Taking a microblading course and getting your certificate is only the first step on your microblading journey. Only once you actually start working will you have the opportunity to truly perfect your microblading strokes.
Of course, you have to start somewhere and if you’re an absolute beginner, you should do things the way you were taught at your training. But once you gain some experience, you can try out different tricks and further improve your strokes.
So, here’s a few things you can try that might help you take your microblading game up a notch!
Do the Microblading Strokes Without Pigment
The go-to way to do microblading strokes is to dip your blade in the pigment and make the incisions while implementing pigment into them immediately.
However, you can also do the strokes dry, without dipping the blade. Then, you can implement pigment with a microbrush, and do a pigment mask once you’ve finished the whole brow.
What is the benefit of this? Well, you will get a much clearer picture of your strokes. You will see the clean incisions and be able to determine your depth better. You should be seeing the skin separate when you pull it in opposite directions and there can be some pinpoint bleeding.
Pigments can make a real mess as you’re doing the strokes, especially if the formula you’re using is runny and if you’re doing strokes close together. Pigments can also ruin your outline, which is really annoying.
The presence of pigment on the blade impairs your vision. For artists who are used to dipping their blade, this isn’t necessarily a problem, but if you’re struggling with your strokes, this is worth a try.
You can do this on the first pass, or any pass after that. Just make sure you don’t leave the strokes pigmentless for too long, so lymp h doesn’t accumulate in the channels before you implement pigment. And make sure you really work the pigment into the channels.
A microbrush is a godsend for this!
In terms of retention, there’s no consensus on whether retention is improved with dry stroking. But it might make your process easier, faster and neater!
Image source: Instagram @browsbyjamie_
Skip the Pre-Numbing
The traditional way of numbing your clients is applying a primary anesthetic, a cream, 15-20 minutes before you do any blading. Halfway through the procedure, you can use secondary numbing, a liquid or a gel, to prolong the effects.
But you can also ditch the pre-numbing altogether – if your client gives you the green light, of course.
Since primary numbing is a cream formula, it moisturizes the skin, softens it, and some claim it can make it rubbery. Some formulas more than others.
And while this isn’t a problem for machine application, it can bring about difficulties when microblading. If the skin is softened, it sort of moves with the blade and your strokes get less precise and less crisp.
This may not happen on every client and with every numbing formula, but if you’re noticing your microblading strokes aren’t coming out the way you want them to, you might want to try and ditch the pre-numbing.
Instead, you can do a light first pass, and go straight for the secondary numbing on the now-broken skin. Secondary numbing gives a stronger numbing sensation and works a lot faster. It doesn’t affect the skin.
But we have to note once again that you can use this trick only if your client can handle the discomfort of doing the first pass dry. Double-check that they’re okay with this!
Do the Front Microblading Strokes Last
This one has to do with the final shape of microbladed arches.
When we say front microblading strokes, we mean the innermost couple of strokes, the ones at the very heads of the brows, above the nose.
Mapping can sometimes be misleading. You can do all the calculations and determine the outline with mathematical precision, but it’s a fact that the client can’t really visualize their future brows with certainty until they’re done – and neither can you.
And the heads can be the most difficult parts of the brows to get right. The space between the brow heads can really change a person’s look, and bringing the arches too close together, even by 2-3 strokes, may do something elusive to their face they don’t like.
So, when you’re doing the first pass, do everything except the tiny strokes at the beginning of the heads.
Clean the brows between passes. This will likely remove the outline which you don’t need anymore anyway. And then assess your work. And let your client sneak a peek. Only then should you add a few of those last inner strokes if needed.
With microblading, you can always add but you cannot take away, so work slowly and in stages.
Image source: Instagram @phibrows_by_ana
Half-Tip for the End
Some artists go the extra mile and use 2 blades in a single treatment rather than 1 – one blade for the right brow, and another for the left. Why, you ask? Well, you have to start with either the left or the right brow and the first brow you do will inevitably slightly dull the blade.
This is an imperceptible difference for most, but if you really want to give your client a premium experience, try this! As long as the price of your treatment is sufficient to cover 2 blades per treatment.
Cover image source: Freepik
