Should I get brow lamination or microblading?
Brow lamination restructures the brow hair you already have and lasts four to six weeks. Microblading tattoos pigment into the skin to create hair strokes and lasts one to three years. If your brows have hair that grows the wrong way, choose lamination. If your brows have bare gaps, microblading is the service that fills them.
Choose brow lamination if you have brow hair that grows in the wrong direction, lies flat, or refuses to stay where you put it. Choose microblading if you have bare patches where no hair grows and you want the look of hair there.
They are not competing services. They solve two different problems.
Bridgette does brow lamination and tinting. She does not do microblading, which means she has no reason to talk you into either one. If microblading is what your brows need, she will say so.
What brow lamination actually is
Lamination is a chemical service on the hair, not the skin. A softening solution relaxes the bonds inside each brow hair, the hairs get combed into the direction you want, and a neutralizer sets them there.
No needles. No pigment. Nothing enters the skin.
It lasts four to six weeks and washes out of your life on its own as the hair grows. In the Lewiston-Auburn area, expect roughly $50 to $100 depending on whether shaping and tint are included.
The appointment runs about 45 minutes to an hour.
What microblading actually is
Microblading is cosmetic tattooing. A handheld tool with fine needles deposits pigment into the upper layer of skin in strokes that mimic hair.
It lasts one to three years and fades gradually, so it needs a touch-up appointment along the way. There is a healing period of a week or two with scabbing and color that looks too dark before it settles.
It costs far more than lamination, often several hundred dollars in Maine, and it requires a licensed tattoo artist, not just an esthetician.
It is also a real commitment. If the shape is wrong, you live with it for a year or more or pay for removal.
Side by side
- Works on: lamination treats hair, microblading treats skin.
- Lasts: four to six weeks vs one to three years.
- Downtime: none vs one to two weeks of healing.
- Cost range: roughly $50 to $100 vs several hundred dollars.
- Reversible: lamination grows out, microblading needs fading or removal.
- Best for: unruly or flat brow hair vs sparse brows with bare gaps.
How to tell which one your brows need
Brush your brows straight up with a spoolie and look in the mirror.
If the shape suddenly looks fuller and better, lamination will give you that look for a month at a time. Your problem is direction, not density.
If brushing them up reveals empty skin at the front, the tail, or a scar, no amount of lamination fixes that. There is no hair there to lift. That is a microblading conversation.
Plenty of people have both problems, and the usual order is microblading first for the gaps, then lamination later on the hair you have. Wait at least six to eight weeks after microblading heals before laminating.
Who should skip both for now
If your brows are over-plucked but the hair is still growing, try three months of leaving them alone plus a nightly brow oil first. You may not need either service.
If you are pregnant, nursing, or on Accutane, talk to your provider before booking any chemical or tattoo brow service.
A realistic middle ground
Lamination plus a brow tint covers a surprising number of cases. The tint darkens the fine, colorless baby hairs you did not know you had, and the lamination lifts everything into place. Together they can make a thin brow read close to full for about a month.
It costs a fraction of microblading and there is nothing to regret. If it turns out not to be enough, you have lost a month and not a year.
Serving Lewiston, Auburn and the surrounding towns
Brow services are offered in Lewiston and are easy to reach from Auburn, Lisbon, Sabattus, Poland, Durham, and New Gloucester.
Call (207) 222-7578 or book with Bridgette.
Frequently asked questions
Is brow lamination cheaper than microblading?
Considerably. Lamination generally runs about $50 to $100 in the Lewiston-Auburn market, while microblading usually costs several hundred dollars plus a touch-up.
Can I get brow lamination if I already have microblading?
Yes, once the microblading is fully healed, usually six to eight weeks after. Lamination affects the hair only and does not lift or fade the pigment.
Which one looks more natural?
Lamination, because it is your own hair. Microblading can look very natural in skilled hands but it is pigment in skin, and it fades toward a softer, sometimes cooler tone over time.
Does either one hurt?
Lamination does not hurt at all. Microblading involves needles and is usually done with a numbing cream, with most people describing scratching or pressure.
Does Bridgette Aesthetics offer microblading?
No. Bridgette offers brow lamination, shaping, and tinting. If your brows need pigment rather than restructuring, she will tell you straight.
Questions, answered
Is brow lamination cheaper than microblading?
Considerably. Lamination generally runs about $50 to $100 in the Lewiston-Auburn market, while microblading usually costs several hundred dollars plus a touch-up.
Can I get brow lamination if I already have microblading?
Yes, once the microblading is fully healed, usually six to eight weeks after. Lamination affects the hair only and does not lift or fade the pigment.
Which one looks more natural?
Lamination, because it is your own hair. Microblading can look very natural in skilled hands but it is pigment in skin, and it fades toward a softer, sometimes cooler tone over time.
Does either one hurt?
Lamination does not hurt at all. Microblading involves needles and is usually done with a numbing cream, with most people describing scratching or pressure.
Does Bridgette Aesthetics offer microblading?
No. Bridgette offers brow lamination, shaping, and tinting. If your brows need pigment rather than restructuring, she will tell you straight.