Finally sharing my microblading experience – the good, the bad, and the brows on fleek!
When it comes to makeup, my must was always my eyebrows. Since I take my skincare pretty seriously, I feel comfortable in my own skin sans makeup. Well that is, until it comes to my brows. I was always self-conscious about my brows because my formative teenage years happened in the early 2000s, i.e. skinny brows was all the rage. I’d overplucked like the best of them and unfortunately, my thick, bushy eyebrows never recovered. So when microblading became I thing, I knew I had to do it.
In January, I decided that microblading was going to happen, it’d be my birthday present to myself after over a year of lockdown. Over the course of a few months, I did my research on local artists, their rates, results – everything. Finally I’d landed on Katie McCarthy, a microblading artist in Old Town Alexandria. I soon realized she was highly sought after, meaning when she opened appointments they were filled within minutes. MINUTES. Well, after much stalking, the day she opened here April appointments I refreshed her page at the right time and I snagged my spot. Check out her IG here.
Microblading FAQs
Does it hurt?
My microblading artist applied a numbing cream throughout the process and I’m pretty sure that’s standard across the board. Katie applied numbing cream before the first pass with the microblading tool and then reapplied right before the second pass. The tool feels like tiny scratches on the skin, nothing major. Basically, I didn’t feel any pain.
You mentioned having to avoid getting your brows wet, is it hard to avoid water?
You should avoid water directly on the brows for the first 7-10 days. I didn’t workout for those first 10 days and didn’t find it difficult to avoid water those first few days. Showers weren’t that hard; I was just very careful. used a makeup remover to remove my makeup and then used a washcloth with cleanser to wash my face.
Is it permanent?
No, microblading is not permanent. The tools are meant to shade and do not penetrate the skin like a traditional tattoo. According to my microblading artist, people take the pigment differently so what can be 2-years for one person may be 18-months for another. Factors like oily skin and excessive sweating can shorten the time between sessions, so I anticipate having to go about a year before my next touch up. You shouldn’t go too far between touch ups or it’s kind of like starting from scratch.
What is the price?
It really depends on the artist. There are also two visits per session. There is the initial first visit and then a 6-8 week touch up. From there it’s really just maintenance. I plan on getting my brows microblading from here on out, so in about 12-18 months (maybe longer), I’ll go in for a touch up. Katie shares her prices on her site, here.
Let me know if you have any additional questions. I’d be happy to answer and update this post accordingly!
