First of all, let me just say that the types of brows you can create nowadays are incredible - there are so many options and while that’s a great thing to have, it can also be overwhelming when trying to determine what style of microblading is best for you. As a cosmetic tattoo artist, I can help with that! Let’s take a look at some of the techniques offered at Filament…
Traditional Microblading
Okay so this is the term that everyone is most familiar with and involves a handheld, manual tool to create razor thin lines in the dermal-epidermal junction to mimic natural hair. Microblade tools consist of a row of tiny needles, and can be configured in a U shape or a slant. Although microblading looks absolutely beautiful when fresh, it’s often challenging to get perfect healed results. Enter nano brows…
Summary
Tool(s): manual microblade
Skin Type(s): dry, normal, not recommended for oily skin because the strokes tend to bleed out over time and look blurry
Longevity: fades faster than other types, annual touch-ups are recommended and color boosts are available as well
Pros: natural
Cons: fades the fastest
Nano Brows
Nano brows using a mix of manual nanoblade and machine strokes. No shading!
Ah, yes…the magical wonder that are nano brows. I’m always using this style on my clients because this technique allows for the slimmest of hair strokes; I’m talking almost indistinguishable from natural hair. There are a couple ways to create nano brows: the first involves using a manual blade (row of teeeeeeny tiny needles) to create micro channels in the skin (just like with microblading). The nanoblading technique is the same as microblading, but the blade is even smaller.
The second way is to create hair strokes using a machine. This requires a single needle that penetrates the skin and creates less trauma than a row of needles.
Summary
Tool(s): manual nanoblade a/o single needle with machine
Skin Type(s): dry, normal, combination and if strokes are spaced out, mature and oily too.
Longevity: annual touch-ups are recommended and color boosts are available as well
Pros: still natural, heals better than microblading
Cons: could fade faster without shading, depending on your skin type and lifestyle
Phi Artist Simplicity machine is what I currently use for all nano brows and ombré powder brows.
Blade & Shade
Blade & shade technique for a naturally fuller look. She wanted hers to be thicker and fluffier so we opted for more shading!
This technique is created by microblading or nanoblading the entire brow and adding in machine shading (as light or dark as desired) to better blend the hair strokes with sparse areas of the brow. Machine strokes can also be used here in lieu of microblading. The shading effect adds depth for a more fill-in, natural look. It’s a great common ground for clients wanting the best of both worlds, and if you have combination or oily skin!
Here we have a blade & shade brow with only a light amount of shading to better blend the hair strokes, which have to be more spaced out due to her oily skin type.
The needle used here for shading is typically a single needle because you want to be sure that the shading does not touch the hair strokes to avoid blurring them, as shown above.
Summary
Tool(s): manual nanoblade a/o single needle with machine
Skin Type(s): dry, normal, combination and if strokes are spaced out, mature and oily too.
Longevity: annual touch-ups are recommended and color boosts are available as well
Pros: versatile, shading can be adjusted based on preferences/skin type, lasts longer than microblading, looks natural yet full
Cons: can’t think of any :)
Ombré Powder Brows
This technique is created with machine shading (as light or dark as desired) throughout the entire brow (ie. no strokes!). This is THE best option for oily skin. The needle used here for shading can either be a single needle, although larger than the needle used in machine strokes (example: .3mm vs. .18mm), or a group of needles in rows or in a circle.
Summary
Tool(s): single needle or row of needles with machine
Skin Type(s): all, especially great for oily skin
Longevity: annual touch-ups are recommended but sometimes this style can last up to three years depending on lifestyle and skin type
Pros: amount of shading can be customized to your preferences (light, medium, dark), the powdery pixelated makeup look is so delicious, lasts longer than microblading
Cons: no hair strokes, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing if the powder brow is done well :)
So now that we’ve covered the range of microblading types out there, which is your favorite?
I personally love them all, and I love creating customized looks for each lovely client. That’s where the true art comes in and I adore making each set of brows unique to your face.