Before & After… Photos by Lina Aquino

Are you thinking of adding a semi-permanent cosmetic tattoo to your style? Whether you want a more defined brow or are just sick of filling-in your face with makeup every day, microblading is for you.

What is microblading,  you say? It’s a semi-permanent tattoo of thin, fine hair strokes that give a natural appearance of brows. The procedure is implemented with a tiny “pen” that contains an upwards of 12 needles to create a brush stroke effect. Since the pen is only reaching the superficial layer of skin (with semi-permanent ink), you can expect the results to last about 10 to 18 months depending on your skin type. The microblading process is purposely designed to blend in with your natural brow hair, so it won’t look fake or overdone. The results yield a super natural and face-changing look.

How do I know? I went in for the procedure myself with Lina Aquino at Evil and Love Tattoo (211 Franklin Street). It was wonderful and yes, life-changing.

How does it work? The process is very simple – I made a consultation appointment with Lina and she walked me through the process, what kind of eyebrow shape I was looking for, and we browsed some before and after photos, and set an appointment. Microblading requires a minimum of two sessions, about 4-8 weeks apart. I scheduled my first session in March and booked the second appointment for May.

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Does the procedure hurt? It does hurt in the first round before the numbing cream takes full effect. Then, it just feels like pressure. Of course, this all depends on your personal pain tolerance level. Mine is pretty high, so I don’t mind getting tattoos or piercings and the pain doesn’t last that long for me. And of course, you’ll get breaks in between each microblading pass – Lina does three rounds of brushstroks on your brows. And each time, you get a new swatch of numbing cream. After your brows heal, you’ll repeat this session in a few weeks to keep your new look in tip-top shape.

The process lasts about two to two-and-a-half hours because the numbing creams takes a bit to settle in. The total cost is $500, but since you’re tattooing your face and getting a state-of-the-art and meticulously crafted cosmetic procedure unique to your face, I’d say that’s a steal. Whatever you do after the microblading sessions, do not touch your brows, clean them as instructed, and let them scab over naturally. For more info on pricing and after care, check out Lina’s guidelines.

Honestly, I’ve been so thrilled and pleased with the results. I wear less makeup because I feel like my brow shape completely suits my face. I still fill in my brows with a little bit of Anastasia brow pencil and some brow powder to make the hai rstrokes more defined. But overall, my makeup routine is down to five or fifteen minutes depending on my day or night time look. Trust me, it’s totally worth it!

Check out Lina Aquino on Instagram.

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