EYEBROW F.A.Q
How long do eyebrow tattoos last?
Brow tattoos generally last for approx. 12 months (microblading) or 18 months (machine) before needing to be touched up, however, this varies customer to customer and is usually influenced by aftercare and lifestyle. Over time the colour will fade and break down. It's recommended you come back for a top up appointment every 12-18 months to keep your eyebrows looking vibrant. It's better to let them fade too much than to have them topped up unnecessarily.
What is a patch test and why do I need to do one before my appointment?
A patch test is necessary to ensure that you're not allergic to the pigment that will be used on your skin. Everyone is required to do a patch test, however if you're aware that you may be at risk of having a reaction to the pigment, please be extra careful to ensure you carry out a patch test before your appointment. Please understand that there are traces of nickel in some needles and that this may affect you if you have an allergy. The patch test may not always confirm or determine conclusively if you have an allergy to nickel or whether you'll have a reaction to the products used.
How long does the appointment last?
Please allow 3-3.5 hours for your first appointment. Each appointment varies customer to customer. Your top up appointment will usually be around 2 hours but this will depend on how well your skin has retained the pigment the first time.
What if I have sensitive skin?
If your skin is sensitive in general or on the day of the treatment, you may have a bit of redness around your brows after the treatment. This should settle within a few hours to a few days. You are most likely going to be better suited to machine work rather than microblading.
Do you draw the eyebrows on first and then let me see?
Yes! I'll draw the shape of the brows that I feel suit your face the most by using your facial features, and then I'll show them to you. You'll be able to ask about any changes (such as moving the arch higher/lower, extending the length) and once we are both happy with the mapping, we will begin.
Do you shave my own eyebrows off?
No! This is an enhancement to what you've got. There's no need to remove any hairs unless they're outside of the desired shape.
Can I wear make up to my appointment?
Yes, you can wear make up to your appointment, however I will have to remove anything on / around the brow area whilst doing the tattooing. After the service is over, you may reapply makeup around your brows but NOT on top of or touching the treated area. You risk infection by doing this. Please keep this in mind if you're planning on having your treatment before an important event, day out, night out etc.
DOES IT HURT?
Everyone is different and you will feel the treatment differently to others. It's still a tattoo at the end of the day so won't be totally painless. Some customers feel nothing at all, whilst others may feel a slight scratching or stinging feeling. Most clients have been happily surprised at how little they felt, if they even felt anything at all. Numbing gel is used to minimise the discomfort you may feel. After your treatment, there is no pain, but the area may feel a little tight and tender as the brows start to heal. The tightness should only last a couple of days.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO HEAL?
The initial healing period where extra care is needed around the brow area is 7 - 14 days. After this time, customers can resume their normal daily activities (face washing, exercising, wearing full make up etc). Your eyebrows will heal faster if you are good at following the aftercare guidance. The full healing time to see the finished results (before your top up) is 4 - 6 weeks.
I've just had my eyebrows done... why do they look so dark / RED?!
Immediately after your treatment, and for the following 7 - 14 days, your eyebrows will appear darker than the custom ink colour chosen for your skin. During the healing process and over the next 4 - 6 weeks, your eyebrow colour will fade by up to 50%, where the true colour will become visible. The colour fades because your skin heals over it, and you're seeing the ink through skin rather than in open skin. It is important to wait until your eyebrows are properly healed before making a judgement about them, as the colour and hair strokes will only truly appear after they have healed fully after both your initial appointment AND 4 - 6 week top up appointment.
It's been a few days and my eyebrows are itching and peeling!?
Don't worry, this is normal. Your skin is healing and itching may occur. It is important to not scratch at your eyebrows or pick any of the film off. If your eyebrows are kept clean and dry then only a thin film (not a scab) will appear after 4 - 7 days. The film will peel off itself after 7 - 14 days. It is important not to pick at the film or pull any flakes off from around the eyebrow area. Let the area heal naturally for best results!
Why can't I get my eyebrows wet for 7 - 14 days?
It's important to keep your brows dry (apart from the directed cleaning solutions) for the first 7 - 14 days after your treatment because water left to sit on top of your fresh brows will expand the wounds and a scab will appear. Scabs will cause the pigment to come out of the skin which will result in patchy eyebrows. Getting your brows wet will also increase the risk of complications or infection.
My eyebrows are becoming scabby?
This is likely due to improper cleaning during the early healing stages, water or sweat coming into contact with them oran oilier skin type. If water, excess sebum or sweat comes into contact with your brows whilst they are in the first 7 - 14 days of healing, and this is not absorbed off the healing brows, the wound will expand and a scab will appear as moisture has been trapped. By cleaning your brows frequently you can prevent this build up. If a scab does develop, it is important not to scratch the scab as this could cause a scar to develop and / or loss of pigment. Don't overcompensate by using more moisturiser - that will make the scab worse. Don't worry - we can make corrections at your follow up appointment.
My eyebrows are disappearing / missing strokes / pigment and it's only been a few weeks?
During the healing process and after the film has come off, it may seem as though hairstrokes / ink have disappeared from parts of your brow, or as though your eyebrows are fading altogether. Why? After your peel has come away, your new healing skin is covering the ink and is what's making it look like your treatment hasn't worked as well as when fresh. You will notice that as you get closer to weeks 5-6, as your healing skin settles down, a bit colour and definition will come back. It's normal to lose some intensity to the colour though, and some unevenness is to be expected, and this is what the follow up appointment is for. Cosmetic tattooing is generally softer and less solid than a body tattoo as we are trying to keep it lighter and more natural. Specially formulated cosmetic inks that can break down over time are used, as over the years this ages better and allows for changes. This, combined with the fact that faces are generally oilier than other parts of the body, and that faces are usually more exposed to UV rays, environmental pollutants, products such as make up, cleansers & exfoliants, is why top ups are required over the years. It is important to wait until your eyebrows are properly healed before making a judgement about them, as the colour and hair strokes will only truly appear after they have healed fully after both your initial appointment AND 6 week top up appointment.
Why can't I have my follow up appointment before 6 weeks?
A touch up appointment is recommended after 6 weeks only. Before this, the skin will be too thin and sensitive, and your brows will not have healed properly. At the touch up appointment we will fill in missing hairs, make hairs longer or achieve a more intense colour.