And which one is right for you?
Microblading eyebrows took Asia by storm in the early 2000s, and by 2010 it started to catch on here in the US. In the years since many of us first learned about Microblading, techniques have evolved to the point that there are now four types of Microblading techniques experts use to give you the brows of your dreams, makeup free.
In this post we'll outline the four types, the purpose and application of each type, and the ideal client for each method. We always have experts available to help if you'd like a professional opinion, but hope this can shed light on the specifics.
1: Microblading
Microblading is what you have likely seen dozens of videos or photos celebrating on social media - a small, strategically-designed device is used to essentially draw hairs onto the skin of the the brow area. The hair strokes make up the entirety of the tattooing.
The ideal candidate for Microblading has a fair amount of brow hair to integrate with the tattooed strokes, creating a result that simply looks like you have more brow hair than you actually do.
2: Combré
Combré is a combination of Microblading and Microshading, often called "ombré" brow tattooing. This technique is ideal for people who are missing hair in certain areas of the brow. Certain health conditions, or even a history of over-plucking, can result in a situation where there is no brow hair at all in certain spots.
In cases where there is no brow hair present, the tattooed hair strokes would look... like tattooed hair strokes. Combré or Microshading allows for Microblading in the areas where hair exists, to create the appearance of more hair, with additional tattooed shading in areas where hair is missing, such as the tail ends of the brows like we see in the below image. In the photo below, the ends of the model's brows look similar to how they would be filled in with powder.
3: Ombré
"Ombré" is simply another term used to describe a technique called Microshading. We touched on this above, when discussing "Combré" or "Combination" brow tattooing, but to put it simply: rather than tattooing lines of individual hairs on the brow area skin, an expert is using a different tool that allows for results that resemble brow powder having been applied.
This is not your Grandmother's brow tattooing - the tattooed brows that are all one color you may have seen in the past are not what you're going to get with this technique. Microshading or Ombré creates a strategic gradient via stippling that creates the ideal result for people who don't have a lot of brow hair.
Thanks to Harmony Med Spa in Canada for this illustration
If you're unsure what would be best for you, don't hesitate to reach out via social media, email or phone and our experts are always happy to recommend the perfect option for your unique brows.
A Note From Stella: Touch-Ups are not included in her permanent makeup applications and are not typically needed, but be advised individual results may vary.