HASSLE-FREE AFTERCARE!

What's the uncomfortable part of getting Bespoke Brows?  Many clients think it's not the procedure, but the aftercare!  We asked clients to avoid exposing their brows to water while the skin heals, and instead accelerate the healing with a specially-made serum and cream.  But I know, not being able to wash your brows can be a pain, and huge imposition to your daily routine.

So, we spent the last few months we worked on new pigments that allow for easier aftercare, while still giving the best and most natural-looking color results.  We also worked on a new aftercare cream.  And I'm pleased to announce that with these changes, our aftercare now allows for clients to wash their face, including the brows, right after the treatment!

You still need to be careful-- no soap or shampoo on the brow area, and do not rub or scratch it at least until it is fully healed.  Also, no swimming, to avoid getting chemicals on the brow while it is healing. And no brow makeup.

But this new aftercare is much more hassle-free, right?

-- Ramon Padilla

Training Microblading Specialists!

This week we started training our newest batch of Microblading specialists, three for our NYC salon and two for Chicago.  It's a long road ahead for these talented individuals, and the next three weeks training in our NYC salon are crucial.  

Our Training Director Michelle Wu has a comprehensive three-week plan for them-- fifteen days, 8-10 hours a day (I always wonder how other trainers can train in two or three days, that's barely scratching the surface!).

They will go through theory and drawing lots and lots of balanced brows-- on paper, on leather, on mannequins, and finally on real people.  Michelle scrutinizes each stroke, and teaches them our EverTrue "trade secrets" on how to create brow shapes with strokes best suited for Microblading. Clue: there is a lot of structure to brows, and it's not about having a "free hand".  Each stroke has a proper position.

And then, the models. At least 16 models for each of them, of varying skin types and brow situations.  Nothing replaces hands-on experience. No theory can replace working with real-live people.

So, wish them luck!  And meet them soon in our NYC or Chicago salons at the end of October!

-- Ramon Padilla

Our New Ombre Brows

Have you seen our new Ombre Brows?  It's a more defined, make-up look, with the ombre effect that opens up the face.  We spent months researching the best method to create the look, adjusting the treatment method to give the best results.  We even experimented on ourselves, so in the beginning if you visited our salon you'd notice me and my team walking around with somewhat off-looking brows haha.  Perfection does take time.  But finally-- they look amazing!

I think they also are a better option for clients who have darker skin tones, where individual Microblading strokes can't be clearly seen.  And also for those with thicker existing hair, for the same reason.

For our Ombre Brows, we use a single-needle machine instead of our Microblading tool.  It's the only way to get the tiny points of pigment that create the ombre "just right". 

Give it a try!

-- Ramon Padilla

HELLO CHICAGO!

Our Chicago salon is now open!  

Why Chicago?  Well for one it's a beautiful city, especially in the summer.  It's also the "capital" of the midwest, a cosmopolitan city full of women (and men) who are VERY beauty-savvy, and searching for treatments we offer.  Microblading isn't even a new concept here, although there are very few places that offer the treatment.

So just like what we did in NYC two years ago, we want to make Microblading mainstream in Chicago!  

Our salon is located at 67 E Oak Street, right across the street from Tom Ford and Dolce & Gabbana, natch (not in my price range, but it's nice to look at the store windows).  We are on the fourth floor of a small building that is full of beauty!  Across the hall from us is Lisa's Nail Salon, downstairs is Blow By Blow, A blow dry bar.  And there is a barbershop and a spa too. 

Jackie Lum, our super-talented Brow and Eyeliner specialist who has been with EverTrue since we opened (and whom I've known for years), has relocated to Chicago.  We will offer only the same quality standard we offer in NYC.

We are so excited to be here!

-- Ramon Padilla

CAN YOU UPDATE MY OLD BROW TATTOO?

The term "brow tattoo" seems so dated now, and really techniques and pigments and tools and after-care have improved significantly over the past years.  We do get clients who had permanent makeup done quite a bit of time ago, using tattoo machines.  Pigment sometimes is still very much visible, and often the color has changed, or the strokes have "spread" to big blocks, or their facial structure has changed and now the brows are visibly lopsided.  They are dissatisfied with what they see and are looking for options!

Short of tattoo removal, we can't change what is already there.  But we can use Microblading over and around the existing work to refresh it or to hide it.  We can add individual strokes over a faded tattoo, so the effect looks like brow powder under brow hairs.  We can even change the brow shape, by adding strokes to key areas, like the arch and tail.

If you are looking for a refresh, I suggest to come in for a consultation first (it's free!).  We will use a brow pencil to draw on the Bespoke Brow on your existing work, and you can see what the results will look like, before deciding to proceed. 

-- Ramon Padilla

The Perfect Consultation

What goes into a perfect Bespoke Brow consultation?  First we want to hear from you, and what your expectations are.  Some clients bring in photos, or pencil in their brows to show what they are used to. Usually it is enough to describe what you want, or just leave it to us.

We then take our own brow pencil, and DRAW the brow on your face.  We draw each stroke and both brows so you can see the overall effect and balance.  This is very important.  And if you are doing a consult elsewhere, insist on the specialist drawing BOTH brows and drawing each stroke.  If they can't do it with a brow pencil, they certainly won't be able to do it with the microblading tool!  

Every face is structured differently, and so every brow is different too.

We also discuss color, what is most appropriate for your hair color and skin tone/ undertone.

And we review the entire procedure, and answer any questions.  The whole consult usually takes 30 minutes.

We love doing consults-- when clients see what is possible, the excitement is palpable!

-- Ramon Padilla

Have You Read Vogue Recently?

Vogue has a great article about Microblading in their March issue, with Lena Dunham getting her eyebrows microbladed with fantastic results!  We are thrilled that microblading is making it to "mainstream" media, because well it's about time!  

Personally, I'm convinced that microblading will be as popular as threading/ tweezing in about five years.  In other parts of the world (e.g. Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea), that's already the case.

Microblading is still a little bit of a mystery to many.  Here's a good way to make is less mysterious: come in for a complimentary consultation with us.  One of our brow specialists will walk you through the entire process.  And will also use a brow pencil to draw on the Bespoke Brow, so you can see what the results will look like before you decide to proceed.  And it's free (I guess that's what "complimentary" means haha).  

-- Ramon Padilla

We Moved... One Block Away And Twice The Size

We loved our previous location, but needed more space-- like 2x More Space!  So we moved, but just a block away.  Now we are on 21st Street between 5th and 6th avenues, still in the central Flatiron neighborhood of Manhattan (we also wanted to stay near our favorite delivery places, even though our new location now has a kitchen and we all want to bring food from home).

Our new salon has twice the space as the previous one, with 8 treatment beds instead of 4.  We have 7 full-time microblading specialists, so there is room for everyone.

It's designed by my friend Blue Carreon, a notable decorator who has appeared in the pages of Architectural Digest and Elle Decor.  He has a home line too-- you can see some items in the salon (the quatre-foil stool! the inlaid side table! obelisks!), and purchase them in Bergdorf Goodman.

We still have a ton of natural light.  It's a loft space so no one feels crowded.

It's still on a high floor.  It's a private space, far, far away from street level!

And what my staff loves most: I finally gave them a staff room, so we can be noisy if we wanted, away from the calm environment of the treatment area, hahaha.

So, please come visit us soon.  We can't wait to show it off to you!

-- Ramon Padilla

1,600 Bespoke Brows!

We were curious to see how many Bespoke Brows we've done since we opened in June 2015.  The answer?  One thousand and six hundred!!  We knew we've been busy, but didn't realize that we've been THAT busy!

When we opened 20 months ago, we had one specialist (Michelle), and now EverTrue has eight talented artists.  And as always, we are specialists-- we ONLY do microblading, and leave the other services (lash extensions, facials, etc.) to other professionals.  Microblading is our life, and our obsession.

-- Ramon Padilla

Manila Here We Come!

We get a lot of inquiries from all around the world-- clients who are flying to New York for business or pleasure, and want to add EverTrue to their list of places to visit when in NYC (and what better "souvenir" of their time here than a pair of stunning new brows!).

But this month we are leaving our home city to travel halfway around the world to MANILA, Philippines, for our first ever EverTrue Microblading Salon pop-up!  For one week, we will bring our gold standard of natural-looking brows to 20 Filipino clients (sorry, that's the maximum number we were able to fit in-- for the waitlist there may be a next time).  And we will return to see the same 20 clients for their Perfecting Sessions six weeks later.

And we're bringing the entire EverTrue experience too-- redecorating a loft-like space in a Manila building to replicate our NYC salon.  What can I say?  We don't want to get homesick!  Our talented specialist Jen Delica, originally from the Philippines, will work her EverTrue magic!

We can't wait!

-- Ramon Padilla

Our New After-Care Products Are Here!

I'm thrilled to introduce our two new After-Care Products, developed by Michelle and me specifically for our semi-permanent makeup treatments.  Almost as important as the treatment itself is the after-care, to ensure proper healing and color retention.  We formulated and tested and re-formulated and re-tested, until we got to the most effective results.

First, our Healing Serum!  We added in the rare ingredient of Fibroblast Growth Factors that promote rapid skin regeneration.  These Growth Factors are like magic-- they stimulate cellular proliferation and healing.  This reduces brow recovery time and leads to better color retention. We put the tiniest amount in, but they pack a Very Strong Punch.

Second, our Protecting Cream!  We found a Chinese herb called Borneol, well-known in that part of the world for its protective capabilities.  It immediately reduces swelling, and helps create a breathable "barrier" against environmental stresses. 

We provide these products as part of the treatment, we just ask our clients to please, please, PLEASE use them!  

To my knowledge, we are the only US-based salon that has a specially-made products for semi-permanent makeup after care.  It was a Huge Undertaking and almost a year in development (I used to work at L'Oreal, and trust me it is easier to develop products when you have large teams of chemists, researchers, etc. working for you), but both Michelle and I are quite happy with the results.

-- Ramon Padilla

Happy Anniversary To Us!

We just celebrated our first year anniversary-- woo-hoo!!!  Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you to all our clients for trusting us with their brows.  So far we have performed just over ONE THOUSAND Bespoke Brow treatments.  

We have grown from one therapist to five.  And we are going to keep growing again, as we recruit new faces to train in November!

I'm super-excited for the future.  Microblading is still a little bit of an "industry secret", but it won't be for long.  We want to lead the charge in making it a "mainstream" treatment, as frequently done as coloring one's hair or getting a facial.  And why not, who doesn't want perfectly beautiful, natural-looking brows everytime, all the time???

Thank-you again for your support, and we hope to see you all in the days, months, and years to come!

-- Ramon Padilla

Five Therapists? I Can't Decide!

For brow microblading we have five therapists to choose from, all are very good!

To help decide whom to go to, we have all their recent work on Instagram (@evertruesalon, @judy_lu_evertruesalon, @jackie_lum_evertruesalon, @anna_wong_evertruesalon, @wendy_xu_evertruesalon, @michelle_x_wu). Is there a brow that calls to you?

Or, pick one who is available when you are (some of our therapists book a month in advance) and come in for a consultation.  During the consult the therapist will use a brow pencil to draw the brow on your face, and answer any questions you might have.  There’s certainly no obligation to do the treatment.  If you like the consultation, you can book an appointment before you leave the salon.

That being said, for clients with no brows, I recommend they see our alopecia specialist Judy Lu.  For clients with very difficult brows (this actually is quite rare) or who cannot return for the Perfecting Session, I recommend they see our Master Therapist Michelle Wu.

All our therapists are talented professionals who go through intensive training before they start.  I’m confident ALL of them can give you the brows of your dreams.

-- Ramon Padilla

For First Timers...

Your first time?  I suggest you come in for a consultation first. 

For the Bespoke Brows consultation, the therapist will use a brow pencil to draw the brow on your face (we don’t use stencils, god forbid!  Each brow is custom-made for you).  This way, you can have a conversation about the brows you want, and see what the results will look like.  You can even keep them drawn on your face and “live with them” for a bit, at least until you wipe them off.

The therapist will also be give you a better idea of how long the brow will last, after analyzing your skin.

And of course, we can answer any questions you may have.  The more you know about the process, the more comfortable you will be at the treatment.  All this in 30 minutes, and it’s complimentary!

-- Ramon Padilla

When Should I Get My Brows Done?

Well, when are you free?

But seriously, here are some other things to take into consideration:

Your brow will be darker than usual after the treatment, for about a week before color softens by up to 50%.  And, pigment will peel which may result in an “awkward period” where they may be some visible patchiness (I say “may” because how much existing hair you have will affect how visible the peeling will be— if you have no hair, the peeling will be quite visible).  The peeling period may go from a few days to a couple of weeks.

Doing this for your wedding?  Plan ahead and let’s do the first treatment at least three months beforehand.  The Perfecting Session can be done in 6 weeks, so there is are additional 6 weeks before your wedding for the brow to heal completely and color to settle.  We want to add to the beauty of the day, and not a layer of stress!

Big event coming up soon where you have to be in front of a lot of people (my own private nightmare)?  Best to do it either three weeks before or wait until after the event before doing the Bespoke Brow treatment.  You won’t just FEEL everyone is looking at you, they actually WILL be looking at you!  Beautiful and not patchy brows should be the focus.

Vacation in the sun?  We need to do at least two weeks before you fly off.  Because for two weeks after the treatment you need to avoid swimming and sunbathing.  So, vacation in the arctic?  No problem, come anytime.

Botox?  Let’s wait two weeks after the injections to allow your facial structure to settle.

Pregnant?  We need to wait until after you give birth and finish breastfeeding.

Underage?  Let’s wait till you turn 18.  I’m gonna card you to make sure!

Any other specific considerations/ questions you might have?  Feel free to give us a call at the salon or shoot an email.  Better yet, come in for a complimentary consultation.  Technicians will not just draw on the perfect brow on your face, but also answer any and all questions.

— Ramon Padilla

AKA "Microblading"

… Is just another name of what we do at EverTrue.  Other nom de guerres: micropigmentation, 3D (or 4D, 5D, someone even calls it “6D”!!!) eyebrows, brow tattoo, brow embroidery, permanent makeup, and of course what we call it at EverTrue, Semi-Permanent Makeup.

Microblading is a term in wide use in Europe, where semi-permanent brow treatments are almost as common as facials!  And in Asia there are very creative names for it, including loosely translated: brows that have come back from the dead, haha.

We are happy to call it “semi-permanent makeup” in the USofA. 

What they all have in common is that it is all done by hand, with a tool that has tiny blades.  This makes it easily maneuverable, and if held by an artistic hand, very natural strokes that look like real brows can be created.

Natural and beautiful, in whatever language.

-- Ramon Padilla

No To Blue Brows!

Have you seen that person?  The one with the faded blue tattoo where her brow should be?  Or sometimes it is a red smear?

There are a couple of reasons why this happens, all of which are avoidable.

One reason is the type of pigment used.  The pigment needs to be stable.  Anything that is “natural” or “vegetable-based” is not an advantage with semi-permanent makeup, as their properties are more unpredictable and can result in color changes over time.

And it goes without saying, use pigments made specifically for semi-permanent makeup.  “Regular” tattoo pigments might be cheaper for a technician, but those are not made for your face (unless you are Mike Tyson LOL).

The second reason is that the colors were not mixed properly.  A good semi-permanent makeup technician also needs to be an amazing COLORIST.  They need to have be able to accurately read your skin undertones, and mix a pigment made specifically for you.  

The pigment interacts with your skin, so what translates as ash brown on one person may look completely different on another with a different skin undertone.  A good technician, like an artist, mixes in yellows, reds, and other pigments for the HUE that will work best with YOU.

(Do you have permanent makeup work that has changed color?  Not to worry, we can help there too.  Let my technicians take a look and we can come up with a solution!)

-- Ramon Padilla

So How Long Does The Bespoke Brow Last?

One of the biggest questions about our Bespoke Brow (and semi-permanent makeup in general) is… So how long do the results last??

The short answer is: Up to 18 months for brows.

But really, it could be less and it could be more, before the brows fade to become invisible to the naked eye.

Think of the Bespoke Brow as a beautiful bright shirt.  If you wear it once a year, in the middle of the night, indoors in the dark, then it will probably maintain it’s vibrant color for a LONG time.  But if you actually USE it, then the bright color (whether the fabric is cotton, polyester, neoprene, etc.) gradually fades.

It’s the same with semi-permanent makeup.  Exposure to the sun, most of all, slowly softens the pigment.  This is true whether you are on the beach, walking the streets of our busy city, or even just standing beside a sunny window.

Washing your face, exfoliation, facials, rubbing your brows when you wake up, face-palming when your boss says something ridiculous, all of this contributes to the gradual erosion of the vibrancy of the color. 

So, unless you are a vampire who never showers, the brow will fade.

But we don’t see this as a negative.  As we age our faces structure changes, and brow shape should adjust to take this into consideration. Brow styles also change (albeit they change slowly)— perhaps the flat brows so popular in Asia now will be all the rage in 2020 NYC.

And by the way, you can always come in every so often for a Tune-Up, to restore the vibrancy of a newly-created Bespoke Brow (and visit us too!).

— Ramon Padilla

Why Are My Brows So Dark Right After The Treatment?

There’s no escaping it. For about a week after your initial Bespoke Brow treatment, your brow color will be a few shades darker than your target color.  Even in this time when bold, dark brows are super on-trend, it can be a little jarring especially for those who are not used to having brows at all!

Don’t worry because this is expected and natural!  The color will soften up to 40 - 50% in about a week.

Here’s what is happening:

Immediately after the treatment your brow area is slightly irritated and this contributes to the appearance of a darker pigment color.  When the irritation subsides after two or three days, the color will already start to appear softer.

Also, there is excess pigment “trapped” near the surface of the skin.  As your skin heals, this excess pigment sheds (this is the peeling that we told you about) and so lightening the overall appearance.

In addition, new skin cells form OVER the pigment that is embedded in the skin, with this “veil” of new skin further contributing to the softening of the brow color.  

For some clients, a LOT of new skin cells form in the brow, so much so that some areas of the Bespoke Brow seem to disappear— the pigment is still there but hidden behind the new skin cells. Our therapists track this so that they can deposit a little more pigment during the Perfecting Session.  We want to be sure every beautiful stroke shines!

Once this awkward week is over you will WANT people to stare at your brows.  And they will, because they will be beautiful.

-- Ramon Padilla

Picking A Semi-Permanent Makeup Practioner? Read This!

When Michelle and I were interviewing estheticians to join our team, we met one lady who referred to herself as a “Master”, which in our industry is a term usually reserved for those with the most advanced level of skill and experience. Alas when we studied her portfolio, she turned out to have done only 30 brow treatments in her entire “career”, yikes! 

In New York City, all one needs is a tattoo license to practice permanent makeup.  The license can be acquired after a 3-hour infection control seminar, a test, and a $100 fee.  With such low barriers to entry, it’s no wonder that there are results that are a little cringe-worthy.

Here’s are some really good suggestions on How to Choose a Technician, from the Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals:  http://www.spcp.org/thinking-of-getting-a-cosmetic-tattoo/choosing-a-permanent-cosmetics-technician/ 

For our team, when we interview we look for three things: a steady hand, an eye for symmetry and color, a pleasant personality.  Then we start training… two months of training just for our Bespoke Brow!

First our trainees draw brows, hundreds of them, stroke-by-stroke.  They draw them for eight hours a day, five days a week, for three weeks; using a pencil then a blade, on paper and then on various surfaces: leather, mannequin heads, and yes, even bananas!  We critique each stroke, each pair of brows.

When they are ready, they start to see training models, two or three a day, for another month.  We give them a variety of model clients: skin and hair color, skin elasticity and tone, brow shapes.  

And even after they graduate, Michelle and I review their work daily, providing on-the-job feedback and additional training when necessary. Working together keeps our standards high!

There are a good number of semi-permanent makeup practitioners in NYC whose work we respect.  They freely share samples of their work with potential clients, and operate with high levels of professionalism. 

So, do your research, ask questions, come in for consults.  And then, do the treatment!  With the right practitioner, you will love the results.

(That being said, Pick us! LOL)

-- Ramon Padilla