Have you ever wondered what is "semi-permanent make up" and "eyebrow embroidery"? Look no further as we break it down for you.

"Semi-permanent make up" tends to refer to "make up" applied onto the eyebrows, eyelashes, eyeliner and even lips that tends to last more than 1 week. As this often involves needles and/or glue, it is highly advisable to go to a reputable therapist or salon such as Highbrow.

Entrance of Highbrow's salon located at Capitol Piazza

Highbrow specialises in hair but not the ones on your head but rather the other parts - eyebrows, eyelashes and hair removal from various body parts (wax on, wax off). For this visit, we shall concentrate on getting the eyebrow embroidery done.

Check out the leopard print blanket in the room! I think Highbrow is one of the few places that I know that can pull off leopard prints without it looking tacky. In fact, the blanket was so plush that I was tempted to bring it home. Very comfortable settings which made you feel at ease right away.

Normal brows before embroidery

The therapist who attended to me was Thai and she was trained by instructors from China as well as Korea so I felt quite safe in her hands. Before anything else can happen, the therapist would draw on the eyebrow shape first so that you'll be happy with it. My problem with my eyebrows were the sparse 'tails' and a couple of spots that were not as full as it should be.

Tada. That's the drawn eyebrows. Looks pretty natural, right? Just a bit fuller. My therapist said that my original shape was already very good (thank you Leticia) but apparently, this thicker eyebrow shape is the current Korean trend and is supposed to make you look younger. Ok...I decided to go with it.

Numbing cream will then be slapped onto your brows for the next 10-20 minutes. Why numbing cream? Now, let's explain the 'embroidery' side of things.

The tip used in eyebrow embroidery is made up of several fine needles. Some therapists use latest nano needles that vibrate like a tattoo machine. In this case, it's done more manually.

Organic ink dye

The therapist then dips into the ink before 'drawing' into your skin where your eyebrows are. I find it quite funny how a lot of people in the beauty industry will vehemently tell you that eyebrow embroidery isn't like tattooing but the needle tips are essentially cutting into your skin such that the ink is able to penetrate the top layer and therefore, last for a year or so. Tattoos just go a further layer under the skin. Same difference.

That's why you really need the numbing cream. Nonetheless, I could feel some of the cuts towards the end of the procedure and because it doesn't go as fast as a tattoo machine, I felt that the pain (when I did feel any) was a bit more shocking to me. Don't be scared. It's really not painful. Especially if you have an experienced therapist who does it in a jiffy.

After my therapist finished, she put some more colour dye onto my brows and left them on for another 10 minutes. This is to ensure that the dye gets into the skin.
This is me just after the procedure. I thought that the brows looked really natural but super dark. I was warned that the colour will lighten within a week. Thus, you wouldn't want to do a light colour at first.

Is this procedure safe? Yes if you go to a reputable salon and make sure that they use a new needle/blade just like what Highbrow does. If you have sensitive skin, you should ask the salon what kind of dyes they use and whether they provide aftercare products.

Highbrow provides 2 types of aftercare products - a Nourishing Essence and a balm that reminded me a little of petroleum jelly. The aftercare is VERY important when you're doing eyebrow embroidery. Your skin has been 'traumatised' so it needs to be soothed so that's where the nourishing essence comes in. Furthermore, it's now going to be a bit more sensitive while it heals. This means no sauna, no swimming, no water and no vigorous perspiring to touch your brows. That's where the balm comes in. It acts both as a soothing agent as well as a barrier to water.

Day 2 after eyebrow embroidery

The day after was the worse because my eyebrows stung but I couldn't scratch it. Plus the whole 'no water' thing? Tough to follow when it came to washing my face.

Day 4 after eyebrow embroidery

Peeling skin with drawn on brow hair

On the 4th day, the peeling started. I was warned that this would happen but I didn't think that it would happen so soon. I don't think the colour has faded by 50% as what the therapist claimed but it is a shade lighter than before (thank goodness!).

1 week after the treatment - perfect looking brows!

I'm overall quite happy with the results and those who happen to notice the difference in my brows have also complimented me on them! I'm also glad that I no longer have to draw on my eyebrows overtime I leave the house. That saves me a lot of trouble for the next year and just in time for CNY too.

If you would like to know more about Highbrow's services or to book an appointment with them, click on this link: http://www.passhen.com/group/highbrow. As usual, Pásshen members get a slight discount for eyebrow embroidery specifically.