Thinking about microblading your eyebrows? Here’s a checklist.

The esthetic industry has a lot of control and powerful when flexing their muscles on how we think, “The Look”, should be.

We have had big lips, big lashes, big brows, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Regardless, groomed brows can make an effective impression on the symmetry of our faces.

Depending on the design, a good brow can be the difference from looking scruffy, to framing the face in an elegant way.

We pluck, wax, comb and groom with an assortment of perfect brow makeup grooming appliances, and now we have the microblading technique that promises no more fuss with a low maintenance set for years.

Microblading can do amazing things for the face: The brows will act as an elegant frame, impart a more youthful, lifted appearance and add structure that helps define features.

So what does microblading involve? The procedure usually uses a hand held device containing different configurations of needles that are scratched into the skin with pigments (or inks) designed for the procedure in order to give the look of hair strokes.

Lasting Image Face and Body has been involved with the permanent makeup industry for a long time; and we’ve been a lifetime member of the Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals for many years.

But, along with the success stories, come reports of gruesome results. A slew of horrifying microblading mishaps have been popping up online, ranging from unflattering shapes and faded tinting to scary scarring and infection.

In the ’60s, when permanent makeup was first introduced for women with thinning brows, it was a costly option performed mostly in medical offices. Tattoo machines were used to shade in sparse areas. By 2016, the rebranded and refined microblading technique had become a more affordable procedure, being offered at hair and nail salons from Manhattan to Miami from as low as $400 all the way to $4,500.

The increased popularity has led to an army of under-qualified practitioners who are quickly taught the technique in order to keep up with demand.

So arm yourself with knowledge and ask the following questions after you’ve done some research:

1. Find out how long the practitioner has been in business – make sure your pro is actually a pro
2. Ask how long they think your tissue will hold the pigment (This can be difficult to be totally accurate as it depends what products are used, how much time you spend in the sun [yes, tattoos fade in the sun], and how your tissue will respond to the procedure)
3. Seek out an age-appropriate look – are the designs based on what your face looks like now, or in 10 years?
4. Try before you buy – ask the artist to draw on your brows first before using the machine
5. Is your skin sensitive?
6. What steps are used to implant?
7. What recourse or policy does the practitioner have in place?
8. Is the practitioner assessable? Can they answer questions and concerns after the procedure? – we suggest asking around and see if you can locate previous clients as most people will say they are available and then fall off the face of the earth