In the last few years, you’ve probably come across the term eyebrow embroidery, and likely had no idea what it was.
Let’s be honest, the brow PMU terminology is all over the place. There’s everlasting confusion on what’s an eyebrow tattoo and whether it’s the same as permanent makeup. Then, there are the treatments that have been around for long enough to be familiar to the general public, mainly microblading and powder ombre brows.
But there are so many spin-offs on those two techniques it’s sometimes hard to keep up. On top of that, different artists may call one and the same technique different names as is the case with eyebrow embroidery.
Let’s try to clear up the confusion. Keep reading to find out what is eyebrow embroidery, how it’s done, and whether it’s the same as microblading.
What Is Eyebrow Embroidery?
Eyebrow embroidery is a permanent solution to filling in your brows, giving them volume, and modifying the arch shape to best suit your face.
It’s a form of micropigmentation, which means that colors are injected into the skin to give an enhancement. The densifying effect is achieved by drawing on extra brow hairs between the natural ones and on the edges of your natural arch. Or, if you don’t have any brow hairs due to certain conditions such as postpartum hair loss, arches are created from scratch.
The point is to give your brows such a subtle and natural look that no one will know you’ve had work done, yet you won’t need any additional eyebrow makeup.
Image source: Instagram @browlashbyag
How Is It Done?
Eyebrow embroidery is performed by licensed PMU technicians, or artists. It’s a manual technique, meaning no tattoo machine is involved.
Instead, the artist uses a manual tool with a super-fine blade that consists of multiple needles to make hair-shaped incisions, which are filled with pigment. The pigments are inserted into the dermis layer of the skin, where it stays for months, or even years in some cases.
What differentiates eyebrow embroidery from traditional brow tattoos is the fact that the pigments used are designed especially for permanent makeup, so they are meant to fade over time. They are also custom-mixed to match the color of your natural hairs as closely as possible.
The precision and definition achieved with this technique cannot be achieved with any brow makeup product, which is one of the biggest pros of permanent makeup.
Is Eyebrow Embroidery the Same Thing as Microblading?
Yes, eyebrow embroidery is just another, fancier term for microblading.
Other terms that also refer to the same, or very similar, technique are:
- 3D brows
- 3D eyebrow embroidery
- Microstrokes
- Microfeathering (the same technique, but follows a fluffier pattern)
- Feather brows (same as above)
- Combo brows (a bit of microshading is added to the microblading)
- Hybrid brows (same as above)
- 6D brows (again, microshading is added, but 2 shades of pigment are used)
Plus, many artists develop their unique stroke patterns and decide to brand them and name the treatment something else. So don’t be surprised if you find the microblading treatment under many other names, as well.
Why Is It Called Eyebrow Embroidery Then?
The process of drawing on additional hairs on the skin resembles fabric embroidery – creating various designs on textile with a needle and thread.
Since making the incisions on the brows is done with a needle, and since each stroke is done individually, and since it is an art in a sense, many artists were reminded of this traditional craft and decided to play around and give it a creative name.
Cute, right?
Image source: Instagram @thecopperfoxsaloncheltenham
How Long Do the Effects Last?
When we say that eyebrow embroidery is a permanent brow enhancement, we don’t mean for life.
The effects are quite long-lasting – they last for 12-18 months. Since the color injected is not tattoo ink, but rather pigments designed for cosmetic tattooing, they are gradually broken down by the body and they eventually fade.
This is a good thing. It means that you’re not stuck with the same brow shape forever, but rather have the opportunity to adapt the shape every year or so. As we age and as trends change, we want to switch up and update our brow game, and the fact that eyebrow embroidery fades allows us to do that.
Of course, if you love the effects of eyebrow embroidery, you can book a touch up or color boost and prolong them. But if you decide they’ve bored you and you don’t want them anymore, you can just let them fade, or even speed up their fading.
To find out more on what affects the lifespan of eyebrow embroidery, AKA microblading, read our guide on its longevity.
Image source: Instagram @_browsbyjasmine
So, Should I Get Eyebrow Embroidery?
Now that we’ve given you all the info on what is eyebrow embroidery, it’s up to you to decide whether this treatment is something that would work for you.
Getting a semi-permanent brow enhancement can give you an instant confidence boost. It makes your best features pop, gives you on-point, Instragrammable arches, and fixes any brow imperfections such as sparse patches. Plus, it’s a long-lasting solution, so it will absolve you from applying brow makeup every day and it’ll never run or smudge.
It looks great on women and men alike.
Eyebrow embroidery is the most subtle option, but there are a number of alternative brow PMU treatments available which give a more dramatic look. Browse through them here and get inspired!
Cover image source: Freepik
