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If your eyebrows are looking blah, you might be looking for a way to change their appearance. And right now, there are so many options….microblading, microshading, powder brows, henna brows, and brow lamination, off the top of my head. It can feel really overwhelming to try to decide what direction is best for you and your brows. 

The two biggest trends right now are definitely microblading and brow lamination, both of which will really change your look. However, you’re going to get really different results out of each of them. 

This post will walk you through both eyebrow treatments to help you decide which is better for your individual needs. We’ll talk through what has staying power and what will be out by next year, what’s right for fuller or thinner brows, and what look you’ll get out of each. All this can help you decide brow lamination vs microblading.

This is the first step to picking your perfect eyebrows!

What is microblading?

The rising popularity of microblading over the last five years means that you might already know! But I’ll tell you anyway.

A microblading treatment is the process of semi-permanently filling in the brows with hair-like strokes that are then filled in with pigment. It’s kind of like a semi-permanent tattoo, but because of the thin strokes, it looks like natural eyebrow hairs. If you have sparse brows, microblading fills them in and lets you throw away your eyebrow pencils.  This is a longer-lasting option; most techs will say 1-3 years with proper care.

What are the benefits and who is microblading best for?

Microbladed brows will fade over time, but we’re talking years, not months. So this is a good choice for people who aren’t going to keep up with regular maintenance appointments. 

Microblading is also the better choice if you’re not working with much natural hair in your brows. For people whose brows are naturally very thin, or whose brows fall out or are pulled out, microblading can improve the appearance. 

I think that microblading is a really great choice for adding depth and filling in the appearance of bare patches or thin patches in the brow. I have been considering it for ages because both of my brows are a little patchy at the arch.

Check out the picture below to see an example of microblading that doesn’t change the natural shape of the brows, just adds fullness and definition.

What are the drawbacks of microblading?

The microblading tool is basically a blade or a set of tiny needles that make those tiny incisions that look like hairs. So, there are two drawbacks with that–some people don’t like the idea of the pain! And then also, you run the risk of infection if you don’t go to a clean place, since they’re breaking your skin. 

Going to a skilled brow specialist is also really important with microblading — since it’s semi-permanent, you want to be sure you’re happy with the outcome before it’s on your face for a couple years! This is not the place to try to save money, which is kind of unfortunate because it can cost $500-$1500 depending on where you are in the country. 

In my opinion, using microblading to make your brows look larger than they are (like, to expand the appearance of the brow) more than just a little often looks very fake. It can be done! I have a friend who has virtually no natural brows who does microblading! She just goes to someone who specializes in it.

The look you want is really important to helping you decide brow lamination vs microblading!

​Is microblading going to go out of style?

I think microblading, the entire process, is here to stay. People are always going to want to be able to fill in sparse eyebrows or refine their brow shape. So, even though it’s a more invasive procedure, I think people will keep getting microblading. 

But with that said…I do think the very “done” brows are starting to go out of style in 2024 and beyond. What we tend to think of as the microbladed brows (the look should really be called ‘ombre brows’ or ‘powder brows’) are on their way out. Like this: 

So: microblading, the technique? Not going out of style any time soon, and it can be used in a very natural-looking way (like that picture I showed you earlier). Microblading with a heavily defined, powder brows look? I think that’s no longer trending. (If you still like it, go get it! But remember that with microblading, you’re committing to it for as much as three years.)

Brow lamination

Eyebrow lamination is a much more recent trend! It’s basically a lil brow perm that gives you the appearance of soft, fluffy eyebrows. 

 Lamination is only using your natural brow hairs, but it’s changing their shape and texture to give the appearance of fuller brows. So the amount of eyebrow hair you already have should be a huge part of whether you choose brow lamination vs microblading.

It’s less invasive and painful than microblading! Just a two-step eyebrow process, where they add the first chemical solution to your eyebrows, let it sit, comb the brows into place, and then add another solution. If you’ve ever had a perm, or a lash lift, it’s the exact same process. The whole appointment will take about a half hour, and you should plan to go every 4-6 weeks. 

What are the benefits of brow lamination and who is it best for?

If you have unruly brow hair, I think this can be a really good choice. I have what I call “old man brows” because when I let my eyebrow hairs grow too long, they start to get twisty and wiry. A process like this allows textured brow hairs to grow longer without being hard to manage. 

​You can see in this photo that the model’s eyebrows are pin-straight and kind of slicked to her face. It’s a very straight, very diagonal look. It doesn’t look super natural, and it’s not trying to! 

A brow lamination process is also a way to get the appearance of fuller eyebrows when you already have a fair amount of hair to work with. If you want a specific look and you have the hair, it makes sense to do the cheaper and easier process. This is also a process you can DIY if you choose to. Just be sure you try your desired shape with brow gel before you put on the perming solution! 

Lamination is also relatively inexpensive: it seems to run about $50 around me.

I also think that if being on trend is really important to you, this is a good choice in 2024. I don’t think this is a forever trend, but it’s a good option to look trendy now. 

What are the drawbacks of brow lamination?

People with sensitive skin or certain skin conditions may be uncomfortable with the perming solution on their face! But this is true of any chemical treatment.

You also kind of need to have thicker brows already in order for this to give you the desired look. Someone dealing with hair loss is not going to get the full effect of brow lamination. 

Just like microblading, you want to be sure the person you’re going to knows what they’re doing. There are a lot of horror stories on reddit! The laminated look is not supposed to be super natural-looking brows, but you don’t want it to look crazy either.

And then finally, this is definitely a trendy look that won’t last long. More on that in a second. 

Is brow lamination going to go out of style?

Almost certainly! But not in 2024. 

Honestly, I think that this might be one of those trends that we look back on in ten years and say, what were we thinking?. But in the meantime, who cares? If you value being on trend and you like the look, go do it.  

​But just like microblading, I think the techniques will stick around for the people who need them or want them, but the styles will move on to something more natural-looking, like the ones below:

So what did you choose: brow lamination vs microblading?