Combination Brow

Most people will be a good candidate for microblading. There are some conditions that we screen for and there are steps you can take to ensure the best possible healed results.

Please send a photo if you have had previous microblading procedures as well as when your last procedure occurred.

For 3 weeks before and after your procedure No Botox treatments.

Discontinue Retinol or anti-aging serums 3 weeks before your procedure. Don't use retinol in the brow and forehead area for 3 weeks prior and 14 days post procedure.


No chemical peels for 60 days prior to and following your procedure.

Avoid heavily sweating the day of your procedure and for 10 days after.

Avoid suntanning and no sunburns prior to your appointment.

No waxing or tinting in the brow area 3 days before your procedure.

Check with your Doctor and discontinue Asprin (ASA), niacin, vitamin E, fish oils, CoQ10 and ibuprofen 48 hours before your appointment.

Do not consume alcohol or caffeine 24 hours before the procedure. Doing so can lead to poor pigment retention.

Please follow these instructions to allow for the best healing of your freshly microbladed eyebrows.

The day of the procedure you will leave with a thin covering of vaseline on your brows. Before bedtime, take a damp paper towel and wipe the brows from the centre outward to remove the vaseline layer and any fluid that has come to the surface. Pat dry and do not apply any moisturizers unless directed to do so. Dry healing will have the best results.

For the next 10 days, blot the brow area three times a day with a damp paper towel. Do not rub or allow the brows to sit in moisture (swimming, face submersion, heavy sweating). If they get wet during showers, blot them dry as soon as you can. There will be some clear fluid as you heal, that is perfectly normal and is your body's lymphatic system and healing proccess at work.

Your microblading will look dark and thick in the first few days. On day 4 or 5 you will begin to lighly scab. Do not pick at or pull off the scabs, rather allow them to fall off on their own.

Your eyebrows will appear light for the next week.

Trust the healing process!

On days 5 through 10, your brows may appear patchy and flaking can be noticeable.

Day 10 to 15 - brows may appear too light.

Day 15 to 30 - you are well into healing and may feel you want to go darker or thicker on your touchup session.

6 weeks later at your touch up session we see how you've healed, and make any adjustments to the colour, shape or size, and Voila! Perfect Brows!

You should remain patient because microblading fades after scabbing and is normal during healing. The pigment will reappear over time as the scabs fall off naturally. It is important to keep following the aftercare guidelines during this process and after six weeks you can go for an assessment of your microbladed brows. Even though they appear healed, it does take a full 6 to 8 weeks to fully heal.

Touch up sessions are strongly recommended. A free 6 week touch up is included with your initial fee.

Future touch ups will also be needed. The skin on our bodies is constantly shedding, and pigment will naturally fade over time. For most people a touchup is needed about once a year. Some might need more frequent touch ups, while others can go 18 to 24 months.Ombré and combination brows need less frequent touch ups. Everyone heals differently and has different skin and lifestyle factors, so you will be a good gauge of when a touch up is coming due.

Feel free to arrange a consult if you're not sure when you should have a touch up session or if you feel your brows are ready for a fresh look!

Review before MICROBLADING
You may not be a good candidate if you have the following:

Symptoms of cold or flu, sinus or respiratory illness - kindly reschedule your appointment.

Skin irritations (sunburn, rash, eczema, acne, shingles, psoriasis near to brows)

Women who are pregnant or nursing.

If you are under the age of 18.

Recent Retinol Cream and/or Botox treatments - allow three to four weeks to pass after Botox. Don't use retinol in the brow and forehead area for 3 weeks prior and 14 days post procedure.

Used Prescription Accutane in the last year.

Have an autoimmune condition -may lead to longer healing time.

Have medical conditions including: Diabetic, epileptic, heart conditions, pacemaker, organ transplant recipient, viral infections, transmittable blood diseases, HIV, Hepatitis.

For freckle procedure, no active cold sores, and procedures may increase risk of an outbreak.

Have had keyloid scarring. *A keloid scar is an enlarged, raised scar that can be pink, red, skin-coloured or darker than the surrounding skin. They can develop after very minor skin damage, such as an acne spot or a piercing, and spread beyond the original area of skin damage. Please request a skin test if you are unsure if you are at risk for keyloid scarring.

Cancer diagnosis and / or undergoing chemotherapy recently. Consult your Doctor for a medical note of clearance to proceed.

Hemophilia or other bleeding disorders should be identified in advance of any procedure where bleeding can occur which includes permanent makeup and paramedical services. Consult your Doctor for a medical note of clearance to proceed.


Taking blood thinners- please consult your Doctor. Examples include Asprin (ASA), Coumadin, Alcohol, Ibuprofen. Follow your Physician recommendations and provide a letter of medical clearance. Ask your Doctor which medications you can take after the procedure for any pain or discomfort.

If you have allergies to the following materials: Bacitracin, Lidocaine, Metals, Neosporin, Paba, Rubber, Latex, Epinephrine, Benzocaine or others, please notify your artist.

Oily skin types are not as effective at retaining pigment. Overproduction of sebum (skin oil) can undermine the ability of the pigment to adhere to your skin. To compensate, use skincare products designed to reduce oil buildup. If you have oily skin you will be given a specific aftercare protocol to help with pigment retention. You can expect less defined hair strokes with oilier skin types so a “powdered” or “ombre” approach may be better than microblading alone.

Sunspots in the treatment area - colour will hyperpigment.

Questions or concerns? Select 30 minute virutal consultation!

We always recommend speaking to your Doctor about any medical related concerns and ask that you follow the advice of your Physician. We are not able to provide advice on medical conditions, medications, or other skin or health concerns.

*Medical note of clearance may be requested

We bring you a great foundation by using the highest and most trusted pigments and tools in the industry. There are a lot of things you can do to keep your treatment area looking great!

Stay well hydrated and drink lots of water. Hydration will help your healing and overall health.

For the first 10 days after your procedure, avoid heavy sweating and sun exposure. This can include intense workouts, pools, sauna's, hot tubs, and long hot showers during the healing process.

In the first 7 to 10 days, if the brows get wet or you are sweating, blot the area dry with a paper towel.

10 days after your procedure you can resume using sunscreen, which is recommended to reduce fading from sun exposure. Avoid direct sun exposure and use a hat or visor to shade the brow area.

Moisturize your skin regularly. If skin is looking dry or ashy, a little moisturizer will help revive the colour of your ink implants.

If applying foundation or concealer to your face (after 10 days of healing), don't apply foundation to the brows, or wipe off any foundation with a wipe or q-tip.

Follow your aftercare instructions! We know it can be tough but a little patience goes a long way, especially in the first 7 to 10 days when healing is most critical.

Remember that the brow area will lighten and darken at various phases during healing. The pigment will settle in as you heal.

Touch up sessions are needed! Our faces are exposed to elements and the skin is always shedding. Most will need a touch up once a year. Because everyone heals and retains colour differently, some may need more frequent touch ups, and some may be able to go longer periods. Having frequent touch ups will save you money and keep your brows looking fresh.

Avoid dying and tinting brows, as well as waxing and plucking during the healing process. Avoid exfoliation and chemicals to the brow area.

Smoking and vaping can dull the skin and slow healing time, avoid if you can!

Retinols, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, vitamin C serums, and other acids can be detrimental to the pigment’s integrity. Be careful about using skincare products including lotions, sunscreen, cleansers, and makeup that contain these products.  Any products labeled “anti-aging” will contain acids and should not be used on the tattooed area. Anti-aging and anti-acne skincare products containing RETINOL, RETIN A, and BENZOYL PEROXIDE should all be avoided. These substances lead to microblading strokes fading prematurely and cause the color to go gray.

Salt water and chlorinated water usually mean fun at the beach or pool. However, neither types of water are good for eyebrows that have undergone microblading because they do cause color fade. That doesn’t mean a trip to the beach or pool is out of the question. It just means a little preparation is required. Apply a light layer of Vaseline or Aquaphor to the microbladed area and then go swim.

Pigment retention will depend on a number of factors, such as lifestyle, skin type, sun exposure, health condition, etc. 
Following these suggestions can help you have the best retention and reduce touch up intervals!

Happy to answer any questions you may have!

There can be a variety of reasons why colour correction would be needed. We have seen people with eyebrows that have faded or turned orange, purple, even blue. Why is that? It can be tough to say for sure, but some common reasons are:

• using low quality pigment
  
• the skin tone wasn't taken into consideration when selecting a colour
  
• Sun exposure or other environmental factors
  
• Pigment was implanted too deep during a procedure
  
• Daily use of retinol on the treated area can cause fading or colour changes. Chemical peels may also affect pigment retention.
  

Rest assured that any services provided at Embolden will take every effort to avoid this happening with extensive knowledge of colour theory, skin tones, application depth, as well as using the highest quality pigments available.

If you find that you have an undesired colour, there are some options available. With a consultation we can discuss correction procedures such as:

Ombre shading to offset the unwanted colour areas and blend into the desired tone and match the skin undertone.

Pigment Lift/Removal. Using a corrective serum applied to the area with a tattoo machine, sometimes two or more treatments can be needed to fade out existing pigment. Once the area is healed a session can be arranged to create new brows on the area. This can be an affordable option for lightening or removal (compared to laser removal).

You may have eyebrows that are completely solid, too dark in color, too big or unwanted placement of color. In this case, the majority of the color has to be first removed. With this technique, we first remove the old color by attempting to lighten it to a shade that is manageable. After the initial treatment we wait at least four weeks so the color has time to rise to the surface of the skin. After six weeks when healed, we re-evaluate the area to determine if another removal session is necessary before we can apply a new color. In some cases, a removal AND color correction is needed before new pigment can be applied.

A consultation might suggest laser tattoo removal will be indicated. We can assist with referrals if laser removal is an option you are considering. Once the laser area is healed a session can be arranged to create new brows on the area.

Regardless of why they faded, a free consultation is always a good starting point to review what would be best for your situation and budget.

There are a lot of styles that may be sought for eyebrows. How do you know which one is for you?
Your personal style, preferences and lifestyle are always important to consider. We can also consider what styles and shapes are trending, skin type and tones, and your unique features and desired outcomes are very important in deciding which route to go. The most natural hair strokes are achieved with microblading. A more bold or dramatic look can be acheived by adding some shading. If you like the look of makeup, then ombre brows might be more your style. There are lots of fancy words and terms that can describe one's personal preference, as well as considering how permanent you want to go.

Microblading: Realistic hair strokes, 'semi-permanent', looks more feathery or fluffy.
Touch ups: yearly to 18 months

Microshading: aka powder brows creates fuller brows without needing daily makeup.
Touch ups: One to four years

Ombre: Soft yet defined gradient, darker at the tail and more faded toward the bridge of the nose. Best for oily skin types.
Touch ups: Two to five years

Combination brows: Hybrid of Microblading and Ombre. Creates a natural and defined brow, can be soft shading or more bold, tailored to your desired outcome.
Touch ups: One to three years

Using the tattoo machine for shading or brows can mean less frequent touch ups and is considered permanent makeup. It can also be best for oily skin types and some ethnicities who tend to have more naturally oily skin.

Overall, selecting your style will be a matter of personal preference and what look you would like to see. The consulation process will help us to determine which procedure to use to create your perfect vision!

Select 30 minute Virtual Consultation to get started today!

You may be worried about pain during a procedure. While there may be slight discomfort, rest assured that all procedures use topical numbing agents to minimize any discomfort.

An initial numbing agent is applied to the treatment area and will stay on for 20 to 45 minutes. Once a procedure has begun, we apply a secondary numbing agent at frequent intervals. The secondary numbing works not only to reduce pain, but also to restrict bleeding at the site, which allows the pigment to have the best retention when implanted in the skin.

Most people report feeling no pain at all, and if there is any sensation it is similar to a light scrape or scratching feeling.

The treatment area will be sensitive for the first few days, improving each day as healing takes place. Refer to your aftercare instructions and consult your Physician to see which pain medication's are safe for you- usually Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen can be taken as needed.

Please notify your artist if you have any allergies to lidocaine or epinephrine.

Other factors that can influence pain:

• recent use of retinol, glycolic acid and accutane (See 'How to prepare for the appointment)
• procedures performed during the menstrual cycle
• using caffeine, tobacco or other stimulants
• Stress
• Age (older adults experience less pain but may need 8 weeks healing time between procedures)
• Touch up appointments before a minimum of 6 weeks have passed
• Scars and burns should be at least one year healed before any corrective procedures are performed.