The tattooed eyebrow but better: we tried microblading

Since the full eyebrow conquered not only the catwalk but also Instagram, sales of eyebrow powders, pencils and gels skyrocketed. Unfortunately for us ladies who are naturally blonde or just have few eyebrow hairs: what's not there still remains difficult to fake. Enter: microblading.

The technique is actually quite simple. Miniscule blades are used to make superficial scratches just below the top layer of skin. Pigment is then applied to these scratches. This way you get very thinly drawn hairs, which can hardly be distinguished from real ones with the naked eye. This is precisely why the technique is ideal for people who have few or no eyebrow hairs, very light hairs or bald spots in their eyebrows due to a scar.

Is microblading the same as permanent makeup? Not quite. "I prefer to call it semi-permanent makeup," explains Karen Sarasin, who specializes in microblading. "Pigments shouldn't stay in the skin for more than one to two years, after that they become dull and gray in color. Not really the result most women are looking for (laughs). So with microblading, the pigment stays in the skin for about a year and a half. Only after that, when most of the color is gone, is it time to have your eyebrows touched up again."