How fast can you learn the art of Powder Brows?
The key to success is coping with suffering
Becoming a Powder Brows artist is a very desirable career at the moment. Besides a chance to earn a great income without spending a whole day working tirelessly, one of the biggest advantages of learning this skill is that it doesn’t require standard education. Just a course is enough. Or is it? Let us explore objectively how fast one can learn this skill - often it requires stamina to suffer and push on despite throwbacks.
“Never forget that, skills without proper tools and supplies are limited and excellent tools and the best supplies without skills result in dangerously blind faith. Also, whenever going feels really tough during the phase of practicing, one should concentrate on doing the right activities correctly, not on results.”
Courses and promissory notes in marketing
In order to become a Powder Brows artist you will need to complete a course. So, the first thing that determines how long it takes to learn Powder Brows is the duration of the course. The courses sometimes claim "You can learn Powder Brows in 2 days," but that is rarely possible. Live courses are usually 2 days (sometimes 3-5 days) long, and they teach the basics. No course can prepare you to be client-ready after a couple-of-day workshop. Therefore, after each Powder Brows course, you will have to practice and learn on your own.
Some courses offer additional education via online platforms, where you can continue to upgrade your knowledge. Others offer additional lessons with the teacher where you can pick up useful tips and tricks. Also, it’s important what kind of course you choose. If you choose a quality live course that gives you a good base and a chance to work on a live model, then you have an advantage.
If you choose an online course, you will have the opportunity to learn and practice on your own. If you dedicate yourself fully, you can learn the basics in a couple of weeks. But if you have a busy schedule and distractions, you may even need months.
So how long does it take to learn Powder Brows?
The correct answer is (as all experienced lawyers love to posit): "It depends." You may say now: "That is not very helpful!" and that is a valid criticism. "Depends on what?" Here is a list of factors we have reached in teaching the art of Powder Brows for over a decade.
The timeline for mastering the skill of creating Powder Brows as a form of permanent pigmentation can vary greatly depending on several things. Here is a structured list of factors that can affect the learning curve.
Previous Experience in the Beauty Industry
Teaching thousands of students over the past decade we have concluded that individuals with prior experience in the beauty industry, especially in microblading, eyebrows grooming, etc have a smoother transition into learning PMU techniques such as Powder Brows. They are likely already familiar with aesthetics, symmetry, color theory, and other relevant aspects. The person can move to the practicing phase much sooner and thus learn the skill of Powder Brows faster. We would even go as far as to claim that if one already is successful as a microblading artist, it is highly reasonable and profitable to the skill of Powder Brows (as it is vice versa).
Artistic ability
The process of creating Powder Brows is as much an art as it is a procedure. People with strong artistic skills or a good eye for detail often have an easier time picking up this skill, as it requires precise hand movements, an understanding of facial symmetry, and an eye for color matching. Based on the Big 5 personality traits analyses, we can also conclude that often the personality traits that accompany (or cause the expression of) artistic skills do not match with the ones that are needed for ambitious marketing and self-promotion. However, often, the latter skills can be developed more easily or outsourced. Thus, when it comes to learning the skill of Powder Brows, artistic ability is a great advantage.
Quality of training, and especially the trainer
The type and quality of training received is a major determinant in how quickly one can learn the skill, and also when it comes to the factors considered so far, the first which one can affect (in the sense that it is under one's control). Comprehensive, well-structured training courses that offer both theoretical knowledge and practical hands-on experience tend to accelerate learning. The guidance of experienced mentors can also significantly improve the learning process. To be even more precise, the personality and training experience of the trainer is the key factor when learning. If the trainer has both - extensive experience as a practicing artist, and as a trainer who has seen how different students learn in different situations - the chances are that a student will learn the skill of creating Powder Brows much faster. Although personal one on one training with such trainers is expensive, in practice those may be well worth every penny invested.
Consistency of practice
Just like with any skill, practice is key in mastering Powder Brows. The more frequently and consistently an individual develops her (his) skillset through practicing, the quicker they may become proficient. It's also important to practice different types of brows and skin conditions to gain a broad range of experience. Also, this is one of the aspects of learning that is fully under the control of the student. There can be no excuses when it comes to practicing extensively. Practically all trainers and reputable Powder Brows professionals have expressed vivid memories of how they practiced considerably harder compared to co-students when learning the skill of Powder Brows. Also, seldom the conditions in which they did it were luxurious. Nevertheless, they fixed the hours for practicing each day no matter what, often at the expense of sleep. There can be no excuses when it comes to practicing.
Understanding the business and marketing
Having a solid understanding of how to build their brand, generate a following, build an attractive portfolio, and what the pipeline of prospective clients’ inflow looks like can also be seen as part of learning to be a Powder Brows artist. Also, professionalism regarding rules and regulations and hygiene is an extremely important aspect of understanding the business and avoiding major throwbacks in the early stages of the career when the person is still learning to become a true Powder Brows artist. It is essential to understand how to prevent cross-contamination, what precautions need to be taken for clients with certain medical conditions, when to refuse the procedure, and how to handle any emergencies that might arise. Also, when the structure of conflicts with different clients tends to repeat itself, the cause lies probably in the personal limitations of the artist and not within the clients.
Patience and perseverance
Learning to perform Powder Brows can be a challenging process that involves a steep learning curve. Those who are patient and willing to continuously learn and improve - even when facing setbacks - are more likely to master the skill faster (or in fact to master that at all). The key to success is to understand that progress is not linear. The artist can be average for quite a while when practicing, experiencing no significant progress and then "suddenly" reach the next level. Indeed, there is nothing "sudden" in that from the perspective of learning and personal development - sudden is just self-perception when it comes to recognizing one's skill level. Thus it is smart to conceptualize practicing as progress if one does the "right thing," even if there is no constant visual improvement (or sometimes one may even start to think that the skill level decreases). The ones who become great artists, are know not to give up too easily. Whenever going feels really tough during the phase of practicing, one should concentrate on doing the right activities correctly, not on results.
Personal investment
Personal investment in learning also matters. This can mean investing in high-quality tools, continuous education, or dedicating time each day to improve. One should not try to minimize the expenses or input in any other way when it comes to learning. However, that only becomes important if one is dedicated and willing to labor. It is much like skiing - both feet have to move one at a time - the skill level has to improve, and more expensive PMU tools and machines can be bought. The best pigments, needles, tools, and other supplies grant the success of the procedures done to clients, which in turn should push the artist to learn even more, acknowledge mistakes with an open mind and honesty, strive to improve even more to reach the next level when it comes to skills. Skills without proper tools and supplies are limited and excellent tools and the best supplies without skills result in dangerously blind faith.
Feedback and review
Receiving regular constructive feedback and conducting self-review can enhance learning. This might involve taking before and after pictures, evaluating one's work, discussing with a mentor, or even seeking feedback from clients. One has to be able to accept criticism and see their responsibility in everything related to learning the skill of Powder Brows. Whenever there are throwbacks of any sort, the first reactions should be relating those to oneself, not to others, conditions, and circumstances.
In summary, several factors contribute to how quickly one can learn the skill of creating Powder Brows. From artistic abilities to consistent practice and patience, these factors interact in unique ways for each individual. Therefore, it's important to note that each person's journey in learning this skill will be different.