Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Warning about semi-permanent makeup, microblading, etc... (please read if you want to get it done)

80 replies

nomicroblading · 18/08/2023 13:56

I made the mistake of getting microblading done. It's too late for me and I'm in the middle of laser removal process, but if I can help a few people it will not all be for nothing.

Was told by numerous PMU artists that it is not a tattoo, that it uses pigments not inks, not implemented deep into the epidermis, that it would fade away to nothing etc... etc...

The truth is microblading, micro-shading, lip blushing and the like are NOT semi-permanent. They will ALWAYS be on your skin.
They will fade, but they will fade into a merged blurred solid block of ashy/pink tattoo. They will never fade into nothing. Unless your PMU artist made a mistake and didn't put it in enough, which you would know because they would disappear in the healing process within a month, so not the case for 99% of people.

It won't fade nicely because grey and pink residues are just the way our bodies work.
Micro-blading is a tattoo, it's a tattoo that needs maintenance, you need to get the strokes drawn back on every year or so. And after four or five times, your skin will reject it and will stop taking and you will have no choice but to go through laser removal.

Lasers are not advanced enough today to get rid of yellows. Brown contains yellow and once you decide to get them removed, chances are you'll end up with permanent yellow eyebrows.

Please don't listen to PMU artists who tell you that people who got permanent eyebrows just didn't go to the proper place, that their PMU artist went too deep, the quality of the ink wasn't good enough, that it needs to be vegan or whatever. None of this is true. It doesn't matter how good your PMU artist is, this is just how our bodies get rid of these inks.

Stick to henna, tint and lamination instead. Please.

OP posts:
SuperSange · 18/08/2023 13:59

I was told my my artist that it was permanent and would need retouching every year or so. I've been very happy with it and got it done 6 years ago. I'm not sure why you were told differently, or believed them. Noit relly fair to slag off the whole industry because of your single experience.

Original poster
nomicroblading · 18/08/2023 14:01

SuperSange · 18/08/2023 13:59

I was told my my artist that it was permanent and would need retouching every year or so. I've been very happy with it and got it done 6 years ago. I'm not sure why you were told differently, or believed them. Noit relly fair to slag off the whole industry because of your single experience.

This is not my single experience though. I was naive enough to believe them, but whether or not I was, what I said still stands.
My PMU artist did an amazing job with the eyebrows, they looked really beautiful. But beautiful or not they will all fade the same.

OP posts:
Original poster
nomicroblading · 18/08/2023 14:02

SuperSange · 18/08/2023 13:59

I was told my my artist that it was permanent and would need retouching every year or so. I've been very happy with it and got it done 6 years ago. I'm not sure why you were told differently, or believed them. Noit relly fair to slag off the whole industry because of your single experience.

I am very happy you got a good experience though but it's not the case for many people sadly.

Check out this subreddit:

Reddit - Dive into anything

https://www.reddit.com/r/MicrobladingRemoval

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Beauty
SuperSange · 18/08/2023 14:03

And for many people, it is exactly their experience. Shocker.

Original poster
nomicroblading · 18/08/2023 14:04

SuperSange · 18/08/2023 14:03

And for many people, it is exactly their experience. Shocker.

How do you think your eyebrows are going to look in 10 years time when your skin doesn't take the constant top ups anymore?

OP posts:
StupidEbay · 18/08/2023 14:08

Thankyou, OP. I wouldn't get it done personally but my friend is thinking about microblading and semi permanent makeup. I'll let her know and encourage her to look into it.

Original poster
nomicroblading · 18/08/2023 14:11

StupidEbay · 18/08/2023 14:08

Thankyou, OP. I wouldn't get it done personally but my friend is thinking about microblading and semi permanent makeup. I'll let her know and encourage her to look into it.

No problem xx

OP posts:
SuperSange · 18/08/2023 14:13

@nomicroblading Thanks for the concern about my eyebrows; like I say, I'm 6 years in, so I'll not react to your hysteria thanks. You have a nice day.

Original poster
nomicroblading · 18/08/2023 14:15

SuperSange · 18/08/2023 14:13

@nomicroblading Thanks for the concern about my eyebrows; like I say, I'm 6 years in, so I'll not react to your hysteria thanks. You have a nice day.

6 years in with yearly top ups though...
What do the layers underneath look like?
You have a nice day too.

OP posts:
Dibblydoodahdah · 18/08/2023 14:23

I had mine done in 2019. I had a top up in 2021. I was told that I should be able to go three years before the next top up. They are still looking good at the moment.

WetBandits · 18/08/2023 14:28

Okey dokey…can you provide any real sources to support your claims or are we trashing an entire industry based on something you’ve seen on Reddit? Confused

I’ve been having microblading for about five years as my eyebrows just don’t grow since I overplucked them in my teens. I can’t wax/tint/laminate as there’s not really anything there to work with. I’m due a top up and they’ve just faded a little, but they’re certainly not pink or yellow.

Did it not occur to you at the time that a procedure where ink is literally scratched into your skin with a scalpel would have some degree of permanence?

Out of interest, why are you having them lasered?

Beezknees · 18/08/2023 14:31

It's a tattoo, and just like any tattoo, you need to take care of it. I don't actually have microblading, but I have many other tattoos and they do not blur and fade if you care for them properly. Keep out of the sun, moisturise to keep the skin supple.

LadyMacbethssweetArabianhand · 18/08/2023 14:44

Because of thyroid issues I have no eyebrows at all. I had them microbladed in five years ago and only once had a top up. Yes, they have faded but are not unsightly. I'm sorry you had a bad experience but not every one has.

DappledThings · 18/08/2023 14:48

I have never looked at anyone and thought, "her eyebrows look wispy" or "her lips look thin" and thought they should be altered. I have looked at hundreds of women and thought "why do her eyebrows look so odd and drawn on?" or "wow those lips look puffy and odd".

Fashions will change, if you really think you look better with bigger eyebrows chances are you care about the fashion of them that will change again and then aren't you stuck with the drawn on ones?

I don't get it at all.

Original poster
nomicroblading · 18/08/2023 14:52

DappledThings · 18/08/2023 14:48

I have never looked at anyone and thought, "her eyebrows look wispy" or "her lips look thin" and thought they should be altered. I have looked at hundreds of women and thought "why do her eyebrows look so odd and drawn on?" or "wow those lips look puffy and odd".

Fashions will change, if you really think you look better with bigger eyebrows chances are you care about the fashion of them that will change again and then aren't you stuck with the drawn on ones?

I don't get it at all.

This! Sadly, many do it because they think it will eventually fade away. Every single page on Google's first two pages are from PMU studios themselves who are reassuring people it is not permanent and not like a tattoo and will fade away.

OP posts:
Floofydawg · 18/08/2023 14:58

Another advocate for microblading here - 3 years in with one top up so far. Mine just fade to a paler brown. I feel like you're scaremongering a bit. This procedure benefits lots of women.

WetBandits · 18/08/2023 15:02

DappledThings · 18/08/2023 14:48

I have never looked at anyone and thought, "her eyebrows look wispy" or "her lips look thin" and thought they should be altered. I have looked at hundreds of women and thought "why do her eyebrows look so odd and drawn on?" or "wow those lips look puffy and odd".

Fashions will change, if you really think you look better with bigger eyebrows chances are you care about the fashion of them that will change again and then aren't you stuck with the drawn on ones?

I don't get it at all.

From the start of your post, I thought I was going to read something nice about women not needing to be altered in any way. Then I read the rest and nope, you just wanted to tear other women down. 🙃

I had my eyebrows tattooed on to put them back to how they were before I absolutely ruined them when I was 14 or 15. I don’t give a shit about what is ‘fashionable’; if thin eyebrows suddenly became fashionable, I certainly wouldn’t want them back because they look dreadful on me! 🤨

Beezknees · 18/08/2023 15:04

DappledThings · 18/08/2023 14:48

I have never looked at anyone and thought, "her eyebrows look wispy" or "her lips look thin" and thought they should be altered. I have looked at hundreds of women and thought "why do her eyebrows look so odd and drawn on?" or "wow those lips look puffy and odd".

Fashions will change, if you really think you look better with bigger eyebrows chances are you care about the fashion of them that will change again and then aren't you stuck with the drawn on ones?

I don't get it at all.

Why would you judge anyone for looking the way that THEY want to?

Beezknees · 18/08/2023 15:07

WetBandits · 18/08/2023 15:02

From the start of your post, I thought I was going to read something nice about women not needing to be altered in any way. Then I read the rest and nope, you just wanted to tear other women down. 🙃

I had my eyebrows tattooed on to put them back to how they were before I absolutely ruined them when I was 14 or 15. I don’t give a shit about what is ‘fashionable’; if thin eyebrows suddenly became fashionable, I certainly wouldn’t want them back because they look dreadful on me! 🤨

Show quote history

Yeah, the thin overplucked eyebrows of the early 00s didn't look good. Eyebrows do frame the face.

My natural eyebrows are fair as is all my other body hair. The hair on my head is dark. I look daft if I don't tint or fill my eyebrows in, from a distance I look like I've got no eyebrows at all! They don't match my hair colour.

dreamydandelion · 18/08/2023 15:08

I didn't know this OP. I would never get it myself anyway but it does open your eyes to other people getting it done and the risks.

Risks of not liking it anyway, I would caution anyone who wants to get a permanent face tattoo, eyebrows or otherwise. Fashions change - in 6m or 5 years these heavy brows will likely be completely out of fashion and lots of people will have deep regret!

mysavinggrace123 · 18/08/2023 15:08

@nomicroblading sorry if I’m confusing your OP. So did you have the lazer tattoo removal and was it successful? I want to go through the same process. Mine have faced into a horrible pinky colour.

DappledThings · 18/08/2023 15:09

Beezknees · 18/08/2023 15:04

Why would you judge anyone for looking the way that THEY want to?

Show quote history

Because I'm assuming that anyone who alters that radically how they naturally (and almost certainly perfectly nicely) look is doing it because they are massively influenced by fashion. And I don't understand how anyone would then risk making themselves look of a current fashion permanently when fashions will change.

I probably get judged as looking scruffy with bad skin daily. Maybe I don't. Who cares? I could cover up with make-up but I can't be arsed. But I will always have the option. Permanently changing my face removes any option which I find baffling.

Beezknees · 18/08/2023 15:10

Microblading doesn't have to be "heavy" or "thick" either, you can choose what shade and size you want.

Beezknees · 18/08/2023 15:12

DappledThings · 18/08/2023 15:09

Because I'm assuming that anyone who alters that radically how they naturally (and almost certainly perfectly nicely) look is doing it because they are massively influenced by fashion. And I don't understand how anyone would then risk making themselves look of a current fashion permanently when fashions will change.

I probably get judged as looking scruffy with bad skin daily. Maybe I don't. Who cares? I could cover up with make-up but I can't be arsed. But I will always have the option. Permanently changing my face removes any option which I find baffling.

Show quote history

Big assumption to make. A lot of women with alopecia have microblading done. It's just to create the illusion of hair strokes, it's not necessarily big thick eyebrows.

TetrapanaxRex · 18/08/2023 15:15

I've seen on Facebook some horrendous photos of women who had their eyebrows and eyeliner done in black which has faded to a horrible blue.

I've also seen a few purple lip ones where it's faded and they look horrendous. Actually it looked horrendous in photos when they had just had it done, 'blusher lips' which just look like chapped swollen lips with Vaseline on them.

Better to use good make up then have these horrendous semi permanent tattoos which are often permanent as the op has pointed out.