Samantha Elizabeth blog reader special pricing on permanent makeup by Rhonda at Superior Aesthetics.

If you call and make an appointment to have a permanent makeup service – mention this blog post and you’ll get $50 off any service! If you’ve had your brows done by Rhonda in the past and want a retouch either with powder or microblading the cost is only $150 (for a limited time)! Just mention this blog post.

Many of you reading this know that back in December 2017 I had Microblading done to my brows. If you didn’t know that, click here and here to see my blog posts on that process. Since then my friend, hairstylist, and certified permanent makeup artist, Rhonda Gay, recently became licensed in performing the Powder Brow technique! So when she asked if I wanted to give it a try – I said yes, please!

I have loved having my brows microbladed – more than I ever thought I would. I love that they are low maintenance, I literally wake up with brows that are ready to go for the day, whether I want to wear makeup or not, they have shape and distinction. As a busy mom, this has been a huge help in allowing me to wake up and feel more ready to go in the morning.

My experience during the procedure:

Prepping for the procedure: 
A lot of prep isn’t necessary, however, I did make sure I had a mostly “clear” schedule the following week to allow myself to be a homebody during the healing process. Your brows will get scabby, and you do shed the scabs and they look a little odd for a few days. A baseball hat or winter hat and some makeup helped me if I needed to run out of the house for a long period of time. Or, you just rock the process out and about and share the good news of microblading/powder brows. Before meeting with Rhonda I did a little search online for different brow shapes I liked but mostly left it up to her. I trust her, and she does a very good job of making the brows look natural and fitting to your face shape and style. Also, hydrate, don’t drink a lot of caffeine beforehand and go in knowing you’re in great hands! The process can take roughly 2 hours or a little more, depending on the client and their needs. I’d clear your whole day to any real formal commitments to allow yourself time to relax before and after.

During the procedure: 
She will numb your brows first (yay)!

And then will talk with you about the desired shape and look of your brows – but will also tell you what she thinks will look best. Then she will map your brows, which basically is using a pencil to draw on the area in which she’ll be doing the shading. Don’t be alarmed, this looks silly in a mirror but is so vital for the process. Swing by my microblading blog post to see a photo on what mapping looks like click here.

The powder brow tool makes a little-motorized noise when it starts up – don’t be alarmed by that, it’s normal! It kind of sounds like a battery powered toothbrush. While the microblading tool is quiet and is basically a hand-held tool with a small blade on the end. You may hear little-scratching noises during microblading – which is 100% normal! So depending on which you go with or if you use a combo approach – you could experience both.

She will do multiple passes if need be – a pass is the number of times it takes her to go over one eyebrow. It can take anywhere from 1-3+ passes, it depends on the person and how much natural brow they had before. And after the passes are complete she will then go back and perfect any little place she feels she needs to.

I get asked a lot if it hurt. Here’s the thing. It doesn’t feel good, but Rhonda does use a topical numbing ointment that she reapplies to help with discomfort. If I start feeling any “pain”, I mention it and she adds a little more ointment, obviously, everyone’s pain tolerance is different. When I did have moments of “pain” (if you can call it that) it felt like how continuous plucking would feel.

Once it’s complete she will provide you with some information and directions on how to care for your brows. No showering for 24 hours is a big one! Your brows are going to look REALLY dark at first. This is normal and to be expected. See photo below. This was right after having my brows done.

Healing process: 
After the brows were done that day I definitely had a little bit of a sensitive feeling to my brows and what I would call slight “stinging” and a dull headache. I took some ibuprofen and was just fine. No major concerns.

During the healing process, I did have a little itching and definitely had scabbing. At one point after a shower, the scabs were coming off in little “sheets”. Blah! But, all normal. Try your best not to pick at the scabs. This will help with longevity. At first, when the scabs come off the pigment may look a little red or even faded. There was a moment when one of my brows looked like there was no hair or color, I got a little nervous but remembered the process takes patience and needs to hea. A few days later after the pigment set and things started to heal and they were just fine – actually, more than fine, they were amazing! Below are photos of the scabbing and shedding I experienced. Which was much more intense with powder brow technique than microblading alone like I had done last year.

After healing:
A photo is worth a thousand words (see below). I LOVE my combo brows of microblading and powder. Love, love, love them! The powdering technique really held up well and offered me a more “finished” look than the microblading alone.

The photo on the left was back in December 2017 this was of my brows with NO microblading or powder technique done to them (and yes, they needed to be plucked badly too) haha! The photo on the right is after having the microblading and powder brow techniques done.

Where is Rhonda located?
Superior Aesthetic in Marquette, MI – phone # 906.225.7126

What if I’m interested but want to talk to Rhonda first and have a consult? Does it cost anything to make a consult appointment to ask questions?
Yes, Rhonda will do consult appointments for free of charge to help answer your questions about microblading, powder brows, and other permanent makeup techniques. Just give the Superior Aesthetic office a call at 906.225.7126

What are powdered brows? And how is that different or similar to microblading?
The powder brows technique uses a rotary tattoo machine that has a needle instead of a slanted hand-held blade like in microblading.

Powder brows are done using small dots of pigment layered to create a more filled in soft powder effect. It can last longer that Microblading or Microshading. Anywhere from 1-3 years. It is the preferred method for oily skin and mature skin types. Microblading is for anyone wanting a more natural appearance to their brows. Saving time getting ready in the morning and just giving a nicer shape and color to their face. The hair strokes are done with a blade to mimic their hair texture depending on the size of the blade being used. The preferred method for dry skin types. Microshading is usually done alongside Microblading using a manual stippling technique to fill in the brows giving the illusion of a thicker middle area to the brow. Combination brow method is done using the Microblading technique in the front of the brow and a machine using the Powder technique for the rest. Giving the brow the appearance of a more filled in completed appearance. 

What is the difference between tattoo and powder brows?
Both microblading and powder brows use a pigment instead of tattoo ink. Tattoo ink has more of an artificial look. However, to get the natural look with using pigment vs tattoo ink, you the longevity is shorter. But it provides a softer and more natural look.

How are the different techniques similar?
They will all give the brows a better shape, cut down your time getting ready in the morning, and overall add more color to the face. All the techniques will need touch-ups and maintenance, and they are all created uniquely for every individual.