Microblading looks simple from the outside — an artist draws hair strokes into your brows and you walk out with fuller, more defined eyebrows. But beneath that simplicity is a technique that takes professional artists 12–18 months of training to perform well.
If you’re considering microblading, understanding how it’s actually done will make you a far better client. You’ll know what questions to ask, what red flags to spot, and why some artists charge £700 while others charge £150 for “the same” service.
This guide isn’t a tutorial for aspiring artists — that requires hundreds of hours of in-person training, not a blog post. Instead, it’s a behind-the-curtain look at the technique itself: what your artist is doing, why each step matters, and how skilled execution separates beautiful results from disappointing ones.
By the end, you’ll understand microblading the way the artist doing it understands it.
The Tools of Microblading
A professional microblading setup includes a microblading hand tool (a pen-like instrument that holds the blade, made of medical-grade plastic or metal), a blade or microblade (a row of 12–18 tiny needles arranged in a fine curved or straight configuration, single-use, sealed, and disposed of after each client), PMU pigments (specially formulated pigments designed for cosmetic skin application — different from tattoo ink, PMU pigments are formulated to fade gradually rather than stay permanently), topical anaesthetic (lidocaine-based numbing cream applied before and during the procedure), mapping tools (calipers, brow rulers, and string for precise measurement and design), cosmetic pencils (for drawing the proposed shape before any cutting begins), and sterile gauze, cotton, and disposable supplies (all single-use).
For the full breakdown of how these tools come together in a session, see our microblading step-by-step guide.
The Skill Layers of Microblading
What separates a great microblading artist from a mediocre one isn’t the tools — it’s mastery across five distinct skill layers. Understanding these helps you assess any artist you’re considering.
Skill Layer 1 — Facial Anatomy and Mapping
Before a single stroke is made, the artist must understand the bone structure beneath the brow, the natural growth direction of brow hair across the brow, the relationship between the brow, the eye, and the rest of the face, how brows should sit in motion (raised, lowered, expressing emotion), and how asymmetry in the face affects perceived symmetry of the brows.
Eyebrow mapping isn’t just measurement — it’s the artistic foundation of the entire procedure. See our eyebrow mapping guide for the methodology.
### Skill Layer 2 — Pigment Theory
Pigments aren’t just colours — they’re chemistry. Different pigments heal to different final shades than they appear immediately after application, shift toward warm or cool tones over time, react differently to different skin undertones, and behave differently on different skin types.
A skilled artist understands pigment theory deeply enough to match pigment to the client’s natural brow colour AND hair AND skin undertone, predict how the pigment will heal, custom-blend two to four pigments for each client, and adjust mid-session if the skin responds unexpectedly.
This is why two artists using identical equipment can produce wildly different results — pigment selection accounts for a huge portion of the final appearance.
Skill Layer 3 — Blade Control and Stroke Technique
The actual blade work involves angle (the blade must enter the skin at a precise angle — around 75–90 degrees to the skin surface — to deposit pigment correctly without cutting too deep), pressure (too light, and pigment doesn’t deposit; too heavy, and the cut goes into the dermis where it heals as a scar), direction (each stroke must follow the natural growth direction of brow hair, which varies across the brow), speed (strokes must be smooth and confident — hesitation causes uneven pigment deposit and blurring during healing), and stroke length and curvature (real brow hairs vary in length and have subtle curves — mimicking this requires hundreds of practice hours).
A professional artist will make 50–150 individual strokes per brow, each one a small artistic decision.
### Skill Layer 4 — Pattern Design
Random hair strokes look fake. Real-looking brows require pattern design — the intentional arrangement of strokes to create the illusion of natural hair growth.
This involves layering strokes at slightly different angles to mimic real hair density, creating a “spine” of longer strokes through the body of the brow, adding shorter “fill” strokes between longer ones, avoiding the common amateur mistake of all-parallel strokes (which look like a fence, not hair), and varying stroke thickness slightly to mimic the natural variation in real brow hair.
Pattern design is where experienced artists separate themselves from beginners. It’s also why portfolio assessment is so important — you can see pattern quality at a glance once you know what to look for.
Skill Layer 5 — Healing Prediction and Adjustment
A skilled artist doesn’t just create what the brow looks like immediately — they create what it will look like once healed.
This requires predicting how much pigment will be retained vs. lost during healing, how the colour will shift during the healing process, where the skin might heal unevenly, and how to compensate for the client’s specific skin type.
The touch-up appointment 6–8 weeks later is where the artist adjusts for whatever the healing revealed. Without this second session, even the best initial work is incomplete.
The Microblading Procedure From the Artist’s Perspective
Here’s what your artist is doing during each phase of the procedure, beyond the visible steps:
During consultation: Assessing whether your skin is suitable, whether your expectations are realistic, and whether you understand the commitment. A responsible artist may decline to treat clients whose skin or expectations aren’t aligned with achievable results.
During mapping: Studying your face for asymmetry, working out where to start, arch, and end each brow, and creating a design that flatters your features rather than forcing your face into a generic shape.
During numbing: Selecting the right anaesthetic for your skin, checking for any sensitivity, and using the numbing time to mix custom pigment.
During the first pass: Establishing the foundation pattern — the longest, most prominent strokes that define the brow’s structure. The artist works slowly, checking symmetry constantly between brows.
During the second pass: Adding density and layering — shorter strokes filling gaps, varying angles, building the natural-looking complexity that distinguishes professional work from amateur work.
During final saturation: Working pigment fully into each stroke, ensuring even colour throughout, and assessing whether a third pass is needed.
During cleansing and review: Removing excess pigment, checking the work in different lighting, photographing the result, and walking you through aftercare.
For a fuller walkthrough of the client-side experience, see our microblading step-by-step guide.
What Skilled Microblading Looks Like
When you assess a portfolio (and you should), look for natural-looking hair strokes that vary in thickness, length, and direction; strokes that follow facial anatomy (not horizontal across the brow but flowing in natural growth direction); healed results (not just immediately-after photos, which always look great); symmetry without rigidity (brows that look like sisters, not twins); skin that healed cleanly (no obvious scarring, redness, or pigment migration); consistency across multiple clients (not just one great photo but a body of work); and variety in client skin tones and types (showing the artist works well across demographics).
Red flags in portfolios include only immediately-after photos, all photos at the same angle and lighting, brows that look identical from client to client (suggests one shape forced onto every face), heavy blocky brows (suggests pigment placed too deep), and overly dark or red-toned healed brows (suggests pigment selection issues).
Why Microblading Training Matters
Microblading isn’t a weekend course. Reputable training pathways include foundation training (5–10 days of in-person instruction with a master trainer), practice on synthetic skin (hundreds of strokes before working on humans), supervised practice on live models (initial real-skin sessions performed under direct supervision), apprenticeship or mentorship (6–18 months of ongoing development before working solo on paying clients), and continuing education (annual refreshers, advanced technique courses, and pigment-specific training).
Beware artists who completed only a short course. PMU is one of the most under-regulated industries in beauty — and the consequences of poor work live on your face for years.
For full guidance on assessing artists, see our guide to choosing the best PMU artist in London.
Common Microblading Mistakes (And Why They Happen)
Strokes too thick: Blade angle too shallow or pressure too heavy. Pigment ends up sitting wider than intended.
Strokes too deep: Blade pressure too heavy. Pigment penetrates into the dermis, where it heals as a scar rather than as a hair stroke. Often results in blurred or “ashy” appearance.
All-parallel strokes: Pattern design failure. Real brows have varied stroke directions; identical parallel strokes read as artificial.
Wrong colour selection: Pigment too warm (turns red over time), too cool (heals ashy), or too dark (looks heavy and blocky).
Strokes don’t follow growth direction: Misreading the natural brow flow. Results in strokes that look glued on rather than growing from the skin.
Inconsistent saturation: Some strokes heal dark while others fade — uneven artistic execution during the procedure.
Most of these mistakes are correctable, but correction is expensive, takes multiple sessions, and is best avoided by choosing the right artist initially.
See our microblading correction guide if you’re already dealing with PMU you’re unhappy with.
Ready to Experience Microblading Done Right?
Microblading is one of the most technically demanding services in beauty — and one of the most rewarding when done well. Understanding the technique helps you appreciate what you’re paying for and why artist selection matters so much.
If you’d like to discuss microblading at our Knightsbridge studio, book a no-pressure consultation. You’ll see our healed work in person, meet Olivia, and leave with complete clarity on whether microblading — or another technique like nano brows — is the best fit for you.
[Book Your Consultation →]
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Internal Links From This Post:
– Pillar page: Complete Guide to Permanent Makeup in London
– Post #1: Microblading Step-by-Step
– Post #2: Nano Brows Tutorial
– Post #4: Microblading vs Nano Brows
– Post #5: Eyebrow Mapping
– Post #7: Microblading Correction
– Post #12: Best Microblading Artist in London
– Consultation booking page (primary CTA)