I am a Permanent Make Up & Microblading artist, AMA

[opalplumstead]

Whenever people find out this is what I do, they always have loads of questions for me. I absolutely love my job, and I am super passionate about it.

So I thought I would see if anyone on here wanted to be nosey!

If someone has truly terrible eyebrows naturally, can you ever microblade them in to something nice? My SIL has tried several times with different artists at great cost and they still always just look the same

Fab here goes!

I have good natural eyebrows but they’re quite ‘wiry’ and have those little gaps on the bend if that makes sense. Can I just have mine infilled to close the gaps rather than reshaped entirely?

what do you recommend for 'peach fuzz'?

Have you ever messed it up and if so what did you do?

It’s a tattooed eyebrow essentially, isn’t it?

@Heathofhares

what do you recommend for 'peach fuzz'?

Sorry to butt in but the Wilkinson shaver sticks are amazing. Make up goes on so nice after using them.

@Mymycherrypie

If someone has truly terrible eyebrows naturally, can you ever microblade them in to something nice? My SIL has tried several times with different artists at great cost and they still always just look the same

Yep absolutely!

By using a process called "brow mapping" I can work out exactly where their perfect and most flattering brows would sit. This is done before I do any tattooing, using a mathematical ratio, a set of calipers and a brow pencil. Once the perfect brows are drawn on (and the client is happy with that shape of course!) I would then remove any hairs that are outside of that shape.

I am genuinely sorry to hear your SIL has had so many rubbish experiences. From what I hear from many of my clients, It is a minefield finding someone who is properly trained in all aspects of PMU and, crucially, actually listens to exactly what the client wants.

Yes absolutely!! I have done a couple of ladies brows recently that only needed that doing.

I have clients that swear by dermaplaning (and their skin is amazing) however I have not tried this myself as it sounds scary!

What’s the infection/severe reaction rate like? I looked into it but the aftercare frightened me with the talk of scabs and having to keep the area dry for 10 days.

@Santastuckincustoms

Have you ever messed it up and if so what did you do?

It is actually quite difficult to mess up. As prior to starting tattoing, you have drawn the exact shape onto the client and dotted around that shape with a surgical marker that - all being well - stays on the skin throughout. If it does come off, you simply stop, sit the client up and re map the brows (as described above) and re apply the surgical marker.

I work very slowly and methodically to minimise the chance of anything going wrong. That doesn't mean to say it will never happen - but if it did there is such a thing as emergency removal. So if removal is done, correctly, within 48 hours, it will get rid of it

Yes it is in a way. However, done correctly, the pigment does not go as deep into the epidermis as a traditional tattoo, so it should fade within 3 - 5 years at the very most, with 2 - 3 years being the average

However, I have seen ladies with previous work that has lasted longer than that - it means it has almost certainly been done with a tattoo device which is completely not the done thing nowadays, although 10+ years ago it was a thing

@Carboncheque

What’s the infection/severe reaction rate like? I looked into it but the aftercare frightened me with the talk of scabs and having to keep the area dry for 10 days.

I do a patch test beforehand to see if people have any sort of reaction and it has only ever happened once. Obviously I then did not go ahead.

Infection wise, for my clinic personally I am meticulously clean. I wear disposable gloves, and an disposable apron. The couch is wipe clean and disinfected between clients (although I use couch roll too) and Goes without saying that all needles / blades are disposable and new ones used each time etc. I wear a mask during the process to ensure I am not breathing germs into broken skin. So touch wood I have had no infected brows or anything.

As for scabs most clients report they dont really get any - I do have a light touch. And I am not a dry healing advocate, I give post tattoo balm out and this seems to get really good results.

That sounds really reassuring, thank you.

I had my eyebrows microbladed approximately 2-3 years ago and was delighted with the outcome. At the time my hair was coloured but since then I have grown it out to its natural grey. My eye brows still look okay but I worry that if my grey goes lighter my eye brows might start to look too dark. If I go back to the Make Up Artist will she be able to blend them in to look better with my natural hair colour?

How much do you make a month if you don't mind sharing?

@Carboncheque

That sounds really reassuring, thank you.

You are welcome x

@Lallybroch

I had my eyebrows microbladed approximately 2-3 years ago and was delighted with the outcome. At the time my hair was coloured but since then I have grown it out to its natural grey. My eye brows still look okay but I worry that if my grey goes lighter my eye brows might start to look too dark. If I go back to the Make Up Artist will she be able to blend them in to look better with my natural hair colour?

Have they now faded quite a lot? If so, yes that is absolutely possible

The pigments I use have a range suitable for clients of varying degrees of greyness, we look at the skin tone as well as the hair colour

I love my microblading, my artist said a lot of people sneeze when they're getting it done , is that your experience. She thought I was great cos I didn't sneeze and I found that funny.

@VladmirsPoutine

How much do you make a month if you don't mind sharing?

On a good month I can make £5000. I have to pinch myself sometimes.

However - this does vary depending on how busy I am and I am very fortunate to have a DH who earns ok so if I have a quiet time it doesn't matter.

I also paid £10,000 to train, buy the initial start up equipment (for example, pigments, needles, microblades, all other consumables) and build a room at home which I work from. Luckily thats all paid off now. I do have to pay insurance and clinical waste collection as well though.

I sometimes have to pinch myself that I do this job and earn well doing something I absolutely love. I am not academic, never been to uni, never had a proper career type job. 3 kids by different dads, I used to be the kind of person everyone looked down on. always been skint and struggled, in fact 12 years ago this month I was about to be made homeless with my first 2 dc. Also - a few years ago, someone on MN once took the piss out of my own brows (as I have PMU brows myself) and asked why the hell anyone would get it done when mine look so "stupid" It hurt and I never forgot it. I would love her to know how much I now earn from doing the same/similar brows on other people. ...wow this reply turned into a ramble haha

@SuddenArborealStop

I love my microblading, my artist said a lot of people sneeze when they're getting it done , is that your experience. She thought I was great cos I didn't sneeze and I found that funny.

Awww I am so glad you love your microblading. Microblading is not suitable for everyone, but on the right skin it is absolutely beautiful and by far the most natural option.

And yes sneezing is a thing !! :D When I did my training they said it is because there are nerve endings in your brow and eye area that are linked to the nerves that can trigger sneezing. Most people sneeze and we do not mind at all.

I have my eyebrows done and got my lips done during the week. It was super painful but I'm really happy with the result.

I wondered how brave the lady was .. I would be so nervous doing it. Are you? You must have excellent skill and patience.

I had my brows microbladed a few years ago at a supposedly high end salon in London and the pigment never took. I just had black eyebrows for a couple of weeks and even after 2 touch up appointments they never actually looked any different to prior to getting them done. It cost me £600 😳
When I complained I was told that sometimes skin just doesn’t take the pigment. Is this true???

I’m blonde and naturally very fair if that makes any difference

@Snowdropsandbluebells

I have my eyebrows done and got my lips done during the week. It was super painful but I'm really happy with the result.

I wondered how brave the lady was .. I would be so nervous doing it. Are you? You must have excellent skill and patience.

Brilliant I am so glad you are pleased. Lip blush can be an absolute game changer, I love doing lips

It is very nerve racking when you first start out. But my first 5 clients were supervised closely by a senior trainer so that was ok, however when I did my first solo one it was scary! But worked out well as it was a friend and all she needed was for me to go over existing work which had faded. Now I absolutely love it, sometimes it can be challenging but I don't mind.