Ombre powder brows are a semi-permanent eyebrow technique that creates a soft, shaded effect — lighter at the front of the brow and gradually deeper towards the tail. The result mimics the look of a precisely filled-in brow, but with a natural, powdered finish that lasts 2 to 3 years. Unlike microblading, which draws individual hair strokes, ombre shading suits all skin types including oily and combination skin.

Microblading and ombre powder brows are both permanent makeup techniques, but they work quite differently.

Technique: Microblading uses a fine manual blade to create hair-stroke cuts in the skin, depositing pigment along each stroke to mimic individual brow hairs. Ombre powder brows use a machine to softly shade pigment across the brow, building a filled-in, powdered finish with a lighter, softer edge at the front.

Skin type: Microblading is best suited to normal to dry skin types — it is not suitable for mature, oily or porous skin, as the strokes can blur or fade unevenly over time. Ombre powder brows work well on all skin types, including oily and combination skin.

Longevity: Microblading typically lasts 12 to 18 months before a colour refresh is needed. Ombre powder brows generally hold for 1 to 3 years depending on skin type and lifestyle.

Skin trauma: Because microblading physically cuts the skin, it carries a slightly higher risk of scarring compared to the machine shading used for ombre brows.

Both techniques produce beautiful results — the right choice depends on your skin type and the finish you prefer. Not sure which suits you? A free consultation at the studio will help you decide.

Your appointment begins with a full consultation where we map your ideal brow shape based on your facial features and discuss your preferred colour depth. A patch test is carried out first. On treatment day, numbing cream is applied before pigment is built up gradually over approximately 3 to 3.5 hours, until your perfect shape and tone is achieved.

Ombre powder brows typically last 2 to 3 years depending on your skin type, lifestyle and how well you follow the aftercare advice. A touch-up at 6 to 8 weeks after the initial session perfects the shape and ensures even colour. Annual refresh appointments help keep the brows looking defined.

Your brows will appear darker and more defined for the first week — this is completely normal as part of the healing process. The colour softens and settles over 4 to 6 weeks to reveal your true healed result. Keep the area clean and dry, avoid picking or peeling any flaking skin, stay out of direct sunlight, and avoid swimming, saunas and heavy exercise for at least one week.

It depends on your skin type and the look you want. Microblading creates fine hair-like strokes and works best on normal to dry skin types — it is not recommended for mature, oily or porous skin. Ombre powder brows suit a much wider range of skin types and tend to hold their definition for longer. We specialise in ombre powder brows at Inked Beauty Lab because they heal beautifully on more skin types and require fewer top-ups over time. A free consultation will help us advise on the best option for you.

This is very individual and depends on the condition of your existing microblading. A prior consultation is required so we can inspect the healed work and assess whether ombre powder brows can be safely applied. Please get in touch to arrange a consultation before booking a procedure.