At Un-Stripped, we thrive on providing each and every client who walks through the doors the best possible service we can offer. Here is where you can get all your permanent makeup brow questions answered! whether you've already booked an appointment with us, or are interested in a new set of 3 year brows!
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MULTIPLE TECHNIQUES?
We are trained in every brow technique, and continue to advanced our education as new techniques or styles come out! We do not offer Microblading, only machine.
To break them down:
Microblading is one of the original techniques most known about. It is performed by using a small blade and creating small cuts in the skin with pigment to create the effect of hair like strokes. It is NOT suitable for oily skin, only dry skin types. Results will last 1-3 years with 1 year color boosts recommend.
Ombré brows will mimic the look of makeup or a powder filled in brow. This technique is performed using a permanent makeup machine and a needle cartridge. Because we’re not cutting the skin, there is less trauma and no risk of scarring to the skin. Ombré can be done either softly without a border or deeper in color to mimic a more filled in brow. Results will last 2-3 years with 2-4 year color boosts recommend. Suitable for all skin types.
Nano brows or Nano Realism is the cutting edge technique arising in the industry. We use a permanent makeup machine and a very fine needle to create hair like strokes in the skin. There is no trauma to the skin, it’s suitable for all skin types, no scarring, longer lasting and crisp results! This technique can either be done traditionally with saturated strokes or in an even more realistic way with pixelated, airy strokes. You can combine shading with this technique to create a combo/hybrid brow with more density. Results will last you 2-3 years with 3 year color boosts recommend.
ARE YOU CERTIFIED, PERMITTED AND LICENSED?
Yes! All of our artists have multiple certifications and are permitted through the Contra Costa County Health Department. We are required to complete a Bloodboorne Pathogens certification yearly! Some of our artists are additionally either licensed cosmetologists or estheticians, but it is not required to perform permanent makeup in California. Additionally, all of the products we use during the service are disposable, and will not be reused.
DOES IT HURT?
Everyone has a different level of pain tolerance and sensitivity. We can apply numbing if needed, but often isn't needed due to us staying in the upper layer of the skin. It should feel more like an annoying scratching or vibration. You'll most likely feel us stretching your skin more than anything!
DO I NEED TO TAKE TIME OFF WORK?
No. There's no downtime associated with receiving permanent makeup brows. Redness and swelling will dissipate within an hour. Your brows will initially appear darker, but not so dark that it will prevent from your daily activities.
WILL I NEED A TOUCH UP, AND HOW OFTEN?
Touch ups are typically 6-8 weeks out from your initial session. Within 2 weeks of your first session the color will fade 20-30% and over the next four to six weeks can continue to fade as much as 50%. This is considered an extremely positive occurrence as it allows you time to reflect on your shape and color. At this point any changes you would like to make are discussed at your touch up session. Results vary when performing corrections, as you may experience more fading due to scar tissue.
After your initial touch up, we recommend coming back every 1-3 years for what we like to call Color Boosts! There are occasions where you will show up for your touch up, and we may not need to do anything, but every skin heals different!
Your brows will last as long as you choose to maintain them, results will vary on your skin type, how well your skin takes in pigment during the day of the appointment, how dark you're willing to go, and the following of everyday care like the use of SPF and avoidance of skin peeling products.
HOW LONG IS THE PROCEDURE/HEAL TIME?
The procedure takes between 2-3 hours, give or take. Set aside around 3 hours so we can spend as much time needed to get you the best results possible!
Healing time varies from person to person. Usually, it takes about a week to 14 days for the epithelial crust to form and slough off. Your skin will be considered healed after that happens. Then, the pigment takes some time to settle into the skin. A good month should pass before the process is considered complete.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT THE DAY OF?
Permanent Makeup Brows can be a two-step process, consisting of an initial procedure and then a touch up session scheduled after 6-8 weeks. After taking your before photos, we take the most time to map out and predraw the brow design in black pencil so you get an idea of shape and form. (Please note that no face is 100% symmetrical and you need to be realistic with your expectations. We are human too, and we never promise absolute perfection). Once we have agreed on a final shape then we will decide on the color. We'll begin by doing the initial outine or hairstrokes and add a topical anesthetic if needed (We prefer a no numbing approach during machine work to avoid thickening of the skin, and further skin trauma, which can affect the healed results). During healing, it's normal to experience some pigment loss, but this is what touch ups are for.
HOW WILL YOU CHOOSE MY COLOR?
We decide color based on your skin tone and your natural brow hair. We tend to like to test colors on your forehead and provide you with our recommendation on tone and level of darkness!
WHAT CAN AND CAN'T I DO AFTER THE PROCEDURE?
DO:
Keep the skin clean and dry, apply sun block often, avoid abrasive facial treatments in the brow area and follow your after care instructions.
DON'T:
Swim, heavily sweat or otherwise get the area wet; no tanning or prolonged sun exposure; no picking, peeling, scratching or rubbing the tattoo, this may result in a loss of color and scarring. You can still wash your hair and face, and once they're healed up, you treat them as your own.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO JUST NOT RETAIN PIGMENT EVEN AFTER A FEW VISITS. COULD THIS HAPPEN?
Yes, it does happen and yes it's true!
A third appointment can be set up for some clients if their skin tends to reject the color. During this appointment it gives us another opportunity to review the work and make any adjustments on color or technique (if any) that might need to be done. Some clients skin may react to the trauma of the tattooing, and the skin may try to push out the foreign body of pigment by producing an extreme scab, so they eventually fall off taking all the pigment with it. There is a condition called Pigment Allergy (PPD Allergy, a condition known by dermatologists) or Auto Immune disease symptoms (the client may not even be aware of it). The skin would have over reacted and become super sensitive to the pigment and reject it at any cost.
CAN YOU GUARANTEE YOUR WORK?
Unfortunately, we can't. How the skin will react is different with everyone and many factors should be taken into consideration. Skin type, age, underlying medical issues, use of some medications, scarring, previous brow tattoo, diet, stress levels, facial products used, etc. all play a key role in your results, which is why it is important to know that more than one touch up may be required. We always make sure that your face is being taken care of as our own and we will act in accordance with our experience and expertise to give you our absolute best. But there are no guarantees in this industry.
WHAT IF I DON'T LIKE IT?
Although Microblading/Ombre/Nano brows are considered to be semi-permanent, the procedure does allow some flexibility for color or shape change to some extent. However, we will work closely with you to be sure that you are satisfied with the proposed technique. If you do not like the decision you made, the Touch Up can be cancelled and the pigmented area will naturally fade over time. If you aren't 100% sure you would benefit from this procedure, please opt for a more temporary option like Brow Tinting or Brow Lamination and make sure you really want to do this as this is not something you can just wash off.
PREP RULES FOR YOUR UPCOMING APPOINTMENT
All the rules to follow to make sure you get the best outcome possible! Be prepared for the color intensity to be significantly sharper and darker immediately after the procedure. This will subside and become softer as the skin heals. This process can take up to 14 days. Please drink plenty of water and eat a good meal before your appointment.
DO NOT
Consume any alcohol or caffinated beverages 24 HOURS before the scheduled appointment. Avoid Aspirin, Fish Oil, Niacin, Vitamin E and/or
Ibuprofen unless medically necessary, 72 hrs prior to your procedure. Tylenol is fine. This will prevent any excess bleeding, oozing, and minimizes swelling or pigment blowouts during the procedure.
AVOID
Sun and tanning one week prior to your procedure. Stop use of Glycolics, Lactic, AHA, Retin-A or Retinol skin care products 4 weeks before the scheduled appointment.
If you've had any cosmetic surgical procedures done on the face area, please wait TWO MONTHS to fully heal prior to receiving permanent makeup brows.
DO NOT
Wax, thread or tint your eyebrows one week before your procedure (we will clean up excess hair).
No facials or chemical peels a week prior to the scheduled appointment. If there are any exfoliation products at home, please do not use on the brow area a week prior to the appointment so the skin can take in the pigment(s) easily during the procedure
AFTER YOUR APPOINTMENT
For the first couple of days, brows will appear dark and very defined before the scabbing phase. The thickness will subside gradually as the days go by.
You may notice whiteness or blanching around the area, this is normal and will subside within 12 hours. If you find any lymphatic fluid or blood weeping you can gently clean the area with a provided wet wipe, blotting gently dry to remove any moisture. Redness, swelling, and stinging is normal and should subside by the following day completely. If the area feels unbearable for certain individuals who have low pain tolerance, please use a clean ice pack for comfort.
You will go through three healing phases: 1-heal, 2-peel and 3-fade. Once the brow area starts to peel, it will appear flaky. The area may feel a bit dry or itchy. Do not pick or pull at the treated area as it will result in pigment loss and the creation of scar tissue. Please refrain from sweating, suntanning, saunas, swimming and brow makeup for a week. Once all scabs have fully fallen off completely and naturally, healed results should appear 10-30% lighter in color and 10-15% smaller in size from the initial. Consider using a waterproof or powder sunblock when going out in the sun to stop the color fading.
DAY OF THE PROCEDURE
We will apply a Tegaderm film to the brows to remain in place for 24 hours. After removal, GENTLY cleanse the brows, pat dry with a clean, disposable towel, and apply a rice grain amount of aqua-hot to both brows.
DAYS 2-7
Cleanse your brows morning and night with either a provided cleanser, or a neutral soap, such as baby wash or diluted Castile soap. Pat brows dry with a clean paper towel, or let them air dry COMPLETELY. Once brows are fully dried, apply a thin layer of ointment onto the brows using either clean hands and a patting motion, or a q tip. Never rub the brows or apply ointment when wet.
IMPORTANT RULES
Limit your shower time during the first week of healing, especially steamy showers. Keep brows away from the shower pressure. Your brows should only get wet as instructed per the aftercare instructions. Avoid excessive rinsing and hot water on the treated area during the first week of healing. Do not wash your hair for 48 hours.
Avoid excessive sweating and makeup for 7 days. Any excessive sweating or water exposure can cause the pigment to exit the skin and recieve unretained results.
If you are a side sleeper, try your hardest to sleep on your back. If necessary, use a pillow or blanket to prop yourself up.
IMPORTANT NOTES
Everyone heals and accepts pigment differently. We provide the same service for every client but retention is dependent on your skin and lifestyle. When you leave our salon your brow tattoos are intact. That is the job of the technician. There ARE NO GUARANTEES made as to how your body will heal them. If they fade, blur or not take as well as expected, that is the result of YOUR skin or lifestyle...not a result of the technique or the technician. NO one knows how the clients skin will heal. This is a potential risk all clients take when consenting to this procedure.
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Scabbing can be part of a normal healing process after getting Microblading/Ombre/Nano Brows. Lymph fluid creates scabs; therefore, it is critical to follow post care instructions especially on Days 1-2 to prevent heavy scabbing. Some scabbing is ok as long as the scabs fall off NATURALLY and on their own. DO NOT pick your scabs! Your eyebrows will lighten up during the healing process; this is completely normal.
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If you are out in the sun a lot, have oily skin, use anti-aging creams, retinA/retinol products, acidic cleansers, natural elements, regular chemical peels, or exercise frequently, your permanent makeup WILL fade prematurely. The better you take care of the treated area and follow the provided aftercare, the longer it will last.
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Permanent Makeup is an art, NOT a science. Clients results will vary and using a pencil or powder will/may still be needed. We have no control over your bodies healing process and each time a procedure is done, the pigment will have less retention due to scar tissue
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You ARE NOT a good candidate for microblading if you have LARGE pores (Large pores on your forehead & in the brow area) or Oily/Severely Oily Skin, your results WILL appear softer/solid or powdered looking and will not last. Ombre or Nano Brows would be a better technique.
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Nobody's face is totally symmetrical and you need to be realistic with your expectations. There is no point in trying to make the eyebrows identical even if we were to use a stencil on your brows they will still look different due to our bone structure not being symmetrical. One brow bone will always dominant/protrude or be a little higher than the other. Also the side you sleep on plays a factor. We do not promise perfection when doing Permanent Makeup. Sisters, NOT twins is our go to phrase, but we strive for fraternal twins, not cousins!
For all additional questions or concerns before booking your appointment please contact us at (925) 269-9266. Prior to booking an appointment, please read all Information & Policies to maintain the best possible experience here at Un-Stripped. We look forward to giving you an amazing new set of brows!
