After teeth whitening, microblading is one of the most popular beauty treatments for brides-to-be to indulge in ahead of their wedding day.
Confetti paid a visit to leading permanent makeup artist and Founder of Nouveau Beauty Group Karen Betts‘ studio to try out the treatment that’s got the wedding world abuzz; we knew we were in safe hands, and couldn’t wait to learn all about eyebrow tattooing from the master.
What is Microblading?
In short, it’s a godsend! After microblading, mornings are no longer spent painstakingly penciling in your eyebrows. During the treatment, the microblading tool scratches the surface of your skin on your brows to create tiny paper cut style incisions, which pigment is then layered on top of, creating a look of fine, natural looking hair strokes.
Does Microblading Hurt?
Your brows are numbed before the treatment, so pain is minimal, and is more of a discomfort than painful.
How Long does Microblading Take?
Your initial appointment will take about an hour, then you’ll have a follow-up session four to 12 weeks later which will only be around 30 minutes.
How Long does Microblading Last?
The results tend to last for 12–18 months before gradually fading – it dependa on the individual though.
How Long Before the Wedding Day Should You Have microblading?
“To ensure your brows are fully healed and looking perfect for your big day, you should plan you initial appointment at least three months before your wedding,” says Karen Betts.
“After the initial appointment has healed you will need to revisit your technician for the retouch. This should be around four to six weeks after your first treatment. The retouch will allow your technician to add more pigment in any areas that haven’t retained well and make any adjustments to the shape and colour of the brows if necessary. It will then be another four weeks before you are fully healed.”
What Should a Bride Consider Before Booking Microblading?
“As well as ensuring you have the time to heal before the big day, it’s important to do your research and pick a properly qualified technician, who has examples of their work they can show you. Some technicians work in ‘signature styles’ so make sure you like their ‘style’ before booking,” advises Karen.
What are the Benefits for Brides Having Microblading?
“It’s one less thing to worry about on your big day!” says Karen.
“It also means you’ll wake up with beautiful brows every morning of your honeymoon and beyond! I have spent a lot of my life designing brows for clients who come to me for a variety of reasons; whether they have lost their brows to chemotherapy or have seriously overplucked, it all comes down to confidence. All brides want to feel confident on their wedding day, and I love that my brow treatments can help them feel just that on their special day.”
Microblading Review
Confetti writer Jenny Rose Kendrick headed to Karen Betts’ studio in Central London to put microblading to the test. Read on for her review – and the impressive before and after pictures.
“I visited Karen Betts at Harley Streets for a microblading treatment on my eyebrows. It was a little daunting at first committing to semi-permanent makeup on your face, but her assistant who greeted me was fantastic in reassuring me on what to expect and how it works.
Jane spoke a little about how the aim of this salon is natural brows to suit your face, rather than the Instagram trends that dominate current makeup tutorials. Instead, they focus on the brows that suit you, and will work on a compromise on what they think is best, versus what you’re looking to get out of the treatment.
Ahead of the appointment, the booklet you recieve encourages you to attend with your usual makeup routine (including brows) to help them attain what kind of style you try to emulate and what will work best for you overall.
Numbing gel is put over your brows during the consultation and once Karen is ready, she will take you through to the studio. Here, your brows are cleaned of any makeup and tidied up around the edges. There is a slight scratching sensation as Karen sketches out your brow template but no pain.
Once done, you get a chance to review your brows and see if you are happy with the suggested layout, with an opportunity to talk it through and make any adjustments before going ahead with the procedure.
It wasn’t as painful as rumoured to be. There was a scratching sensation but nothing unbearable. If anything, it was similar to getting tweezered or threaded so if you are a regular eyebrow groomer, this will be something you are more than comfortable with. Occasionally if a certain area needed one or two goings over it did get a little sore but I honestly wouldn’t say it put me off or made the treatment unbearable.
A soothing cream is put on your brows and you get a chance to look at the finished product. I was instructed not to get my brows wet for five days post-procedure (which is easier said than done, especially when I realised it meant the gym was a no-go for this time period) and apply the soothing gel three times a day for up to a week afterwards.
Overall, I am thrilled with the result. They are currently stronger than I’m used to but they will fade over the next few weeks, and I love cutting an extra step out of my daily routine. Once they have settled a little more, I will be able to see the hair strokes and true colour ready for my touch-up appointment in four weeks’ time were the full effect of the treatment will come into play.
The only thing I would caution is that the appointments do have a tendency to run over. For me, this wasn’t a major issue as the office is in central London and it reassured me that it would be a well thought out treatment. But do bear this in mind, and try to keep some flexibility around the booked slot and your day in general. It isn’t be something to rush or squeeze in to a busy schedule.”
For a more relaxing pre-wedding treatment, check out our round up of the most relaxing spas for a laid back hen weekend.
