We were first introduced to microblading in 2016, and it’s showed no signs of slowing down since then. Celebs flock to the treatment because it lets you wake up to perfectly filled-in brows without ever having to pencil them in.
The latest celeb to jump on the microblading bandwagon is Lo Bosworth, who entrusted Audrey Glass, owner and lead artist at Audrey Glass Cosmetic Tattoo, with her brows to achieve a thicker, fuller look (and posted the entire process on Instagram). I spoke to Glass to find out all the ins and outs of the treatment and her experience with Lo. Read on for the inside scoop!
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“Like most clients, Lo came in very excited, but also nervous about the whole process!” says Glass. “She had good brows already, but the shape was thinner than she desired and the tail of her brows was pretty sparse, needing much more definition and length.”
“I start by discussing shape and density to make sure my client and I are on the same page,” explains Glass. “I clean the brows and take before photos. Then I draw the eyebrows on with a brow pencil, creating the shape I think will suit my client best. The stencil looks very boxy and bold, so it’s important to know that once we microblade inside the stencil, it will look at least 20 percent softer because we will see skin tone between the strokes. Once the shape is agreed on, I dot the stencil with a surgical marker to stain the skin and insure that I have my shape throughout the whole appointment.”
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“Then I apply a topical numbing cream (Zensa) for 10–15 minutes,” says Glass.
“Lo was expecting the process to involve more of a machine rather than a pen with a blade at the end,” says Glass. “It was a much more relaxing experience than she expected. The pain level is generally pretty low, but a small amount of my clients have a very low pain tolerance! Numbing is used prior and during the whole appointment.”
“Once the brows are numb, I do a first pass of strokes with a curved microblading pen creating the ‘skeleton’ of the brow (spaced strokes throughout the whole brow),” Glass says. “I then apply a numbing gel and proceed to do a second pass, adding strokes between my skeleton, creating a full brow. Finally, I go back for a quick third pass to detail the brow and make it perfect! I follow the natural direction of the brow hairs to create a fluffy natural-looking brow. I believe in quality strokes over quantity. Perfect placement is key.”
“A follow-up session is done six to 12 weeks after the treatment, and most clients come back yearly to maintain their brows or make any changes,” Glass explains. “There’s no downtime, but the brows look very dark for the first three to four days as the excess of pigment is drying on surface of the skin. It’ll then flake off individually like the healing of a paper cut.”
Glass says the biggest misconception about microblading is that you should avoid getting water on your face. “The client leaves the studio with small wounds (like paper cuts) on their forehead. Cleaning those wounds is SO VERY IMPORTANT. I personally ask my clients to wipe their brows with a paper towel and warm water three times a day to make sure their brows are kept clean from dust, oil, products and pollution. A barrier cream is applied in the morning to protect them throughout the day. The main thing to avoid is sweating for the first week, as the salt in the sweat will fade the pigment much quicker.”
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Although there are some “microblading gone wrong” horror stories floating around the Internet, don’t be so quick to rule it out—the results can transform and enhance your look. Glass says it’s amazing option for everyone, especially cancer survivors who lost their brows through chemo, men and women with alopecia, clients with thyroid problems that cause their brows to thin and anyone who grew up in the ’90s and overplucked.
“And yes, it will work for you even if you have oily skin,” she adds. “Just make sure you go to an artist that is experienced with oily skin and has healed results to show you. Do your research and don’t settle for someone unqualified based on your budget. Make sure you see many photos of healed brows!”
