BUSY mother-of-three Cathleen Ann Limso-Go loves everything that has to do with beauty and fashion. And, when it comes to makeup, Cathleen passionately believes that well-groomed eyebrows are an absolute must!
“Well-groomed eyebrows frame the face. It can instantly make you look more polished even if you don’t have much makeup”, stresses Cathleen, , who moved to Cebu from Davao when she got married in 2006.
“I used to have an ordinary eyebrow tattoo but it was very thin and I wasn’t very happy with the shape. It looked very fake that I had to fill it in everyday with eyebrow products; sometimes, as long as 30 minutes, until I was satisfied with the results. Eventually, people started to compliment me on how lovely my eyebrows looked just by filling them in. I guess, I have a natural talent because I can make my eyebrows look good even with a very bad tattoo underneath”, giggles Cathleen.
Browmance
Recently, Cathleen took her love affair for the perfect brows a notch higher by becoming an internationally-trained cosmetic artist.
It all began when Cathleen came across an article about microblading which made her obsess about having hers done. First thing that came to her mind was how much time this microblading procedure would save her.
When Cathleen’s mom saw her microbladed eyebrows, she was so much impressed that she wanted to have hers done. However, the wait list was at least 5 months in advance.
“My mom said I was a pro at drawing eyebrows and makeup. So, she encouraged me to look for a school abroad so I that I could do her eyebrows. Since I’m a stay-at-home mom, I actually considered it”, smiles Cathleen.
Microblading
“I was trained by one of the finest semi-permanent cosmetic tattoo artists in Asia and in the world. At first, I just took the Basic Beginners Class and practised microblading on latex”, Cathleen narrates.
Also known as “eyebrow embroidery”, microblading is a relatively new, manual method for semi-permanent eyebrows. The procedure is different from the traditional hairstroke technique done by machine.
Microblading is done using a very fine blade to deposit pigments into the epidermis. Because the color is closer to the surface, the strokes appear crisp and very fine. There is no “spilling” under the skin.
“I did my research about microblading and of course, I wanted the best. In the process, I learned that different Asian countries have different patterns so I had mine done with who I think makes the most natural-looking eyebrows abroad”, discloses Cathleen.
Depending on the drawing technique, microblading creates an individual look for each eyebrow. So-called HD and 3D eyebrows do not appear as tattoos.
Kilay squad
When Cathleen came back to Cebu, she was confident enough to do it on real people. Her daughter’s caregiver was the first ‘brows-tomer’.
“I really had to convince her that I was ready so eventually, she let me do her eyebrows which turned out fab”, Cathleen recalls.
The hands-on mom proudly posted her initial creation’s before and after photos on Facebook and Instagram. Soon after, people came to her wanting to have their eyebrows done as well.
According to Cathleen, the ideal candidates for microblading are those aged 18 years old and above; and people who suffer from hair loss and have sparse eyebrows. It is also an alternative for people who want to define the shape of their eyebrows and those who want to correct old faded eyebrow tattoos.
In addition, it is recommended for gym rats who sweat a lot without worrying whether their eyebrows are still “on”. It is also for beach lovers who don’t want their eyebrow makeup to be “washed away”.
After doing around 50 eyebrows, the kikaymompreneur later enrolled in Advanced Microblading Class with Tricopigmentation (Scalp Tattoo).
I woke up like this....
For the kilay fanatics wanting to achieve the “I-woke-up-with-gorgeous-eyebrows” look, microblading seems to be a tempting choice.
“The microbladed eyebrows appear very natural because it is semi-permanent. Best of all, unlike the old tattoo procedure of yesteryears, the colors won’t change to green, blue or red over time”, distinguishes Cathleen.
The ink utilized for microblading will completely fade in 5-6 years while the microbladed eyebrows will last 2-3 years depending on skin type but will last longer with retouch every 1 or 2 years”, Cathleen details.
In microblading, the pigments are manually placed into the skin. As with the handle of the machine, the microblading manual pen is equipped with sterile packaged blades ("slope" style, in U-shape or curvy.). The blade glides with gentle pressure over the skin and causes a fine cut. The cut is as fine as a papercut and you can hardly distinguish it from real hair.
Cathleen assures that she uses a potent numbing cream in her microblading procedure.”There is actually no recovery time after and no swelling. But, you cannot get the eyebrows wet or touch them for 48 hours or 2 full days”, she advises.
“Right after the procedure, your eyebrows will look fantastic after the pictures are taken. It will get really dark on the 2nd day and start to slowly peel off on the 4th to 6th day. By day 7, it will look 20-30% lighter”, Cathleen says.
Aside from microblading, Cathleen likewise trained for eyeliner or eyelash enhancement on the lash line, lip tattoo and scalp tattoo.
So, if you are a kikay-on-the-go and want to save precious time with your makeup routine, book now with Cathleen G.!
In partnership with Skin Doctors Clinic (SM Lanang branch), Cathleen G. will be in Davao on July 15-17, 2016 with limited slots, by appointment only. For inquiries, you may call or text (0917)7054277. Follow Cathleen G. on Instagram and Facebook at ibrowsbycathleeng.
E-mail the author at mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. Visit www.momabouttowndavao.blogspot.com.