Myth Busters: PMU Brows
Okay, so you’re interested in getting Permanent Makeup done for your brows, you’ve found out that you’re an eligible candidate, and started to read the Pre and Post care — but you’ve seen or heard of horror stories or have been told “don’t do it!” Well, I’m here to ease your mind and to possibly answer some questions by debunking some of the myths you may have heard. Let’s get into it!
Myth #1 : Microblading or Ombre HURTS — This is one of the most common concerns with clients. Some clients with old work has even stated that their previous experiences in the past haven’t been so comfortable. The statement that permanent makeup is painful isn’t 100% true for a couple of reasons. One being that there will be use of numbing — some artist will start with a topical numbing, but almost every artist will use a secondary numbing called epinephrine (the liquid that the dentist inject into your gums). Second, “pain” varies in every individual, so while one person may feel a pinch during their first pass, others may not feel a thing. Sometimes if your experience was very painful, your artist more than likely is applying too much pressure. It is also important to note that with ombre, we are going over an area where the skin is broken multiple times, so sensitivity is normal towards the end, but it would not be unbearable. Anyone that has received microblading or ombre with Lavish Stylez can tell you that their either have fell asleep or talked the entire appointment!
Myth #2 : Permanent Makeup looks fake — This is where I say definitely do your research on multiple artists before committing to and booking with one. What may look “fake” to you, might be beautiful for someone else. Microblading is the creation of hairlike strokes, so it was created to literally look REALISTIC. Ombre gets most of the “fake” hate because it resembles a filled in makeup brow, but when done correctly ombre brows should complement the face so beautifully that they’ll look like a soft powder or even as though they’re your own brows!
Myth #3 : It is exactly like a traditional tattoo — In my blog “Microblading, Ombre, and All Things Between,” I discussed 4 differences that make permanent makeup different than traditional tattoos. There are variables such as depth, the type of pigments, the ability to create hair strokes or soft and airy shading — which you cannot accomplish with a traditional tattoo. In fact, a traditional tattoo looks more unnatural than PMU! If we were to use tattoo inks (which a different particle makeup than pigments) and/or if we were to go too deep into the skin (same depth as tattooing), the healed results could be very ashy/grey, or microbladed strokes could blur and blowout.
Myth #4 : PMU is permanent — despite the term “permanent makeup,” Microblading and Ombre brows are ACTUALLY considered SEMI Permanent. This is due to various reasons, as stated above, such as depth and pigment makeup. Since we do not go as deep into the skin AND pigments formulated to fade over time, the brows will actually heal with desirable color results. That said, it is normal for your brows to be about 20-30% lighter at the end of your healing. Touch Ups will allow us to put another layer of color or reinforce those strokes. After your touch up, your results should last a minimum of one year (1-3 years is the common timeframe before needing a touch up).
Myth #5 : PMU Brows is no maintenance — I like to tell my clients that Permanent Makeup is LOW maintenance, NOT NO maintenance. This means sometimes you will have to still fill in your eyebrows, depending on the occasion. Now, Microblading is the MOST NATURAL looking technique, that means you’ll still fill in your eyebrows if you want a makeup look everyday (which, if that’s the case — choose Ombre or combo!). When it comes to Ombre, even with a highly saturated (bold) brow, you may find yourself filling them in for special occasions and events. Furthermore, I always tell my clients that in order to keep your new brows looking fresh and clean, is to keep them cleaned up, which simply means you should get your brows waxed or threaded every 3-4 weeks (or at least for special occasions).
Myth #6 : Your brows will be 100% symmetrical and perfect — While “perfect,” is in the eye of the beholder, just like beauty, neither your brows or your face is 100% symmetrical. You’ve probably heard the saying, “Brows are sisters, not twins.” I will create the illusion of symmetry during the mapping process to the best of my ability, but understand that 100% symmetrical is just not possible in most cases. When receiving a permanent makeup brow service, the goal is to enhance your NATURAL beauty, so when mapping your brows to illustrate a pre-draw, I will take note of factors such as if one brow bone is protruding more than the other, or if you have more fat under one brow, or if the left brow naturally grows much higher than the other, etc. Asymmetry is completely normal. As stated before, I will create the illusion as best as I can, but the most important thing is that your brows complement your face and don’t distract from your beauty as a whole! I will also get your approval before removing any hair, and WILL NOT take off half an eyebrow to create a “symmetrical” look.
I hope this has answered some of your questions, and even calmed some pre booking nerves. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by email at ShaniaJHair@Gmail.com or text message at 980-433-2307