How Now, Eye Brow?

We’re partnering with the PrettyGossip blog to provide this story. PrettyGossip is the site where a beauty-obsessed (in a good way!) woman shares things she has tried–cosmetics, treatments, procedures–to make her feel pretty. PrettyGossip is pretty honest about the products she tries. She acknowledges that she sometimes receives samples of new products for review, but she tells the truth (at least her truth) about them.

I TATTOOED MY EYEBROWS! After years of researching, I had finally found the perfect tattoo artist who came referred to me by two separate reliable sources, and after meeting her… I knew she was the one and it was the right time.

I’ve been meaning to write about brow tattoos for some time now. After reading so many recent posts/articles on eyebrow tattoos… it just seemed like the perfect time to share my experience and story. There seems to be still a lot of fear and misunderstandings of what and how a brow tattoo should be. I hope to help people who are considering getting a brow tattoo with this post, so please don’t be shy in sharing this post!

Here’s WHY I wanted to get this done and WHAT I was looking to achieve.

• Full brows are a sign of youth and they help frame the face. I was born with very sparse eyebrows and have always envied people with full brows. I was practically browless, like the Mona Lisa herself, except my portrait isn’t at the Louvre and sought out by millions all around the world!
• It may come as a surprise, but I don’t wear makeup most days. It was super important that my brows looked natural enough for all my makeup-free days.
• I wanted a semi-permanent solution. Wasn’t looking for a lifelong commitment.

What’s there to fear?

1. Tattoos are permanent! What if I want to change the shape of my brows? What if my brows start to sag with age? What if I color my hair?
2. Some brow tattoos are so unnatural-looking. Looks like someone took a generic eyebrow stamp and stamped her face regardless of shape, size or even color! This picture is from Refinery29 and Michelle‘s post. Frightening, right?
   
3. Tattoos can change into a weird gray/green color over time. Asians have been tattooing eyebrows and eyeliners for decades now, so many early adapters (aka moms and grandmas) are often left with strangely shaped and colored eyebrows. The picture below is not the worst I’ve seen it, but it’s a picture I saved a while back to remind me of what not to do.
   

So what made me change my mind?

1. Semi permanent is key. Options like semi-permanent ink! Honestly, I don’t think I’ll be drastically changing my brows since I’m going with my natural brow look… but it’s nice to know that the ink will fade within one to two years just in case I have a change of heart or decide to follow a brow trend.
2. No more stamped look. In the past, tattooed brows were filled in completely,  making the brows look solid and unnatural. These days, tiny individual hair strands are drawn in to mimic your own brow hair, resulting in a very natural and enhanced look! It gives the illusion of fuller, longer, and/or more shapely brows.
3. Looks so natural, no one knows I had it done! The key to natural-looking eyebrows is not to get greedy. My tattoo artist kept telling me… “I’ll do 80% so it looks natural, you have to draw in 20% if you want it to look perfectly done.” I couldn’t agree with her more. Contrary to what most people may think… a tattooed eyebrow shouldn’t look completed. Nobody’s eyebrows are naturally 100% perfect!
4. Fades before changing colors. Never will I have a blue/gray tattoo on my face. The ink used is a high-grade semi-permanent ink, so the ink will fade away before it ever changes colors. Also, the inks are so much better than they used to be, the blue/gray discoloration shouldn’t happen even if the tattoo was permanent. But still… semi-permanent is key, just in case.

Finally the BEFORE and AFTER photos!

Here goes! Note: I got the brow tattoo before I started blogging, so I didn’t take many before, five-minutes-after, and a-few-weeks-after photos! Sorry the lighting in the photos is so inconsistent.

BEFORE and AFTER, side by side.

Cost?: I went to Sherri in Los Angeles, and I think it cost me between $250 and $300 (can’t remember the exact price), including the second session. Totally worth it. Some  brow salons can charge up to $900. Wow. That’s super expensive for a tattoo the size of two brows.

After care?: Scabbing can occur as with any tattoo. I didn’t scab much, but I made sure to apply Vaseline every night, stayed out of the sun and pool, and didn’t apply makeup until the skin had fully healed. Once healed, there’s not much to do. I just make sure to apply sunblock to my brows, along with the rest of my face and neck.

Consider these before getting an eyebrow tattoo.

• Make sure to research until you find a tattoo artist you completely trust and feel comfortable with. My search spanned over almost five years and many visits! The artist you select should specialize in semi-permanent and permanent makeup, and be sure to check out their portfolio. Your face is at stake, so take the time to get all the facts.
• I recommend only semi-permanent tattoo for your brows. You never know when/if your preference will change, and even though you might not want to think about it… your skin and brows will sag and shift with age.
• I can’t stress this point enough, but go for a natural look (aka tiny individual hair strands drawn versus a stamped look). Think of the times you won’t be wearing any makeup. You don’t want your brows to stand out! Your goal should be to enhance your natural brow look, not complete it.
• If you have full brows… 1) I’m jealous. 2) Thank the eyebrow angels and don’t get a tattoo. You don’t need it.
• This is a great solution for people who are tired of looking like the Mona Lisa, are in or around water a lot, have trouble drawing in brows due to motor difficulty or even poor eyesight!

Conclusion: I’m super happy I got my eyebrows tattooed. I’m also glad I took the time to find the perfect tattoo artist and that I waited until I was completely comfortable with all aspects of the procedure (semi-permanent, drawing method). No regrets for sure. I will be going back in probably in a few months to get them touched up, and I’ll be sure to share those photos as well.

Pretty Gossip did indeed go back, some three years later, for another go-round. Here’s a link to her report.