When I first started my marketing and sales career, one of my colleagues treated herself to permanent eyeliner. She said it was a real time-saver and cut down on the amount of time she spent getting ready each day. I loved her results but as a young professional it wasn’t in my budget and I knew results varied based on skin type, tone, and a variety of other factors. I filed it away and didn’t think of it.
One day I was browsing LinkedIn and came across a photo of me attending a fundraising reception. My brows looked cartoonish. Like I took a solid brown pencil and painted a perfect arch. It’s funny because I remember thinking I was having a really good make-up day. At least I thought I was. Here's a photo from last fall when I thought I was having a great brow day.
I love make-up but do not spend enough time watching YouTube videos or tutorials to be an expert. And, these days great eyebrows are all the rage. After all, brows help frame your face or your masterpiece. And, who doesn’t want killer eyebrows?
I began to stalk the Instagram account of Brows by Jovanna, a Wilmington based eyebrow mastermind. She has gorgeous photos showing microblading and powder brow shading and even just brow shaping. And, all of her clients looked fantastic.
So, I booked a consultation. She's so popular that it took 2 months or so to get in. In the meantime, I created a Pinterest board named "Beat Brows" for inspiration.
What to expect during the consultation?
We discussed why this fits into my lifestyle,
What to expect from the procedure
What to expect afterward.
My make-up esthetic (natural)
Desired brow color. I'm currently wearing 3-dimensional blond highlight color in my natural 4c hair and wanted something that was dark brown and not black. Plus, who really has jet black brows? But, that’s another topic.
During the appointment, she also explained, it will take one visit plus a follow-up to achieve desired results. She gave me a lot of literature to read and review. I loved her spirit and essence. And I decided to book my service. We decided to go with powder brows because microblading can sometimes result in scarring especially for those of us of a darker hue. I am prone to scaring and have small keloids on my ear so this was definitely the best solution for me.
So, although I read and re-read the instructions the one thing I forgot is that you shouldn’t drink caffeine before the appointment. I avoided caffeine in the days leading up to my appointment but was on cup number two when I arrived for my appointment that afternoon.
Also, you should avoid scheduling during your menstrual cycle because typically your sensitivity increases and you cannot take any medications to treat menstrual cramps leading up to your procedure. Here's more on that: https://www.byrdie.com/getting-a-tattoo-during-your-menstrual-period-3975449
Because I didn’t heed the advice, a lot of bleeding and discomfort. Bleeding can have an adverse effect on your results. Luckily, she was still able to complete the procedure. I don't have any additional tattoos so this experience was a first. And, it was more than slightly uncomfortable. There were moments my ears were watering from the discomfort. I still managed to fall asleep during the procedure, only to have that crazy dream where I’m falling and I jerked myself up. I thought my results were in the trash. But, again Jovanna is a pro!
Here are the almost finished results. Due to COVID-19, I was unable to get my follow-up appointment/correction. This is where we fill in any spots, make sure the color is good, etc. Hopefully, I will be able to complete this process soon.
What to expect afterwards?
Listen to your technician. Not me or anyone else. Follow their instructions for the best results.
You have to put this ointment on your first 3 days per day for a set period of time. So your face is greasy! So greasy! I felt extremely self-conscious, especially while at work.
You have to clean your brows 3x per day so I carried my supplies to work with me each day.
You cannot wear make-up! I think it was for at least 7 days.
Your brows will completely disappear but they will come back. This scared me to death even though I was prepared in advance.
There is no sweating. So, no excercise or hot tubs. Or spending time outdoors on a hot day.
Was it worth it?
Yes! For me, it was so worth it! It was an investment. But when I think about how much I spent on pencils. And, wiping off my brows and restarting some mornings. The elation I felt when my brows were perfect and then the dread that crept in when I was having a bad “brow” day made it worth it.
I was going through a pencil per month. I decided to switch to a new, less expensive brand that eventually was discontinued. I ended up finding some on Amazon at a ridiculous mark-up and bought out there inventory. But, what was going to happen after I ran through those discontinued pencils from Amazon?
Most days my go-to face consists of brows and lip gloss. This completes my Zoom ready look for work from days.
And, if you’re in Delaware I highly recommend Brows by Jovanna. This is a black-woman owned business all about empowering ALL women though stunning brows!
So tell me, would you consider microblading or powder brow shading?
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