Cosmetic tattooing is back and better than ever! Unlike the old school permanent makeup of the ’80s and ’90s, the latest trends are not as harsh and obvious-looking. You’ve probably already heard of microblading, but what about those other brow tattoos? How do you know which one is right for you?

All brow tattoos are designed to make it easier for you to get ready in the morning. You won’t have to “guess” where to draw your brows or have to worry about your makeup melting off or someone seeing you without your brows on. But all brow tattoos are not created equal. You should choose one based on your skin type and preferences. Read on to find out more about the pros and cons of each service.

Microblading by Janice

MICROBLADING
Pigment is inserted into the skin in fine lines that mimic hairstrokes. Each hairstroke is tattooed one-by-one with a hand tool.

Pros: Makes brows look thicker, fuller, darker, and more defined. This is the best option if you want your brows to look natural when you don’t have makeup on but they’re easy to fill in if you want a more made up look. It only lasts up to 2 years, so you don’t have to worry about being stuck with the same brow shape for the rest of your life. Fades without turning blue, red, green, or purple.

Cons: Oilier skin types may need more frequent touch ups and hairstrokes tend to blur in their skin.

MICROSHADING
Instead of drawing hairstrokes like microblading, brows are shaded in by “tapping” pigment into the skin with a special needle.

Pros: Similar micoblading but better for oilier skin types who tend to blur from microblading. Creates a more “filled in” look than microblading, for people who want more color. Microshading can be done on top of microblading hairstrokes to fill in the brows more while still keeping the look of hairstrokes.

Cons: Done on its own, microshading is less natural-looking than microblading because it doesn’t have that hairstroke effect.

Ombre brows go from light at the inner corners to darkest at the tail

OMBRE BROWS
This is a trendy look, made popular by makeup artists on Instagram, where the inner corners look lighter and the rest of the brow is darker and more filled in.

Pros: Ideal for those who like a more made-up brow look or those who have a good amount of hair on the inner corners but missing the tail end of their natural brows.

Cons: Like all trends, this one will eventually come to an end, but you can always add some hairstrokes at the front to create a combo brow look later on.

POWDER BROWS
Pigment is inserted into the skin with a needle on an electrical machine (NOT a tattoo gun) and the brows are filled in with color, similar to the look of filling in your brows with brow powder

Pros: Ideal for those with very oily skin and those who like a more made up look and don’t want to have to fill in their brows at all.

Cons: Your brows will look “made up” even when you’re not wearing makeup. Since the color is uniform throughout the brow, it can look more “flat” and less natural than the other options. Doing a combination of hairstrokes and powder brows will help it look more natural.

Combo brows combine microblading in the front with powder effect towards the tail

COMBO BROWS
A combination of hairstrokes and powder brows.

Pros: Same pros as ombre brows but less of a “light-to-dark” gradient look than ombre brows. The microblading in the front just makes the brows look more natural.

Cons: Can be more expensive since it’s a two-in-one procedure.

Nano brow tattoo is like microblading with a machine

NANO BROWS
Looks similar to microblading but done with a fine needle on the electrical machine

Pros: Like microblading, the hairstrokes make this a more natural-looking option. It may last longer on oilier skin than microblading.

Cons: Lines will be slightly thicker than microblading, depending on the needle used, so the artist has to be careful not to make the hairstrokes look like “manufactured”. When it’s done right, it looks great!

HYBRID BROWS*
Thanks to a new all-in-one device that combines the hand tool method with the machine method, Janice is now able to offer a custom brow solution that can do all of the above in less time! Now each procedure can be tailored to the client’s needs based on their skin type, their natural brow hair, and their preferences. You’ll get all the advantages of the hand tool method and the machine method- it’s the best of both worlds! This procedure is exclusive to XO Beauty & Brows.

Book an appointment with Janice now on our Schedule page and get the brows of your dreams!

Hybrid Brows before and After by Janice

*Trademark pending