Admit it, you have spent hours editing your pictures before putting them on Instagram. But have you ever thought that getting the same on-fleek eyebrows and porcelain skin in real life can become a reality now? Since few years, the beauty gurus have been working tirelessly to develop new and advance treatments to enhance your beauty. However, it can get a bit confusing when you have such a vast variety of treatments to choose from. When it comes to getting the desired look for your eyebrows, people have a hard time selecting a procedure. Therefore, microblading vs eyebrow tattooing is a never ending debate.
If you want to stand out on social media, your eyebrows should do the talking.
Whether it’s the celebrities or your aunt, everyone is opting for these semi-permanent treatments. Not only do they make your eyebrows stand out, they are also time-saving and pocket friendly. Some of these treatments are: microblading, brow lamination, eyebrow tattooing, brow tinting, and brow extensions. Among all these treatments, most common and popular are microblading and eyebrow tattooing. While both the treatments help you enhance the aesthetics of your face and highlight your best features, many people don’t know the difference between them. Therefore, we will have a detailed comparison of microblading vs eyebrow tattooing.
Microblading vs Eyebrow Tattooing:
Before we explore their many differences, we should try to understand what exactly these two procedures are.
What is eyebrow tattooing?
In simple words, it is a permanent eyebrow tattoo using needles and ink. Just like any traditional tattoo, this procedure is also done with inserting ink into your skin. With the help of a needle, the ink is transferred into your eyebrows in tapping motions. The procedure can be done by hand but is commonly done with the help of tattooing machine. Before the procedure, you can choose the design and textures. Whether you want crisp, hard eyebrows which would seem that you have drawn them with an eyebrow pencil, or fuller but soft, powdered eyebrows, the choice is yours. Despite being permanent, it is considered a more traditional way of getting the perfect eyebrows. Even with more advanced techniques, thousands of women opt for eyebrow tattooing.
What is microblading?
On the other hand, microblading is all the rage these days. Although this procedure is also done with needles, it is not permanent. This semi-permanent technique is done by a hand-held tool with tiny needles on it which places the pigment on the skin. However, the pigment is not pierced deep into your skin. Therefore, it is completely different than eyebrow tattooing.
Differences between Microblading and Eyebrow Tattooing:
Lifespan:
The first and most prominent difference is the permanent and semi-permanent nature of these procedures. While eyebrow tattooing will stay forever, microblading will last for at least two years. Moreover, you can get touchups done on your microbalded eyebrows. However, eyebrow tattooing cannot be changed or altered. Even if you someday decide that you’re fed up with the same shape and fullness, nothing could be done to change it. Therefore, you should think hard before making a permanent commitment like eyebrow tattooing. In this regard, microblading is considered better and convenient.
Natural Look:
Second huge difference in the microblading vs eyebrow tattooing debate is the end result of these procedures. The main goal of anyone getting these treatments is to get a more natural and flawless look. While microblading gives a look which is as close to God-given eyebrows as possible, eyebrow tattooing fails in this regard. Because microblading technique creates individual and separate hair-like strokes and follows your natural hair growth pattern, it manages to reach the desired goal. Eyebrow tattooing can made your eyebrows look drawn on and fake. Obviously, no one wants to have eyebrows which look like they have been pasted on their face. You would not want your eyebrows to seem like an afterthought, rather an essential part of you.
Pigment vs Ink:
While eyebrow tattooing involves the use of regular tattoo ink, microblading has a specially designed pigment. This pigment is specifically designed only to be used for this procedure. With the passage of time, tattoo ink fades and starts to change color. It turns into blue-green colored tint, especially on the edges of the tattoo. Needless to say, this can lead to a complete disaster with your eyebrows looking ugly and horrifying. On the other hand, microblading pigment fades into lighter version of its color to give a more natural look to the eyebrows. During every microblading procedure, the pigment is selected according to the skin tone of the client. Therefore, it has less chances of getting the color messed up.
Amount of pain:
As we all are familiar, getting a tattoo can be an excruciatingly painful experience for many. Similarly, eyebrow tattooing can also lead to a lot of discomfort and agony. Because eyebrow tattooing involves using the tattooing machine, it can lead to injuries and cause bleeding. If the injury leaves a scar, it would mean that the entire procedure was a complete disaster. Therefore, this treatment has it fair share of problems. On the other hand, microblading is done with a hand-held tool, and is done with precision and patience. Prior to every microblading procedure, a topical anesthetic is used to numb the area of the eyebrows. It means that you do not feel any pain and just the same sensation as tweezing. Because it is done by individual strokes, it cannot result in any harmful injuries or excessive bleeding.
After going through the long list of differences of microblading vs eyebrow tattooing debate, it is safe to say that microblading is the winner. It is the safest and most reliable of the two procedures. Similarly, microblading can save a lot of time for the busy get-goers. After getting this procedure done, you will no longer need the extra time to look good. You would be living the ‘I woke up like this’ dream. The everyday hassle of getting ready in the morning will replace with time to do something productive. At the same time, it is beneficial for people suffering from serious skin problems. Microblading is best for people who have over-plucked eyebrows which no longer grow, unsymmetrical eyebrows, and alopecia sufferers. After they are done with their chemotherapy, the cancer survivors can also get microblading to uplift their spirits and feel beautiful.
Let’s take a look at how one woman is changing the landscape of beauty industry in Pakistan.
Like the rest of the world, microblading is becoming a common treatment in Pakistan as well. However, it is important to choose the right person so that you don’t have any regrets later. While there are many salons and makeup artists indulging in these treatments, not everyone has mastered it.
Microblading for eyebrows in Karachi:
At the moment, internationally certified semi-permanent makeup artist, Amina Hayat Lak, is considered the maestro of microblading for eyebrows in Karachi. She founded her salon, Brow Bar, in early 2020. Before moving to Pakistan, she lived in Dubai for a decade. It was there that she found her calling and completed certification in many techniques including microblading. From the beginning, Lak has shown her commitment to help her clients develop better self-image and confidence. Apart from Pakistan, her client list includes people from USA, Africa and Europe.
Although she has earned the title of an eyebrow wizard, Lak is determined to boost her clients’ self-esteem and morale. She wants to see her clients looking and feeling their best. In her own words:
“The way women feel after the treatment cannot be put into words. From being nervous about the treatment when they walk in and jumping over the moon when they walk out is what keeps me going. Giving someone confidence about their looks naturally is the most beautiful feeling in the world. My clients feel empowered, gorgeous inside out.”
Her professionalism and expertise in microblading speaks for itself.
Before beginning any kind of procedure, Lak makes sure that her clients book a consultation. During that, she discusses her clients’ vision and listens to their needs. Another important aspect of this consultation is to understand the medical history of the client as well as explain how the procedure will be done. Despite her wish to give the best to her clients, Lak also understands that there are few circumstances where microblading can be dangerous. For example, if you have eczema, psoriasis or dermatitis on the eyebrow area, Lak would not recommend getting this procedure done. Similarly, she discourages pregnant and lactating mothers to get it done. During her consultation, you should also talk about other diseases and skin problems with her so that Lak can guide you properly.
After a thorough discussion and consultation with her clients where she describes every scenario in detail, Lak books their appointment. Before starting the microblading process, she uses the Golden Ratio Tool to map the eyebrows according to the shape and skin tone of her clients’ face. Then starts the actual procedure which is done with utmost care and attention. Her clients are also given a guidance for aftercare and maintenance of microbladed eyebrows. In the end, the clients are asked to come back for touchups in four to six weeks. This precision and attention to detail is why she is considered one of the best in this profession. Therefore, Brow Bar is the ultimate place for microblading where you are sure to get the kind of desired look you want as well as the special care you deserve.
