Almost anyone over the age of 18. It is ideal for people who: simply want to wake up with professionally applied makeup without the use of daily brow and lip products have poor vision have difficulty applying makeup have lost brow hair or pigment in lips. Micropigmentation can bring life-changing benefits to alopecia clients or people who have experienced hair loss following completion of chemotherapy treatment.

As a precaution, I cannot treat clients that are under the age of 18, pregnant/breastfeeding, are currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments, have been using Accutane within the last six months or intend to donate blood within 3 months after.

Generally, two sessions are standard. The follow up session is to fine-tune the color or shape once its healed within the skin. It is also an opportunity should you choose to take it bolder or darker. It is safer to be conservative with color depth and fullness in the first session, as we can always add at the touch up. There may be cases where additional treatments are required in more complicated circumstances (at an additional cost). For example, a tattoo cover up may require multiple sessions for proper color correction and coverup . You MUST notify me and email a photo of any previous tattoos to cover up before booking for assessment. It is not always possible to cover over old micropigmented areas, and sometimes removal methods must be attempted first.

A sterile and safe environment is provided at all times. I use one-time use disposable items whenever possible (bed covers, tray covers, equipment covers, etc). New sterile pre-packaged disposable needles are used with each treatment and are not opened until immediately before procedure, then safely discarded in Sharps containers. The bed, tray, and equipment are also disinfected and sterilized between each client visit. Brows by Anne is fully insured and the premise is registered and approved by the Vancouver Island Health Authority specifically for cosmetic tattooing.

I prefer to use a no-numbing technique for at least the first pass if this is permissible for the client. Numbing can be provided for the last pass if chosen. This is my preferred method as topical numbing can change the consistency of the skin causing some resistance to accepting pigment. This may result in performing more passes for proper pigment concentration that leads to more skin trauma and irritation. There is always a chance of swelling and potential bruising, especially in sensitive skin and those on blood thinners. Personal circumstances such as the time of a menstrual cycle may increase discomfort or the anesthetic may lose its intensity in regular smokers.

It will lighten over time as your skin naturally sheds taking the pigment with it. A color boost is recommended every 1-2 years to keep the color fresh. Longevity is dependent on skin type, the natural speed of skin regeneration, health, implantation, care and lifestyle. Avoid products directly over the area that promote skin turnover such as retinol, glycolic acid or salicylic acid. Keeping lips moisturized to prevent premature flaking and shedding. Using a non-medicated lip balm with SPF will also help with pigment longevity. Please view Aftercare for additional pigment-prolonging tips.

You can expect 3-5 days of visible healing for lips and 7-10 days for brows, where it may look dark and potentially flaky and during this time, you will want to commit to keeping them clean and dry. It generally takes the skin 4 weeks to fully heal which is why we book the touch up as early as one month later. Please refer to the Aftercare page for more detailed information on how to care for your new brows and lips.

It is the meticulous application of pigment to resemble hair strokes. I offer two methods for achieving a hairstroke look: microblading and nano brows. They both result in the same look and last the same amount of time. Microblading is the use of a manual disposable tool with a series of needles dipped into pigment and etched into the skin to create the hairstroke look. A nano brow is created with a tattoo pen that contains one super fine nano needle that pulsates in an out of the skin during the hair stroke design. I offer both but recommend the approach with the machine as it is much gentler on the skin, with less risk of creating scar tissue. Also, the nano machine can offer a softer, shaded hairstroke which heals more desirable in naturally oilier and textured skin; where as, the microbladed technique is a solid pigmented stroke which is generally not recommended in those specific skin types.

A powder brow is softly shaded look using a tattoo machine where droplets of pigment are layered resulting in a misty finish. It can be layered heavier in certain areas for an ombre effect or where natural hair is more sparse. It is ideal for those who prefer a softly filled eyebrow mimicking the look of an eyebrow pencil/powder. A powder brow is universal on all skin types, where hairstrokes may not heal as crisp in oily or textured skin, or mature skin lacking elasticity. A combo brow is a combination of hair strokes + powder for further additional dimension. This is generally a better option where someone is lacking a lot of natural hair.

Typically the first brow treatment lasts for approximately 2 to 2.5 hours depending on the chosen technique. If you plan to go on a sun destination vacation, it is recommended that you do the procedure at least 3 weeks before or after your vacation. If you plan on getting botox, please do your procedure at least 2 weeks after your botox session so the botox has time to fully take affect. Its fine to do your eyebrow session anytime before a botox session. Avoid retinol over the brow area for at least two weeks prior to appointment. Avoid any blood thinning medication 48 hours prior to first appointment. This includes vitamin E, aspirin, ibuprofen, gingko biloba and fish oil supplements. Avoid alcohol 24 hours before your appointment, because they all promote increased bleeding resulting in less absorption of pigment. With all permanent makeup, drinking lots of water and being well hydrated results in healthier skin and better healed results. Do not thread or wax within two days prior. Do not tint your brows within 4 weeks of your appointment. Its best to come in with your natural brow color.

Lip Blush is a semi-permanent soft stain. It does not provide a bold lipstick color or replace your lipstick, but gives your lips a soft, everyday tint. It can give the illusion of more lip symmetry, add even color to pale lips, and make a pout appear fuller in individuals where the natural lip border is more flesh colored. If you want a soft color during the work week, one that doesn't look overdone at the gym, and if you like to feel effortlessly put-together – this is it! ​

Having lip filler is absolutely okay but you must wait at least one month after a lip filler session. Dark purple or hyperpigmented lips may need a color correction first to neutralize out the cool tones before depositing the target color.​ This may result in an additional touch up session depending on how much neutralizing is needed. If you have deep vertical wrinkles or creases along the lip line, please email/text in a photo of your lips prior to ensure you are a candidate before booking an appointment

The trauma from the procedure will definitely cause a cold sore outbreak to those who have the herpes virus or have ever had a cold sore, which will ultimately affect your pigment retention and results. If you have ever, ever had a cold sore in the past, you must take the prescription oral anti-viral pill, Valtrex, the day prior, day of and day after the procedure. The brand Abreva that is applied topically will dry out the skin too much affecting results, so only can be used for cold sore prevention before your lip blush sessions.

Take Valtrex if you are prone to cold sores. Hydrated lips are imperative for best healed results. Start preparing the week before by frequently moisturizing with balms and vaseline. Exfoliate your lips the night before your appointment. With all permanent makeup, drinking lots of water and being well hydrated results in healthier skin and better healed results. Only if possible, avoid any blood thinning medication 48 hours prior to first appointment. This includes vitamin E, aspirin, ibuprofen, gingko biloba and fish oil supplements. Avoid alcohol 24 hours before your appointment because they all promote increased bleeding resulting in less absorption of pigment. If you have lip filler, please wait at least one month from your last filler session.

Cash, e-transfer, debit and credit cards are accepted forms of payment. All appointments are taken through the online calendar.