When to book in for microblading before an event as celebs rush to get pre-summer brow makeovers
Sitting in the chair having a top-up microblading session, we ask semi-permanent make-up pro Liarna Yearwood from Liarna Jessica London why there seems to be an influx of celebrities booking in for eyebrow transformations. "Microblading is always on trend," she laughs, adding that appointment slots for the treatment book up fast.
There must be something in the season though, we wonder. In the past few weeks alone, celebs like Stacey Solomon, Ellie Goulding and Kimberly Hart-Simpson have revealed on Instagram their impressive before and afters following microblading treatments, leading us to wonder what it is about spring that triggers a rush of bookings.
"Many of my clients book in for treatments like this specifically to time up for events like big holidays and weddings," Liarna explains, "and spring is usually the best window of opportunity to do this."
If you're new to the concept of microblading, in a nutshell, it's a semi-permanent make-up technique that creates 3D-looking hair strokes. These strokes are made with a small handheld tool featuring a cluster of tiny blades on the tip. The tool picks up the ink and implants the colour down in the dermis, the second layer of skin
Due to the small size of the tool, microblading offers very precise strokes which mimic real hairs – making it a great option for those with balding, sparse or fine brows. Coronation Street actress Kimberly said last week that the technique managed to give her the illusion of thick and fluffy brows when she had "no brow hairs".
We ask Liarna why spring is the ideal time for getting semi-permanent make-up like microblading.
"Because you want to allow a minimum of four to six weeks before you go on holiday to have it done. If you don't, you'll be in the sun and that can affect the colour," she explains. "As for brides, you want to time it up for three months before the wedding, just so that you can have the top up as well and look amazing for their big day."
Since June is the unofficial wedding and the start of summer holiday season, it would make sense that March and April would be the best times to book in for the brow treatment. However, no matter when you book in for one before a holiday, it's worth noting you'll need to take extra care while in the sun as UV rays can affect the pigment.
"The sun can definitely affect your microblading in the long term. You know to apply factor 50 SPF on your face when you're in the sun, but you need to make sure it's on your brows as well. Those who are in the sun all the time, I've seen their brows look bluey or grey in shade, so you want to avoid that by ideally wearing a hat, sunglasses and SPF," Liarna adds.
We ask what else potential clients need to know before booking in for their own pre-summer brow treatment...
"Microblading shouldn’t be compared to a tattoo, as the pigment doesn’t get implanted far enough into the skin for the results to be fully permanent. For this reason, it’s labelled a semi-permanent treatment," Liarna says. "We also do the initial treatment then ask the client to come back 6-8 weeks later for a top-up. This is just to correct any fading that might have occurred after the first treatment, and to make sure the ink is properly implanted in the skin."
As for the downtime following the session, it's pretty non-existent – you can walk out with great brows. You need to apply a special balm on the first night if you see the skin getting too dry or crusty, and you might be given bandages to place over the brows ahead of bedtime on the day of the treatment. This is so that you don’t knock them.
To maintain results, you should go back to your clinic for a top up every 1-2 years. Pricing varies depending on where you go, but Liarna offers the treatment at her London clinic for £795.
