Don't know, now you know about Microblading with Leanne Kuhn

So, you spot a perfect pair of brows on your Instagram feed and in real life, chances are the killer arches aren't the product of a really, really good brow pencil, but microblading. The semi-permanent technique is like embroidery for your brows. A special microblading pen is used to draw on small, precise strokes that mimic the appearance of real hair. Unsurprisingly microblading's popularity has soared in the last year, thanks to the technique's unparalleled natural finish. If you're finally ready to put down the tweezers, brow gels, pencils, and pomades, for the brow-grooming option that requires minimal upkeep, I am going to give you the "what's up" to find out everything you need to know before making a microblading appointment.

DOES MICROBLADING HURT?

Any good technician will numb your skin before your procedure. I myself have literally tried every single topical lidocaine anesthetic I could get my hands on to see what works and what doesn't . Everything from Dr. Numb, Emla cream, Zenza cream, Lyracaine etc. etc. What I have found is that no matter how long or how much I put on each client is different. Some people just have a higher pain tolerance than others. The truth is it's not a painless procedure and if you were going to get any other tattoo on your body and ask your tattoo artist for numbing cream before he puts that butterfly on your butt cheek he would look at you like you had two heads. It basically feels like tiny paper cuts. You can feel the blade, but it's more annoying than painful. Most people find that the sound was more irritating than anything. After the first pass the skin is open and I am able to apply a liquid lidocaine, after 2 mins you are totally numb and the rest of the procedure is a total breeze.

Side note: If you are aware of your menstrual cycle do yourself a favour and do not book your appointment when you know Aunt Flow is coming to visit. From my experience alot of women are very sensitive around that time of the month.

WILL A BROW TATTOO IMPROVE MY MORNING ROUTINE?... HELL YA!

Most people are 100 percent happy with the way my brows look. Even if they are not perfect there is some serious improvements going on. Instead of taking 2 hours to fill in your brows in the morning it's more like 2 minutes. The bald spots are gone, and any unevenness is corrected but most people still fill them in with powder, gel or a pencil. That said, almost all of my clients struggled with their brows prior to getting microbladed and now spend two minutes or less on them in the morning since the shape is already there, and that's a massive win. After about a year and if you are a little oily in the T zone you will find the pigment is there, but they don't look like hair strokes anymore. They've faded slightly, and the strokes have blended together a little bit. It wont look bad, but it doesn't look as natural. That is where the 1 year refresher / colour boost comes into play, this procedure will help keep your brows crisp and vibrant for the following year.

THE NAIL OR HAIR SALON IS NOT THE BROW SALON

I hear time and time again, "oh this salon offers microblading", or "my friend got hers done at the nail salon." In any case the technician might be trained in microblading but also does nails, lashes and bakes cakes on the side. Microblading is a serious business. You wouldn't take your Lamborghini to get serviced at the boat shop so why take the most pivotal space on your face to someone who is so so at doing what could make or break a set of structurally perfect arches on your face. Do your research.

YOUR SKIN TYPE WILL AFFECT THE FINAL RESULT

Brows aren't one set of arches fits all, so it only makes sense that microblading won't look the same for everyone, too. The dryer the skin is, the more crisp and defined the microbladed hair like strokes will heal. Oily skin can give a more powdery result . Be honest with yourself and your artist. If you have bigger pours and oily skin chances are you are not going to have the best retention or the best results. If you still want to give it a shot here are some tips for oily skin: Follow your technician's aftercare instructions, and blot the forehead ( with oil blotting papers ) several times a day to remove excess oils, which will help you avoid a powdery effect. If you have a darker complexion, I recommend following the same tips for oily skin types, along with avoiding applying any type of moisturizer to the eyebrow area.

MICROBLADING LASTS LONGER THAN WAXING OR TINTING

Waxing or tinting your brows usually lasts around three weeks tops before you have to make another appointment. With microblading, the results are semi-permanent. Microblading is a great option for most men and women who want fuller brows because it only needs to be touched up every 12-18 months. I can make adjustments if the client wants a slightly different shape, if facial features have changed, if the skin texture has changed, or if the natural brow colour has changed.

IF YOU HAVE LOW IRON, YOU MIGHT NOT GET THE BROWS YOU WANT

Someone who has a low level of iron or is anemic must take iron supplements six weeks prior to their microblading appointment, as well as six weeks after. Most micro-pigments used for microblading are iron oxide based, meaning that the retention could be very poor if a client has low levels of iron.

PICK AN ARTIST YOU ARE OBSESSED WITH

In most cases, the old saying 'you get what you pay for' applies. A really good artist will most likely be booked solid, but don’t just go somewhere else cheaper and less busy… It’s your FACE we’re talking about here. Getting your brows to look the way you want starts by picking the right microblading artist. Looking at before and after photos of an artist's work is only the first step. Make sure that the artist does the kind of brows you are looking for (manicured, messy looking, sparse and natural, very dense, etc.), If the artist doesn't have photos of healed work on their website, Instagram or Facebook, please ask for healed photos as it'll show you exactly what to expect for the end result. All in all ... Cheap brows aren't good, good brows aren't cheap.

xoxo -

Leanne Kuhn