Microblading aftercare: your first 14 days

Microblading is a two-part treatment: the session itself, and the healing that follows. How you look after your brows in the first two weeks has a real effect on how crisp and long-lasting the final result is.

Days 1–3: bold and beautiful

Straight after your appointment your brows will look darker and sharper than the final result. That's normal: the pigment sits on top of the skin as well as in it. Gently blot any lymph fluid with a clean tissue for the first day and apply the aftercare balm you're given, sparingly.

Days 4–10: the flaky phase

Your brows will start to itch and flake, and the colour may look patchy or even disappear in places. Don't panic, and don't pick. The colour is still there underneath and will resurface as the skin settles.

• Keep brows dry: no saunas, swimming or steamy showers.
• Avoid make-up, skincare acids and retinol on the brow area.
• Sleep on a clean pillowcase and try not to sleep face-down.
• Skip the gym for the first week; sweat can lift pigment.

Days 10–14: settling in

The flakes will have gone and the colour will look softer than day one. Over the next four weeks it will gradually develop to its true shade.

The six-week top-up

Every skin heals differently, so a perfecting session around six weeks later lets your artist fill any gaps and fine-tune the shape. After that, an annual colour boost keeps your brows looking fresh for years.