Brow Lamination vs Microblading: Which One Is Right For You?

Find out what’s the difference between brow lamination vs microblading! Achieve perfect brows you’ll LOVE.

If the eyes are the window to the soul, you best believe your eyebrows better be absolutely perfect. No but seriously, your eyebrows play a HUGE role in how the rest of your face looks.

How you style and pluck your eyebrows can dramatically alter your face…. for better or for worse.

Ever overplucked your eyebrows before? Then you know what I mean that your eyebrows (or the lack thereof) can enhance or hurt your overall appearance.

We all have unique brows. Whether you have beautiful bushy brows that need a lil TLC or very thin, sparse eyebrows that need a pick me up, there are sooooo many ways to give your brows the love they deserve.

Yes, you can wake up each morning and spend 10 minutes meticulously filling and brushing your eyebrows to perfection. Or, you can get an eyebrow treatment to give you the brow look of your dreams.

Two of the top brow services popular today are brow lamination and microblading. In this article, you’ll learn about all the differences (& similarities) between brow lamination vs microblading so you can pick the right treatment for your brows.

This post is all about the difference between brow lamination vs microblading.

What is Microblading?

Microblading is a semipermanent eyebrow tattooing technique that adds pigment in fine, short strokes into the skin to resemble hair. This is done by a specialist using a small handheld device that has multiple tiny needles on the end that are used to add the pigment into the skin.

BUT… don’t let the words “eyebrow tattoo” freak you out. Microblading is only semipermanent. This means it will fade overtime.

Benefits of Microblading

There are soooo many amazing benefits to brow microblading, including:

TIME: You won’t have to fill your brows in each morning.
MONEY: Yes, you have to pay for the treatment itself, but you won’t have to pay for the endless brow products you use.
PERFECT BROWS WHENEVER, WHEREVER: Once your brows have fully healed, your brows will be filled in to perfection whenever, wherever.
WATERPROOF: Never worry about your brows smudging off in the water, unlike when you wear brow makeup.
LONG-TERM SOLUTION: Although again NOT permanent, microblading provides long-term results (up to 2 years!) with only minor touchups to keep your brows looking flawless.
REGAIN NATURAL BROW LOOK: If you’ve lost your brows due to an illness/ health condition, this can be a great solution to fill in your brows naturally.

What is Brow Lamination?

Think of brow lamination as a perm for your eyebrows. Brow lamination involves straightening and lifting the brow hairs to create your desired brow shape. This gives a fuller-looking brow look and helps clean up unruly brows.

If you already have bushy brows, brow lamination is great to “clean up” or tame your brows to look more well-maintained.

Benefits of Brow Lamination

Brow lamination is a trendy new brow look that we’re here for. Here are some of the benefits:

NO NEEDLES: If you’re afraid of needles and the idea of getting a semipermanent tattoo terrifies you, this treatment doesn’t use any needles.
NATURAL: Enhances your brows, no matter if you have sparse or bushy eyebrows giving them a natural-looking boost.
FLUFFY BROWS: Gives you the cutest feathery, fluffy brow look.
FULLER BROWS: Gives you bolder, fuller-looking eyebrows.
CLEAN LOOK: Great for people who already have bushy eyebrows to tame their brows.

Brow Lamination vs Microblading

Time to get into the nitty gritty of the difference between brow lamination vs microblading so you achieve the perfect brows.

What to Expect: Microblading

Here are the following steps to expect if you decide to go the brow microblading route.

Step 1: Measurements

First the esthetician will use special tools to measure your eyebrows. Measuring your brows helps determine where start & endpoints are for your own brows, and helps figure out the best shape for your brows.

Step 2: Drawing & Outlining

Then, with a pencil your beautician will sketch the brow style… don’t worry this is only temporary.

Once the drawing is done, an outline with the pigment will be placed as a guide. This is to ensure when the actual microblading starts, it’s difficult to mess up.

Step 3: Matching Pigments

Obviously, not everyone’s eyebrow color is the same. Therefore, this step involves mixing different colors to accurately match your skin tone and hair color for a natural look.

Step 4: Numbing

Numbing cream will then be applied along the brows and surrounding area. This is because microblading does involve tiny cuts to deposit pigments into the skin.

Step 5: Brow Microblading

Once the numbing cream is set in (less than 10 minutes), it’s time for the magic to happen. Microblading is done in layers. Your esthetician, using a small handheld device with tiny needles at the end, creates small hair-like strokes in the skin. This is done by the needles creating tiny tears in the skin where the pigment is deposited into the skin.

Step 6: Healing Process & Aftercare

Now onto the microblading aftercare process. Once your microblading session is complete, your esthetician should give some aftercare instructions. Some tips they may give to care for your new brows include:

Gently wash your brows with a gentle cleanser (i.e. Cetaphil).
Don’t scrub at your brows.
Dry the entire brow clean after cleansing.
Use microblading aftercare ointment twice a day along the brows.
Avoid applying makeup, lotion, sunscreen, sun exposure, lasers, and any chemicals in and around your brows after the first two weeks of treatment.
Once the first 2 weeks are up, you can go back to normal activities.

Note: Your brow color may look a bit darker than expected right after your microblading session. Don’t worry! It will fade within a few days.

Step 7: Touch Ups

Your brow microblading is temporary, so you will need to get touch ups about twice a year to maintain your perfect brows.

Microblading Before and After

How long does microblading last?

Although results vary, microblading lasts from 18 months to 30 months long. This all depends on your skin type, lifestyle, and how often you go to get touch ups.

Microblading Cost

Microblading can vary big time in price, mainly depending on the artist you have and where you live. Expect to pay $500 to $2000 (yikes!) on your microblading appointment.

Keep in mind microblading is a semipermanent tattoo, so it will last about 2 years long. Also, you don’t want to skimp on an inexperienced artist doing your microblading treatment.

Who is a good candidate for microblading?

There are definitely people who should AND should not get microblading, especially depending on your skin type. Here is who would be a good candidate for microblading:

Healthy, Non-Sensitive Skin Type- Microblading involves making cuts into the skin. Therefore, if your skin is really reactive, prone to acne/ breakouts, or have a pre-existing skin condition, microblading may not be for you.
Thin Brows- Microblading is a great treatment for those looking to naturally fill in their sparse brows for a fuller look.
Gaps In Brows- If you have gaps in your eyebrows, whether from stress or other health condition, microblading is great to fill in those gaps for the perfect brows.

Who should NOT get microblading?

Microblading is certainly not for everyone. Here are people who should NOT get microblading.

Sensitive Skin Types- Again, if you have sensitive skin that reacts to anything… do not do microblading.
Have Preexisting Skin Conditions- If you have a skin condition that makes your skin easily reactive and irritated, this treatment may not be for you.
Fuller-Looking Brows- Although you can get microblading if you already have fuller brows, you won’t see much effect/ change to your brows, so it may not be worth spending the $$$.
Pregnant Or Breastfeeding- Since you can potentially get an infection from microblading, brow artists won’t work on pregnant or breastfeeding clients.

What to Expect: Brow Lamination

Here are the steps to know for brow lamination.

Step 1: Eyebrow Prep

Your brows will first be cleaned, dried, and a cream will be placed on the brows to “lift” your eyebrow hairs.

Step 2: Brow Hairs Brushed Up

Your brow hairs will then be brushed upwards in the direction and shape you want.

Step 3: Neutralizer To Seal Brows

A neutralizer will then be applied to seal your brows and essentially set them into place.

Step 4: Nourishing Oil & Aftercare

Then, a nourishing oil is applied to add hydration and prevent skin irritation. Afterwards, for the next day or two, keep your brows dry, don’t use makeup, avoid exercising, rubbing your brows, or anything to mess with your brows.

Step 5: Optional Add-Ons

You can choose to have add-ons onto your brow lamination appointment. Some common add-ons include tweezing stray brow hairs, waxing, and tinting the color of your brows.

Brow Lamination Before and After

How long does brow lamination last?

Brow lamination lasts about 6 to 8 weeks before you’ll have to get them redone.

Brow Lamination Cost

Expect to pay anywhere between $50 to $100 to get your eyebrows laminated. This is dependent mainly on where you live and who does your brows.

Who is a good candidate for brow lamination?

Here are some qualities of someone who should consider brow lamination…

Healthy, non-sensitive skin- If your skin isn’t sensitive or reactive, you would be good for brow lamination.
Fuller Brows- If you are looking for a way to clean up thick brows, brow lamination is perfect.
Unruly Brows- Similarly, if your brows are unruly, brow lamination can help “straighten out” and make your brows look more put together.

Unlike microblading that can add to the appearance of sparse brows or gaps in your eyebrows, you need eyebrow hair in the first place in order to get them laminated.

Who should NOT get brow lamination?

Here are some signs you shouldn’t get your eyebrows laminated.

Sensitive Skin- If you have reactive skin that gets really irritated, consider not getting your brows laminated.
Gaps in Your Brows- If you are looking to fill in big gaps in your eyebrows, brow lamination may not be the right fit because you need pre-existing hair to get laminated.
No Eyebrow Hair- Likewise, if you have little to no brow hair, inevitably brow lamination won’t help in filling in your brows.

Brow Lamination vs Microblading Recap

Still unsure of whether brow lamination vs microblading is right for you?! Here’s a quick recap of the important factors you should consider.

Look

Microblading

If you have sparse brows or gaps in your brows, microblading is great to help fill in your brows for a bolder, more defined look.

Brow Lamination

If you have brow hair that looks a little unruly, and needs a bit of clean up & style, consider getting your brows laminated.

Cost

Microblading

The cost of microblading is fairly steep ($500-$2000). However, microblading can last up to 2 years.

Brow Lamination

Brow lamination cost is much cheaper ($50-$100). Yet, it only lasts about 6-8 weeks before needing to get redone.

Overall

If you are looking to fill in gaps in your thin brows or add more fullness and definition to your brows, microblading is a great semi-permanent option. Yet, if you are just looking to clean up and style your unruly, bushy eyebrows, brow lamination is the way to go.

BEST PRICE: Brow Lamination

BEST LONG-LASTING CHOICE: Microblading

Frequently Asked Questions

Does brow lamination damage your eyebrows?

Brow lamination is like perming your hair, which can lead to unwanted damage. To prevent damage of your eyebrows, spread out how often you get your brows laminated. And, don’t get your brows redone sooner than 6 weeks at a time.

Is brow lamination cheaper than microblading?

Yes! Brow lamination is cheaper than microblading. However, microblading lasts significantly longer (about 2 years), whereas brow lamination you have to do more frequently (every 6-8 weeks).

Can you do brow lamination over microblading?

You can get brow lamination done over microblading. However, it’s essential you wait for your brows to completely heal from the microblading (about a month) before getting your brows laminated over top.

I hate my brow lamination…. what should I do?

At first, your brows after getting them laminated can look soooo different that you may immediately hate your new brows. Take a day or two to get used to your brows, you may find you actually like the look once you get used to them.

If you still hate your brow lamination, you can always brush the brow hairs down with a spoolie. And, the treatment wears off in about 6-8 weeks… which isn’t too long!

What’s the difference between eyebrow lamination vs tint?

Eyebrow lamination is when you lift your hairs upward, giving them an almost “clean”, organized look. An eyebrow tint is when you add color/pigment to the hairs to make them darker. You can do both a brow lamination with an add-on brow tint during your treatment if you are looking for clean-looking, feathery brows in a bolder, darker shade.

Brow Lamination vs Microblading: Which One Is Right For You?

What is Microblading?

Benefits of Microblading

What is Brow Lamination?

Benefits of Brow Lamination