Eyebrow tattooing is a beauty technique used for achieving great brows. The latest trend in permanent makeup offers a solution to effortless full brows, to accentuate your eyes and help shape the entire face.
But there’s also a science behind the bold eyebrow trend. In fact, studies show that facial features such as eyebrows contribute to a more youthful appearance, crowning them as one of the most important facial features you have.
With the phrase ‘eyebrows on fleek’ a popular statement for the average Millennial, the desire for good looking brows has never been so strong. From feather brow tattoos, powder-filled eyebrows and other semi-permanent/permanent styles, cosmetic tattooing is taking the fashion world by storm.
What are the Benefits of Permanent Eyebrows?
Eyebrow tattooing has become a popular solution for convenient, cost-effective and immediate results. Some benefits include:
- Time-Saving: No need to use eyebrow pencils and accessories to make brows fuller.
- Cost Effective and Durable: Regular brow maintenance and buying products add up. Cosmetic tattooing has longer lasting results, without much effort. It’s also cheaper than eyebrow transplants.
- Allergy-Friendly: For those who have reoccurring allergies from conventional makeup, cosmetic tattooing may be a better option.
- Shape Control: Creates a defined shape and can fix over-waxed or over-plucked brows for an everyday flawless look.
Here are five eyebrow tattooing trends and some information on each style so you can decide which option is right for you:
1. Feather Brow Tattoos
Feather brow tattoos are eyebrow tattooing that uses hair stroke techniques to create a natural, feather-like brow. The results are very fine hairline strokes, which visually replicate individual natural hairs.
It’s applied by “implanting” micro-pigments just below the epidermis using a hand tool or digital machine, or both devices, in the same procedure.
When both devices are used, it requires precision to ensure the hair strokes appear as natural and as crisp as possible. Using both devices is more commonly used on oily skin types. However, feather brow tattoos are not specific to which device is used to create the hair strokes.
If you’re after fuller eyebrows and naturally-defined arches, or you’re fixing patchy, scarred or fair brows, feather brow tattoos may be for you.
2. Microblading
Microblading is a technique used to create feather brow tattoos. Microblading isn’t done with a digital machine, it’s only done with a hand tool otherwise known as a ‘microblade’.
These micro-blades vary in thickness to achieve different results of hair strokes, depending on the thickness of your individual eyebrow hairs. Using a variety of different size needles allows you to create more dimension in the brow. Finer needs can also create a softer and more subtle brow.
Microblading uses the same principles as feather brow tattooing. You can fill the brown in as little or as much as you like, depending on the brow and style you’re after.
This method is suitable for covering bald or thinning areas. Microblading is commonly used on normal to dry skin types, as opposed to oily skin.
3. Powder-Filled Tattoo Eyebrows
For an even bolder choice, powder-filled tattoo brows are ideal if you already have eyebrow hair.
Powder brows, also known as Ombre brows, give your brows the appearance of a natural brows powder application.
This style works best for brows that have an overall good shape and you’re wanting to enhance what’s already there and define the shape more.
Powder-filled techniques thicken the natural hair, achieving a darker colour which varies in transparency. Brows will appear denser with a ‘block’ of solid ink for the first week. The second week, once the brows have healed, will appear softer with a powdered effect.
The density and colour vary depending on the look the client wants and what suits their needs and style.
This cosmetic tattooing style typically lasts longer than hair stroke brows. This is because the application method penetrates deeper into the skin using small dots of pigment.
People often confuse powder brown with block tattooing, but when done correctly, powder brows should be a lot more natural than old-school block tattooing.
4. Combination Brows
Combination brows combine feather brow tattooing with powder-fill brows. This technique can be done on all skin types and all types of eyebrows, whether you have lots of brow hair or none at all.
The effect of combination brows is to create a 3D effect. People who have thick individual eyebrow hairs suit this technique the best, as their brow hairs tend to stick out from the skin as opposed to the brow hair flat against the skin.
By creating the 3D effect, you get more realism with eyebrow tattooing for this type of eyebrow hair.
Combination brows are the newest and most popular form of eyebrow tattooing on the market today.
5. Semi-Permanent Eyebrow Trends
Eyebrow tattoos may sound permanent, but after time the pigments break down. Feather brow tattoos will generally last two years before the colour will blur into an extremely subtle wash of tint. Eventually, the pigment slowly disappears, but in some cases, there may be little speckles of pigment left.
Drier skin types naturally perform better with eyebrow tattooing, retaining the colour and shape for longer. This is because oily skin types don’t hold pigment as well. Whilst results vary between patients, you can expect feather brows to last anywhere from 12-24 months.
If your skin type is oily, you may need a top up around the 12-month mark.
It is important to understand that eyebrow tattooing techniques can be called different names and this varies between clinics. Make sure you’re fully aware that what you have asked for is exactly what you want.
Although eyebrow tattooing is a relatively safe procedure, cosmetic work still comes with risks. To encourage the best and safest results, choose an experienced professional. They will be able to help you choose the best method for your brows and assist with follow-ups. Like all cosmetic work, it’s essential you have a post-procedure appointment.
If you’re looking to make the most out of your brows, let us know what technique you chose in the comments below.
