See the whole process: My experience getting my first eyebrow tattoo

I have no shame in admitting that I am obsessed with my eyebrows. I’m sure you get it – eyebrows are just so important in defining and polishing how I look! I feel naked without them, and I spend quite some time meticulously drawing them on. So imagine the convenience of being able to wake up to perfect brows every single day. Yes, it's totally possible with the magic of semi-permanent makeup, and luckily I got to try it with Enhance Feathering.  

My naked brows before the procedure: missing some hair on top and no clearly defined tail

The procedure that I tried is called a semi-permanent hair-stroke feathering eyebrow tattoo. It sounds complicated but it’s just another form of micropigmentation, which involves depositing pigment into the first layer of my skin. Using a single needle tattooing device, hair is carefully drawn on to mimic actual brow hairs. The procedure lasts for an hour and a half, and the effect is meant to last for just one to two years so you won’t have to deal with discoloration or double brows, which are both notorious problems for permanent makeup. 

Prepping for the procedure with topical anesthesia

I was welcomed by Ms. Sheryll Kim, who also owns and runs the makeup haven that is Suesh! I was impressed to learn that she’s certified in Semi-Permanent Makeup, Advance Permanent Makeup, and in Blood Borne Pathogens Exposure Control (protecting you from HIV, hepatitis and herpes) from her studies in South Korea and Los Angeles, California.

She conducted a brief consultation and gave me a form to fill out so she could assess if I’m fit enough to get the procedure done based on my medical history. Prior to the treatment, I was not allowed to work out on the day itself, tweeze or wax my eyebrows for two days, or to be on any blood thinning medication like Vitamin A, E, or aspirin for a week. I was also advised to go in well-fed, hydrated, and not on my period to make the procedure more comfortable.

The measures seem quite strict but I appreciated that they wanted to ensure that my experience was as safe and pleasant as possible. After cleaning my brows to remove all traces of sweat, oil and makeup, a topical anesthesia was applied and allowed to sit for 30 minutes.

Shaving

Shaping

After removing the excess anesthesia, Sheryll proceeded to shave stray hairs and shape my brows. Instead of using a stencil though, she preferred to do the shape freehand so she could enhance the natural shape of my brows instead of following a template. I wanted straighter brows with more hair at the beginning, arch, and tail.

Sheryll currently working on my right brow

I was a little nervous about the actual tattoo procedure as I'd never gotten a tattoo before but Sheryll made sure to talk me through every step. Instead of matching my currently light hair color, she suggested a darker brown that matched my real hair color so that my brows would still look okay even when my hair color has faded out. Light browns also tend to fade faster, while black has the tendency to make you look older. Using a single needle and vegetable-based dye, she proceeded to fill in my brows with hair-like strokes.

The needle used on my brows looks just like a pen!

The multiple needle tip used in other semi-permanent brow tattoos (Image via aliexpress.com)

By using a single needle device, Sheryll said that she can achieve more realistic hair-looking strokes compared to the harsh sharp lines that using a knife or multiple needle device create. I’ve seen after photos of services using knives, and agree that this technique looks way better!

Checking the shape and its progress

It normally takes three passes of tattooing so the color, shape, and symmetry can be slowly built up. In every step of the way, I was given breaks to check with a mirror so I can approve the shape and intensity of my brows. If you’re wondering how much it hurt, the answer is it didn’t hurt at all! The sensation is somewhat similar to feeling the blade against your skin when you’re shaving. Sheryll tweezed a few remaining stray hairs, and that hurt even more than the procedure. While I do have a high tolerance for pain, I think they used a really good quality anesthesia.

My brows immediately after the procedure

Thank you, Sheryll!

Here’s the immediate result! The right brow just looks darker because of my angle relative to the lighting. I was also forewarned that the skin could be reddish after the procedure and the brow heavily pigmented for the next few days. They have me a sachet of topical antibiotic to take home along with some post-care instructions. I was allowed to wash my face the very next day, and to do my makeup after I’m done healing, which was about five days later.

Day 3

Day 3

These are Day 3’s #IWokeUpLikeThis selfies under natural light! I had minimal scabbing but there was no discomfort whatsoever. My eyebrows looked so naturally pretty, I was ready to cry tears of joy!

Day 6

Day 6

I finally achieved the true color and shape by Day 6! I lost some of that arch definition, but the final color does look more natural, as if I just had naturally lush eyebrows. My brows now have a defined tail and are no longer balding at the top. Of course, the best thing is that I can now rush out the door without fussing over my eyebrows at all! When I need to look more polished, I just use either a clear brow gel or tinted mascara to fix my brow hairs in place. I’ll be going back after a month for a mandatory touch up to perfect the look but I’m so in love with my new brows, in case that wasn’t already obvious!

Before brow tattoo (no makeup)

After brow tattoo (no makeup)

Moment of truth: the procedure isn't cheap at P9,000 for the tattoo and mandatory touch up. I have to say that this is the most competitive pricing I’ve seen for this type of service, though. Other salons offer eyebrow feathering at the starting price of P17,000 to as much as P35,000!

I highly recommended getting this done if you have super problematic brows or you’re as obsessed with your brows as much as I am and you have the cash to blow. But if you’re perfectly happy with your current brow routine, just stick with it!

The tattoos are supposed to fade out after one to two years, depending on your skin type (it will fade faster if you’re oily skinned), exfoliation routine, sun exposure, and chlorine exposure from swimming. After that, you can choose to have it retouched or reshaped for half the original price at P4,500. That's not bad at all!

Some of you may be considering getting your brows done too, so I hope I was able to help you make an informed decision. Do let me know what you think in the comments below!

Enhance Feathering has been offering semi-permanent makeup services since 2009. They’re located inside the Suesh showroom at #34 Wilson Street, Greenhills, San Juan, Metro Manila. To schedule a consultation or appointment, you may contact them through 7823797 or 09258857206.