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by admin
When I first entered the permanent makeup industry in 2017, microblading was becoming the next big thing.
Everyone wanted it. Social media was filled with perfectly crisp hairstrokes, and microblading was marketed as the answer for anybody dreaming of fuller, more defined brows.
It was new, exciting and incredibly popular—and it was where my own permanent makeup journey began.
Almost ten years later, the industry looks very different. Techniques have changed, trends have come and gone, and our understanding of skin, pigments and healed results has improved massively.
Thankfully, my work has evolved with it!
When Microblading Was Everywhere
For the first two years of my business, I mainly offered microblading.
Microblading uses a small handheld tool to create fine cuts in the skin, which are then implanted with pigment to resemble individual brow hairs. On the right client, it can produce beautiful results.
However, as I gained more experience and saw more brows return for their annual colour boosts, I began to realise that microblading wasn’t necessarily the best option for every client.
The fresh results might have looked lovely, but how the brows healed and aged was far more important.
I noticed that microblading could be less suitable for certain skin types, particularly:
- Oily or porous skin
- Mature or thinner skin
- Very sensitive skin
- Skin that is prone to redness or bleeding
- Clients who had repeatedly had their brows microbladed
On oily skin, those delicate hairstrokes could blur or lose their definition. On mature, sensitive or thinner skin, repeatedly creating cuts could sometimes cause unnecessary trauma.
Permanent makeup should never be a one-treatment-fits-all service. That realisation encouraged me to learn more and expand the treatments I could offer.
Moving From Manual to Machine
After around two years of offering microblading, I decided to train in machine permanent makeup.
Using a digital machine allowed me to offer powder brows, lip blush and permanent eyeliner, as well as giving me more options when choosing a technique for each client’s skin.
I would love to tell you that one training course transformed me into the artist I am today—but that definitely wasn’t the case!
To be completely honest, some of the training available at the time left a lot to be desired. I completed my course, but I knew I still had so much to learn.
Over the following years, I invested in masterclasses, further training and plenty of practice. I studied different techniques, pigments, needles and skin types, but most importantly, I paid attention to how my work healed.
A photograph taken immediately after treatment might look impressive, but healed results tell you far more about the quality of permanent makeup.
Then Came the Ombre Brow
As machine brows became more popular, the ombre brow arrived—and brows became bigger, bolder and much more defined.
Ombre brows were designed to look softer and lighter at the front before gradually becoming darker through the body and tail. They created a more structured, made-up finish and were perfect for clients who regularly filled in their brows with pencil or powder.
At the height of the trend, bold brows were everywhere.
They were beautifully shaped, sharply defined and often made a real statement. Many clients wanted brows that looked freshly made up from the moment they woke up.
Like all beauty trends, though, things continued to change.
Now We’ve Gone Full Circle
Today, permanent makeup has moved back towards a much softer and more natural look.
We’ve gone from wanting everyone to notice our brows to wanting people to wonder whether we’ve had anything done at all.
Less is more.
Modern powder brows can be incredibly soft and subtle—nothing like the heavy “block brows” that some people still associate with permanent makeup. The aim is to create a gentle wash of colour behind the natural brow hair, giving the brows shape and definition without looking harsh.
For clients who prefer the appearance of individual hairs, we now have machine nano hairstrokes.
Nano brows use a permanent makeup machine rather than a microblading blade to create delicate, pixelated hairstrokes. They can produce a beautifully natural, hyper-realistic result while giving the artist more control over the skin.
They may also be a more suitable option for some clients who aren’t ideal candidates for traditional microblading.
However, even nano brows aren’t right for absolutely everyone. Skin type, existing brow hair, previous permanent makeup and the desired result all need to be considered.
That is why a proper consultation is so important.
Permanent Makeup Is No Longer About Following One Trend
One of the biggest improvements I’ve seen during my time in the industry is the move towards truly bespoke treatments.
Years ago, clients were often offered whichever technique happened to be fashionable at the time. Now, experienced artists understand that the right treatment should be chosen according to the individual—not simply the latest Instagram trend.
When I meet a client, I consider:
- Their skin type and condition
- Their natural brow hair
- Their age and lifestyle
- Any previous permanent makeup
- How much makeup they usually wear
- The result they would feel comfortable living with
- How the treatment is likely to heal and age over time
Some clients want a barely-there enhancement. Others prefer more definition. Neither is right or wrong—it is about creating something that works for the person wearing it.
It Isn’t Just Brows That Have Changed
Lip blush and permanent eyeliner have evolved too.
Lip blush can now be used to create a soft tint, improve the appearance of the lip shape and restore definition that may have been lost over time. It doesn’t have to look like heavy lipstick unless that is the finish the client wants.
Permanent eyeliner can range from an almost invisible lash enhancement to a more defined classic liner. Again, eye shape, skin and long-term suitability should always come before trends.
Modern permanent makeup is less about dramatically changing someone’s face and more about enhancing what is already there.
Nearly a Decade of Learning and Evolving
Looking back at where the industry was when I started in 2017, the difference is incredible.
I began with microblading because that was the treatment everybody wanted. Experience then taught me that I needed more techniques, more knowledge and a much deeper understanding of how different skins heal.
I have spent years investing in further education and masterclasses, adapting my methods and refining my work. Even after almost a decade, I am still learning—because this is an industry that never stands still.
Trends will continue to change, but my approach will remain the same: protect the skin, consider the healed result and create permanent makeup that suits the individual client.
Thinking About Permanent Makeup?
If you’ve been considering permanent makeup but feel unsure about which technique would suit you, you don’t need to decide by yourself.
During a face-to-face consultation, we can look at your skin, natural features and the result you would like to achieve. I will then explain which treatment I believe is most suitable—and, just as importantly, if there is a technique I don’t recommend for your skin.
Whether you would like super-soft powder brows, realistic nano hairstrokes, a subtle lash enhancement or beautifully defined lips, the aim is never to make you look like somebody else.
It is simply to create a more confident, polished version of you.
Book your free consultation with Emma Hazeldene PMU to discover which permanent makeup treatment would suit you best.
