Eyebrow tinting versus microblading

Microblading is definitely having its moment in the sun. Designed to make your brows look thicker, fuller and denser, it’s a semi-permanent treatment that’s been taken up by many influencers, celebs and make up artists who want their eyebrows to look flawlessly polished at all times.

But what is microblading? Does it hurt? And is it worth all that money?

Microblading is sort of like a tattoo in a very basic sense. A fine needle that has some pigment on the end is used to ‘scratch’ the surface of the skin, leaving behind a delicate hair stroke (a numbing cream is applied first so you don’t feel any pain). This process doesn’t go deep into the skin like tattooing does so the results are temporary, perhaps lasting up to 18 months at a time. Clients get a top-up treatment after their initial visit to add more structure, shape and colour to the brows if required and the whole thing can cost upwards of ¬£500. Your brows will also need time to heal afterwards and could scab over.

The benefits of microblading are that your brows look full, gaps are filled in and you don’t need to use additional products like eyebrow pencils and pomades — it speeds up your make up routine, especially if you’re used to drawing in your brows everyday. But it can take up to three hours to get it done the first time and you have to factor in skin sensitivity and recovery time in as well.

Many of the benefits of microblading can be achieved through eyebrow tinting too. Colouring the brows a shade darker instantly makes them look thicker and creates the illusion of a heavier-set brow. It also highlights those finer hairs at the edges, lending your brows a wider imprint. Plus, it’s extremely affordable, doesn’t require numbing cream and is pain-free. Better yet, if you don’t like the results you don’t have to endure the results for 18 months — simply pop back in about 6 weeks when the colour has faded to select a different shade.