What you are about to read is a real experience and personal testimonial (uncompensated and unbiased) about an eyebrow enhancing procedure called microblading. Since this is going to take a while to go through, there will be a a few parts to it, Part II will contain more of the details of the actual experience.

I do want to start off by saying if you’re thinking of getting this procedure done, definitely read this whole article – all parts that are available at the time of reading. And right up front you should know that microblading is not something you can have done on your lunch break then go right back to work afterwards. Unless you work by yourself – because you will not like the way they look for at least a week. It’s true.

Pretty much everyone will look a bit “strange” (that may even be an understatement). The pigment is very intense for several days, and on top of that, the blood coming to the surface forms scabs that will make you look much more severe than you’d probably like. Related: Castor Oil for Thicker Brows?

So, if you are thinking about microblading, make sure you don’t have to be anywhere really visible for about a week. Sunglasses and hats will be your best friend during this time! The pictures in this post are 3 days post-microblade - they are pretty much representative of the way they looked days 1-7, and they actually looked darker in real life than in these pictures.

Let's Talk First About What Microblading is and What It Can Do for Your Brows

I thought this overview of the process and expectations could be really helpful for anyone who, like me, was experiencing a lot of eyebrow hair loss and wanted to gain back the fuller appearance they had many years ago (before I overplucked).

After all, it’s not just overplucking that can cause our eyebrows to become sparse. It’s also age. Eyebrows tend to thin over time no matter what your gender or background. It would be no big deal if eyebrows weren’t so good at cosmetically framing our facial structure and being a major part of our unique expressions.

Microblade Day 3:

Your eyebrows make up a big part of your appearance, and having a great shape to suit your face can really make a big difference. So I decided to make the plunge into microblading after I finally got fed up with having to fill in the blank spots, which were becoming much more plentiful in my brow line, every day. Related: How to Shape Your Eyebrows and Maximize Fullness

Filling Brows In Every Day with Pencil is Always an Option

Even with a spot-on pencil match to your eyebrow color, filled in brows can still look a little off. Plus you can’t get them exactly the same every day. I wanted a professional to be able to shape them and get a more realistic look of the tiny hairs that I was way to impatient to draw on myself every day. I wanted to wake up with fuller “brows” and not have to worry about shaping them slightly different every day.

I saw a lot of before and after pictures of microblading online, and I liked most of the results. Some were obviously better than others, but I thought if I could find someone that was within reasonable driving distance who had a lot of experience and good reviews, then I was willing to take the plunge.

And plunge it is, because essentially what you are getting yourself in to is a permanent makeup situation. Meaning it will be there for a long time and if you don’t like it, it’s going to take a while or a lot of money and patience to undo it. That’s a really big deal if you don’t end up liking the outcome!

What Exactly is Microblading?

Microblading is the infusion of a tattoo-like ink into the eyebrow area, in fine lines attempting to mimic the fine hairs that make up the brow line, with a tattoo tool. You are essentially getting a tattoo on your brow-line.

The artist will attempt to draw out the arch and shape that is just right for your facial structure, and from there, they will draw in the lines where they will be filling in with a pencil, so you can preview the results, and if you like it, they will then begin the ‘tattooing’ process. Related: Can Red Light Therapy Help Eyebrow Growth?

The whole process takes around 2 hours start to finish. You will be asked to come back in 4-6 weeks for a touchup. A touchup is apparently almost always needed, so they probably won’t take no for an answer, and it should be included in the overall cost of the procedure (I do think this is a procedure you should tip for, they take a lot of time, care and precision doing their thing) .

Stay tuned for Subsequent Parts where I will chronicle all the weeks that followed!