Brows
7 years ago by
Sometimes, you have to take risks to be beautiful.
That’s what I did this summer.
You have to understand—for a long time I’ve been the girl with the super light, almost nonexistent brows. There’s definitely not much going on over my eyes. If I wanted to, I could probably count the hairs one by one. It might take a while, but it would be doable.
And it’s not even because I waxed them too much, no, no I was just born that way.
Brunette, but with pretty thin brows.
For a long time, I didn’t wear makeup. It didn’t bother me at all. Then with my work as an international influencer (I hope the irony of my self-proclaimed status is palpable!!!) came the amazing makeup artists who taught me how to do my eyes.
And brows.
And that’s when I learned how much impact a beautiful brow can have. Suddenly, my eyes become interesting to me, who had always thought I needed to accentuate my mouth since I had such boring eyes (women are such pros at self-torment right?) – and my face had more structure to it. It was really pretty. So I started focusing entirely on my eyes.
And even my future husband saw me in a bar and was drawn to me “because he loved my eyes”. I swear, when he told me that I was like: “what!?”
I should also point out that brows suddenly made a major comeback (after the reign of Kate Moss, my brow sister, they had to find something to make us buy more makeup) and we all ended up wanting brows like Cara.
Without going quite that far, a little brow makeup has become part of my daily routine, and I’ve gotten so used to it that without anything on my brows, my face feels naked, so I don’t like to go without it very often anymore.
ANYWAY. It hasn’t been more of an issue than that, but even so, I’ve kept an eye on how science is progressing because doing your eyebrow makeup is kind of a pain, even with the best Anastasia-the-brow-queen-of-LA kits. Because:
– It’s super hard to get the perfect arch every single day
– It’s super hard to find the perfect color
– It’s a pain (it takes time)
– And finally, you can mess it up with one wrong movement, or a tiny drop of sweat.
So one day when a friend told me about the eyebrow micropigmentation she’d done in Corsica, in Ajaccio (well yes, she’s a friend from Corsica), it piqued my interest—even though I couldn’t help but respond in all caps that SHE WAS COMPLETELY CRAZY TO GET A TATTOO HADN’T SHE SEEN THE WOMEN WITH ORANGE AND PURPLE EYEBROWS (SOMETIMES BOTH AT THE SAME TIME) HAUNTING THE AISLES OF MONOPRIX?
That didn’t faze her at all—she was totally stoic and replied by sending me photos of the results and I followed up with:
OK MAKE ME AN APPOINTMENT. I’LL BE THERE AUGUST 8TH (my all caps button was stuck)
It was gorgeous, super natural, the arch was perfect, and I was super excited.
And that’s how, the day after I arrived in Corsica, I ended up going to see Marina, a super adorable aesthetician, super well-dressed, a girl with taste, basically. SO IMPORTANT SINCE SHE WAS ABOUT TO TAKE MY FACE INTO HER OWN HANDS AND CHANGE IT FOREVER ok I’ll stop with the all caps
Oh yeah, in my excitement, I forgot to tell you two things:
Three things actually:
1. Micropigmentation is not exactly like a tattoo—it only lasts 6 to 8 months. So yeah, it’s a calculated risk. I’m not completely crazy.
2. The colors have evolved – message to all the women with orange and purple brows: it might be time to make another appointment.
3. But it’s still a tattoo. It hurts. You have to put on a thick layer of anesthetic numbing cream an hour before the procedure and you look really, really, really dumb—make sure to bring huge sunglasses and a hat.
Anyway, I laid down, totally unconscious confident and I let Marina redraw my eyebrows.
Her technique is not to draw fake eyebrows one by one (which is a very popular technique on Instagram right now) but just to shade in the area and accentuate the natural line, which gives it a super natural look.
It’s very, very difficult work, the brow line.
Balancing facial features is the subtlest thing ever.
So she took her time evaluating my face, studying it, measuring it, then she mixed colors (for me, it was an ash brown) and finally, she took her tattoo pen (yep, just like a tattoo artist, it was my baptism by fire—I don’t have any tattoos!!!) and she started “micro-pigmenting”.
It hurts, but you can stand it. Each time they go back over it, you clinch your teeth a little more, but then after about half an hour, it’s over. You put on a thick layer of healing cream on and make an appointment for touch ups one week later.
And that’s when they remind you:
“Don’t go swimming and don’t go in the sun, okay?”
I had just ruined my vacation to have perfect eyebrows, welcome to the thankless age.
“Not even with total sunblock? A hat? Big sunglasses?”
If you follow me on Instagram, now you understand the omnipresent black hat I’ve been wearing, which I bought for 15 euros immediately after I left my micropigmentation appointment.
The hardest part actually, were the days that followed. A sort of thick black scab (ew, sorry) forms, so you have to keep putting thick cream on it, which makes it look like 1) you’ve got two stickers instead of eyebrows or 2) you’re the main character in Angry Birds.
So you might not want to get this done before an important date, basically.
And the even harder part is, it’s super stressful when three days later, the scab still hasn’t gotten better, so you think that’s just how it’s going to be, your micropigmentation was a fail, the color mix got messed up and you’re going to be like that for the rest of your life and your career as an international influencer stops there, and it’s time to go haunt the aisles of Monoprix (which I’d do with or without the brows, I love Monoprix, don’t get me wrong).
(I swear, I really did think that. I even googled “how to get rid of permanent tattoos” to reassure myself, and like any panicky googlization, it did not reassure me, NOT AT ALL).
Then finally, after the fourth day, the scab fades away and you see the line, the color, the final effect.
And honestly, girls—it’s kind of amazing.
A beautiful line can really change your face, that, we all know.
But a beautiful line that changes your face in an almost permanent way—it’s kind of crazy. You go swimming and when you come out, your eyes still look fresh and dark. You wake up in the morning, and your face has structure to it. You put a little bit of mascara on your brows and you’re ready for the day.
Oh and the bonus? The line is already there for you. Super easy to tweeze without messing up.
Honestly, how can I say it…
IT’S AMAZING. I’d do it again tomorrow with my eyes closed.
———
PS: The only thing is, you have to find someone great to do it, someone with taste and fingers like a fairy, because it would be easy to mess up, and after that there’s not much you can do to fix it. So if you’re interested in trying it, taking your time and doing your research is definitely not a luxury. I’ll give you Marina’s contact info (if you’re ever in Corsica, you never know!) but if you know good aestheticians in your area, please let us know, because it’s really something I only trust when I have a good recommendation. I’ve seen too many bad experiences. Sending kisses, and keep me posted!!!
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Je l’ai fait il y a deux ans sur Paris au Boudoir du Regard (16eme). C’était top ! magnifique ! j’étais aux anges, et j’avais l’impression que ça révolutionnait tout mon visage ! jusqu’à ce qu’il faille y retourner 6 mois plus tard… et qu’on m’annonce que comme ça c’était bcp effacé, ba il fallait repayer les 200€ ! j’ai peut être trop attendu certes sauf que 2 ans après moi je vois toujours la ligne et des points persistent ! Je ne conseille pas du tout d’aller là bas (pas bonnes conseillères et appât du gain trop présent). Je suis passée à la méthode crayon, avec Kiko (pas une ruine et en 2 min le matin c’est fait). sourcils épais et fournis à la base donc pas la même problématique, je marque juste la ligne du haut, je comble un peu les trous et je triche en la continuant plus loin que ma ligne naturelle.
En tout cas, très réussi Garance !
Punaise tes sourcils sont parfaits ! Moi pendant très longtemps je n’ai jamais fait attention à ces trucs sur mon visage, sans intérêt etc. mais je réalise petit à petit à quel point de beaux sourcils peuvent flatter un visage !
Il faut que je trouve quelqu’un à la hauteur pour lui confier mes miens,
Des bisous Garance!
Mido. ?
http://www.bowsome.com/
WOW. Two questions. Where can I get this done in NYC and how much does it cost?
Does anyone know someone good in NYC?
Pour quelqu’un qui bosse dans la mode c’est beau, c’est pratique… Pour quelqu’un loin de ce monde, ça semble.. un peu exagéré ! Mais pourquoi pas :-)
It would be great if you could come up with a list of recommendations. In fact, you’d be doing a great services to those who truly need something like this if they have lost their brows due to chemo, for example. Honestly, when I lost all my hair due to cancer treatments, not having eyebrows was the worst part — just one more thing that made me feel unattractive, weird-looking, and invisible.
I agree. Losing my brows to chemo was awful. Every day I used a SUQQU eyebrow pen to draw them back on. But I’ve found since that tamoxifen has thinned them so I’d love to have this done. Worldwide recommendations please!!!
I wonder if Marina is Russian? And your brows look wonderful, Garance!
http://www.appelezmoiana.com
Whether you wear makeup or not, you just naturally have smiling eyes. Even if we don’t see your mouth smile, your eyes are.
I worry most about putting anything near my eyes. Mine are all puffy and itchy at the moment, and I am counting the hours/minutes until I can see the doctor in the morning. I think I might have rubbed sun block on an eyelid (wipe of sweaty, lotion-laden brow while running). I am sure I would have swollen eyes from the healing cream, and how long would THAT last?
My problem is that my eyebrows are turning gray before my hair. I stroke on some brown mascara, to keep them in place and give some color without looking too drawn-on. But I’d like something that doesn’t risk smearing or rubbing off during the day.
Congrats on your brows but speaking of eyes, I think yours smile and this is what makes them beautiful :)
Just WOW! This is the HG for the brow challenged! This has to be available in NYC! WHERE??? I need this! You look great!
Beautiful! I think this could be worth a trip to Corsica?! Will you post Marina’s details please?
C’est tres reussi ! Quant a moi, avec ma frange, je peux cacher mes sourcils. :-)
c’est canon!!
Garance, you look great! This is something I wanted to do only I’ve mixed up the name of a procedure and only “woke up” after the beautician started attaching tiny brows with glue. She was great, my eyebrows looked amazing and I got so many compliments. Only, I couldn’t get used to having proper brows. Mine are very blonde and thin and I felt the new one made me look somehow angry. So I kept plucking them until I completely got rid of them :) I think I I’ll leave them alone from now on :)
Ana
http://www.champagnegirlsabouttown.co.uk
Great post!
http://www.evdaily.blogspot.com
Your brows look amazing! Thanks for sharing the hubby-brow story. I’m not sure I can take the pain of something like this but I feel like the results would be great.
http://www.dressupchowdown.com
Oh yes indeed, Garance… You look really beautiful! Those brows are just a classic shape that doesn’t scream out an era or a brow shape trend. Now I seem to have yet another reason to visit Corsica. Would you mind posting Marina’s info publicly here? I have a feeling that many of us will want to go directly to her! Hehe… More Marina is about to get very busy!!!
Amazing. Amazing!! I live in Seattle, and I will do some searching for an aesthetician who does that here. If I find someone valuable, I will report back!
PS: You look beautiful, Garance!!
Je l’ai fait chez marinel rue du fbg st honoré a paris, ca a duré 10 mois et c’etait vraiment génial.
La bouche c’est super aussi, ca tient au moins un an et demi mais il faut choisir la couleur la plus proche des lèvres sinon c’est too much. Quand on a une assymétrie ca corrige extraordinairement bien !
I admire how much people devote themselves to the perfect brow issue these days. :) I’m too lazy to bother… :)
https://sofaundermapletree.wordpress.com
Je l’ai fait au studio olivier gay à Paris….et je suis RAVIE. Un investissement que je ne regrette pas du tout!! Bises
C’est magnifique!
Je n’ai pas beaucoup de sourcils (peu de poil et en plus, je me suis trop épilée pendant mon adolescence). Du coup, la ligne de mes sourcils n’est pas terrible. J’en ai un beaucoup trop fin, qui a énormément de mal à repousser.Ca fait depuis deux ans que je le laisse repousser et ça prend énormément de temps… Du coup, je me pose pas mal de questions sur la micro-pigmentation. Je lis des avis positifs, d’autres moins… J’ai assez peur de me lancer, peur d’être déçue, peur que mon nouveau visage ne me plaise. Et puis, ce n’est pas réversible à court terme…
Mais merci pour ton avis!!! :)
Belle soirée,
Julie, Petite and So What?
You are very brave, Garance.
So glad it worked out so well for you. Beautiful brows!
http://a-woman-of-a-certain-age.com/
They really do look great. Congratulations for enduring the entire process. I have been debating about whether or not to do this myself. I am still not certain if I want the polished look all the time. Does that make sense? Sometimes I like the look of not even wearing mascara, that is why I have never had my eye lashes darkened or permed etc. For anyone living in Toronto, Ritual, Hair, Skin, Beauty, Salon’s esthetician Heather is AMAAAAZING. at this. She has been doing it for years.
http://www.studiominq.com
I can NOT believe this is your topic this week. I made an apt to do this and cancelled it as I was so terrified of it looking hard or harsh, even though my brows are so thin and so short. But wow Garance- you look amazing! They are lovely and natural and perfect….to not have to spend time doing eyebrows each day-amazing. To look better with no makeup because you have a nice brow-amazing! You’ve given me the courage! I am lucky to live in a big city (SF) where there are several good options. Ok- I’m rebooking!
PS I adore your Podcast.
Amy
Amy Serpa – Where in SF are your recommendations?
Qu’en dit Chris?
(Chouette, je suppose :-) )
Chère Garance, que j’aime lire tes posts, garde ce ton naturel et plein d’humour…
Le résultat est magnifique…
Je vais me laisser tenter…
xoxo
C’est bluffant ! Génial ! FAllait oser mais alors là c’est vraiment topissime. Je n’ai pas ce problème mais si j’avais une ligne de sourcils peu dessinés je prendrai direct un billet pour la Corse ;)
Ah mais ça c’est génial!! Depuis le temps que, moi aussi je fais attention à ma ligne de sourcils qui est aussi fine et que j’en ai marre de passer du crayon ou du mascara! Ce serait la solution idéale, mais il faut trouver quelqu’un qui assure et ça c’est comme les coiffeurs voire plus dangereux parce que les cheveux ça repousse. En tout cas le résultat est top! On a envie d’avoir les mêmes sourcils, il me reste plus qu’à prendre un billet pour la Corse! ah ah ah Je suis sure qu’elle doit déjà être surbookée!
Merci Garance
Super beau !!!! Ce n’est pas la technique de micro blending alors ?? J’ai une amie qui a testé également et, alors qu’elle ne m’avait pas dit qu’elle avait sauté le pas, j’ai tout de suite remarque qu’un de ses sourcils n’avait pas la meme forme que l’autre… LA LOOSE.
Donc je stresse, je n’ose pas et je prends mon crayon tout les matins, (oui, parfois je le prends aussi dans mon sac, histoire d’assurer les éventuelles retouches #LaFilleQuiSeToucheLeVisageNonStop)
That’s so weird because I have also been thinking about this and while having them shaped yesterday at Browhaus, I was asking about prices and the procedure. It think it’s the same thing they do there. I think they have Browhaus in London and NY, as well as here in Shanghai where I live. I’m going to book but it’s quite expensive for a normal person like me… I hope it works out as well as yours! Beautiful! Thanks for the post.
Virginia how did it go with you at Browhaus Shanghai? I’m looking to do it there too…if you see this a feedback report would be greatly appreciated!
If you are in Austin – go see Channing Jackson at Wildflower Waxing: http://www.wildwaxatx.com/
She is awesome!!!
super fantastic,Garance!!!!Congrats!
Exactly what i would need-same brow situation…
Searching like made since years for somebody in NORTHERN ITALY!!!If somebody knows a great person around somewhere between Milano ,Firenze e Udine?
Or München,Germany….Amsterdam….???Thank you so much for a some recommendation.
Le résultat est superbe ! Je m’y suis intéressée récemment et je suis allée chez “Les cils de Marie” : non seulement l’esthéticienne m’a dit que je n’en avais pas besoin et qu’elle ne voulait pas me le faire, donc pas d’appât du gain de sa part. Elle m’a juste fait une épilation au top qui dégage le regard. Pour les parisiennes, foncez !
I have a friend who had her eyebrows tattooed to quite scary effect. It settled down with time, luckily! Would love to hear recommendations for good aestheticians in Australia. x
Everyone is doing this here in Brazil. I’ve heard it makes your real hair fall out… Only reason why I didn’t get mine done.
Does anyone know someone good to do this in Melbourne?
Bonjour,
Une adresse à conseiller à Bruxelles?
Super info merci
C’est magnifique, le résultat est très naturel..
J’ai exactement le même problème et je cherche quelqu’un à Bruxelles.
C’est vrai que le résultat est parfait et naturel mais tu es une coquine Garance, j’ai été voir tes photos d’avant, même les très très anciennes et tu n’as pas le sourcil aussi absent que tu crois, il y avait dejà une très belle ligne de départ ce qui dois jouer énormément sur ce très beau résultat. Qu’on me montre une photo avant/après aussi réussie sur un sourcil à la Loana et la je signe tout de suite !
Hello,
très jolie tes sourcils…..
pour ma part je vais à “l atelier du sourcil” sur Montpellier depuis quelques années et c est génial.
Entre 2 retouches le sourcil s estompe joliment.
Ça résume mon parcours et mes sentiments !
J ai saute le pas après avoir vu le résultat sur une amie
Je suis allé à l atelier du sourcil sur aix en provence
Résultat satisfaisant
A revoir dans 6 mois
Mais moi je dirais que ça fait très mal !Et pour pourtant je n’ai pas l impression d’être douillette
La crème anesthésiante m a en revanche été déconseillée avant l’intervention
Mais c’est vrai que ça change beaucoup le regard !
Très réussi Garance, et je suis tellement d’accord, ça change totalement le regard ! Je l’ai fait moi aussi pour la première fois au printemps cette année, à Paris. J’avais lu un très bon article sur cette personne dans un magazine féminin et du coup je suis allée chez elle. Je suis très contente, elle est très pro et mes sourcils sont vraiment réussis. Son nom est Natacha Orange et elle tient le salon chez Sourcil Studios au 156 avenue Victor Hugo , 75016 Paris.
Bonne journée !
Claire
Awesome results Garance!
I have the same brows situation and I have found a place where I live in Florence (Italy) where they seem to be very good at, but I don’t have the guts to do it.
Maybe I need to push myself a bit, but I really don’t like most of the fake brows look that I see around me…
Definitely worth the risk and pain: You look amazing!
I want to do it. Problem is that in the US, this particular procedure is beyond ridiculously expensive.
From $900 to $1,500. Much much cheaper in Europe and other countries.
Très réussi ! Une belle ligne de sourcils structure effectivement le visage, à tel point je trouve qu’il n’est pas forcément nécessaire de se maquiller, beaucoup, le regard est plus profond, le visage dessiné, une touche de rouges à lèvres et hop c’est parti !
Vraiment très beau et très naturel…je vous ai eu à bord d’Air Corsica mi-aout ; vous êtes rayonnante!!
I have a great recommendation in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Let me know if any of you are interested.
…..any recommendations in London very welcomed. Thank you
C’est parfait. Super narurel. Moi j’en ai pas besoin même si après deux épilations des sourcils en une vie mais à la cire l’esthéticienne de l’atelier du sourcil m’a dit que c’était des poils qu’il aurait fallu ne pas épiler et qui se sont affinés. Bref je suis un peu deg. Mais au moins ils ont repoussés et elle n’a enlevé que les indésirables. Là ils sont au top mais je n’aurais pas cette excuse pour aller à Ajaccio.
Anyone in Australia looking – I would highly recommend Amy Jean Eye Couture. Pricey but amazing. http://www.amyjean.com.au/services/feather-touch-brow-tattoo
In Melbourne you also have brow&lashco https://browandlashco.com
The salon is in South Yarra. It is very beautiful and the girls work well.
Salut Garance, le résultat est magnifique. Je songe aussi à le faire, mais je n’ai pas encore sauté le pas. Est-ce qu’à tout hasard, tu as une copine, qui connaitrait quelqu’un, qui connait quelqu’un qui le fait sur Paris :) ? Merci !
They look fabulous.
About 4 years ago I had my eyebrows tattooed on as I had hardly any hair! I blame my cack-hands and a Kylie stencil .
It’s the best thing I ever did.
I went from potatoe head to acceptable head in a week. The scabbing was awful & I gained the nick name Parker ( thunderbirds!)
Last week I had them micro-bladed again as it had faded considerably. I’m currently sporting the best brows I could wish for & I’ve never looked back X
J’ai plutôt du bol,j’ai des sourcils assez fournis et visibles. Même quand c’était la mode du micro sourcils, je n’y touchais pas (trop flemmarde et garçon manqué à l’époque), J’aime beaucoup mes sourcils que j’épile avec parcimonie. Ton tatouage est intéressant, mais ce n’est pas trop ma came.
xxx
Irène
http://www.cookinginjune.com/
Hi, Although I am still to have this done , My mum has and it looks great, I have had my eyeliner done (very finely so not cat-flicks) and its the best thing I have done as I have my lashes tinted every few weeks , it means that I can go ‘eye makeup free’ during the day on the beach, working out etc and still feel good.
Pendant longtemps, j’ai eu le même souci que toi : les sourcils assez peu nombreux et surtout, plus clairs que ma couleur de cheveux. Ayant des petits yeux, j’avais souvent l’air fatiguée…
Un jour, lors d’une séance de maquillage chez Bobbi Brown, on m’a appris à me maquiller les sourcils. Ça a été une révélation !!!
Mes yeux ressortaient, j’ai découvert que mes sourcils avaient une belle forme de base, j’avais l’air moins fatiguée : le bonheur !
Je me suis donc maquillée les sourcils avec les produits Bobbi Brown pendant longtemps et un jour, grâce au blog, le Boudoir du Regard m’a contactée pour m’offrir une micro pigmentation des sourcils. Je l’ai réalisée cet été et sur le moment, je n’étais pas très convaincue car ma ligne de sourcils était très différente (j’avais l’air “étonnée” ^^).
Puis, ça a dégonflée et là, c’était parfait !
En revanche, 2 mois après, je trouve que la pigmentation est déjà un peu partie et je continue donc à les maquiller.
Ce que j’ai gagné, c’est surtout une belle ligne de sourcils car ils l’ont bien redessinée.
Si c’était à refaire, je ne le referais pas forcément… C’est cher, c’est douloureux (j’ai beau être tatouée, c’est quand même très désagréable sur le visage ^^) et au final, une épilation bien faite + un maquillage rapide = le même résultat.
Après, je pense aussi que ça dépend comment notre peau conserve ou non la pigmentation.
Je ne critique pas la méthode, je la trouve top au contraire ! Mais je me retrouve davantage dans le maquillage rapide et efficace que je fais le matin :)
Voilà, belle journée !
Manon
For Amsterdam go to Sjoerd Vis of “Private Beautician” a super nice guy:
http://www.sjoerdvis.com/
http://www.imgrum.net/user/browzzbysjoerd/180299753
Here is a video, in Dutch but you will see how he works!
https://vrouw.nl/video/reportages/35504/hoofdredactrice_marieke_laat_wenkbrauwen_tatoe_ren_als_ik_maar_geen_cruella
I will have this done towards the end of the year and will keep u posted!
;-)) Christa
Great result!
Finding the right brow artist is no easy task but once you’ve got her, keep her!!
And if you’re ever in Switzerland, please allow me, the natural brow nurturer, to let my fingers dance like fairies on your brows too!
@elenieyebrows
I’m a “brows like Cara” girl, so I’m actually glad that thick brows aren’t seen as ungroomed or unfinished. I just smooth mine down with a bit of lip balm and I’m ready to go.
That being said, your brows look great! And I promise tattooing hurts less other places– the closer the bone is to the surface, the more painful it is.
Check this out.
I’ve looked far and wide in the U.S. for someone to do this and I can’t find them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwsp2hEZCAg&list=WL&index=2
Really informative post regarding eyebrows. I think microblading for eyebrows is the best treatment for looking beautiful in a natural way. I like that the treatment does natural individual hair strokes and that the color can last so long – anywhere between 1-2 years – the perfect low maintenance option for eyebrows!
I love your eyebrows a lot.
they look so natural and fluffy.
really good job.
xoxo
franzi powder brows