The quest for fuller eyebrows
Lush eyebrows have never been more in vogue than they are now. A full, well defined brow is said to give you a youthful look and enhance your overall facial appearance. As the ways to get fuller arches get newer and more interesting every day, a technique called microblading is something you would want to consider.
Microblading is a form of face tattoo.
Before you dismiss it and run for the hills, microblading differs from a regular tattoo.
The artist uses a small device that resembles a razor. The razor has tiny singular pins that implant the pigment into the skin. This is done manually. The picks are meant to mimic hair that grows on your eyebrows and they are drawn in the direction of hair growth to make them appear as natural as possible.
The process is different from getting your eyebrows tattooed because the artist does not use a machine and the results are less permanent because less pigment is used. Microbladed eyebrows usually last between one to two years depending on how faded they appear over time.
The process.
When you book your appointment to get your eyebrows done, any artist worth their salt should walk you through the process and be patient with your questions.
They will begin by waxing your upper eyebrows to remove stray hair and to get a smooth canvas in which to work on. After that, using a stencil and eye pencil, they draw on the desired shape and at this stage, you can give your input on any changes that you’d like to be made.
Next, they apply numbing cream to your eyebrows and let it sit for about half an hour before the process begins. The cream is meant to reduce the pain level to a minimum.
The artist then starts to make tiny strokes that look like your actual hair as they fill in your eyebrows to the desired shape.
The whole process takes about an hour due to its meticulousness.
You will also need more than one session for treatment to be complete. The second session is scheduled about 4 weeks after the first one. The reason for this is, during the first session, the skin might get raw and it would be difficult to draw over these inflamed areas as you run the risk of getting uneven lines.
You need to prep for your microblading appointment.
The idea of pain is daunting and for some, it’s more daunting than it is for others. As tempting as it might be, do not reach for a painkiller or get alcohol shots for confidence because this will be detrimental to the process. Alcohol and painkillers tend to thin the blood and will make you bleed more than usual and you will bleed out the ink.
It’s going to cost you pretty penny.
Most good things are not going to come cheap. Microblading is an investment. In the US, it ranges from $900 to $1200. In the long run, however, you will have saved on the time that you’d have spent fixing your eyebrows and buying eyebrow kits. It is available in Kenya at a couple of places. Like you would with all items before purchase, do your research and hunt for the best bargains and the most professional person to do it. Also, remember that cheap is expensive.
Now that you have your exquisite eyebrows done, it’s important that you take good care of them until they heal. Healing will take between 4-6 weeks.
In the first week after your procedure, avoid water, lotion or soap from getting into contact with the area. At the end of the week, apply the post care ointment that your artist will have recommended using clean hands.
Keep your hair away from your face in order to ward off infection and avoid swimming or staying out too long in the sun.
During the healing process, the area might feel ticklish or itchy but do not itch it as you might end up peeling off some of the ink and it’s going to leave bald patches. The skin will flake which is normal and it’s a sign that it is healing. When it’s fully healed, the pigment will look lighter that it did on the day that you first got it. This is normal and it will be similar to your normal hair colour.
Alternatives to microblading.
You could keep on filling your eyebrows to get a fuller look or consider natural methods of accelerating the growth of the hair. These include dabbing pure castor oil and leaving it in overnight then washing it off with a cleaner, buying a hair growth enhancing serum and maintaining a diet that involves drinking plenty of water, fruits and vegetables will also get you fuller and thicker eyebrows.
You can watch a video of one woman’s microblading experience here.
Featured Image via http://www.1966mag.com/what-is-microblading/
