On PowderBrows and Microblading
Microbladng vs. Powder Brows
If you are among the countless individuals seeking to recapture the full eyebrows of your younger years, rest assured, you're not alone. If you are contemplating between microblading and powder brows to enhance their fullness, this post may contain some helpful aspects to take into account.
“Often the real question lies not in which procedure you would prefer, but in identifying which procedure can be done in your unique case to ensure optimal pigment retention.”
If you are among the countless individuals seeking to recapture the full eyebrows of your younger years, rest assured, you're not alone. If you are contemplating between microblading and powder brows to enhance their fullness, this post may contain some helpful aspects to take into account.
Both alternatives offer longer-lasting solutions to thin brows (although the longevity of powder brows can be far greater than that of microblading), yet their distinct characteristics should be considered. Here's some insight into the differences between microblading and powder brows.
What leads to thin and weak brows?
If your eyebrows appear less dense than they once were when you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, you're not alone. Both men and women can find this disappointing. Ironically, a substantial number of women invest considerable time in plucking, waxing, or threading their eyebrows in their youth, only to regret these actions later when their eyebrows thin.
Several factors contribute to less-than-full brows, such as:
Genetic predispositions;
Years of over-plucking and hair removal;
Pregnancy;
Nutritional deficiencies;
Stress and mental disturbance;
Medications and cures for different health issues;
Hormonal changes;
Smoking and substance intake;
Menopause;
The natural aging process of hair follicles.
Cosmetics such as eyebrow gel, pencil, or powder can temporarily remedy this problem. However, choosing the right color to match your natural eyebrows can be challenging, and the application process can be time-consuming and inconsistent. Both powder brows and microblading offer a more lasting solution to this common beauty concern.
Some facts about microblading
In recent years, more specifically from 2015 onwards, microblading has gained popularity as a technique to address thinning eyebrows. This semi-permanent method utilizes a hand-held tool with a needle to create the illusion of fuller brows by mimicking individual eyebrow hairs.
Before beginning a microblading session, you'll need to decide the look you aim to achieve. Are you looking to enhance your current brow or fill it in as much as possible? You'll also need to choose a color that complements your hair, existing eyebrows, and skin tone. To ensure comfort during the procedure, a numbing agent is applied to the skin. Although it must be acknowledged, that as it has become forbidden in many European Unicon countries since the beginning of 2023, several artists have started doing the procedure more lightly (i.e. Light Microblading). The actual microblading process, which involves creating small, hair-like strokes using a handheld tool, generally takes between twenty and forty-five minutes. In most cases mapping the brows and drawing symmetric outlines for the procedure takes more time than the procedure itself (especially when it comes to starting artists).
Following the procedure, a soothing cream is applied to aid healing. Redness, discomfort, and potentially minor scabbing can be expected due to the skin's response to the needle. In the case of the classic microblading that can occur for 24-72 hours, with Light microblading ordinarily for no longer than 45 minutes.
Typically, microblading lasts between six months and one year. In some rare cases, it can last for one and a half years or even two years, however, the far majority of clients want to get a retouch after about a year has passed from the procedure. Factors such as skin type (dry vs. oily), the facial products one uses, sun exposure, and lifestyle can affect longevity. By most artists also annual touch-ups are recommended, especially for those with oily skin types, as microblading tends to fade faster on such skin.
What About Powder Brows?
Powder brows is another technique for achieving fuller-looking eyebrows. This method offers several advantages over microblading, including a softer, more natural look and a less invasive procedure compared to classic microblading (although it must be said that practically no reputable microblading artists nowadays damage the skin the way the first practitioners used to do, some 5+ years ago).
With powder brows, the needle is used to draw both dashes and dots on the desired area, allowing the pigment to deposit onto the skin and last longer than the lines made during microblading. The unique 'shaded' effect, also called the ‘ombre effect’ created with powder brows gives a sense of fullness, enhancing definition. The intensity of the shading can be customized for a more personalized look. Although the brows may initially appear darker, they soon fade to a softer, more natural appearance.
Many people prefer powder brows over microblading for various reasons. It offers a more solid, fuller look and allows for greater control over the density and shade of the brow. Furthermore, powdered brows are less invasive than classic microblading, reducing discomfort during the procedure. Whereas, when it comes to Light Microblading it can not be said that neither procedure would actually be greatly uncomfortable.
The important fact that is not stressed enough
The real question regarding making an informed decision whether to get microblading or power brows is not so much a question of personal preference as it is pre-determined by skin type and other circumstances. Namely, for very many clients it is just unrealistic to create microbladed brows so that those would last and look great for over about half a year.
The expectations of most clients regarding the microblading procedure are often based on the natural-looking pictures taken just after the procedure and they simply do not know what is the look that it changes to over the period of about a month already.
This does not mean that the look of microblading changes to over-healing would be bad (if the brows are done by an experienced artist and use high-quality pigment). It is just greatly different and far less defined.
It is a fact that with oily skin a lot of pigment applied with the microblading procedure wears off much sooner than most clients expect (even if they avoid all sorts of factors that shorten the retention time). Therefore, the fact that should be taken into account is the following: microblading is suitable and the best choice of semi-permanent procedure in far fewer cases than the artists providing the service tell. This does not mean that microblading would cause some sort of damage or necessarily heal to reddish, orange, gray, etc brows. It just means that if the skin type, or lifestyle, it just does not produce results that would last nearly as long as advertised.
Many artists also posit that the biggest problem why one should be cautious when choosing microblading over Powder Brows is not related to retention but how it looks on different skins. With very thick oily skin the lines blur a lot and their edges become undefined. That happens even if the artist herself (himself) is experienced and professional - aside from the overall perspective of providing the best result for the client, it is not even so much of a question of style or skills, but acknowledging the dermatological reality. It is simply hard to control the depth of the lines and often the only way to make those last results in the lines becoming a bit too strong, deep, and not that highly defined.
Microblading done properly lasts for 1.5-2 years, and although very many clients feel the need for a retouch after a year it is better to wait until about 80 percent of the initial pigment has worn off. This way the new procedure leads to better results in the long term.
In conclusion, there is absolutely no doubt that the Powder Brows method is a better choice for those with oily skin types, as they don't retain the pigment from microblading as effectively. More mature skin types also tend to respond better to powder brows due to decreased collagen, making the skin thinner and applying pigment with the microblading method in the correct way harder.
Powderbrows may require a touch-up two months post-procedure, but they generally last between one to three years. This longevity and the fact that brows look very similar to the result achieved after the procedure appeals to many individuals, as one of the primary reasons people opt for powder brows.