WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OMBRÉ POWDER BROWS VS. MICROBLADING?

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Ombré Powder Brows (also known as Powder Brows/Microshading) is the newest and one of the most advanced machine techniques in semi-permanent eyebrow tattooing.

The technique is described by its name, soft and light in the front and gradually darker towards the tails. Ombré powder brows can be applied with a soft, natural-finish or can be built up to resemble the look of darker makeup.

The intensity of the ombré effect is contingent on how much existing brow hair there is, thus results vary per person.

If you have darker hairs or patches in the front of your brows, you will likely need more a fuller powder-filled brow style so your natural brow hairs blend seamlessly.

Ombré is great for all skin types, but especially those with previous semi-permanent makeup, and oily, mature, and acne prone skin.

Microblading has a hyper-realistic eyebrow look achieved by manual hairlike strokes cut into the skin. This technique creates a natural result, giving brows a fuller appearance, however, this technique is best suited for normal to dry skin types with minimal appearance of pores.

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• Semi-permanent eyebrow tattooing is often a two step process, which includes an initial insertion of pigment, followed by a touch-up 6-10 weeks later. Sometimes a third or fourth session is necessary depending on your skin type or not following through on aftercare instructions.

• Results vary based on lifestyle, health, skin type.

• Results should evaluated after the touch-up application is completed.

• Microblading is not recommended for mature clients or those with large pores or oily skin.

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WHAT IS A SEMI-PERMANENT TATTOO VS. A REGULAR TATTOO?

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The purpose of semi-permanent makeup tattooing is to enhance the natural features of a client. Semi-permanent makeup is softer and more subtle – it is meant to be a natural-looking enhancement. Traditional body tattoos use ink while cosmetic tattoo procedures involve pigments. These pigments are designed to gently fade over time. Fading is desired as it allows the artist to make changes to color and shape over the years as client’s natural coloring and facial changes occur.

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DOES IT HURT? 

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Most of our clients will agree that the procedure is tolerable with a pain level of 3-5 (0-none, 10-worst). We use a highly-effective topical anesthetic gel containing lidocaine for numbing before and during your procedure. As a needle or blade is used in the application, a certain level of discomfort is to be expected. But the pain level is similar to that of laser hair removal, or teeth cleaning. Pain threshold levels vary from person to person and every effort is made to ensure you remain comfortable for the entirety of the procedure.

PLEASE NOTE: Having this service performed during your menstrual cycle may increase discomfort during your procedure. If you are a frequent smoker, the topical anesthetics used during the treatment will not last as long. If you have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, be aware that this may affect your sensitivity tolerance to the procedure.

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WHERE IS THE STUDIO LOCATED?

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Our studio is currently located 7 Moorhen Place Burleigh Waters Gold Coast Queensland. 

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HOW LONG DOES PERMANENT MAKEUP LAST? 

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Semi-Permanent makeup can last for 1-3 years. A touch up is required 6-10 weeks after the initial appointment. Clients that choose a soft ombré or microblading application, light color shade or did not follow the after care instructions may require more touch up appointments.

Factors that will cause your permanent makeup application to fade faster include: tanning bed/sun exposure, exfoliating, oily skin, profuse sweating (e.g. hot yoga 5x/week), medical conditions. We recommend a yearly "color boost" touch-up to maintain the procedure’s color integrity, but always advocate holding off for as long as possible to maintain skin integrity.

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WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW BEFORE MY APPOINTMENT? 

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• Do not drink alcohol or caffeine 24 hours prior to your procedure. Do not drink alcohol in excess after your procedure as it will slow down your healing process.

• Do not take an Aspirin or Ibuprofen, Niacin, Vitamin E, B6, Omega 3, Gingko Biloba, St. Johns Wort, evening primrose or fish oil supplements one week prior to your procedure, unless medically necessary. You may resume immediately after the procedure, but these will thin the blood and compromise pigment retention in your skin.

• Bring any photos of the look that you want to achieve.

• Avoid booking during your menstrual cycle as it can increase pain sensitivity.

• Do not wax, tan or tint the eyebrow area 3 days before your appointment.

• No anti-aging treatments such as microdermabrasion, retinol, chemical peels, laser, facials 2 weeks before your appointment.

• No facial injections one month prior to procedure.

• On the day of your appointment avoid caffeine/exercise and wash your hair prior to since hot showers are not recommended.

• Consider any upcoming social events or work-out commitments for the week following your treatment.

• Protect area 2 weeks prior to treatment.

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CAN I WEAR MAKEUP AFTER MY PROCEDURE?

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The tattooed area is a healing wound, so proper aftercare is critical. Therefore, absolutely no makeup is allowed on the treated area, makeup at a safe distance outside the tattooed area is fine with careful application. Do not tint your lashes or brows and avoid any products that contain active skincare ingredients, like Retin-A. If you’re unsure, it’s always best to defer to your artist.

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HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO HEAL?

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The immediate healing process takes about 7-10 days, however, the brow area takes 3-4 weeks for your new eyebrow tattoo to shed completely and the pigment to surface to its true color.

Proper aftercare is an extremely important aspect of the long term success, effectiveness, health, and overall satisfaction with your new ombré powder brow tattoo. You must follow the below instructions in order to achieve the best possible results from your procedure:

Skin sensitivity, redness and swelling is to be expected for up to 2 days after the procedure and will go away with proper aftercare

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• Only use the seize of half a grain of rice of the after care Bepantham cream

• Do not exfoliate or use a washcloth/wipe on the brow.

• Do not pick, itch, or scratch the tattoo as it can remove pigment. A clean cold compress may be used to relieve discomfort

• Avoid hot tubs, steam rooms, pools, long hot showers, sweaty exercise for one week.

• Avoid direct sunlight and tanning beds for 2 weeks.

• Avoid putting makeup on the area for the first week.

• Avoid facials for 2-6 weeks please enquire if you are suitable.

• Do not use any anti-aging products on or around the brow area.

• Alcohol consumption in excess can slow down healing.

• While your skin begins to shed, your brow tattoo may appear to be extremely faint. Don't worry, the pigment will resurface when your skin is completely healed in 3-4 weeks.

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I’VE HAD PREVIOUS EYEBROW TATTOOING, WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS FOR COVER-UP, CORRECTION, CAMOUFLAGING OR REMOVAL WORK?

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All clients with previous microblading or brow tattoo work from another studio MUST first send a photo of your makeup-free brows to gcbeautyink@hotmail.com prior to booking an appointment. For cover-up or correction work, the best candidates are those with previous tattoos that have faded 70-80%, however, we still need to make sure by analyzing a photo of your bare brows. Any cover-up, correction or camouflaging work will incur an added rate of $100 due to the additional time, supplies and skills needed to sufficiently neutralize the existing brow tattoo and apply the new design and pigment.

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OMBRÉ POWDER BROWS VS. MICROBLADING?

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5 Reasons Why You Might Want to Consider Ombré Powder Brows Over Microblading

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OMBRÉ POWDER BROWS,

The biggest difference isn’t how it looks.

When it comes to semi-permanent eyebrow tattoos, you’ve probably heard of microblading. With social media’s rapid growth in the last decade, microblading’s popularity in Australia quickly surged, quickly replacing It’s predecessor, the traditional tattoo technique that left a generation of women with discolored blue, purple or green eyebrows. Microblading has seen mainstream appeal due its hyper-realistic effect created by hairlike strokes cut into the skin.

Fast forward a few years. While microblading was gaining Western demand, a newer and more advanced technique called Ombré Powder Brows (also known as powder, mist, microshading, ombré shading, or stardust brows) was developing in Asia. Ombré Powder Brows differs from traditional tattooing in that it is surface work—meaning, the application is done on the epidermis layer of the skin. The technique is described by its name, with results being powdery with a faded front and a crisp tail, resembling the look of makeup.  In only the last 3-4 years, ombré powder brows have started to gain traction in Australia, often converting people with prior microblading work and for good reasons:

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So, why has ombré powder brow become the next big thing?

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1. LESS INVASIVE: Ombré powder brows are achieved using a small machine, which disperses extremely fine dots of pigments even into and across the skin in an airbrush or shading technique. Microblading uses a hand-tool that creates incisions or small cuts into the skin. Over time, repeated incisions into the same spots will cause trauma to the skin more quickly.

2. LESS PAIN & BLEEDING: Ombré powder brows are less painful due to the airbrush-like technique we apply, which creates less trauma to the skin vs. the blading technique of microblading. The latter also creates cuts into the skin, thus more bleeding is involved. With ombré powder brows, minimal to zero blood surfaces during the procedure. Some of our clients say that getting ombré powder brows is a similar sensation to an electric toothbrush pressed against the skin or rapid tweezing; some discomfort is to be expected as a needle is utilized.

3. LASTS LONGER: Results do vary based on lifestyle, skin type, health, preferences, etc., but a single ombré powder brows session, using high-quality pigments, can last on average 2-3 years. Microblading, on the other hand, has a high likelihood of healing blotchy, spotty or with blurred strokes, thus requiring more frequent touch-ups, generating more long term wear and tear on the skin, eventually maxing out the skin’s lifetime capacity quickly. Like any injury to the skin, the body repairs the wounded area by building collagen fibers, creating a scar. Both treatments will eventually dull out the skin in this way permanently, so choosing the right method to save your skin integrity is critical.

4. GREAT FOR ALL SKIN TYPES: Ombré powder brows are great for any skin type, unlike microblading, which is not suitable for those with oily skin. Microblading on oily skin requires several touch-ups, which causes more trauma to the skin.

5. STILL LOOKS NATURAL: While ombré powder brows have a more “filled-in” look, the healed results appear like softly shaded brow pencil or powder. Immediately after the treatment, ombré powder brows can appear more saturated and bold, however, brows will fade approximately 20-70%, leaving a very soft finish and shape that will allow our clients to quickly groom their brows going forward.

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