How Long Do Powder Brows Last?
If you’ve been wondering how long do powder brows last, we bring you a detailed guide through all the factors that could shorten the longevity of powder brows results.
Image source: Instagram @mk.studio_radom
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Powder brows have slowly emerged as the most beloved solution for eyebrow enhancement for many people around the world. There are many reasons powder brows have become so popular.
It can give anyone’s eyebrows that on-point, glammed-up look, while fixing sparse or bald patches, or creating entire brows from scratch for people who suffer from alopecia or other conditions. Another reason powder brows are so sought-after, even more so than microblading, is the fact that it works on any skin type, even oily skin.
And they’ll last longer than microblading. But just how long do powder brows last? Keep reading to find out.
Find out how long microblading lasts here.
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How Long Do Powder Brows Last on Average?
The average longevity of the results of powder brows is 12 to 18 months without additional touch ups. What we mean by that is, your brows will look good and the color will look intense enough for up to 1.5 years.
The pigment itself will stay in the skin longer than that, but your brows won’t look defined anymore if you don’t get a powder brows touch up.
There are many factors that can make your powder brows fade quicker, just like there are cases where powder brows can last up to 3 years, or longer.
That’s why it’s important to be aware of all the factors that affect the longevity of powder brows, so that you can decide whether the treatment is worth getting, and what to expect if you do get powder brows.
Want to find out more about powder brows? Follow the links:
Powder Brows – The Ultimate Guide
Powder Brows Before and After Gallery
Image source: Instagram @ohsobrow
Wait, Isn’t an Eyebrow Tattoo Permanent?
Although powder brows are often called an eyebrow tattoo, it’s important to note that new-generation cosmetic tattoos are not permanent. They don’t use tattoo ink, but rather special pigment formulas meant to last a limited time and fade away gradually, as they are broken down by the body.
So, no, most eyebrow tattoos today aren’t permanent, but semi-permanent, and become invisible after a certain time.
Image source: Instagram @alla_best_permanent
Do Powder Brows Last Longer than Microblading?
Powder brows vs microblading are often compared, and one of the advantages powder brows have over microblading is that they are more resilient.
The thin strokes of microblading are more delicate than the even shadow created through powder brows due to the fact that the surface covered is smaller. So powder brows won’t be affected by factors that accelerate fading as much as microblading will, and we can say that how long do powder brows last is a bit longer than microblading, in some cases 6 months or longer.
Still, they will still speed it up to a certain degree, and the lifespan of powder brows is very individual.
What Factors Determine How Long Do Powder Brows Last?
The average longevity of powder brows results is 12 to 18 months without touch ups, but this time span can vary significantly due to numerous factors like skin type, skin thickness, the state of your system, your lifestyle, etc.
Let’s go through the most significant factors that affect how long do powder brows last.
1. Powder Brows Aftercare
The success of the powder brows treatment and how long powder brows last largely depend on how you treat your brows during the healing process.
The powder brows aftercare routine your artist prescribes is supposed to ensure the pigment settles properly and the skin heals without any complications. As the micro-wounds close up, scabs form. If the scabs aren’t treated properly and if you pick at them, they can pull out significant amounts of pigment.
So, if you don’t follow aftercare instructions, you could potentially cause your powder brows to heal patchy.
2. Skin Type and Texture
While microblading is generally most suitable for people with normal to dry skin and fade very quickly on clients with oily skin and large pores, powder brows work on all skin types.
That said, even powder brows will fade more quickly on oily skin, but not by much. People with oily skin will most likely have their brows looking good for over a year, but may need a touch up sooner than the 1.5-year mark.
3. Excessive Sweating or Swimming
When you engage in physical activity, or if you live in a hot, humid climate, sweat is extracted through pores all over your skin. As sweat leaves the skin around eyebrows, it can take small amounts of pigment with it. This can cause the results to fade faster and shorten how long powder brows last.
Another factor to consider is different substances found in sweat – salt can dry out the pigments and accelerate their extraction.
Along those lines, saltwater like the ocean can shorten the longevity of powder brows, while chemicals in swimming pools induce a chemical reaction that can result in PMU pigments fading faster or changing color.
So, physical activity and frequent swimming can affect how long do powder brows last.
4. Frequent Sunlight Exposure
Sunlight affects our skin in many ways. It’s a powerful force that induces a chemical reaction when PMU pigments are exposed to it. As a result, the pigments can change color or fade more quickly than they’re supposed to.
5. Certain Skincare Products and Facials
If you get powder brows, you might have to adjust your skincare routine to PMU.
Some ingredients found in skincare products can shorten how long powder brows last, mainly retinol and acids. These ingredients accelerate cell turnover and thus speed up the loss of pigmented cells.
Likewise, the brow area shouldn’t be exfoliated, neither mechanically, nor through chemical peels.
6. Pigment Quality
This one is quite simple.
The better the pigment, the longer your powder brows last. You can generally tell how good the pigments are by the price of the treatment. Artists who charge more are likely to use top-quality supplies.
7. Your Overall System
Finally, none of these factors affect how long do powder brows last as much as the state and general properties of your body.
Some people’s immune systems are more sensitive to foreign objects (in this case, PMU pigments) than others, so their systems will work harder on extracting them. A curious phenomenon PMU artists have reported is that powder brows sometimes last shorter on anemic clients if iron-oxide-based pigments are used – the iron deficiency in their bodies is relieved by absorbing the pigments.
Unfortunately, there is no way to know for sure how your body will treat the pigments beforehand.
PMUHub Note
With all these factors listed, you might be tempted to try and calculate how long will powder brows last in your case.
Yes, the longevity of your powder brows results is determined by all these, but there’s no formula for determining how long your powder brows will last.
Obviously, since the powder brows price isn’t cheap, you want to make the most of the treatment, but this doesn’t mean you should obsess over your brows and let them dictate your life. Enjoy yourself and take part in any activity you want – powder brows are here to improve your life, not restrict it in any way!
What you can do is make some small adjustments, like wearing a hat more often and replacing your aggressive skincare with natural alternatives.
How Can I Make Powder Brows Last Longer?
Apart from paying attention to factors that accelerate powder brows fading, a way to control how long do powder brows last is through touch up appointments.
Sometimes called color boosts, powder brows touch up appointments are non-mandatory (apart from the first one) top-ups you can get as soon as you notice your powder brows have started to fade. The artist will add more pigment, and your brows will be refreshed and prolonged.
Most artists advise getting a color boost once a year in order to keep your powder brows for 3+ years. For oily skin, more frequent touch ups may be needed.
Will My Powder Brows Fade Completely without Touch Ups?
Although powder brows are semi-permanent, so they’re supposed to fade out eventually, in some cases, the pigments never completely disappear.
This can happen if the pigments were inserted too deep into the skin, from where the body can’t extract them, as the inner layers are never shedded like the surface layer is. The second reason has to do with the ingredients of the pigments used. Some components can’t be broken down by the body, so they’re “stuck” in the skin.
Each individual system is different, so one client’s body may break down one and the same pigment in a different way than someone else’s.
Powder brows pigments can sometimes fade into a permanent shadow, which is generally barely visible and can be easily camouflaged with a quick color correction. After 4-5 years without replenishing pigments, the shadow will likely become indistinguishable.
Is Powder Brows Removal Possible?
In case you’re not happy with how your powder brows turned out, or you just don’t want to have them anymore for whatever reason, there are ways to get rid of the results.
Powder brows can be accelerated in many ways, from DIY PMU removal methods to professional treatments like saline removal or glycolic acid removal (as seen in the picture below). If you don’t have patience or energy for gradual fading, there are also powder brows removal options like laser, but bear in mind that these take several sessions, so it could cost you time and money.
Image source: Instagram @browsby_jovanavianney
How Long Do Powder Brows Last – Main Takeaways
The general longevity of powder brows results is 12-18 months, but how long do powder brows last depends on numerous factors, with the most significant ones listed above.
Every pair of powder brows is different, just like everyone lives a unique life and combines activities that accelerate fading differently. However, there’s nothing a quick touch up can’t fix.
Therefore, you shouldn’t stress too much about how long powder brows last, but rather enjoy your new brows and refresh them when you feel the need to.
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