What is 'Blade & Shade'?
Also known as '"ombré," shading is a technique done using a special tool that adds depth and definition to the brows for a more natural look.
When it comes to shading, it really depends on the look that you’re going for, as well as how much or how little existing hair you have. Do you wear a lot of makeup? Are you missing a lot of your natural eyebrows? If the answer is “yes” to either question, microblading AND shading may be the right solution for you.
You may want a more bold and dense look for your brows, especially if you have coarse, dark eyebrow hairs. Your artist will make a recommendation for you based on your makeup and what they believe will suit you best, in their expert opinion.
The bold, striking look of the brows pictured in the examples above cannot be achieved with microblading alone. Microblading usually yields very soft results that are ultra natural, undetectable and more “air-y." Also, in some cases you may only have a small patch of dark coarse hair on your existing brows that could end up looking unnatural if you have microblading only. So what options do you have?
ENTER SHADING.
Shading the brow following microblading will add density and more of a defined look. Your artist can be creative in the way they achieve your desired look.
A good approach to adding more definition to the brow is to add shading throughout the middle and inner sections of the brow. You can see an example of this particular technique in the photo below.
The photo above is an example of a client who had no existing eyebrows. The picture on the left shows her brows done with microblading only. This creates brows with a very textured and wispy look.
The picture on the right shows her brows done with both microblading and shading. This creates brows with an extra layer of depth and definition.
The blading and shading technique is ideal for clients that:
- Prefer bolder brows and fill in their eyebrows very solid on a daily basis
- Have no existing eyebrows
- Have dark coarse hairs in their brow area
- Have darker skin tones and need more definition
- Prefer ombré brows