I grew up in the generation that expects eyebrows on fleek and nothing less. Though I don’t have the best brows growing up, I do appreciate a good pair of brows with a beautiful and clean shape.
Microblading has been around since I can’t remember. It’s something that has always been thrown around in the beauty world and many swear by it.
The constant talks surrounding it got me curious so I took it upon myself to research and read about it. And the more I learned about it, the more I found myself wanting to try it out myself.
As with anything I put on or do to my face, one of my top considerations is my skin type and I have skin that leans towards mostly oily..
If you also have oily skin and are wondering how this can affect the microblading process, read on below!
What is Microblading?
Before we move on to how microblading works for oily skin types, let’s first go over the basics of what microblading actually is.
Microblading is a semi-permanent makeup tattoo done on the eyebrows. Unlike traditional tattoos, microblading uses a handheld too with very tiny and barely visible needles.
These needles create hair-like strokes. As a result, people who get this achieve fuller brows that still look natural and soft.
With microblading, the pigment is placed under the skin, though not to the deeper layers like with traditional tattoos. This means it eventually fades. Microblading typically lasts anywhere between one and a half to two years before you need to set an appointment for a touch-up.
Microblading Oily Skin
Microblading has been a popular cosmetic procedure for years now, especially for people who grew tired of filling in their eyebrows every morning. With microblading, you can wake up to full, natural brows without lifting a finger.
However, certain skin types might want to proceed with caution. Your skin type can tell a lot about how your microblading journey can go – how it will heal and how long the pigments will last on your skin.
For this particular guide, we’ll be focusing on our oily skin beauties.
Is Microblading Oily Skin Possible?
The short answer is – yes, it is possible! Microblading oily skin, much like other skin types, is totally possible. Microblading procedure is also relatively safe on oily skin.
However, oily skin would require a little more consideration during pre-microblading, the microblading process itself, and post-microblading.
Also, not all microblading artists are confident enough to perform the procedure on oily skin people due to certain special considerations. This is why it’s important that you seek a microblading artist with a special skill set and can deal with the differences present on oily skin types.
While microblading on oily skin is totally possible, be sure you know what you’re getting into before setting that appointment.
For all the ways oily skin is different when it comes to microblading, we’ve got all that covered right below.
How Does Oily Skin Affect Microblading?
While everyone’s skin produces oil, an oily skin type overproduces it. The excess oil gives off a sheen and contributes to oily skin being more prone to enlarged pores.
When someone with oily skin gets microblading done for that fuller set of brows, one must know key differences on the microblading and healing processes.
Oily skin microblading healing process
People with oily skin, well, have more oil on their face. This means their skin is naturally more supple than those with dry or even normal skin types.
When your brows are healing after a microblading session, oily skin tends to heal more softly. This means that while drier skin types heal to some clean, crisp, and defined hair strokes, oily skin would heal with softer strokes that look close to being powdery, resembling powder brows.
The pigment from microblading can also spread out overtime as it heals due to the overproduction of natural oils. This is where microblading artists make the special adjustments.
When dealing with oily skin, a professional who has dealt with a variety of skin types, including oily skin, would not put in as many strokes or keep them too close together to anticipate the spreading out of the pigments.
How long does microblading last on oily skin?
On normal skin types, microblading results last for about one to one a half years before pigments start fading and a touch up is necessary. For drier skin types, it can even last longer than one and a half years!
Oily skin produces constant and excessive oil. This excess production of oil can cause the ink to fade faster than it would on other drier skin types.
For oily skin types, you would usually need to set up an appointment for a touch up before your new brows reach a year old.
Does microblading hurt more on very oily skin?
Many wonder if microblading hurts more on oily skin. How painful the procedure will be lies more on how sensitive your skin is and your own level of pain tolerance and not on your skin type.
Whether you have normal, oily, combination, or dry skin, it all comes down to your own skin sensitivity. If you have sensitive skin, then microblading will be a much more painful experience for you.
Microblading Aftercare
There is a general microblading aftercare most clients will follow, though these guidelines could still vary and change according to what your microblading artist suggests.
Microblading aftercare is pretty much the same across different skin types, with a few modifications here and there for much oilier skin types. And whether you have only slightly oily skin or extremely oily skin can also affect aftercare guidelines.
Wipe area with a damp cotton pad for three days
About one to two days after the procedure, you would need to wipe the eyebrow area with a dampened cotton pad every 15 minutes. This prevents scabbing and color loss on the treated area.
On other skin types, this would be done for one day only. But because oily skin produces excess oil, you would need to do this for two more days, three days in total.
When you should start doing this step would still largely depend on what your microblading artist suggests, so make sure to ask!
Use a lightweight healing cream
Typically, customers will need to use a healing gel to keep the treated area moisturized so it doesn’t dry out. But for oily skin, the brow area would be naturally more supple, so instead of a healing gel, a lightweight healing cream would be given instead.
Again, this would depend on what your artist would see fit and suggest.
Use blotting papers on treated area
Blotting papers are a great way to absorb and remove all that excess oil your skin produces, especially on the brows area. The excess oil on the treated area will cause the pigment to heal blurry. You’d want it to heal crisp and clean for that natural-looking pair of brows.
Avoid activities that make you sweat
For at least 10 days, avoid exercising, running, or any activity that will make you sweat. As we’ve mentioned above, the sweat and oil on the treated area will cause your skin to heal blurry when you want it to come out clean and defined.
Skip the area in your skincare routine
When doing your oily skincare routine, avoid putting the products on the treated area until it has fully healed. Skincare products may have some ingredients that can cause the pigment to fade before it even heals.
Stop touching it
As the treated area heals, refrain yourself from constantly touching and scratching it. As tempting as it is to touch and check how your eyebrows are healing, this will do more good than bad as your hands can cause premature fading of the pigments.
Microblading: Is It For You?
Now you may be asking if microblading eyebrows is for you, but with all the information presented to you, it’s up to you to decide.
If you’re still on the fence, remember to weigh the pros and cons of getting it done. And because you have oily skin, you have other factors and considerations to weigh in. Look for an artist that can walk you through the whole process and honestly tell you if you can achieve your desired brows.
Conclusion
Technically, everyone, regardless of the skin type, can go ahead and book a microblading appointment. After all, microblading is a good way to wake up with fuller brows you won’t have to fill in.
But if you have oily skin, there are some special considerations and conditions you should be keeping in mind.
As we’ve established above, oily skin is more prone to quickly fading as the more oil there is on your skin, the less likely it will be able to hold ink and pigment for longer periods of time.
Oily skin types are subject to softer, blurred results compared to clean and crisp strokes. This is why aftercare is a very important aspect to keep in mind.
If you have oily skin and have decided to book that microblading appointment, it’s important that you manage your expectations. It might come out exactly the way you wanted or it might not. Again, there are other factors at hand.
And if you decide to go ahead with the procedure, make sure to seek out a microblading artist who knows their stuff and has dealt with other clients with oily skin as well.
And that has been our guide on everything microblading on oily skin!