’t too bad but after birthing multiple babies I feel like I can handle some pain. After I get out of my own head.

So when I was pregnant with Rush last year a new technique had started floating around our town called “micro-blading” basically a way to have your eyebrows tattooed on.

…….”manual microblading is a form of semi-permanent tattoo that involves using tiny needles (instead of a tattoo gun) that make up a small blade to help deposit pigment under your skin.” -Cosmopolitan Magazine

So eyebrows were one area I have felt challenged since it became a thing to start filling them in and shaping them. Up until a few short years ago I never even touched mine. I got them waxed here and there and before that I am pretty sure there was a trend where you wanted the tiniest brows you could get so I had plucked most of mine out. I have always had a non existing brow shape. No peek, no shape at all really. More just kinda straight across. They’ve always grown pretty thick and full so that’s been good but besides that I have never known what to do with them.

When I started seeing the microblading pics across my newsfeed on Facebook from a local tattoo shop here I got very interested. I was pregnant at the time so, I called to see if this was even something a pregnant person could do and it is not. So pregnant friends, wait it out. That was over a year ago.

A few months ago I feel like microblading was everywhere on my feed once again. I hadn’t thought of it again up until I started seeing pictures of some people I know doing it. Well long story short I went a few weeks ago and had my first session done and I just want to walk you through my experience and results.

So I showed up for my first appointment to the actual place I had called the year before but, I was seeing a newer artist. She was super sweet and kind. She took her time, was very precise and detailed. I was there for a few hours the first time, which I had expected. You will be laying there for awhile so wear some comfy clothes. I did do my make-up that day but just didn’t do my brows. No worries either way, they will clean and disinfect them before every beginning regardless of makeup or not. Let me back up and say, before doing this… DO YOUR RESEARCH… find someone in your town that has been doing it awhile, has actual photos of the work that they have done, has a license to be doing what they are doing, etc. The place I chose the owner is one of the best at what he does and actually teaches and certifies others to do what he does. I believe he was the first person in our city to being microblading. Ok, carrying on now…

So they will grid out your face, draw on you with pen to show you what everything will look like. It’s important to know what you are going for and expressing that. For me, it was getting that peek and re-shaping and just a little extra thickness. You are paying to get the brows you want so, don’t be afraid to tell them what you want. After they have drawn on you and you all have come to a agreement your happy with the outline then the fun begins…

Oh one more thing, I did have my eyebrows waxed days before but, they still cleaned them up at my appointment before every beginning so, don’t worry about that either!

They will numb your brows with just a topical product. Then about 10 minutes or so the process begins. The first “pass” is the worst. Again, if you’ve given birth… YOU GOT THIS. It does sting though, I mean there is a razor blade cutting your skin. After that first pass though, where they outline and cut in the first time, it really isn’t bad. I was worried about hearing the razor cutting too, the sound didn’t end up bothering me but, if that’s something you are worried about take some headphones and listen to a good podcast or worship music. So, my first time it took a couple of hours of just filling and shaping. Wasn’t bad at all. Here is my before, grid and after pic.

As you can tell I had a pretty good brow (in my opinion) to begin with. She just made the shape better and filled them in to make them more even. I was and am super happy with the results. The healing process I had heard was awful. To my surprise it wasn’t bad at all for me. I purchased a after care cream I used daily and I feel like that helped a ton. You should expect peeling, itching, etc. Right after you are done they look and feel super dark but they will fade a lot!

It had a been a few weeks and mine had healed, faded and settled and I had decided I wanted to get them filled in more. So, they offer a filling service and also a service called “powder coating” it’s a little bit of a different technique where it leaves your brows fuller and after they have healed you have a thicker, fuller and natural looking brow. YES PLEASE! So I had that done today! Let me just say, the first pass this time hurt like you know what. I teared up numerous times but, it only last like 2-5 minutes at most. I prayed a lot and just reminded myself of all the labor and deliveries I had experienced. LOL! I love the powder coat look! My brows look amazing right now, their super dark but that will fade over the next few weeks so, I will add some photos in the next few weeks to update you.

I just want to encourage you if you have been thinking about it… I would say its 100% worth it! But to make sure and do your research! Find someone that can show you their personal work on their clients. Prepare to have a fill done, I would say even if you don’t want to or think you need it I feel like it would just sharpen them up after the original session! This was mine after a few weeks of doing them and I really think if I wouldn’t have just told you what I had done, well you wouldn’t have even known. I know you wouldn’t have because I have posted photos and only one friend… who does brows, & you should go see her… Ashlee Henderson in Lytle, Tx has been the only person I have had a conversation with. If she lived here she’s who I would be using! That girl is GIFTED y’all! So if you decide this is for you and you are near the San Antonio area… GO SEE HER at her salon, Wildroots! Message me if you need her number!

Here’s a little “during” photo too I sent my husband and said “What do you think?” You can imagine his reaction…

And then last photo, this is today! Fresh out of the powder coat and touch up session! So I’ll share photos in a few weeks once they have settled so you can see the difference. I would love to know what you think of microblading. Have you done it? Are you interested in doing it? Bad experience? Good? What kind of questions do you have? I will answer them all this week on my insta-story!

**DISCLAIMER– everything above is my personal opinion! This blog is not sponsored or promoted by anyone or anything. I am not endorsing or compensated in anyway from this specific blog. Just wanted to share my opinion, the words above unless cited are my own. Thanks so much!