This post is not so normal for my site, but I searched many places for personal experiences of brow microblading and I really appreciated the few personal posts about it.
WHAT IS MICROBLADING: “Microblading (or eyebrow embroidery) is a relatively new, manual method. It is considered to be semi-permanent, as compared to the traditional hairstroke technique. It is done using a very fine blade to deposit pigments into the epidermis.” (source). I was told mine would last 18-24 months. I wish it was more like 3 years. But I love that it’s semi-permanent. You never know what will change for brows, right?!
WHY WOULD I DO MICROBLADING? Um, I wanted to see how it was to have eyebrows? I don’t know. I kept seeing some pretty sweet brows on social media and decided I might like some as well. So I started doing some research, for a few months in fact, deciding if it was something I was interested in or not. When my friend Kim at Remedies Salon announced that she had started to do microblading, I jumped at the chance because I trust her (she has done permanent makeup for 20+ years).
COST OF MICROBLADING: I paid $250 for the first appointment and $50 for the second appointment, plus a tip both times. I got a killer deal because my friend was having a special when she announced she was starting microblading. She normally charges $350 for the first, which is still a better deal than many I see around. I’m not sure how much she charges for touch-ups at this point yet since she hasn’t had clients long enough to determine this.
BEFORE PICTURES: Alright, so you see the before up there, let’s do a couple more. I realize close-ups like this are not all that flattering but you get an idea how sparse and light my brows are. I normally fill them in to at least make an entire brow length over my eye, but even then I could never quite get it how I liked.
THE MICROBLADING APPOINTMENT: Here is a bit of the process before she started with the blading. She applied some numbing cream and then this plastic thing to help it soak in better.
Then we took quite some time while she drew on with a red pencil and white pencil just where she would be microblading. This process was time consuming but something you want to get right!
I don’t have any pictures of the microblading process this time, but I did get a couple during the process the second appointment. Just FYI, your brows are not completed until you have at least one follow-up appointment. There are reasons for this. There may be missed spots, there may be places your skin rejected the ink, there may be places you’ll want to even out, etc.
WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE? It hurts. There are a few people online who said it didn’t hurt much, but to me, it did hurt. Not unbearable pain, but it did make my eyes water. It seemed to get worse the longer we went. The tool used looks like a small exacto knife. It makes a little scraping sound with each cut. Closer towards the middle of my forehead didn’t hurt near as much as further out on my brow. But I definitely felt it and admit that while I was getting it done I wondered what the heck I had decided to do to myself!
These pictures are from immediately after. My skin is red and irritated and pores wide open. :)
Right after, in the car.
I was completely thrilled with them! I had brows! And they were the shape I always tried for but could never achieve!
RULES FOR TWO WEEKS: I was not to get them wet at all for two weeks (which meant relaxing baths for me!). I couldn’t be in the sun. You are not to pick at them at all, or rub or irritate them in any way. I was given some grapeseed oil to rub on them daily. No tanning, exercising, or makeup on the brow area. I used mascara and that was it for the top half of my face. I admit these rules were difficult with summer time and all the swimming and camping we were doing. I will be sure to avoid doing this in the summer next time!
HEALING PROCESS: If only the brows stayed looking great right after the salon ;).
Day of treatment: I got home and they still hurt. I didn’t want to move my face for risk of hurting my eyebrows, I had a headache, and basically just wanted to go to bed. Thankfully I had them done in the evening and so I did just that after getting kiddos to bed. I did wake up occasionally because they hurt. I should have taken an ibuprofen or something to help. I was paranoid that I would rub them in my sleep also but it was fine.
Day one after treatment: My brows felt tight, sore, and bruised. They were very, very dark to me, much darker than I ever colored them. They were kind of odd shaped from swelling with a reddish tint to them. I totally felt like Oscar the Grouch and just pretty ridiculous. They were way darker and larger than I thought they would have been and I was a little bit afraid that I’d made a very bad decision! I felt pretty silly in public also. You can bet I was texting and probably driving my friend who did them crazy with my questions. On the close-ups you can see a few strokes on my left eye that she used witch hazel on to get rid of them, above my brow line. These disappear as they heal.
It’s kind of funny because looking at them now, apart from the red tint, they don’t seem all that dark in the pictures. I was so completely used to blonde brows for so long that they seemed incredibly dark!
A hat was my go-to and would be for days. And sunglasses since they hid my brows well.
Day two after treatment: Pretty similar to the day before. They were not as thick which was comforting. They kind of just felt like they were sunburned and they started to itch that night. I was still second guessing at this point because they were so so dark to me. I did go and get a couple strokes rubbed with witch hazel (not very pleasant but better than a spot that is semi-permanent for the next 18-24 months!). I was just worried about them not matching. My friend was so patient with me and assured me that even if they weren’t even the first round we would even them out the second appointment.
Day three after treatment: My eyelids were a little swollen this day but nothing crazy noticeable. I was feeling a little more comfortable without a hat or sunglasses but they were still pretty dark. Though they were much thinner it seemed. I was worried about the tails and arch differences.
Day four after treatment: Pretty much the same as the day before. Little more itchy, still swollen. There were some hard spots that felt like scabs forming.
Day five after treatment: Woke up a little swollen again, kind of like I’d been crying. The hard spots I thought were scabs were worse and brows were just dry feeling. I skipped the grapeseed oil in the morning so I could go to church without shiny brows :).
Days six-eight after treatment: Brows still looked like they were scabs, or dirt looking spots. They were thinner though and I felt comfortable without a hat!
Day 6 (sorry for the leftover makeup from the day before)
Day 7
Day 8
Day nine after treatment: Brows were flaky and scabs falling off, but they actually turned out not to be scabs! They were flakes of skin that had dye on them, so they looked like scabs. It looked kind of gross. They seemed really patchy which I was a little worried about as I had read that some people don’t retain the dye.
Day ten after treatment: Basically just a flaky day. And a lazy day picture wise. I took these just out of the shower and didn’t even bother combing my hair. I lost some momentum apparently.
Day eleven after treatment: Brows were very flaky and patchy and gross looking. Thankfully some of them are lifted and just stuck in my brow hair, so I did get those out, even though they say it’s a huge no-no. Pretty much it looked like dirt and skin. Some strokes I could already tell were not there anymore, like my skin didn’t retain the ink some spots. But for the most part I was very pleased with how it was looking like it would end up. I was getting used to them being dark and so they seem really light to me now.
Brows healed by day fourteen: Looking good! Some missing strokes obviously, and maybe a bit lighter than I had planned on. But I really loved them. I do actually have some powder on my brows in these pics–it isn’t the same shade so you can tell where the strokes are and where the powder is.
Ok, let’s move onto the SECOND TREATMENT. It won’t be quite as detailed but I will tell you one key thing I did differently that seemed to help with pain and healing time. I had read on a few websites for microblading that they used aquaphor (affiliate link) rather than the grapeseed oil I was given. I debated back and forth on this, and even asked my friend who did my brows. She said some people say it can pull the ink out. But I noticed the accounts I follow on instagram all seemed to heal much faster than the 2 weeks it took mine. My friend said she wouldn’t risk it, but I did. And guess what? I healed faster by 3-4 days, and I had much less pain the immediate days following my microblading. I’m not recommending it if your brow technician doesn’t, and I probably should have listened to mine, but seeing successful results swayed me to try it out.
Your second session is supposed to be 6 weeks out from your first, at least.
I thought the second session would be more of a touch up, but we basically took the same amount of time and she did most of my strokes darker the second time around. It hurt just as much ;). Dang it. So since the color fades and the brows shrink along the healing process, she made sure to do them larger this time and made everything a little darker. I felt like we were doing a first session again.
Just before second treatment, no makeup on anywhere:
Second microblading (and my beautiful friend!):
Immediately after:
First day after treatment. Sore, but I honestly think the aquaphor soothed my skin a lot. You can see how they are larger the second day than immediately after treatment. Again, feeling quite ridiculous. We went on vacation so I didn’t know anyone which was actually a great thing:
Second day after treatment: Looking incredibly hot.
Third day after treatment:
Day seven after treatment. This is where I was at on day 10 and 11 the first time around. I was happy to not look like Oscar for as long this time.
And all healed:
You can see I probably should do another session for a quick retouch. The dye took better on the upper middle on my left and lower middle on my right, so they are a touch off. I use a Maybelline Brow pencil that has a pencil on one side and powder on the other. The powder is what I normally use, and I think it makes my brows look more natural and fills in the bare spots. The ink is a tad grayish in spots which is also easily fixed by the brow powder. It takes me like 20 seconds to fill in the spots and make them look like the picture below. And there ya have it! That was a crap load of pictures of my mug.
Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll try and answer them!
Susan Yates
So cool to see the step-by-step!
Christie
Thanks Susan. Quite the process!
Sam
Could you let me know what brow pencil you use? I couldn’t find one with powder. Thanks!!
Penny Alison bird
Hi what eye pencil or powder do you use
Carolina
I just microblend my eyebrows, but it didn’t hurt at all. My provider mentioned something like a using a good and expensive anesthetic. And the price was less than $200 including the retouching. I hope that they turn out what I expect.
Sarah
This has really helped me-thank you! Had my brows done yesterday and feel devastated-they’re really thick and dark. I can’t go out of the house! Your post has somewhat settled my nerves but I’m still worried they’re going to look permanently like this!! 😫 did you completely panic like this? Xxx
Brooke
They look amazing!! Love them!
Christie
Thanks friend :).
Mary
I will say my tattoo artist recommends Aquaphor, since this process seems so similar to a tattoo :) What a neat process though!
Christie
That’s good to hear! I had also read a discussion on Aquaphor and tattoos and I found similar differences in opinions. Good to know it’s recommended by some!
Corinne
Do you feel like they did shrink after touch up? I had my lady go darker and thicker bc they faded and shrunk some. Now I am freaking out that they are to thick:/ I’m only on day 2
dana
wow, what a great write up! Thanks for sharing!
Christie
Thanks Dana!
Samantha
Thanks for the step by step! Iv Just had mine done and on day 6 and one eyebrow is more scabby then the other one, but really found your step by step really helpful-thanks. Ps your brows look amazing 😊
hellomellydesigns
Whoa, that is intense! This is totally helpful for others though. I have eyebrow hair to spare, that I rarely pluck so I’m shaggy eyes most of the time, but I had no idea they could do this kind of thing! Really neat.
Christie
It is pretty cool! The things they come up with to spend our money on ;).
Colleen burrup
Hi thanks for your day to day description. Today is day 6 for me and I’ve woke up with a patch missing out of one eyebrow I am devastated as it looks awful. Is this normal
Christie
Sorry I’m just seeing this. I hope you love how yours ended up! And yes, I did have that happen as well :).
Libby S
Your brows look amazing!
Christie
Thank you!
Rachel
Not every hero wears a cape. You are so brave Christie.
Libby
Your start to finish helped me immensely,, I went through exactly the same, I’m day 13, and it’s comforting to know everything is normal that I’m going through😄 happy with my brows as mine fell out a couple of years ago,, ( don’t know why) but am looking forward to my touch up , best thing I have ever done, thanks to my daughter Rach for half paying for it😄😄 it’s also made me look a tad younger ( mini face lift) I’m 52 ,, now no trying to draw them even, or sweating and wiping one off, best thing I’ve even done for myself, so Thankyou for your start to finish ️xxx highly recommend microblading to anyone who is thinking about 😌😌
Christie
Yep! Hang in there! It is a difficult process but I still love mine and will likely continue doing it. :)
Betty babineaux
Does the color get back dark after the scabs falls off
Christie
Yes, it wasn’t nearly as dark but some of the fading did get darker.
Nel
Thanks for the step by step! My scabs have just fallen off and my brows seem so light now!! Do you recall how many days it took for them to darken again? Thanks!
KC
Libby, have you had your thyroid checked? I had my eyebrows done for same reasons like yours. I can totally relate to you. :-)
Christie, thank you for sharing your ordeal. I used aquaphore and it did help tremendously.
brooke
a million thank yous for sharing this blog. i had microblading done 13 days ago and was so worried. i searched the internet hoping to find just this. the detailed pics were amazing and so reassuring. and to know there is light at the end of the tunnel.
brooke
Christie
Oh you bet! Good luck! It’s a little scary and discouraging at first but you’ll be healed soon!
Jessica
Thank you for this!!! Now I know what I’m going through is a normal part of the healing process. I use aquaphor and so far so good for me. In comparison to your photos I think my healing is a bit faster than yours was on round one, so I think your observations are correct about it helping your brows to heal faster :)
Christie
Good to know! I am definitely using aquaphor on the next round. It totally soothes my skin also so that’s a great bonus.
Stacey
My lady said to only put vit D on it first night and put NOTHING on mine…. I haven’t been. I’m on day 5. Is this wrong???
Carina
Every technician does things a little differently. Mine doesn’t want me to put ANYTHING on them and no getting them wet for 2 weeks! That freaked me out when I watched everyone else putting something on theirs. Apparently some techs swear by “dry healing” as it retains most of the ink.
So don’t worry :)
Christie
I’ve heard that also with the dry healing.
Rebekka
I know this is an old post but I just want to say a huge THANK YOU for posting this! I got my brows microbladed yesterday and they are sooooo dark and big and noticeable in every way. Since my appointment I’ve been looking all over internet stories like yours and I’m so happy You wrote this and posted all of the pictures as well. THANK YOU!
Christie
I’m so glad it helped you! I’m about to get mine retouched and though I’m not looking forward to looking crazy for a week (or the pain), I do really love them. I hope yours have turned out how you like them!
Sara
Ditto all the other comments. And THANK YOU for all of the pictures. It is nice to know what to expect and not feel crazy or worried! Your pictures and a few others I found have also been helpful for my daughter to see that the darkness will tame down. I am on day 3. I was told to use Vaseline or Aquaphor. No pain other than minor discomfort after the first day. Hopefully it will aid with healing, too.
Christie
So glad you found it helpful. I hope you love them! I’m getting mine retouched today and I’m a little nervous! But love them so I’m excited too. :)
clairebickley
Christie, I really appreciate reading this post and seeing your photos, especially given that you are blonde. I am as well and had my brows done yesterday. Almost all of the brow pix online are of brunettes.
I am a casual, sporty, kids and dogs middle-aged Mom usually found in jeans not heels. Not glamorous. Low maintenance and not much of a beauty trends follower. I just always regretted my teenaged overplucking and the skimpy little brows that were left so decided to treat myself.
(I’m also definitely not fleek – a word I actually learned in my post-appointment googling and will likely not be using! :)
I’ve been somewhat ‘what have I dooooooone?’ ever since yesterday, wondering why I was walking around with some glamazon brunette’s brows stuck on my face. And I’ll admit, questioning the wisdom of letting someone exacto knife my face.
Oscar the Grouch – perfect, perfect comparison!
The lovely woman who did my brows did warn me and told me, trust the process, but it’s tough when there’s a Muppet in the mirror.
I feel a ton better after reading your post that this will all work out – with a little help and thanks to my bangs, hats (it’s still cold up here in Canada so no-one will have a second thought about that – and you!
Claire
Christie
I hope you are starting to love them now! I just got mine retouched last week and going through everything again, but it’s nice to know what to expect :). I’m glad you decided to treat yourself!
Mary
Really helpful post! I’m on day 3 of the first draft and the height, size and shape have been freaking me out. I just moments ago took some tiny scissors and removed a couple small strands at the top because they are so thick and high that I got squeamish. It’s helpful to see that you have the photos of day one and then pointed out the growth that took place the few days after which then receded. I don’t think I did any damage and am glad that in 4 weeks I have my retouch appt. It’s just about beach and boat season and I’m so looking forward to it. :)
Christie
I hope you ended up loving them!
Jacki
Thank you!! Really helpful post as I’m 6 days into my healing process and was getting worried about my scabs =( I love the thorough pics and explanation you gave. Your brows turned out great, by the way!
Christie
I hope you ended up loving them!
Hayley
Loved your post and pictures. Just had mine done about 10 days ago. I’ve been finding what may be scabs but just look more like little wisps of color. Did you have any of that or was it actual scabbing?
Christie
I thought scabbing also, but it was definitely just the color flaking. Thank goodness!
KIMBERLY LUSKY
Yesssss! I’m so happy I came upon this post! I feel sooooo much better. I’m on day 5 of healing and was freaking out when I first got them done! So dark and thick! I was like, what the hell did I just do to myself! Thank you for making me feel soooo much better!
Christie
Yes, those thoughts exactly! I hope you end up loving them!
Beth Matlock
I am going through my 30 day touch up.. did you get the hard “scabbing” again?
Christie
I did. Good luck!
clairebickley
Hi Christie,
I wanted to let you know I had my followup appointment today – delayed by a couple of weeks by family in town. My micro bladed brows were a success: no gaps or missing hair strokes. The colour was a titch auburn so today the esthetician toned it with a little ash blonde to make it more neutral. I have loved having real eyebrows these past few weeks – I look less tired, I’m wearing less makeup especially mascara and they give my face a lift.
So … I didn’t want them to fade in a year. Which is why I opted today for nano brow for the followup rather than another round of the micro blade. Nano uses a tiny needle instead of the blade. The hairs it creates are very fine and I think more natural looking. The big plus: this method lasts up to 5 years. Which is good because WOW did it hurt. It was work to keep my head still. For the first few minutes I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stand it and I have a seriously high pain threshold. Thankfully it’s considerably quicker than micro blading because of the extra precision of the tool. And – bonus – it doesn’t create that sickening scraping skin sound of micro blading.
I’m told recovery is much faster. My esthetician said they will look too dark for only a couple of days and there won’t be the grotty scabbing of micro.
It cost a couple hundred dollars extra but I figure, given the longevity in comparison, worth it.
Christie
I hope you end up loving them! That last thing sounds so painful! I don’t know if I could do that!!
clairebickley
Thanks Christie. Yup, it was not my favorite half hour. But it lived up to its billing. It looked normal within 3 days and other than mild itching and a few tiny dry flakes of skin, that was it. One and done.
Lori
Hi ladies !! Oh my goodness brows give us life don’t they ? Suffered from all of the nail salon wax jobs gone wrong over the years. Feels good to have the darker brows of my youth !
Definitely feeling a little Oscar the grouch as it’s Day 2 ! Love this post ! So helpful and encouraging ! I have zero regrets ! I’m in the Virginia area and it wasn’t cheap ! But I’d do it all over again :)
Jennie Bui McCoy
Echoing what others have already stated, but THANK YOU for being so open, candid, and detailed with your microblading process. I’m on Day 4 and freaking out because I’m definitely rocking a Muppet look with my overly dark brows. I also have oily skin so praying the ink actually takes. Thanks again for sharing your journey so now I have a clear idea of what to expect in the next few days. :)
Tracy
I am so glad I found this blog today! I had my brows done two days ago and I have been curled up in bed ever since. Wondering what have I done to myself? Why did I do this? Will I ever not look like Oscar the Grouch? I even cut bangs to help camouflage them! Thank you for the pictures showing the healing process and helping me understand what I can expect these next few days and weeks. I’m hoping mine look as good as yours Christie! Thank you again, I feel like I can relax a bit knowing what I have now will be much softer in a few weeks!
Sarah
I got mine done a week ago and have been using Aquafor until today. Did you do anything to get rid of the aquafor buildup? I feel like I’m just piling it on top of itself everyday and my brows continue to be shiny from the residue. Maybe it will just go away on its own?
Kris
This is me! My technician told me to apply a thin layer every day. Day 3 and it’s pretty gloppy. And now I can see it’s pulling the ink out. I think after my retouch I’m going to let it “dry heal”. How did yours turn out in the end?
Christy
Ahh thank you so much for this! I’m on day 4 and totally tripping about the patchy spots as the skin starts to flake off. I’m still wondering why I put myself through all of this and I can’t believe I have to go through all of it again in 6 weeks! I’m tempted to not put myself through the touch up appt. I guess I’ll have to see how patchy they end up looking after this heals. My technician also recommended Aquaphor so I’m happy to hear it sped up the healing time. She also told me to wash my brows once a day, which seems a little odd considering so many places say not to get them wet. Maybe I’ll keep them dry from now on. What a frickin’ process!! I’m also blonde with fair skin… I kept telling friends that I looked like a clown the first 2 days, but Oscar the Grouch is an even better comparison! Haha
Stacey
What a relief to find this post! Like many others have said, I’m on day 3 after my microblading and have been googling madly to check that the colour will fade! With my blonde hair & now thick extremely dark brown eyebrows (my technician suggested a light chocolate brown) I was starting to panic but to know all of these lovely ladies are going through the same has made me feel so much better! The route to perfect brows seems to be a tricky one but at least we’re heading in the right direction!
Karen
Thank you for keeping me hopeful. I am in Day 10, still unable to see much after all the tinted dead skin is off. Been reading a lot before and after I got it done and your entries are the best and most truthful. Thank you!!
Karen
Thanks so much for posting day by day pics! I’m on day 7, and have been freaking out since the colour is fading and looking so uneven. Glad to know that this is normal. What day were you able to touch the brows up with liner?
Trish Eilbert
Oh thank God I found this site! I just had mine done yesterday. I feel like my eyebrows make Oscar the Grouchs’ look tame. My 5 year old told me today that I needed to shave them off because I look “creepy”. LOL
This site has helped relieve the panic, thank you.
Trish
Wendy
I agree this post and detailed day by day photos has eased my anxiety tremendously! Thank you for posting all of this! I am on day four and wow…soooo dark and sharpie looking. I can’t really see any hair strokes. I check the mirror about every 6 minutes to see if they have lightened. It is embarrassing to show my face at work and meetings. You can see people looking at your brows like “What’d you DO!?!?!” but they are too polite to say anything. Next up: panic over the patchy stage. If only I had two weeks to hide.
Christie
That waiting time is terrible! I had someone ask me what I did, but she thought I looked different and couldn’t pinpoint it and asked if I dyed my hair, ha!
Toby
Like so many others have mentioned, thank you !
I, too, am dealing with the process (day 2) and the “oscar” look. Spent most of the day on the Internet looking for something to reassure me and this was it. However, I can’t believe I have to go through this again in 6 weeks! :(
Beth
I am on day 4 and my brows are big and sharpie dark. I am medium blonde but she used a medium brown which I hope works when it heals. I am a teacher and I can’t put myself through this process in full view of my students – unless they look fabulous when I heal. I am very nervous. Thanks for posting the pictures!
Christie
I hope everything turned out great!
Felina Leighton
Loved your detailed account! I am two days in and my eyelids are slightly swollen. I was looking for info regarding this when I stumbled across your perfectly written blog. So far it mirrors my experience and I am hoping for a similar success story! Thank you for sharing 😊😊😊
Christie
I hope you love how they turned out!
mspatricekell
Thank you for this most informative post ! I have a pretty good pain threshold, but I agree–it was definitely more painful than I thought it would be. The sound bothered me the most–hearing the blade scraping my skin over the bone was excruciating ! My technician commented On my great pain threshold, but truthfully, I didn’t flinch because I was worried if I did she might make an error. What I wasn’t prepared for was a headache after, and I don’t know how common this is–I feel like I have a headband running all across the front and back of my head and it’s like someone is tightening it over and over. 36 hours post treatment and it still feels like this. I’ve taken some Tylenol and like you, will try and have a better sleep tonight where as last night I slept like I was in a coffin — afraid to move. All said and done, I have seen the work this technician does (she also teaches micro blading) and her work is impeccable. I do hope I will have the same success so many others have and still encourage others to go through with it. The time I spent doing my brows every day was extensive, and with age, I have less and less hair to work with. Much gratitude again, Patrice
Christie
I hope it all turned out wonderfully!
Victoria
Was there anything you did that helped the swelling go down?
Christie
The aquafor seemed to be the best!
Penny Jo
I’m on day 3 and your post has been a godsend!! So detailed, informative, and much appreciated!! I’m pretty much on the same exact pace you described!! I had to make fun of myself yesterday as I prepared to face my patients telling my friend I looked like angry bird!! I tried otherwise to mask it by wearing sunglasses. Both my boys were like, what did you do to your eyebrows, lol!! I can’t hide because of my work, volunteer and sports mom commitments. My technician was amazing at describing the process and the aftermath, however actually going through it sets one in panic mode!! I heard touch ups weren’t as bad so now not looking forward to going through this again!! Thanks again, very helpful.
Christie
So glad it helps! Perhaps your touch up won’t need to be as detailed as mine was :). Hopefully!
Susie
WOW, thank you for this post! It really helped reading all the comments. I feel like Oscar the Grouch too and I’ve been freaking out. Pretty much driving everyone crazy with my concerns of too large and clown like appearance. I have quite a bit of swelling and feels like bruised underneath. I’m on day two and was full of regret. I tried to scrub the edges off with a salt scrub and peroxide but I only succeeded in making them angrier. I am more hopeful that I will not look ridiculous without bangs or sunglasses hiding them. Keeping my fingers crossed!
cameron
I am so glad I came upon this blog post. I just got mine done 4 days ago and am PANICKING. I have been desperately searching online to see if anyone’s experience matches mine. This makes me feel SO much better. Thank you for sharing!
Nicole Carroll
I’m on day 3 and it looks like I have a tiny patch that’s missing! Like it didn’t take or it came off! I don’t know if it’s normal To be patchy already! I’ve already been freaking out over how dark they are and I’ve been wearing a hat constantly!
Jenn
This is the best blog I have read on the subject! I am on day two myself and so relieved to see so many others going through the same thing- Oscar the grouch, scary, bushy, dark eyebrows!! I woke up panicked on how I was going to face people this weekend but not to mention Monday at work. Hoping the aquaphor does the trick as well!! Thank you so much for sharing, I’m breathing a sigh of relief tonight and praying for lighter brows tomorrow.
Christie
I’m glad it was helpful! I hope you love the end result!
Martha
Thank you for your post! It’s so great and full of information that I found very useful. I just did them yesterday. It’s been less than 24 hours and I’m worried about the shape and thickness. Did any of that change after all the healing for you? Did they seem thinner and more natural after it was all done? Thank you in advance for your shared information and experience.
Christie
They definitely did end up thinner and more natural. Sorry for the late response!
Melanie
Thank you so much for your post! I was about to attempt to stub them off!!! I am blond and green-eyed also! I had my microblading yesterday and my brows were very dark. Today, I woke up and they DO look like Oscar!! Fire-engine red, was not the look I was going for.. I even stopped by the salon and was reassured my brows would be fine!! Thak you!!
Christie
It is so scary how they look at first! Hope you end up loving them!
Debbie
Thank you!! Day 2 and freaking out! Afraid to go to work! LOL! You’ve made me feel SO much better. How often did you apply aquafor?
Christie
Just whenever they started to feel dry. Hope you end up loving them!
Jaime Horman
I’m so glad I found this post because I just had them done yesterday and I am about in tears frantically searching the internet on how to remove them. I’m thinking about calling into work tomorrow because I’m so embarrassed. My 7 year old keeps staring at me and saying I look weird. One question I do have….my left eye and cheek are achy and tender. Is this normal or should I go to the doctor?
Molly
Wow, this is a fantastic post. I cannot tell you how helpful it’s been for me! I’m on day 5 and I’m so happy that my experience is normal. Thank you for writing this.
Kate Nelson
All of the information provided has been very helpful. I’m on Day 3 and wondering if this was a mistake or should I have spoken up about my expectations. I thought I would walk away with the appearance I wanted and just deal with extensive healing process. I am using Aquaphor and hope to be satisfied with the final results. The thought of a follow up visit is unnerving. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
Lety
Hello, I have a question. Did your friend rub the Wich hazel on the spot that you didn’t like, did it turn pink and did the pink go away? I rubbed it on the ends of my eyebrow, they got pink and irritated and I can still see a thin line on each end. Will they disappear, I hope they do? Thank you so much for sharing your experience, it helped me greatly.
Lilly
How does ur eyebrow feel today from rubbing witch hazel
Lety
It’s been a weak. I guess I rubbed it to much and I have a bit of a scab but nothing that won’t heel. Most of the ink is gone where I rubbed it, thank God.
Lilly
I am on Day 2 and I hate them. I am gonna try witch hatzel today. Tomorrow is Monday and Im scared what people will say at work. How many times u did it? Do you have a FB or IG acct?
Leticia Castañeda Barrientos
Don’t do it. They’ll shrink by the 3rd or 4th day. I only did the sides a tiny bit because I though they were a tad to long, other than that they shrunk and I like them. I have face book, Leticia C Barrientos .
Lilly
Hi got your message late. I am still depressed with this look I guess just waiting. Pleass look me up on Fb Lilly Santiago. I would like to see your process .T.Y
Leticia Castañeda Barrientos
By the way, I live in Odessa Tx. That way you won’t have trouble finding me in Facebook in case you find more than one Leticia. Where are you from because I found a few people with your same name on facebook?
Leticia Castañeda Barrientos
I just figured out you can push on my name and it will take you to my Facebook account.
Leticia Castañeda Barrientos
By the way, I’m sorry for messaging you so late. I work nights.
Lorie
Thank you, Thank you for documenting this!! I’m on Day 2 and was so swollen yesterday like each brow sticking out 1/2 inch! I worked from home. My tech is having me ice them some. I have alopecia just on my brows, so no hairs at all other than 5 or 6 scared little soldiers. I’ve been drawing mine on for 7 or so years and had it down to an art form. But I was sick of waking up with no brows and trying to keep drawn ones on when swimming. Anyway, this is early day 2 and they are less swollen than they were and I’m sitting here icing them. But it hurt like hell in my opinion. Who are these people who say it it just feels like a little scratch?? Your photos help so so much!! And your brows look great!
Mandy
Like many others have said, THANK YOU! This post is a godsend. I’m on day 1 and was NOT prepared for this dramatic look and all the redness. I really had no idea what I was getting into (should have done more Googling beforehand) so I’ve been shocked all day. I look like a clown and have almost cried multiple times. I’m entering into about 10 days of time off from work so hopefully by the time I go back to work I’ll look human. Meanwhile my family will have to look at me this way, which is still embarrassing but not nearly as embarrassing as having to go to work every day like this.
MK
Hi there, checking in to see how your brows turned out before going back to work? Are you liking them? I just got mine done yesterday and I’m freaking out. Taking this next week off work and hoping they calm down significantly before going back the following week.
Jacie Mailey Faas
Thank you so much for this post! I had my retouch done 10 days ago and couldn’t find anyone who detailed what happens after the touchup. Mine of have looked great so far after the touchup…and very little flaking but have been using coconut oil to keep them from drying out. Just this morning though I accidently scratched one of them with a fingernail and removed some pigment and am worried I removed some pigment. I am learning the trust the process though and your testimonial has reassured me a lot. I bookmarked it so I can come back and look at your photos again!
MK
Thank you SO much. Echoing pretty much everything others have said above. I am day 1 after treatment and have been freaking out. I also have blonde hair and it is so nice to see your experience via photos to know what to expect each day. Can’t wait for the flaking period to start so I can see what it looks like under this craziness. Thank you Thank you Thank you!
RL
Thank you so much for this post. Your post is so detailed and the actual day-to-day pictures eased my frazzled nerves today. When I woke up this morning, a flaked piece of skin fell off that included ink strokes and it doesn’t look like there is anything underneath. I’m on day 17 after the procedure. I texted my lady and she said it’s perfectly normal. This is probably the wrong phraseology, but I was “glad” to see that you had some flesh colored scabs like I do. I think, too, they are just attached to my brow hairs. My lady did say I could take a wet warm washcloth to them now. She had me do the dry healing. At any rate, it’s so nice to have brows. My second procedure is in a month. Looking forward to the final process.
Thanks again for your awesome post. I have read and re-read it all afternoon.
Elizabeth
With your wet warm washcloth did you dab or gently scrub? And did you put anything else after?
Ruth
I just gently dabbed at it and I didn’t put anything on afterwards. I’m going to do microblading again in January since I’ve faded so much. After reading some of these later posts, I’m going to cleanse sooner. I had really yucky yellow scabs. I also might use Aquafer to see how it works.
Elizabeth
My scabs are falling but I don’t see the color is that normal? I’m at my 14 day.
Ruth
If this is from your first session, then areas that are missing will be filled in with your second session. I had the same experience with my first session. So don’t worry. (Easier said than done — I know.)
If this is after your second session, as the skin heals the pigment will rise to the top. Finally when all my scabs were gone, I had color. Even after the second session I had scabs come off and it didn’t look like there was any color underneath. It did finally appear. There was a spot or two that I did eventually have to fill in with brow pencil, but that was easy enough.
Elizabeth
Yes it’s my first session I was freakin out but this calms me. Thank you
Liz
Thank you for this blog. I have a question over time did you feel the color faded. I had bad microblading done and I have started the procedure to remove it. But is a scary as I’m afraid I will scar. I just need to confirm over time the color fades. I’m not sure if I should continue the procedure or just let it ride. The artist when above my brow line and when I look in the mirror I feel its not me. Any information will be appreciated.
Thank you ladies.
Leticia
What is the procedure to remove it and wear do you get it done??
Christie
It’s been a while now and mine have faded a lot now. But enough still there that I just fill them in.
ceallaighsachathair
The best blog post I have read yet and the closest to my own experience being a very fair redhead! I have had my touchup and the colour did not take very well on the first appointment so like yourself my technician basically had to do it all over again! The scabbing seems to last ages with me and I cannot wait until finished. The technician did say I may require a further touchup due to the difficulty in the pigment taking, fingers crossed it will take better this time as she used a darker colour. I am day 10 after touchup now and have the itchiness and scabbing so hoping in the next week or so I am all healed! My technician recommends dry healing only so am feeling pretty self conscious with my scabbing brows a second time around. But it will all be worth it if I get the results!
RL
How did yours turn out? I’m now on day 10 after touchup treatment. I have a lot of the light colored scabs which are from the lymphatic fluid. I’m dry healing, too. What I wondered is when did you finally get your brows wet? I haven’t touched them at all with water. Because of that, I wondered how soon the scabs came off on their own. I want to pick SO badly.
Christie
I hope they turned out beautiful!
KIM RODRIGUEZ
Did you notice more selling on one eye more than the other. I have had my touch up and on day 4, noticing my right brow seems to be a bit higher than the left. Is this normal?
RL
I’m not an expert, but I believe once you’re all healed, all will be well. I went through times when my brows looked different from each other. But they’re fine now.
Christie
Hopefully they turned out well. Mine are still not totally even but I think I’m the only one that notices.
Emily Hill
Thanks for the step by step! I am on day 6 of the healing process. My eyebrows haven’t scabbed up much, is that normal? I am taking biotin as well.
Christie
I’d say count yourself lucky!
Leticia
Day after treatment for me and going crazy!! I look like one of the bratz dolls!!! They are way to thick and dark. I don’t want to even show my husband I’ve been wearing a cap since I got them done. What does the whitchhazel do???
RL
What you are going through is normal. I’ve just had my 6-week touch up, and experienced what you are going through twice now. They do shrink and they do lighten up. Mine shrank down about day 4 after treatment. It’s scary crazy, but they do shrink.
Christie
Late response, but for future readers the witch hazel can remove the ink. It hurts to dig it into the cut and rub and rub though.
Jami Doeing
I just had mine done 2-14-18! THANK YOU for the pics of the healing process. Parts are finally coming off but look bare underneath so I was freaking out lol!! Good to know that’s normal! Also my girl said to use coconut oil ONLY! Which I find difficult bc my daughter is highly allergic so I have to be super careful around her.
Ruth
I just read your post and I’m experiencing the exact same thing. I had my touch-up done 2/15/18 and doing a dry heal. A piece closest to my nose just came off and looks bare underneath. Gahhhh – stress!
Christie
Hopefully they end up looking great! Some of my ink didn’t stay, but still easier to fill in than before.
Nicole
After my first session healed I loooooveddddd them! Now I just had my second session last night and am freaking out. They are ways bigger and darker than the first session. And she did every stroke agin. Will the second session fad just as much as the first session did?! Thanks!
Ruth
Yes! My brows faded and shrunk about 3-4 days after the procedure. Both after the first visit and the follow up.
Christie
Mine were the same, and it does fade :).
Aly
Thank you SOSOSOSOSO much for this. The detail in your pics really helped me. I’m on day two and totally freaked out. I went and got some Aquaphor and am crossing my fingers!!! Thanks again!!!
Christie
You bet! Hope all goes well!
Carina
I know this is a super old post but I’m so glad I came across it!! I’m only on day 1 after. My brows feel really tight and have almost a sunburn feeling to them. Did anyone elce experience that? It’s not a horribly unbarable pain but it is uncomfortable and hurts when I laugh, sneeze, or move them at all. Wondering how long that feeling will last.
Ruth
It does pass. I didn’t experience that after my initial visit, but I sure did after the second.
Christie
Yep, it does get better. Hope yours are feeling good now!
Amber
I am on day 7 after my touch up and one thing that really helped me with the pain was headphones with LOUD music my initial appointment was horrid the numbing cream didn’t work it was like a 4 hr process and the sound of her cutting my skin was well let’s just say I cryed lol it was so bad I almost didn’t go back for my touch up but I had already spent the money and so I decided to go for it but this time with earbuds!! And it worked wonders!! It actually took longer for my touch up and I didn’t even cry… I just hope the end results are all worth it!!
Christie
That’s a great tip!
Danielle reid
Omg you have just saved my life! I’m Day 7 and I have fair skin just like you! And my brows at the beginning are really scabby! I was getting worried as most people just had a bit of dry skin but mine are def scabby!!! I’m
Guessing everyone heals differently don’t they xx
Christie
Good luck! Hope you love them now!
candice price
This is like the best blog ever for micro blading. I am day seven of the initial session. I was overwhelmed and panicking until I saw your blog. Thanks for all the great pics and the detailed description of your experience. A lot of scab/dead skin has fallen off leaving a bald spot. Should I fill in with brow pencil?
Christie
I wouldn’t do the brow pencil just yet. I know this is a few days old but let them heal :).
Terry Haley
Day 9 for me, never got the oscar the grouch look, scabby with one area where it looks like a decent portion of pigment is gone, hoping it will darken up with more healing. Nice to see these day by day pics…thanks.
Christie
You’re so lucky to have skipped the oscar look, ha! Hope they darken back up!
Laurie
I’m on day 13. I still have scabs on the tails. My biggest problem throughout this process has been to keep the eyebrows dry. I can’t seem to do it when washing my hair. The only thing that helps a bit is to apply the ointment beforehand. Oil and water don’t mix right? My other issue is hot flashes! They cannot be controlled.
Any other suggestions. I will definitely need a touch up and want to make sure it sticks.
Christie
I took baths to keep the water off. Hope you love the end result!
Max
Thanks for your sharing. I did my first microblading and it’s the 6th day today. the scab is coming off and I don’t see much hair strokes. I was freaking out. Your post calm me down and I’ll go back to sleep now.
Christie
So glad, hope you love the end result!
Melanie
This is an old post, but I just want to let you know you have helped me so much with my anxiety. My brows have always been a thing and yesterday I couldn’t stop crying because I thought I messed up my face. Day 3 right now and they are starting to look really scabby. Every time I freak out I think about this post and it makes me feel better. Thanks for the photos, because I couldn’t find this information anywhere else.
Christie
Glad it could help!
Vanessa
Did you have to pay for the 2nd touch up or was that included in the initial package?
Christie
It was included :).
Erica
Great article! I’m considering microblading for the first time. Is this whole process repeated every 15 or so months, or does some of the pigment permanently stay and it is more of a touch up? I’m nervous I would be tempted to just stay home and out of public for those first weeks as it heals, but it sure looks worth it in the end!
Thank you!
Kaitlin
I am freaking out because it looks like I have a completely bald spot on my left brow. Is it true that the pigment comes to the surface after a few weeks?
Suzanne
I second this!! This is where I’m at and I would love to know lol
Ruth
Where are you at in the process? If this was your first session, don’t worry. During the second session that area will be filled in more completely. If this is the second session, give it some time. I had the same thing happen to me. The pigment (for me) did surface.
Ashley
Hi, I am wondering if it’s ok to get them wet yet. I have been very careful in the shower and washing my hair and tomorrow will be 14 days since since I had my initial appointment. I’m paranoid about getting them wet or exposing to sun too soon, but the aftercare info I was given said 14 days. I’m going to make sure I don’t do this again in the summertime. Haha..thanks for sharing the pics and all the info..it’s very helpful
Sophie
Always Wash, Absorb, Moisturize!! I did this with mine and had no dry flaking happen at all. This is true for any type of tattoo. The skin needs moisture to heal and retain colour.
“Dry healing (without washing) is not consistent with the physiology of skin and how it heals,” says our expert, celebrity dermatologist, Dr. Lisa Kellett. “It is biologically not correct for skin to heal. The label of ‘dry healing’ implies a misunderstanding about wound healing itself.”
https://tinadavies.ca/blogs/news/wet-v-s-dry-healing-methods
Elizabeth
How long do I wash absorb and moisturize? Is it for just the 2 weeks or the whole healing process?
Ally
Hi! I love this thread! Day 6 here, and one of my brows is completely scabbing off and the other hasn’t started, like AT ALL. I look absolutely crazy. Is this normal?!?!
Ashley
I’m on day 5 after touch up. I lost quite a bit the first round probably because I was afraid to clean/get them wet. She stressed at my touch up to clean them Morning and night with a little water and cetaphil. So that’s what I’m doing and applying aquaphor as directed. I won’t be doing this in the summer again. LOL!
Sophie
100% Yes to gently cleaning and applying Aquaphor to microbladed brows ! It’s absolutely crazy how many Microblading artists tell people to NOT get them wet and or clean the skin! That is just not sanitary and 100% going to ruin the final result by making the skin dry, flakey and scabby, not to mention backwards with the physiology of skin needing clean, moist skin to heal!
Can you please post how your touch up results turn out with the washing and moisturizing method! :)
Ashley
Thanks for your reply, Sophie. Yes I failed on this the first time around, but followed it on the 2nd round. I am almost 3 weeks since my touchup and it’s looking good. I am so happy to see brows when I look in the mirror now. ☺️
Aurora
You look Beautiful!! I have to tell you I had same procedure done about a year ago and absolutely loved loved loved them. They healed divinely. Had no issues with color or swelling. Just had a truly wonderful experience. Fast forward to today….They did fade quite a bit from last year. I attribute that to asking my stylist to go easy on color and the natural fading that comes along. Now just short of a year I have just gone back to get them done again. Well my stylist calls it a “Color boost” not technically a new start all over session. This time I told her because I loved them so much I was willing to go a little darker being that they really did fade a lot. Oh boy I was freaking out till I read your experience. What you call Cookie Monster brows I am experiencing this time around. I really was going crazy,super sad, feeling paranoid about them. Really trying not to panic. Did research Microblading first time around but that was it. Did not have google the enormous amount of info after as I have been doing today. So happy to have come across your website. Just want to Thank you sooo much for taking the time to write about your experience. It is wonderfuly written and the pictures just have given me so much comfort. I’m not sure why this time around I’m experiencing procedure very differently. Just one of those things I guess. 🤦🏻♀️
Elizabeth
Omg my scabs are falling and there is no color underneath. What happened? Is that normal?
Ruth
It is super scary when scabs come off and — nada. I was used to seeing pictures of models with these “after” pictures of glorious full and solid brows, and I certainly didn’t look like that. 😂
Tara
Hey thank you so much for this! Gave me a lot of information! Xx
Talia Benson
Great post with all your pictures! I got mine done in August 2017 and loved them. My brow lady ran a deal for their customers to come back for a touch-up, which I went to last week. The 1st time I had them done, she told me to use Aquaphor but this time around she told me to do the whole dry healing. I feel like they’re way more itchy this time and would prefer to use Aquaphor to minimize the scabbing.
Kim
This is SO useful, thank you so much. I just got mine done 2 weeks ago, and my scabs just started falling off– did you ever notice that when the scab fell off, it didn’t look like there was any pigment left under?!
Jordan
I just wanted to say that this post has helped me TREMENDOUSLY!! I’m only at a week exactly today, and I’ve been freaking myself out over how terrifying my eyebrows are looking. I’ve had a couple flakes come off and it looks so patchy and I started telling myself I wasted my money/time and was not going back. THANK YOU!!
Anouska
Hey, so interesting. Like you I’m two weeks post top up mine are slightly patchy, it’s not a massive problem but did you contact your therapist for another session? Thanks
Sharon mcmanus
I’m so so happy I came across this post 👍🏻I’m on day three and was still freaking out about my eyebrows how thick they look and the burgundy/plum colour of them 😢 I’m feeling better that this is normal in the process of healing, can you explain the reason and use of which hazel please?
kstepanyan1012@gmail.com
Hello, you were very helpful because I just had my 2nd session a few days ago and don’t know exactly what to expect as I went thicker the second time and darker. I wasn’t sure if there is a healing process following the 2nd session or not. I’ve been googling but pretty much it’s all about the 1st timers. So I guess you go through the same thing all over again the 2nd time. You are the only one that was extremely helpful including your photos. So I guess the brows will shrink and become lighter right?
Rebecca
I’ve stumbled across this post/thread from ages ago because I’m panicking and have been Googling like mad… I had my brows microbladed a week ago (first session) and they have scabbed and mostly fallen off already, and there is only a kind of red outline of where the ink was! No hairstrokes, no pigment! I cared for them exactly as I was instructed to and I know some colour is meant to return, but there is literally nothing right now on one of them, so I’m freaking out!
RL
Give it more time. You’re just a week into your healing. Whatever is missing will be fixed during your second session. If you’re still uncomfortable, take a picture of your brows and send to your artist for her opinion. She can reassure you.
Christie
I hope it ended up working out!
Kyra
I’m having the same problem, I hope it worked out! If you see this comment and don’t care to let me know, I’d appreciate the reassurance :)
Nicole
Thank you for documenting this entire process from start to finish! I’m on day 6 and could relate to pretty much all you went through from the first day. It’s also nice to see what I could expect in the days ahead. I’m starting to like hem. Your post has reassured that I’m on the proper path to healing. Thank you again!
Christie
I hope you end up loving them!
Shelly
So glad I found your blog post! I am freaking out. Just got mine done yesterday. I agree I feel like I look like and angry bird! 😭
RL
This is my second full-blading session, and I’m on day 2 of the touch-up. I’m where you are at. I had her go darker this time and this morning I look like a grumpy lady. I will promise you they lighten up. I notice a distinct improvement in a couple of days. The first time I had my brows bladed and saw the darkness I wondered what I had let myself in for. Now I can’t wait to see the final outcome. Hang in there. They’ll look great! It’s so nice not tonoencil in anymore.
RL
*to pencil
Best Eyebrow Microblading in Florida
This is smartly done and well-written article on such a topic in my opinion.
Samantha Szucki
Thank you so much for writing this very detailed post. I just recently got my brows done combo microblading and shading, I’m on day 4, and was wondering if the scabbing was too thick, is the ink not taking? Mine are essentially the same color and size as yours and are healing exactly the same, your day by day pictures and descriptions made this process so much easier on me. I’m really liking the darker look so I’m a little worried about how light they’ll end up since mine are a cover-up of a previously poorly done 10 year old tattoo.
Christie
I hope you end up loving them. I did go darker the second round, and they may suggest doing the same.
Kyra
Thank you so much for sharing this. I got mine done 10 days ago. I loved them at first because I had very sparse eyebrows to begin with due to overplucking. After about day 7, my left brow has started flaking off in huge chunks. And like you said in your post, they aren’t really scabs. It’s taking the pigment with it. I texted my artist, freaking out, but she said that’s normal. I’ve scheduled my touch up and I’m hoping after seeing your transformation that mine will be okay after that. I have just sat here for an hour and cried because I’m worried I have wasted my money. I guess we’ll know after the second session. Thanks again for sharing — it has made me feel much better seeing that someone else has a similar healing process!
Christie
I hope you end up loving them!
Milly
This is so sad :( this is NOT!! I repeat NOT what good microblading looks like. I’m sorry but your brows will FOREVER look grey and uneven. It makes me so sad that this is what people are advertising.
Christie
Hi! These are my brows. I’m not advertising anything. Just sharing my experience. My brows have since faded and there’s only a trace of the color left that helps me fill them in with powder. Some people’s brows take better than others. I know and see some brows that look much better than mine; these were fine with me, less expensive, and the wait wasn’t 18 months like the places I’d wanted to get into. And they looked better than what I had before, which was basically nothing. You’re certainly entitled to your opinion on how they looked. I was pleased with them.
Jaime
I did micro blading Nov. 2017 and freaked out at first beause it was such a shock. LOL. But even after the touch-up, mine didn’t take real well (spotty and I was always having to fill them in). I agree, some people’s take better than others, depending if your skin is oily, etc. Last week I just tried nano blading because I’ve talked to people who have had better luck with that. I’m in the flaking phase right now, but can get back to you once they’ve healed and let you know if it worked better than micro blading for me. They say it’s supposed to last longer too, so fingers crossed. Full disclosure, it’s more expensive, though. I paid $450 and that was a Black Friday special. It was normally $650.
Theresa Griffin
I have to disagree with Millie. You eyebrows look so soft, natural, and feminine. They are beautiful.
Tomorrow will be day 4 for me and like everyone else, I was freaking out on the color and size. Now I’m thinking I might need to go a little darker and add some strokes to thicken the ends on my touch up. Even though I too look like Oscar the grouch right now, I think it might be a little bit conservative after it heals.
elizabeth
I have been searching for someone with blonde hair who’s brows turned out dark too! Sooo glad to see you have the same experience! As a blonde with naturally darker eyebrows I was so nervous because I knew the color needed to match was going to be dark and obvious. I’m currently on day 2 and even though I knew what to expect in the following days, I feel like my brows look as if someone took a brown sharpie to them!! I’m adjusting to the thickness although I am hoping they thin out some, but the color is so dark and unnatural looking. Cant wait for them to fade into a shade much lighter! The things we go through for good brows, ha! Thanks so much for this step by step.
Alison C Wright
THANK YOU for this blog!! I just had mine done TODAY and I have your exact coloring and am “old enough to know better” as my Gram used to say LOL. My technician was a total pro and I’m sure they’ll look great eventually, but MAN they look wayyyy to dark and thick right now. And it also hurt like a sonofabitch, despite the numbing cream applied throughout the multi-step process. I had a very runny nose and sneezed a lot during the blading part, and she said it happens with everyone. Anyway, I came home and googled it and feel much better after reading about your experience and seeing your pics. I was told NO OINTMENT, but i’m so tempted to try the Aquafor just to keep the scabs soft so they don’t fall off too soon. I’ll see how I feel in the next few days, and please Lord, may that Advil kick in soon! I’m also SUPER jealous of your cost vs. mine – I paid $1k! Thanks again for the great blog.
Krista
Thank you for sharing this! I just got mine done tonight and am feeling very panicked and overwhelmed. I prefer to look very understated and natural and was not prepared for how big, red and dark my new brows would look. My esthetician promises me that I’ll love them once they heal but at this very moment I can’t help but wonder if I made a huge mistake.
Yours ended up beautiful, and I appreciated seeing the step by step photos. I’m definitely in the ball cap/ sunglasses stage right now but hopeful that my end results will be great like yours!
Christie
I’m glad it helped, I hope you ended up loving yours!
Suzanne
Like so many others this blog has saved my life this week. I had the WORST brows before my first microblading session 8 days ago. When I got them done I loved them so much – for the first time ever I loved my eyebrows. Then on day 5 my left brow started coming off. (Or peeling, but to me it looks like they’re just gone.) I’ve been following the aftercare instructions to a T and I’m so worried I somehow ruined them. I’ve been searching the internet for days trying to find anyone who had the same experience as me. But everyone’s healing process pictures don’t look nearly as bad as mine. There’s nothing underneath. I’m praying that they’ll magically reappear like everyone is telling me they will. Your pictures have helped me feel so much better. Also, so nice to know there’s so many other people who go through this.
Christie
I hope you had pigment after healing!
Christy McKay
This blog is amazing…I know it was a while ago. I am on day 2 and have the redness you showed in your pics. In fact mine look exactly like yours. Was this swelling or the red pencil? Mine is swelling and my brows look like yours did! Looking for reassurance x
Christie
I hope you ended up loving them!
Franziska
Im so glad to see that microblading post.
I have an appointment in 3 weeks and Im so excited.
My girlfriend has powder brows and she is very satisfied but I want to try microblading.
I hope everything runs well.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Now I have a better feeling :)
xoxo
franziska
Christie Hurst
Glad it could help!
Janeta
Hey, I have had them done but how did you avoid your coworkers staring at your eyebrows? I am also fresh in relationship so I wonder if I will scare my boyfriend away hahah (jk ).
Christie Hurst
Haha! I feel your pain. I wore a hat as much as possible. I told some friends later and they said they noticed something was different but couldn’t put their finger on it. Another person asked if I dyed my hair, ha! So I get it. I also went on vacation and so none of those people knew me.
Alex
As your eyebrows were healing, did they look “shiny” at all to you? It’s mostly after I apply ointment, but then I feel there’s always this shine to them that looks off. Let me know!
Mimi
OMG. Thank you for posting this because I just got my eyebrows microbladed and they were so beautiful in the beginning; actually I had no problems with the first few days I didn’t think they were dark or anything. I loveD them but now it’s becoming weird; it’s already been 14 days and the scabs are coming off but it’s like coming off with the ink and I have such big patches and I’m feeling like they disappeared but I see that yours were literally the same so now I’m just trying to keep the patience to see how they’re going to look after another week.
Jenny Lynn
Do you have any pictures of yourself with no makeup on?? I am curious how you feel about your brows on a lazy day!
Christie
It’s been a while. I can see faintly where it was done and I fill them in daily. Not sure if I’d do it again for how often it would need to be done for me personally.