Even as recently as the late 2000s, it was common for women to tweeze their brows into the “pencil” style, but for many women, this permanently changed how thick their natural eyebrows appear. With the current brow trend focusing on a full, natural appearance, it seems like cosmetics like brow liners are the only way to undo the beauty trends of the past. But at Southeast Regional Med Spa in Columbus, GA, we know that brow tint and microblading treatments offer a better solution.
Each of these brow treatments is designed to enhance the shape, fullness, and color of your eyebrows. Since defined-looking brows are in right now, using a brow treatment can help you achieve aesthetic goals without the use of messy temporary cosmetics. But how do these treatments work and what’s the difference between them? We’re happy to explain before you call to schedule your first appointment.
What Is the Difference Between a Brow Tint and Microblading?
Brow tinting and microblading are both aesthetic treatments for the eyebrow that are used to enhance or correct the appearance of the brows. Typically, these treatments are sought by patients who want to achieve a specific aesthetic look or who want to appear younger, more refreshed, or on-trend. Between the two, the main difference is the technique used to accomplish brow rejuvenation.
Brow Tint Technique
You can think of tinting as something similar to dying your hair. For this treatment, dye is brushed onto the eyebrows to stain the hair a darker shade. This treatment does not correct the shape of the brow, but it can make eyebrows look more defined and fuller because of the darker color.
When Should You Use Brow Tinting?
Tinting can be used during any time of the year, even as soon as one week before a special life event, because there is no recovery time for this treatment. This treatment should be used when light-colored eyebrows are no longer satisfactory. The exact shade of the tint used for your treatment will be matched to your desired darkness, complexion, and hair color.
How Long Does Tint Last?
Tinting is a temporary treatment that produces results for about two to four weeks, depending on how quickly your hair grows and how long the dye lasts. Because this treatment produces shorter results, it can be a good stepping stone to other brow treatments, or it can be incorporated into your monthly skin treatments.
Microblading Technique
Microblading is a more involved treatment, as it is most similar to a tattoo. During this treatment, a sterile blade will push pigment into the spaces between existing eyebrow hairs in a feathering technique that will mimic the appearance of natural hair. This treatment will correct the shape of the brows to achieve a specific shape, but it will not necessarily darken the shade of the eyebrows.
When Should You Use Microblading?
Microblading is a slightly invasive treatment not unlike tattooing, although the instruments used are very different. Because it may take up to a month for your brows to heal after a microblading treatment, you will need to plan your treatment for at least one to two months before any special life event. Like tinting, the shade of the pigment used for your microblading treatment will be matched to your aesthetic goals.
How Long Does Microblading Last?
Microblading is a semi-permanent treatment that can last for six to 18 months. A variety of factors will determine how long your treatment lasts, such as your skin type, how well you followed aftercare instructions, and the amount of sun exposure you get each day. Most people can expect the result of this treatment to last for at least one year.
How Frequently Should You Have These Brow Treatments?
The frequency of your brow treatments will be based directly on how long your results last. Of course, there is some overlap in timing if you want to achieve continuous results. For example, if you notice the tint on your brows is starting to fade around the third week after the treatment, then you may want to schedule an appointment sooner. Likewise, if your microblading results are starting to fade after a year, getting a touch-up appointment can help you maintain your results.
Should You Add Other Brow Treatments?
You may want to consider adding additional brow treatments to your treatment plan, such as waxing. Combining brow treatments can be an affordable way to maintain your brow appearance without ever needing to pick up a pair of tweezers again. It’s very common for a brow tint and brow wax to be combined into the same treatment to achieve your desired results.
How Much Do These Treatments Cost?
One of the biggest differences between these two brow treatments is the cost. Tinting is by far the more affordable treatment, even if it is done several times a year. Microblading, on the other hand, produces longer results but also has a heftier price tag thanks to how advanced the technology is and what it can accomplish for your appearance.
For a simple tint, you can expect to pay $20, while a tint and wax cost $40. A full microblading treatment to sculpt the eyebrows can cost up to $550 per session. For many, the affordable nature of tinting makes it a preferred treatment – but of course, not everyone is a good candidate for tinting. And, tinting must be repeated regularly.
Who Are Good Candidates?
Adults of any age are typically good candidates for these non-invasive brow treatments. There are virtually zero risks of allergic reaction unless you have allergies related to dye ingredients. As long as your skin is healthy and you want to improve the appearance of your eyebrows, you are likely eligible for these treatments.
Naturally, a consultation will be required to establish your treatment. During your consultation, one of our aesthetic experts will go over your appearance goals and help you identify the brow treatment that will accomplish your goals the best. The density, shape, and color of your brows will be examined during the consultation to sort your qualifications for either treatment.
Candidates for Brow Tinting
The best candidates for tinting are women who have ample natural eyebrow hair to work with since this treatment will only darken the shade of your eyebrow hair. Women with light-colored eyebrows tend to find the most satisfaction with this treatment, including women who have greying eyebrows. If you also want to refine the shape of your brows, you may consider combining tinting with waxing to achieve your desired results.
Candidates for Microblading
For microblading, the best candidates are people who do not have full natural brows or people who want to correct the shape of their eyebrows. Because microblading can alter or enhance the shape of the brows, it tends to show the most effective results for those who have naturally thin brows, brows that have been over-plucked, or people who are experiencing hair loss.
What Are the Benefits of Brow Treatments?
So, now that you know what each of these treatments does, how long the results last, and who makes good candidates, it’s time to think about the benefits of these treatments. For many, enhancing their beauty is the primary benefit of this treatment.
Women have been refining the shape and shade of their eyebrows since ancient times, and throughout the last century, the trend to have your eyebrows match a certain appearance has shifted dozens of times. These brow treatments are simply the latest beauty technique to help women achieve their aesthetic ideals. Some other benefits may include:
Natural Look
Both of these treatments can accomplish natural-looking results. This is a particularly important benefit since no woman wants to appear as if she has had work done or as if she has poorly drawn her eyebrows with a basic cosmetic pencil. Natural-looking eyebrows are feathery, soft, and have a shade ideally matched to your complexion and hair color. Both tinting and microblading can help you easily accomplish the appearance of naturally full eyebrows.
Fill Gaps
Microblading, in particular, is an ideal treatment to fill gaps in the natural eyebrow. Whether habitual over-plucking years before has stunted eyebrow growth or age has made your eyebrows appear sparse, this treatment can easily fill in the gaps between eyebrow hairs. In fact, this treatment works best when your eyebrows are somewhat sparse since it’s easier to deposit the pigment into the spaces between the eyebrows when there is more room.
Less Hassle
Using eyebrow cosmetics can be a hassle. Between pencils, gels, powders, and brush-on tints, eyebrow cosmetics can be messy and produce less-than-ideal results. Instead of spending each morning trying to use cosmetics to enhance the appearance of your brows, you can use simple one-and-done treatments to achieve your results and free up your time.
Immediate Results
Another benefit of these treatments is the fact that you can expect immediate results. For tinting, you will leave your appointment with eyebrows that appear darker and fuller than before. For microblading, it may take several days for your results to be visible, but these results will improve as your skin heals from the treatment.
Painless Treatments
Even though one of these treatments is similar to tattooing, both of these treatments are generally pain-free. Tinting treatments will not cause any pain at all since the dye is only being applied to the hair of the brow. Microblading, on the other hand, typically starts with applying a topical numbing cream to the eyebrow region to ensure your comfort during the treatment.
Waterproof Results
If you’ve ever used eyebrow cosmetics before, then you know that it can be difficult to contend with cosmetics the run at the first hint of water or sweat. But with these brow treatments, you won’t ever have to worry about water ruining your results since both tinting and microblading produce waterproof results.
Fast Treatments
Each of these treatments is also relatively fast. You can expect a tinting treatment to take about 20 minutes to complete, while microblading may take about two to three hours to finish. Compared to constantly needing to apply brow cosmetics or tweeze at home, these treatments can actually save you a lot of time.
Shape Up Your Brows Today
From the current “soap brow” trend to celebrities threading their brows for the sleekest shape, the appearance of the brows is an unmistakable component of today’s beauty standards. Both eye brow tinting and microblading are non-invasive treatments that can help you enhance the appearance of your brows. Please contact Southeast Regional Med Spa in Columbus, GA to schedule your first appointment today.
