Microblading Guidelines | Find the Right Professional

Eyebrow microblading is a relatively new method to Montreal although Microblading has been around for years.

The most important thing you need to know about this service and any beauty service offered in Quebec is how many 'technicians' are out there practicing without a diploma. I've learned later on in my career that many beauty 'experts' are operating with minimal to no educational background. It has become too easy to wake up one day and decide to start a career in the beauty industry without any proper training.

The scary part? There are people out there getting their certificates done for microblading and other beauty services without the background education of esthetics.

Why is that scary? There are people out there getting 'certified' to tattoo women's faces with little knowledge on hygiene safety or the skin. What if something went wrong that could've been avoided by a simple knowing of how to prevent it from happening?

Microblading can be a profitable service for people who choose it, but that's also part of the problem. If you put your brows in the hands of someone who is only looking to profit from you financially, good luck.

When financial gain is the motivation, you are most likely going to experience an individual who has looked for the shortcut to get there. They will charge the same rate as a professional and call themselves one too (or might even offer a very cheap price to compete).

Ask the technician about their background. Did they go from clerk to brow guru overnight?

Technically in Quebec, a lot of the beauty industry is not strictly regulated. This means you don't need to have much of a prerequisite educational background to obtain certificates for services such as microblading and lash extensions. If that doesn't make you nervous, it should.

Ultimately it comes down to the individual. I have met some self-taught technicians who are talented and do take their work seriously, and there's nothing wrong with that. Just make sure you are dealing with a professional who will be able to give you the results you are looking for.

How can you tell they are truly a professional?

First thing, always trust your instincts. If you get a bad vibe from the persons online presence, building, atmosphere or even the persons energy, trust it. If you feel you are going in for the treatment without getting any information, just a vague explanation, that should be a red flag. You should feel at ease and completely informed before you even consider sitting in the chair.

Are they able to thoroughly explain the procedure? They should be able to let you know exactly what to expect during and after the treatment.

At first glance, what is their visibility online? A business who has taken the time to have a user-friendly website and professional domain name are most likely taking their business seriously and not operating without regulations.

Make sure to do your research!!

Look at multiple options, photos and websites. This doesn't need to be a rushed decision. This trend is not going anywhere, so be sure who you choose will be the one who can give you the results you are looking for. Also, when it comes to semi-permanent/permanent treatments, it's not advised to shop with the budget in mind. If you cannot afford the price of the professional you wish, settling for less may lead to much regret.

As they say, "you think hiring a professional is expensive? Try hiring an amateur!" In other words, if you hire a professional you will pay once, hire an amateur and you will be adding on costs to fix it. So it's best to save up and be sure you are happy with your results in the end.

Hygiene & Safety

Where are they performing the microblading treatment? If you read it is a home-based-basement-under-the-table business, run for the hills! Whether it's their home or yours. Why? HYGIENE!!! The home is a bigger space with all kinds of activity, pets, and children that create a breeding ground for bacteria and germs to accumulate. You have no idea what's in the air (or under the rugs) of someone's home or even yours (especially with carpet). Microblading (since it's similar to tattooing) it is extra important to ensure the environment is regularly cleaned and disinfected.

Don't be afraid to ask the technician how they keep their space disinfected and what their regular hygiene practices are. If they only clean tools at the end of the day after multiple clients with a basic soap... please run even further for the hills.

First of all, all microblading needles are single use only. They are sterilized and placed in a safety package, opened for the treatment and then safely disposed (not in a home trash can).

All [disposable] tools used must be placed on a surface that is easy to clean and disinfect (glass, counter-top, ceramic).

Non-disposable tools (such as tweezers) should be regularly cleaned in between clients and properly disinfected with a specialized [heavy-duty] disinfecting solution.

Colour Knowledge

Choosing the right colour, how easy is it?

Depends on a few things:

Colour correction, colour selection, skin tone/under-tones and pigments. It's being able to recognize how to choose the right colour that will eventually fade to the authentic colour desired.

If someone has a lot of redness in their skin, would you choose a brown with high red undertones? The professional should be able to respond to that, followed by the correct undertone to use instead. The colour chosen should not be judged by the colour title (example: 'Light Brown') nor should it be chosen by the colour you see in the bottle. Depending on the selection of colour pigments, some clients require a colour mixture and not just a solid 'Brown'.

Let's look at the color brown for example. Google 'brown hair' and look at the images. From all of the photos, does every brunette have the exact same brown hair colour? Nope! You will notice some are more rich, red, brassy, dark, light etc.

Do we even know what a true brown looks like? Probably not. This is why colour knowledge is very important to have as a skill-set when it comes to semi-permanent/permanent treatments (especially beauty related).

Microblading is a great short-term and long-term solution for brows. There aren't many specialists in Montreal who are offering it, but it is a trend that is growing rapidly. You can expect to find the under-the-table-basement-business' to start popping up more and more.

Remember to always trust your instincts and never go for any semi-permanent/ permanent service without a consultation beforehand.

For more information about microblading click here

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