When I began doing permanent cosmetics over 30 years ago, the most popular procedure was eyeliner. A large majority benefited by having a natural lash enhancement, or a thicker more dramatic eyeliner. Eyebrows weren't such a big thing back in the '80s. The unkept, natural Brooke Shields look was very popular and women didn't shape them at all, or if they did, they removed all but a pencil-thin line.
That has all changed as the number one request for permanent cosmetic services in the past few years has to be flip flopped from eyeliner to eyebrow procedures.
Due to the popularity of the Kardashian bold brow look and the onset of microblading, suddenly everyone is interested in learning how to do this look.
But, there is a problem with learning microblading before having a solid foundation in cosmetic tattooing.
Here’s a question you should ask yourself:
Would you go to cosmetology school to only learn how to foil hair because you love the look and you aren't interested in cutting, solid coloring, perming or anything else?
Of course not. You wouldn't be able to pass your boards to become licensed just for learning one skill.
Currently, Washington State doesn't require you to have any knowledge or pass any test to get licensed in permanent cosmetics, but your future clients certainly do.
Why would your future clients care?
Microblading is new. It's a beautiful, natural look...when properly done.
Microblading requires more than a needle, pigment, and a forehead to work on.
But first, you should practice on something else. Go ahead, grab a paper and pencil and draw hair stroke eyebrows. If you're artistic to begin with and have a good eye for symmetry and balance, they may turn out acceptable.
Now that you’ve have mastered the art and design of beautiful brows, implanting each and every stroke into the skin is another skill set.
Recognizing how this stroke is supposed to look in the skin requires practice and experience. Some of the most beautiful hair strokes you see on the internet are implanted too shallow. They are wispy, airy, natural, and when healed, they will more than likely disappear.
On the other hand, if implanted too deep, they will be darker, thicker, murky and gray, they will be forever permanent.
I’ll go out on a limb and say that you won't like them and neither will your client.
Here are some other issues that might come up:
Not every client is an acceptable candidate for microblading or hair stroke brows (More on that later).
What if a client comes in with previously done brows that need shape adjusting, and or color correction?
Microblading is not going to fix this.
Retrospectively, now that you’ve completed some beautiful brows and you have a very happy client, but now she wants you to do her eyeliner and her lips!
You're doing a disservice to her and to yourself by not being able to do these other services because you only know how to microblade.
Back you go for more training, and it's a bit backwards doing it this way because unfortunately, you didn't know that you needed to know so much more than how to simply learn to microblade.
What’s the lesson?
Learn all aspects of permanent cosmetics, you’ll be doing justice not only to your clients but yourself an ultimately provide better services due to a more well-rounded set of skills.