Allure: Can We Start a Microblading Regret Support Group, or What?
- Delphine Eyebrow Couture
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Allure recently shared a story about microblading that hasn’t faded after nearly a decade. Reading it, I felt it was an important moment for our industry and for anyone considering this work.
"I can't believe these eyebrows are still on after nine years," influencer Viveca Chow says from an esthetician's bed. "They were supposed to be gone in two!"
Chow isn't by far the only one with microblading trauma. Allure's senior news editor, Nicola Dall'Asen, first got and loved the procedure back in 2017 when it was still an "if you know, you know," kinda thing. She stopped getting touch-ups two years later when she realized she wanted to change her brow shape—but now, nine years after her first session, the pigment remains, a patchy red ghost of the once bold brown outline. "Had I known I was signing up for something that would last this long, I probably wouldn't have sought it out," she writes.
If there's a lesson to be learned here, it's that you shouldn't always jump to get the trendiest new procedure no matter how revolutionary, convenient, or non-committal it may seem. Take it from Dall'Asen, who reported on why, exactly, those pigments aren't as "semipermanent" as she was made to believe.
Microblading was originally introduced as a semi-permanent solution. Yet so many people are now living with results that feel permanent, heavy, or no longer reflect who they are.
In many of these cases, the technique was performed too deeply, and it behaved like a traditional tattoo, and the pigment used was too warm for the skin. It doesn’t fade naturally, and removal can be painful, unpredictable, and emotionally difficult.
This is why I’ve always practiced a different philosophy.
My approach is intentionally conservative, a light touch with deep intentions. The pigment is meant to soften and fade over 6–12 months, allowing the brows to remain natural, age gracefully, and be true to the person wearing them. You can always build more pigment, but you cannot easily undo what’s been done too deeply. Less is more.
We’re used to maintaining our nails, hair, skin, and lashes with monthly appointments. Eyebrows should be no different. They are an important part of the face and they should not lock you into one shape or color for years.
This is a good reminder that research matters. Training matters. Technique matters. And when it comes to eyebrows, longer-lasting is not better. Make sure you choose the right artist when working on something as important as your eyebrows.
Beauty restoration should offer choice, flexibility, and respect for the future version of you.
