Microblading with Melt

What the heck is Microblading and what should I expect? You’ll find all the answers in this post as I take you through my very first experience with Microblading. I’ll be honest, I had wanted to try Microblading for well over a year, but was always too intimidated. I figured some of you may feel the same, which is why I’m sharing EVERY part of the process. Spoiler alert: you shouldn’t be intimidated at all! It’s 100% worth it!

First, what is Microblading exactly?? It’s a temporary tattooing technique to create the illusion of fuller brows. Your Brow artist uses a small hand held needle tool to apply semi-permanent pigment to the skin in tiny strokes that look like tiny hairs.

So you’re probably wondering, DOES IT HURT? No! Your artist numbs the area beforehand and during the procedure to keep you comfortable. As the numbing starts to wear off, that’s the only time that I could feel any discomfort, but she was quick to apply again and keep working. When the area is 100% numb, you won’t feel a thing besides pressure of the tool against your brows!

Ok, Em, I’m interested….but how much is going to cost me and how long will it last? After your first apt, you will have to come in for a follow up in 6-8 weeks. This allows your artist to appropriately fill in where necessary after they get a chance to see how your first session has healed. After that, it can last anywhere from 12 months to a couple years depending on your lifestyle. My brow artist said it’s 12 months for most people. In between, you don’t have to worry about maintenance. it just slowly starts to fade until the tattooed pigment is completely gone. Microblading will cost you upwards of $600 or more depending on the salon you pick. Be sure to do your research and go to a reputable business.

If you’re in the AZ area, Alex at Melt by Melissa is the BEST, not to mention, Melt is the cutest place ever! The vibes are so infectious and it’s a place that you’ll enjoy being at for your services. The moment I walked in, I knew I was going to be in good hands. The staff is friendly and attentive, and the owner, Melissa, could not be nicer! I love it so much that I started getting my lashes done there, too!

Procedure Time. Step by step “what to expect” below.

Step 1: Numbing. Alex applied numbing cream to my brows and had me sit for 20 minutes while it activated. They had me watch a very informative post care video and sign a waiver during this time. Once the numbing cream had kicked in, it was time to begin!

Step 2: Photos and Brow Mapping. We took a few before photos, and then Alex began mapping out my “ideal brows”. She asked if I had an pictures or inspiration, but I didn’t. I knew I should leave it up to the professionals to do what they do best and trusted she would know the shape that would look best on my face. She began drawing lines and shading in areas, before I knew it, there was a sketch on my face of the brows she was going to create. See a picture below.

Step 3: Microblading. Now it was time to tattoo the pigment. I really couldn’t feel anything at first besides pressure of her pushing the tool against my brows. There was one time that I could feel the numbing began to wear off, which just felt like a small uncomfortable paper cut. She immediately reapplied numbing cream and I couldn’t feel a thing the rest of the service. She mentioned everyone is different in terms of time and amount of numbing needed since we all metabolize it differently, so don’t be afraid to speak up and let your artist know if you need more!

Step 3: Pigment. Once she was done using her tool to apply the strokes, she covered my eyebrows with a layer of pigment and let it sit for just a few moments then immediately wiped it off. This was the last step. I was done!

I could NOT believe the end result. They looked AMAZING.

Post care instructions:

She said not to sweat and to steer clear of direct sunlight for 10 days. You also don’t want to apply any creams, oils, lotions beside the cleanser and ointment they give you to the brows either. They give you a cute little care package that comes with a cleanser, a few cotton rounds, a brow brush, and healing cream. For the first couple of days, you are supposed to gently use a cotton round to lightly apply the cleanser, then gently wipe off and dab to dry morning and night. Follow up with applying the healing ointment on top.

BEFORE AFTER FIRST SESSION

Healing process after the first session: My brows were a little sore for the first day, but didn’t feel a thing the next day when I woke up! I had forgotten I even got them done! They mentioned that you’ll notice the pigment getting darker over the first couple of days, which is normal. Mine stayed the same. After the pigment gets darker, you’ll notice some scabbing as the area heals, which may lead to some flakiness. DON’T pick at this! Allow the area to heal on its own and continue to apply the healing ointment that they give you morning and night. After the mentioned 10-14 days, my eyebrows seemed healed!

Second Session (6 weeks later)

Your touchup will be the same process, just quicker. They’ll still numb your brows and use the same technique to apply the semi-permanent tattoo. They just won’t need to map your eyebrows out this time around and are really just filling in any areas that they weren’t able to do the first session. I also asked for some shading in my eyebrows as well, which helped fill them in and give them more color. Below are the pics after my touch up. You can definitely tell that they were darker and more filled in after this appointment.

After Second Touch up

Care after your touch up is the same as the first session. I noticed all the same things I did the first time around, eyebrows darken a bit, then start to heal and flake. Make sure you stick with the post care instructions. This will ensure that you get the best outcome from your service.

Final Product

Below is the final result, about 2 months after my touch up. I could not be happier with the results and now have the brow shape and look I’ve always wanted. I highly recommend trying out Microblading if you’ve always wanted fuller eyebrows, but have never seemed to be able to get them to grow out or want to even out your brows. It’s also a great choice if you just want them to have a more natural filled in look. You won’t regret it!

XX, EM