Semi-permanent hair-stroke brows that last one to two years
Microblading is a semi-permanent make-up technique that deposits pigment into the upper layers of the skin with a fine handheld blade, drawing individual hair strokes to fill in and reshape the brows. Variations include powder or ombré brows, made with a machine for a soft, shaded finish, and combination brows that mix both. Results fade gradually over one to two years and are refreshed with a colour boost.
The appointment starts with a long consultation: mapping the shape to your face, choosing a pigment that suits your skin tone and checking that nothing in your medical history rules it out. A top-up session four to eight weeks later perfects the shape once the skin has healed. Oily skin tends to blur hair strokes, and some artists recommend powder brows instead.
Allow two to three hours for the first session. Because it breaks the skin, microblading premises and practitioners in England must be registered with the local council for skin piercing, or licensed in London — check that the listing says so.
Also known as: semi-permanent eyebrows, powder brows, ombré brows.
Verified listing
Stockbridge, Edinburgh
Microblading, lamination and tints in a Stockbridge basement studio
Verified listing
Knightsbridge, London
Microblading and powder brows by appointment, six-week top-up included
Usually £250 to £450 including the top-up session, and £400 to £600 with well-known artists in London. Annual colour boosts cost around £120 to £200.
Around two weeks on the surface. The brows look darker and sharper at first, then flake and lighten before the true colour settles at four to six weeks, which is when the top-up is booked.
Yes. Because it involves piercing the skin, the practitioner and premises must be registered with the local council in England, or hold a special treatment licence in London. Ask to see the registration if it is not shown on the listing.
The checks worth making before you book, and the few signs worth walking away from.
