I took a bit of a hiatus from writing my blog, because i was trying to focus on creating more educational content (as well as finish my online course, which is super close) — hence today’s post! I take for granted that i’ve been doing this for almost 5 years, and that things come naturally for me now may not necessarily be common knowledge. SO, in true collaborative spirit, I’m here to spill my figurative beans: #communityovercompetition amirite? Today’s lesson: How to choose a microblade to best compliment your mad skills. Read to the end for a discount code!!
First off, quality blades are key to producing quality work. Your stroke pattern can be so on point, and you could have spent hours upon hours pouring over a thousand latex pads, but if your blade is crap, your work will also heal the same: crap. It may be tempting to search for the best deal on a blade, but unless you’re buying from a reputable company, you’re not really doing yourself any favours. Your blades should be sharp, needles should be fine. Also, it’s important to note that they’re marked sterile, cause gross. My favourite blades to work with are either the Jenn Boyd Ink blades (available for Canadians thru MinxBrows), or the Tina Davies blades. Yes, they’re a bit pricey, but i know for a fact that they’re a good quality blade and they stand behind their product as artists who currently produce work as well. Next in line are the pre-assembled blades from Minx Brows that come in a variety of configurations and needle sizes — i tend to use these when i’m doing a combo brow with mostly shading.
Speaking of configuration and needle sizes, that’s next on the list of things to consider. And its a doozy, so buckle up. Microblades can come with anywhere from 7 needles, to 18; meaning, 7 microneedles in the blade formation, up to 18 microneedles. They can come in a slanted config, a curved slant, or a u-shape. The needles themselves can range from 0.16 to 0.35mm in diameter. Take all of these factors, throw them into a tool, and you’ve got mass confusion. Lets take it one bite at a time:
In terms of needle size:
• If you want to create strokes that are super fine (and your client’s natural brow hairs are super fine), go with a nano blade, or a .16 to .18
• If your client’s brow hairs are naturally thicker/coarser, go with a thicker needle like a .20 or .25.
In terms of the number of needles:
• The more needles in your microblade, the wider your blade is.
• The wider your blade, the more difficult it’ll be to create a curved stroke — these blades would work well to create thicker brows where each hairstroke is longer.
• The thiner your blade, the easier it’ll be to curve your blade, which is great for thinner brows. Proceed with caution if your brow hairs are longer, it’s almost easily to inadvertently curve your stroke without intending to.
In terms of blade shape, it mainly comes down to technique:
• if you’re used to planting your blade and making your stroke with one swipe, use a slant, or curved slant.
• if you complete your stroke with a back and forth motion, try a u-blade.
I’d recommend having a few different configurations on hand so you can decide what to use based on your clients hair & skin. My personal faves would be a 14 slant in a 0.18 and 0.20 needle size.
in front of the client.
Last thing — assembled, disposable microblades vs. disassembled. You can purchase individual blades and use a blade holder, which would allow for switching up your blades during the procedure fairly easily. Pre-assembled blades tend to be a bit more expensive, so if you’re swapping out the blade in your blade holder, you’re saving a bit of the cost. If you plan on using a single blade for the full procedure, pre-assembled will do just fine. The main thing to remember is to try and use disposable blade holders. You could, in theory, autoclave your holder… but having an autoclave in your studio would mean doing bi-weekly spore tests with a lab, and keeping those lab results on file for public health. More expense, more work, more administrative duties… Just chuck the blades into a sharps container and use a new one for the next procedure. Your clients will also appreciate seeing a new package being opened in front of them for their brows.
And now for that discount code i promised you: This one is specifically geared towards the PMU industry. Want 15% off your next purchase on www.tinadavies.com? Use code browsbylaurie15 and save on your whole purchase — blades, pigments, practice pads.. you name it! Do it up, it’s a great deal!!