Updated: Dec.11.2019
I did a blog post previously about my first eyebrow microblading experience with Mi Brows back in September (almost 8 months ago!) and received a ton of questions on IG about it. To answer a few of them now, yes, I’m happy with the results to this day, and no, I didn’t even go back for a microblading touch-up because my skin retains colour (unusually) well. So, on that topic, I was on Mi Brows’ Instagram one day, and found out about a new technique Sammi was doing – her signature manual ombre brows. I didn’t know at first that it was different from microblading, and I was obsessed with the results that I saw. Example here. I decided to message Sammi to check out this amazing new look she was doing for the same price as her microblading service. If you can bear with me, I’ll lay it all down here so there’s no confusion about the difference between microblading VS ombre, and finally, my own ombre shading experience with Mi Brows. This post is in no way sponsored – just wanted to give you all a reliable place that has had a 100% satisfaction rate with all my friends! '
MICROBLADING
WHAT
Individual hair strokes drawn on to achieve the look of fuller brows, ideal for those who over-pluck or want to add more volume to the ends or start of their brows
HOW
Sammi does this either manually or with a digital device, but I experienced her manual technique. She mimics the natural brow and draws the strokes into the skin with nano-needles, creating the desired shape of the brow. Takes around 1-2 hours.
OUTCOME
Lasts around 6 months to 2 years, depending on how well your skin retains the colouring, as well as lifestyle factors such as how much you sweat on a daily basis, whether you exercise regularly, etc.
OMBRE
WHAT
Brows that achieve a soft, powder-filled made-up look with a dark tail and which gradually lightens up to the start of the brow. If you want, Sammi can also make it look more “natural” so it doesn’t look so bold when you have no makeup on the rest of your face.
HOW
This is done manually at Mi Brows, and Sammi uses a set of tiny needles to literally tap the custom-made pigment into the skin to create the shaded effect.
OUTCOME
The scabs peel away for soft, shapely brows. Lasts around 2-4 years, so longer than microblading.
Sammi’s Signature Manual Ombre Brows
This was my second rodeo with Sammi so I was a lot more confident about what to expect with her. Her new shop is in Causeway Bay right next to Sogo (congratulations on doing what you love full time!) and it was easy to find. We went through the regular consultation of my preferences like colour, thickness, shape of the arch and length.
She uses a sticker with measuring tape on it so the brow measurements are as precise as possible, and draws the brows on with a pencil first so I could see how it would turn out. Once I was happy with the shape, she mixed up the colour using pigments imported from the US while we waited for the numbing cream to take effect.
My pain tolerance is high, so the entire procedure felt like soft pin-pricks on the skin, but I’ve also heard from others that their skin doesn’t absorb the numbing cream as well so they feel more pain. Can’t really predict what it’ll be like for you, but I can tell you it’ll all be worth it. Sammi is very gentle and considerate of your sensitivity to pain, and will continue applying numbing cream if it wears off during the procedure. The pic below was taken moments after Sammi finished my brows:
The healing process. While I was a little more shocked about the darkness of my brows when it was microbladed back in September, I was so much happier throughout the healing process of my ombre brows. It took a total of 12 days to heal completely, and the peak of the scabbing occurred for me on days 9-11. Again, this could vary with different skin types as I’ve heard people scabbing as early as day 3.
Days 2-4 looked like this
Scabbing phase - days 8-10. You can see how the colours are much darker and collecting into scabs. This is when the brows begin to shrink as well.
Once all the scabs came off! Fully healed on day 12.
Imagine going to the beach, being on a junk, or hiking in the sweltering heat without worrying about your brows smudging! All about this semi-permanent makeup life. Sammi also does semi-permanent eyeliner to enhance your eye shape & make lashes look fuller.
Any questions, let me know! See more on my Instagram - @furellie!
Mi Brows – Contact & Booking Details
WhatsApp (Sammi): +852-5614-2195
Website (for bookings & price list): https://www.mibrowshk.com
Instagram (examples of work): @mi_brows
Location: 17th Floor, 11 Luard Road, Southern Commercial Building, Wan Chai
Closest MTR exit B1