When did you learn this / what’s your background in the industry?
I 2017 I left my career in graphic design to become a cosmetic tattooist – and haven’t looked back! My initial training (Phibrows) was in 2017 in Dubai, followed by a masterclass in Australia in 2018, then many more throughout 2018 and 2019 in Europe in the UK. I worked at a brow salon in Australia for a while, then gained a lot of great experience at a high-end day-spa in the UK, where I was the only microblade artist. I returned to Australia in 2021 and have been working here at Lady Lash and BrowGame since! I’ve always been artistic and creative with my hands and have done a lot of painting and drawing, so this career has been a natural path for me.
So right now you’re locked down in Sydney – like the rest of us – and what does a brow artist do with their restless hands during this time? Have you been tempted to tattoo your own brows?
It’s been very hard, as I love my job and my clients, though I have been tattooing on fake skin, working on my mum’s brows as we live together – and getting back into drawing and painting as well!
Take me through how you decide what kind of brows to give someone – and what does the process of brow-mapping involve?
It’s very important for me to listen to my client, and even if I don’t fully agree with the look they are after, at least meet them halfway and try to create a look that suits them and their lifestyle. It involves me using different measuring tools to measure and design a brow shape that aligns best with their eyes and nose to achieve a natural result to suit their face structure and unique features, followed by discussion of colours and methods.
In terms of hygiene and infection control, is it safe? What steps do you take to ensure this?
Because I am working with broken skin, hygiene is the most important factor. All artists have their certification in infection control including myself; we wear PPE including gloves and masks, as well using disposable tools and equipment – all needles and blades are single use. There’s a lot done in setting up and then cleaning up afterwards to ensure complete infection control and totally hygienic procedures. We thoroughly sanitize everything before and after each client.
Can everyone have this procedure done? Are there any times when it’s not suitable?
There are cosmetic tattoo options for almost all ages and skin types, even plenty of men are getting it done these days! There are some circumstances where the procedure needs to be delayed – when you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, or on certain medications.
I love them both equally, but would recommend each for different clients depending on age and skin type. However you can never go wrong with combination brows, which is the best of both worlds! I love this effect and it’s my most requested.
Do you have any golden rules that you follow when designing eyebrows in terms of the shape/style?
Although many love an arch to create a lifted look, I try not to go too crazy with it, especially for those with strong facial muscles. I also don’t like to go too long with the brow length as that can sometimes make one look slightly older, also try to stick between not too thick and not too thin, I always think of what the brow will look like once it is healed, not so much what it looks like on the day (which is always thicker and darker initially). You can always go darker or thicker at the retouch too – it’s best to be conservative when it comes to eyebrows!
What about people who have no eyebrow hair at all – can they have eyebrow tattoo?
This is common – yes they can definitely have eyebrow tattoo, I would recommend either a powder/ombre or combination brow as this will look a lot more natural. I have worked on plenty of clients with total alopecia on the brow area, and it can be absolutely transformative!
What about henna? Is this the same as a cosmetic tattoo? How long does it last?
Henna isn’t a type of cosmetic tattoo. Henna is a natural dye that works the same way as a brow tint however not only does it tint the brow hairs, it also tints the skin to achieve a better result, it also lasts a fair bit longer that tint depending on your skin type and lifestyle. It actually looks quite a lot like powder/ombre brows, so it’s a great way to test out the look temporarily before commiting to the real thing!
Have you ever had a client request a brow shape that you don’t agree with and don’t think is flattering? How do you manage this?
Yes I have, I love listening to what my clients want, however if I believe that it may not be 100% best suited for them, I try and explain to them exactly why I think so and try to meet them halfway. Sometimes it’s about showing with drawing and mapping to explain why or why not a certain shape will or won’t work. I always want my clients to be 100% thrilled with their brows, as it’s a long-term commitment!
A question from one of our social media followers: “Do you need to shave your eyebrows off before the treatment?”
No this is not necessary at all, we try to work with your natural brow hairs and much as possible! Sometimes it might be necessary to tidy up the brow working around the new brow design with tweezing and trimming, but most of the time we leave the hairs intact.
Another question: “I’m very blonde with pale eyebrows – how would you make my eyebrows look natural but still better shaped?”
In this case pigment choice is very important as we want to choose a colour that sits well with your skin and hair colour very naturally but still darker than what you have to give you more definition. We have a huge range of pigments for blondes though and get fantastic results. Some clients who have a lot of very light hair like to tint their brow hairs or use henna to enhance their tattoo results so that the tattoo underneath is not covered by pale hairs.
“I really want microblade, but I’m very oily skinned, would this work for me? Why or why not?”
Microblading is best suited to drier skin types. Microblading is a subtle and natural cosmetic tattoo technique, therefore if your skin produces more oil than the average, this can mean your brows have more of a chance to lighten or fade much sooner than usual. A powder brow style consists of implanting more pigment into the skin which therefore means it generally holds better in oily skin. Microblading also consist of hair strokes, with oily skins – these strokes will more likely blur/blend into each other compared to them retaining their crispness on more dryer skins.
“My eyebrows are really wonky and not symmetrical at all – can this be fixed with a cosmetic tattoo?”
Is it very painful? How do you control the pain for your client?
It’s not painful, overall it’s very bearable, many say it’s like tweezing, however it can get a little more uncomfortable on certain sections of the brow, however this varies with each client. If my grandma can handle her eyeliner, brows and lips being tattooed, I think anyone else can! This is why numbing is important and very handy. During or prior to the consultation we advise of the specific numbing creams that can be individually purchased from compounding pharmacies, and when used, normally very little discomfort is felt.
What do you think the brow trends for the next year or two will be?
Who really knows these days – however I have a slight feeling that slightly thinner brows will start to come back. I mean if we were to go any thicker we would all have mono brows eventually! I definitely think the days of the insta-glam power brow are over, and clients are requesting a more refined look – which is the classic look I always go for. Although trends can be quite eyecatching, it is still very important to always stick to what suits your individual look and face in order to have a timeless look.
