If you’re considering permanent makeup for your eyebrows, you’ve probably wondered about microblading vs powder brows and which option might be right for you. These are two of the most popular eyebrow techniques, alongside ombré brows.
MICROBLADING VS POWDER BROWS: Which permanent makeup technique is better for you?
BUT WHICH ONE IS BETTER?
POWDER BROWS and OMBRE BROWS can sound like completely different techniques, but they are actually based on the same principle:
pigment is implanted into the skin using a permaneny makeup machine machine. The artist changes the tools, needle size and configuration, machine speed, hand movements and pigment saturation to create different effects; from a very soft, satin finish to a more intense powder effect.
WITH SO MANY OPTIONS, HOW DO YOU KNOW WHICH TECHNIQUE IS ACTUALLY BETTER FOR YOU?
The honest answer is: neither technique is automatically better for everyone.
Your skin type, existing eyebrow hair, age, lifestyle and the result you want – all matter when choosing the right treatment.
As a permanent makeup artist, this is one of the things I discuss with my clients before every brow treatment. I don’t believe in choosing a technique simply because it is currently popular. The technique needs to suit you!
LET’S STRAT WITH: WHAT IS MICROBLADING?
Microblading is a manual technique where the artist creates very fine strokes in the skin using a blade to imitate natural eyebrow hairs. I know it sounds scary and painful, but when performed correctly, it can create a beautiful, hair-like effect.
It can be particularly appealing if you have relatively healthy, non-oily or normal skin, enough natural brow hair and want a very soft result.
However, microblading isn’t suitable for everyone. (And I must admit, I’m not a big fan of this treatment – not at all. But I want to describe it objectively and with the best intentions, because it is an established treatment on the market and, when performed correctly, it should never cause harm).
For example, on oily skin, the fine strokes can become blurry, the colour can change as the skin heals, and the individual strokes may become less defined and blurry over time.
This is one of the reasons I don’t automatically recommend microblading simply because someone wants “natural brows”.
If you have oily skin, you can read more about whether microblading is suitable for you in my article here. – “Is microblading suitable for oily skin?”
And this is something I really want clients to understand: microblading is not the only technique that can create natural-looking eyebrows.
In my opinion, after over a decade of creating permanent makeup, I often see powder or ombré brows create a more natural-looking result in the long term than microblading — especially when I choose the technique and create the brows specifically for each client. Let me explain why below.
WHAT ARE POWDER BROWS?
With powder brows, I use a PMU machine to implant pigment into the skin and build the brow gradually using a pixelated shading technique.
I’m not sure why so many people think that eyebrows created with a machine automatically look fake or too heavy. It simply isn’t true.
I’ve seen plenty of badly performed microblading that looks much less natural than beautifully executed powder brows.
The point is to choose an artist who understands how to create the right result for your skin and features, rather than choosing a technique based purely on its name.
Only, because tattoo machines was used to create powder brows it does not have to look like heavy makeup.
Very bold, heavily tattooed eyebrows that were designed to last for many years without significantly fading belong more to the old-school approach to eyebrow tattooing. Today, we understand much more about pigment composition, implantation and how permanent makeup should age.
I have always preferred working with mineral-based pigment compositions, and my goal is to create brows that look soft and balanced as they heal and fade.
When created correctly, powder brows can be extremely soft and natural, with a gentle gradient and carefully selected colour.
They can also be a very good option for clients with oily skin, mature skin, or clients who want more definition than individual hair strokes can provide, as we can adjust saturation to your needs.
SO, WHICH ONE LOOKS MORE NATURAL?
This is probably the question I hear most often, because many of my clients choose me for the natural-looking results I create. And the answer might surprise you.
Natural doesn’t automatically mean hair strokes.
Hair-stroke techniques, including nano strokes, can look incredibly natural when an artist performs them correctly. The individual strokes can blend beautifully with your existing eyebrow hair. But there is something clients often don’t see when they look at brow photos on Instagram. The photos you see online usually show the brows immediately after treatment, when the strokes look more prominent, defined and sometimes quite “crispy”. As the brows heal, they soften significantly. In my experience, even beautifully created hair strokes can become very subtle and may lose a lot of their visible definition over time, sometimes within around a year. For many of my clients, this isn’t actually what they are looking for.
Most of my clients tell me:
“I want natural brows, but I still want some definition.”
And that is where the design and technique become so important.
A natural-looking brow is not necessarily the brow with the most visible hair strokes.
A natural-looking brow is one that is appropriate for your skin, facial features, existing eyebrow hair and overall appearance.
For one client, that might be delicate hair strokes.
For another, a soft powder or ombré brow may look much more natural.
The most important thing is not the name of the technique – it is how the treatment is designed, how the pigment is chosen and how it is implanted into the skin.
WHAT ABOUT MATURE SKIN?
Age is another factor that should be considered when choosing a brow technique.
As we get older, the skin changes. It can become thinner, drier or more delicate, and the texture and elasticity are different from younger skin.
That doesn’t mean you cannot have beautiful permanent makeup after 40, 50, 60 or beyond.
It simply means that the technique, pigment, machine settings and overall design should be adapted to your skin.
If you have mature skin and are considering microblading, you may also want to read my article Is Microblading Safe for Mature Skin?.
This is why I never believe in a “one technique fits everyone” approach.
AND, WHAT ABOUT OILY SKIN?
If your skin is oily, I would be particularly careful about choosing microblading.
Excess oil can affect how crisp individual strokes remain as they heal. What looked beautifully fine immediately after treatment may heal much softer and more blurred.
This doesn’t mean that everyone with oily skin automatically needs powder brows. Every client is different.
But it is one of the situations where powder or machine shading can often be a more suitable option.
If you’d like to understand more about how oily skin can affect microblading, you can read my full guide on microblading and oily skin.
SO, WHICH TREATEMNT SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?
Rather than asking:
“Is microblading or powder brows better?”
I would ask:
“Which technique is better for my skin and the result I want?”
That is a much more useful question.
At Permanent Beauty Clinic in South West London, in Clapham, I assess factors such as your skin type, existing brow hair, facial features, age, previous PMU and the look you want to achieve before recommending one of my permanent eyebrow treatments.
Sometimes the answer is nano brows, rarely microblading.
More often it is powder or ombré brows.
And sometimes a combination technique is more appropriate.
Your eyebrows shouldn’t be chosen from a menu simply because a particular technique is trending. They should be designed around you.
A little about me
Hi, I’m Marta, a permanent makeup artist and trainer with over a decade of experience creating subtle, natural-looking permanent makeup in London. I specialise in bespoke brows and I believe your permanent makeup should be designed around your skin, features and lifestyle. Not simply chosen from a list of techniques and here you have my full advice.
If you’re considering permanent powder or ombre eyebrows in Wandsworth, Clapham or South West London and aren’t sure which technique is right for you, a consultation is the best place to start.
Explore my permanent eyebrow treatments or get in touch here to discuss which option could be suitable for you.