My Microblading Experience | With Ink Lash & Brow

Hi loves!

I have been so excited to finally put this post together about my experience with mircoblading after my recent appointment! If you don't know what microblading is, it is essentially a semi-permanent tattoo to enhance the shape and color of your eyebrows, where pigment is applied in fine, hair-like strokes which result in a completely natural looking brow.

This is the best, and I really mean THE BEST thing to ever happen to the beauty industry! If you knew me anytime before the last two years, you probably know that my natural eyebrows are completely transparent and so thin! I have been cursed with terrible brows my entire life, not to mention the thin brow trend in the 2000's is still haunting me (but we won't talk about that..haha!)

Growing your brows to be thick and full can be impossible if you have thin hair like me, but thankfully for my fellow unfortunate ladies, there is a solution!

I have actually had my brows microbladed somewhere else before, but they have faded a lot and were thinner than I would have liked. So, I was so excited to partner with Kaitlyn at Ink Lash & Brow to get them re-done and be able to show you the entire process from start to finish!

The most important thing to keep in mind is that microblading is a two-step process. My initial appointment was about a week ago now, and the process is not complete without the touch up appointment. I still wanted to do a blog post directly after the process to show the healing, and I will add on the final results to this post after my touch up appointment.

There are also a couple of different styles that you can choose from, including microblading (the thin hair strokes for more of a natural brow), shading (shades the brow area for more of a makeup look) or a combo brow (which combines the two looks). I decided on a combo brow since I tend to wear makeup every day and it made more sense for me. If you're not sure which style would be best, your technician should be able to help you make the right decision.

The first step in the process is mapping, where your technician will measure and sketch a draft of the right brow shape to compliment your features. This is helpful for you getting an idea of what they will look like before the procedure begins. Kaitlyn also made sure that I liked the pigment color before actually applying it.

After this is the numbing process! Kaitlyn was sure to make sure that I was comfortable throughout the whole procedure and that I wasn't in any pain. She applied numbing cream before and 3 times during the procedure. I seriously did not feel a thing! Keep in mind that not all salons give you as much numbing cream. The first time I got mine done (again, at a different salon) they only did one round of numbing halfway through, so the entire first half was painful. So be sure to do your research!

After the numbing cream sits for a few minutes, the actual microblading process takes place. If you are numbed correctly, you won't feel a thing. The pigment is essentially scratched into your brow shape in short hair-like strokes. After the pigment sits on the grooves, any access ink is wiped away.

A similar process is done for the shading portion of the procedure, though instead of hand-drawn strokes, a mechanic tool is used to apply the pigment in super small amounts so that it looks blended and shaded.

The brown blob on my left brow is the pigment sitting before the excess is wiped away.

Here is a comparison of the before, when I had no microblading at all (bottom), the before this procedure (middle) and the after this procedure (top).

Again, the top photo is not the final result of the process. The color you see here will fade anywhere from 50-70%. The healing process will cause most of the pigment to get dry and actually flake off (it's not as gross as it sounds). Scabbing and flaking is completely normal! Your skin is trying to heal what it perceives as a wound, which is part of the reason that microblading is not complete without the second touch up appointment.

Here is what it looks like a few days into the healing process:

Now, keep in mind that this is a very close up photo with a high-definition camera. Please ignore my post-nap makeup, haha!

In person, it really doesn't look that bad, and you can definitely still go out in public! If you take a close look at the tail of my brow, you can see the strokes have faded, but they will come back (just not as dark). After this emotional roller coaster over your brows, you will go in for the touch up to finish those perfect brows!

This little graphic is the best way to describe the emotions that come with microblading!

Again, I am not completely done with the procedure! As soon as I am and I get the touch up, I will add to this specific blog post.

I had a TON of questions about microblading on my Instagram, so I picked a few of the top questions to answer here! I figured it would be best to answer all of the questions in one place. I also did some behind the scenes videos saved as well as some other questions to my story highlights on my profile if you want to see more!

Q: Does it hurt?

A: No! I really didn't feel a thing. Again, this is because of the numbing cream. But I highly suggest checking with your technician if they numb throughout the entire process, because some do not!

Q: What is the difference between this and a real tattoo? Why isn't it a permanent tattoo?

A: Microblading is a semi-permanent tattoo, which only goes about 3 layers deep, where a regular tattoo can go as deep as 9 layers. Because the strokes are so precise and fine, going too deep could cause them to blur and the ink to bleed. Plus, brow trends are constantly changing with time. So it is probably for your own good that you aren't committed to the same face tattoo forever.

Q: How long does it last?

A: Microblading can last up to 3 years depending on your skin type, and even longer if you continue to get touch-ups. Kaitlyn suggests coming in for a yearly touch-up to keep them looking fresh and avoiding fading.

Q: How much does it cost?

A: On average, microblading services at any salon can start anywhere from $500+. At Ink Lash and Brow, the initial appointment for microblading is $399 with the secondary touch-up appointment being $150. Shading by itself is $200 with the the secondary touch-up appointment being $150. The combo brow, which is what I had done, and Kaitlyn recommends to most, is $499 with the the secondary touch-up appointment being $200.

Q: How long does it take?

A: This is variable depending on the style of brow you choose. The initial appointment for a combo brow can take about 3 hours, and the touch up appointment is about 2 hours. The initial appointment for just shading or just microblading alone can take about 2 hours, and the touch up appointment is about 1 hour.

Q: Will you still need to fill in your brows after this?

A: You shouldn't! Though it does depend on the type of style you decide on and your personal preference. If you like a bolder look and tend to wear makeup often, I would suggest getting shading or a combo brow to give that look. If you don't do shading, and you would like to have a bolder brow for an occasional bolder makeup, you may want to fill them in. But it is completely personal preference! The whole point is so you don't have to, so just be sure to pick the right type of style for you!

If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out and ask! I will be adding more to this blog post once the process is completed, so be sure to check back!

If you have ever wanted to try microblading but have been hesitant for any reason, I hope this post helped you gain some insight on the process! I know that I was incredibly nervous the first time that I wanted to get it done and searched everywhere for information on it, and couldn't really find an all-in-one resource. All in all, I am so glad that I made the leap and tried it! There is truly nothing to be afraid of and it is a very easy process. And now, I can finally go swimming without losing my brows when I come up from the water (this is probably the best part..haha!)

I had an amazing experience with Kaitlyn at Ink Lash and Brow and I highly recommend her if you are in the Milwaukee area. She was incredibly sweet and very informative about the process. Be sure to give them a follow on instagram! Also, keep your eye out for a fun little giveaway we have in store! ;)

Thanks for reading and be sure to subscribe to keep up and stay up to date!

xo