OTHER people will probably frown, sneer, and think that this is a shallow topic not worthy of column space, but, hey…kilay is life. Whoever coined that tagline certainly knows what he/she is talking about! Every single one of us owns a pair of eyebrows that frame our eyes. Never underestimate their power or significance because they bring attention to the ‘windows to the souls’ (the eyes). Besides, looking good and feeling good about oneself are vital elements in living a productive life. Kaya walang basagan ng trip…
I am not genetically gifted with lush, well-formed eyebrows. On top of that, my eyebrows are asymmetrical, so they’re quite the bane of my existence. I feel compelled to fix them with the magic of cosmetics by filling them with brow cream before heading out. I consider it part of good grooming and hygiene. It takes quite a bit of time because making sure my brows are identical sure is hard. Mismatched eyebrows, que horror!
I am not a professional, my hands are jittery, and I feel as if I don’t know what I am doing as I slap on make-up. I’ve been contemplating plunging into microblading (also known as eyebrow embroidery or 3D eyebrows) like several of my friends have done. They are the ultimate ‘kilay goals’ with the ‘woke up like this’ look sans the effort or sariling sikap I have to endure each morning. I decided to bug my bff, Weena Adelante, so she can share her microblading adventure for the benefit of us who are thinking about it but haven’t taken the plunge.
Weena said: “Microblading is very different from the eyebrow tattooing procedure of our mothers and lolas. With tattoo, it looks like one giant color block and the brows look super dark. With this procedure, there are natural feather-like strokes that mimic actual hair. Here, the aesthetician manually draws line by line on the skin using a sterile needle to produce the appearance of hair strokes. It’s like an artist drawing and the canvas is our face.”
We all know that, at times, beauty can be painful [hello, waxing, botox injections, boob surgery, liposuction, etc]. But Weena happily noted that the ‘tiis-ganda’ factor is very minimal with this procedure. She shared: “They gave me a topical anesthetic to put on my brows so I won’t feel the needle. We waited an hour for it to set in, and then that’s when the technician started the procedure. It takes more than an hour because, of course, this art shouldn’t be rushed. I actually felt so relaxed that I dozed off in some periods. It’s just like going to the derma.”
After the procedure, you go out of the clinic with amazing eyebrows alright; however, don’t expect that one to be the final look. Weena noted: “They’re darker before they settle into the final color. It will be itchy, but not unbearable. I was given some form of ointment to help me during the healing process. My advice is to not scratch, pick on the scab, or rub them as they’re healing. This is probably the hardest part because the temptation to scratch is there. But you don’t want pigment to come off and leave you with yucky bald spots, so resist the temptation.”
Weena shared that she went to Strokes by Momoi in Manila because she read that they are one of the more reputable centers that offer this service. Moreover, they have an extensive list of celebrity clients. She shared: “I paid around 20K for my eyebrows but keep in mind that this comes with a free touch up. That’s cheaper compared to the others where you have to pay each time there’s a need for retouch. I’ve had my new brows for almost 2 years now, and as you can see, they’re as good as new. I also save on buying brow creams, which are also not cheap!”
The biggest advantage of this procedure is that it cuts morning prep-time in half, leaving a girl at her best looking self sans the effort. Weena explained: “Doing my eyebrows before was really super time consuming because I needed them to match! Now, I don’t have to worry about that. Even if I don’t slap on eye shadow or lipstick, I feel polished. It looks as if I’ve made the effort, even if I didn’t do anything. I don’t feel rushed nor pressured when I do my beauty ritual. It may be vain, yes. But looking good really makes me feel great and happy. For all people—knowing that we look good always gives us that boost of confidence. It affects how we live our lives. We have to do what works for us to look good, feel good, and be happy!”
We all owe it to ourselves to take care of the only body we have. Physical appearance does affect our overall personality so there’s no shame in wanting enhancements. Those who are fortunate to be born beautiful and be gifted genetically will always have an edge. So a big thanks to science for coming up with means for those people who want to improve! In the grand scheme of things, microblading is not a big commitment and a major step like plastic surgery, but it does have the power to significantly perk-up appearance should people feel like they need it to look their best.
That being said, you should never feel like you are never not good enough because we attract the energy we exude! Never ever be afraid to be yourself. When you are unapologetic for your choices (physical enhancements included) and remain true to yourself, it will give you the strength to be unaffected by negative judgments. Every single human being is unique. We all carve and create our own paths so express yourself and do what gives you joy. Don’t let the fear of judgments stifle your voice, your choices, or your style. Let your inner glow shine by being true to your heart’s desires.
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