The Brows that Dreams are made of
Listen up Ladies: Today we are talking about MICROBLADING! If you aren’t already familiar with the term then it might sound a little scary at first, BUT I promise you it’s pure magic. I’m talking rainbows and unicorns...
I am a huge fan of a good strong brow, and I know I am not alone. Eyebrows add so much to your face and when properly defined, they really change your look. Call it a curse, but I can no longer feel put together if I haven’t put some brow makeup on, and I'm amazed at the difference a good threading appointment can make. On the other hand, it’s maddening how long it can take to properly shape and define eyebrows with makeup, especially if you are dealing with sparse growth in some areas and trying to fill them in with nothing there [mine are totally not symmetrical, what the heck?!].
What an accomplishment when you have the perfect brow makeup for the day [I give myself a big high five]. Side note: I love Beautycounter’s Color Define Brown Pencil in Dark for a beautiful product I know is safe and free of harsh chemicals, heavy metals, parabens, phylates, etc. If you're not already well versed in how to pencil in the perfect brow, check out the tutorial video below:
While beautiful brow makeup is great, alas then end of the day comes and it's time to wash the day away. All that work just goes right down the drain. So where are those perfect “I woke up like this” brows? Is that all just for J.Lo? Well, they do exist, and they are just a semi-permanent cosmetic tattoo away!
Enter Microblading. This form of permanent makeup application implants pigment just beneath the skin by hand rather than with a machine as with traditional tattooing and the results are much less Sharpie-esque. There is zero down time and the results last approximately three years, with touchups needed every 6 months, to one year.
I reached out to Vancouver’s Christine Palylyk who performs microblading treatments at the swoon-worthy Project Skin MD spa on South Granville to find out a little more about microblading from a health safety perspective and the pigments she uses.
GM: Can you tell me what types of products you use for microblading and their ingredients?
CP: “I use a brand of pigments called Li pigments from their Li’s Aqua Line" Christine shares. "Li has been providing pigments to the cosmetic tattooing industry for over 25 years and the ingredients are basically sterilized water, iron oxides, and alcohol. Iron oxides are safe and naturally occurring in the body. I often use Li's vegan glycerin as an additive during mixing to smooth consistency and to slow drying time while I'm working”.
Li pigments’ website reflects that the company is focused on stringent quality control standards and further, Christine added that she is impressed with the longevity and color retention of their pigments. She additionally affirms, “Li proudly states that they haven't had a recorded incident of an allergic reaction to their pigment in the entire time the line has been around”.
A quick query of EWG’s skin deep database on the safety of Iron Oxides reveals that the health concerns of the ingredient’s overall hazard level is 'Low' [the lowest gradient on their scale] and had a score of 2 (scale is 1-10).
So what do these wonder brows actually look like?? Well, one of my besties was generous enough to share her results immediately after her appointment with Christine. The photos speak for themselves, take a look!
The first photo above shows Sharon pre-procedure with outlines of Christine's work to come. The next 3 images are before and after shots immediately following the procedure. Lastly are photos taken 2 days post-procedure and one week post-procedure. After care is really important and Sharon mentioned that the tiny incisions were starting to itch when they were healing at about the one week mark. She has been using Beautycounter Cleansing Balm which she said helped soothe the discomfort and keep her skin moisturized. So, obviously she is a raging natural beauty to begin, but she literally rolls out of bed looking like this now! Legit #iwokeuplikethis
Want to see more of Christine’s work? Follow her on Istagram @lyly.ink. Interested in Microblading but don't live in Vancouver? Be sure to do your research before making an appointment with just anyone who proclaims to do Microblading. Make sure you have seen their work and be specific with the shape you want - bring pictures! Ask questions, and find out what types of products they use.
I’m so thrilled with my girlfriend’s results, Christine’s overall skill and artistry, and the fact that this procedure is quite safe from a health safety perspective, I’m next! I’ll be posting again with updates and my own results in a few weeks, stay tuned!
xoxo
gretchen
