{"id":379490,"date":"2026-04-03T05:51:07","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T05:51:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/379490\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T05:51:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T05:51:07","slug":"bad-brows-how-to-laser-remove-microblading-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/379490\/","title":{"rendered":"Bad brows? How to laser-remove microblading \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Microblading was a trend that surged strongly and swiftly about 10 to 15 years ago. Like many others who were not naturally blessed in the brow department, I rushed towards microblading with open arms, desperate to have hair-like strokes in places where I didn\u2019t have any actual hair. <\/p>\n

I had my eyebrows microbladed several times over the years before the inevitable passage of time led to a blob-like ink build-up that was not cute, or indeed helpful when the goal was to look fresh and youthful. Thick, dark brows can inadvertently age us, and that was exactly what I was left with \u2013 very dark, very thick brows.<\/p>\n

A couple of years ago I decided to remove my microblading. At the time, this wasn\u2019t an easy option. Now, more places are offering the service, including Dublin Makeup Academy, which is where I went to get my brows lasered off. It took several sessions because I\u2019d had them done so many times. The laser removal process is quick \u2013 about 20 seconds per eyebrow. It\u2019s also spicy \u2013 about an eight out of ten on the discomfort scale. It costs around \u20ac130 per session, depending on where you go. <\/p>\n

Now, a year after my last laser removal, I\u2019m faced with a conundrum. What do I do next? I\u2019m back where I was in terms of having little hair at the front and tail of my brows, and I\u2019m not convinced that microblading \u2013 much as it\u2019s progressed since I first had it \u2013 is the path I want to go down. <\/p>\n

To explore my options and get some guidance, I pay a visit to brow expert and owner of Dublin Makeup Academy Kim O\u2019Sullivan. While there, I also decide to have a tint and shape, curious to see if subtle maintenance could make a difference.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first thing to address is that, for most of our clients, no matter how well the treatment is done, everything\u2019s going to blur and migrate over time,\u201d says O\u2019Sullivan, her face inches from mine as she starts shaping my sparse brows. <\/p>\n

\u201cI have clients who might email years later, and we\u2019ll decide \u2013 okay, let\u2019s just laser it all off and start fresh. You\u2019ll notice a huge difference in the healed results now because pigments have evolved. Even in the last three years, there are no metals in them, so you have reassurance they won\u2019t migrate like before. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe microblades we use now are different too \u2013 so tiny and slim \u2013 and the technique has changed. We space the strokes differently, so migration can\u2019t really happen any more.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Sullivan sees many clients who want to remove the remaining blurred, blob-like or greyed-out pigment with laser, but she\u2019s keen to emphasise the potential outcomes \u2013 because not all are wanted. <\/p>\n

[\u00a0My hair is in the best condition it\u2019s ever been. Here\u2019s how I did itOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes, yellow or green tones will appear in the brows after repeated removal sessions. It\u2019s just the way the pigments have broken down over time. It\u2019s important to stop laser removal at the right point, specifically when yellow or green appear, and focus on tinting and maintenance rather than trying to completely erase everything.\u201d <\/p>\n

O\u2019Sullivan explains that all brow tattoos are made up of primary colours: red, yellow, and blue. If your hair is dark, the pigments used will lean heavier towards red and blue tones; if you\u2019re fair or blonde, the pigment will lean heavier towards yellow \u2013 and the latter cannot be removed past a certain point.<\/p>\n

So what are the options for clients who find themselves with brows that are now bright yellow because of the primary underlying pigment that was used?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first option, from our perspective, is education \u2013 showing clients the most suitable products, how to fill their brows in day-to-day, and leaning into regular treatments like tinting. Salon-grade tint can very successfully counteract yellow or green tones, depending on the original ink and metals used. And if someone has had their brows fully lasered off and has little natural hair, it\u2019s about committing to maintenance \u2013 seeing your brow artist every seven or eight weeks for a tint and shape to help with growth.\u201d <\/p>\n

O\u2019Sullivan adds that while a shape has some longevity, the tint does not \u2013 lasting just a few days. But as she points out, it gives you a guide. \u201cWhen you\u2019re filling in your brows post-tint, you\u2019re able to see the shape more clearly. I often find that our post-laser removal clients are really surprised at how much natural hair they actually have. People don\u2019t realise how much brow they have until it\u2019s tinted professionally, and then it\u2019s easier for them to lean into their natural brows.\u201d<\/p>\n

And of course, microblading again is always an option. \u201cThe technology and techniques we use now are so advanced compared to what they were even a couple of years ago,\u201d says O\u2019Sullivan. \u201cBut if you\u2019re not sure what approach to take, it\u2019s always a good idea to book a consultation with an experienced brow artist to get the right advice and go from there.\u201d<\/p>\n

This week I\u2019m using… Mim\u00e9tique Skin Restore Cream\"MimétiqueMim\u00e9tique Skin Restore Cream (\u20ac69 for 50ml from phare.store) <\/p>\n

A new French skincare brand aims to create products that mimic what is naturally found in the skin \u2013 hence the name Mim\u00e9tique. There are several great products, but I\u2019m particularly enamoured with Skin Restore Cream (\u20ac69 for 50ml from phare.store). It\u2019s a light, nourishing cream that works to strengthen the skin barrier, reduce redness, plump and hydrate. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Microblading was a trend that surged strongly and swiftly about 10 to 15 years ago. Like many others…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":379491,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[1902,631,61,60,709,80],"class_list":{"0":"post-379490","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-technology","8":"tag-beauty","9":"tag-for-you","10":"tag-ie","11":"tag-ireland","12":"tag-magazine","13":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379490","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=379490"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379490\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/379491"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=379490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=379490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=379490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}