There is a simple rule of thumb for aftercare in these parts: fresh brows are to be kept clean, cool, dry as you are told and shielded from UV. With the strong sun, heat and sweating of an Australian summer, or a day in the pool, healing skin can be put upon and you will see pigment go; your usual beach-day regimen has to be put on hold for a while.
I am Evander Brooks and put pen to paper on beauty habits as they are lived in Australia. Being neither a clinician nor a tattooist I would have you put stock in the medical advice and written word of your brow artist above all else. What follows is my way of setting out the healing process in plain English, from showering and exercise to warning signs and products.
Summer Healing
Even when the end product is soft and natural, a new eyebrow tattoo is a wound of sorts. The first week can be trying with the kind of heat we get in Melbourne or the humidity up north. A powder brows healing guide can help set expectations.
Have a look at your calendar before booking. A sweaty job outdoors, a sauna, some bushwalking or a pool party may be reason to put off the treatment and spare yourself the expense and aggravation. You do not want to be in a hurry for a touch-up because the brows are uneven on the third day.
A Word of Caution
If you are prone to eczema, have sensitive skin, a condition that impacts immunity or bleeding, or simply cannot stay out of the sun, then aftercare is paramount. The same goes for those who put in hard physical labour or live in a humid climate.
Put any questions to your practitioner about medicines or cosmetic treatments you have in mind prior to the appointment. And unless a health professional or your qualified practitioner is insistent, leave the numbing agents, antibiotic creams and potent skincare alone.
The First Week
This is where aftercare counts. The skin will take its time to settle and until it does the colour can appear sharper, more uneven or dark than you would like; it is a phase that takes people by surprise.
Do not make the mistake of putting in handiwork to “fix” them. A good deal of trouble comes from scrubbing, making application of makeup or thick product, or picking at scabs. Best to leave well alone.
Checklist
- Hands must be washed before you put them to your face.
- Adhere to the artist’s directions for cleaning and moisturising.
- Steer clear of direct spray from the shower, pool water and sweat.
- Change your pillowcase and do not press into it.
- Out of doors put on a broad-brimmed hat but do not let it chafe the brows.
- No peeling or scratching of scabs.
Put cling film over the brows only if the practitioner says so; occlusive coverings can hold in heat and moisture and the right approach is down to the technique and how your skin reacts.
Showering
In the summer a trip to the shops is enough to make one’s forehead feel as though it has been left under a heat lamp, so some gentle cleansing to get the oil and grime off is called for. Most will tell you to keep the area dry for a day or two but there are variations. Make sure you ask your artist how many days you have to wait before a normal wash, since a “shower” could mean anything from washing your hair to putting the face under pressure.
Use A Light Touch
Turn away from the spray for a body shower and eschew the hot water and steam. When the initial dry period is over and you have been given the go ahead, use a mild product without fragrance and clean hands. Dry off with a disposable tissue or a towel that has been in the wash, patting and not rubbing. Face cloths and bathwater are best avoided for the bacteria they can harbour.
Soaking is not the same as being careful. Until the skin is fully closed and you have the all-clear from your practitioner, keep the brows out of salt water, chlorine and the like.
Sun and Sweat
Healing skin is vulnerable to UV rays which can lead to the colour fading or becoming uneven. An Australian summer will have you sweating and in the heat, which is enough to leave the area damp, itchy and open to irritation.
Make shade your first line of defence. A clean hat that is not too tight will do, provided the brim does not chafe the brows. As for sunscreen, hold off on putting it on new tattooed skin until you have been given the all clear by your practitioner; put in a call to find out when it is safe to use.
The Local Forecast
Before you head out, see what the UV forecast has in store, in the late morning or afternoon hours at any rate. For official guidance on how much time to spend outdoors there is the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.
Melbourne’s cool breeze can be deceptive and hide strong sun. In the Top End one is apt to sweat because of the humidity, and the Red Centre offers a mix of dry skin, dust and the intensity of the sun. Then there is northern Australia in cyclone season from November to April with its heavy rain and the attendant disruption to plans. The weather may be dramatic but your aftercare is concerned only with keeping the skin protected and clean.
For those with an outdoor job, put in place some shaded breaks, a way to blot sweat (no rubbing) and a hat. And if a dusty jaunt through the bush or a long haul on the Stuart Highway is in the offing, have your appointment scheduled for after the trip.
Water and Exercise
Freshly done brows are not going to be comfortable with the extra heat and blood flow that comes of exercise. Heed your artist and put strenuous activity on hold until the surface has had a chance to settle. Some might be fine with a walk in the shade after the first day, but a hard gym session or hot yoga is another matter altogether as far as the amount of sweat and heat goes. Let your skin dictate the schedule, not your motivation.
Rules for steam and swimming
While the brows are in the process of healing, stay away from the sauna, spa or any form of swimming, be it the pool, the river or the beach. Heat, chlorine and bacteria will get to fresh skin and hamper the healing. Do not be fooled into thinking a waterproof dressing makes it alright to swim; it can leak or loosen and hold moisture. If there is scabbing, check with your practitioner as to when you can resume.
| Activity | Why It Is An Issue | What To Do |
|---|---|---|
| Hot showers | Direct spray and heat on new skin is irritating. | Stick to lukewarm water and avoid the brows. |
| Gym | Friction from towels and sweat. | Wait for your practitioner to give permission for anything hard. |
| Swimming | Salt, chlorine and bacteria in the pool are risks. | Get approval once the skin has healed. |
| Steam room | Moisture and heat will soften scabs and make you perspire. | Not while healing. |
| A day at the beach | You have UV, sand and water to contend with. | Where you can, do the appointment after the holiday. |
Healing Stages
Day by day aftercare is straightforward once you know what to expect. Powder brow and microblading aftercare in Australia may have different protocols since the pigment is applied in distinct ways, so follow the treatment you have had rather than something you read on social media. There is nothing unusual about colour changes but discharge or redness that spreads should not be overlooked.
One and Two
Expect the brows to be bolder, or perhaps a bit warm and swollen. A little redness and tenderness is to be had. Put hands to them only to apply the product your practitioner has recommended or to cleanse. Do not be hasty in judging the colour; it will seem more pronounced before the skin settles. Should the artist have given you instructions on blotting, adhere to the timing and method.
Three to Seven
You may find the brows are itchy or dry and some light scabbing or flaking can set in. Allow it to come off on its own, picking at it runs the risk of taking pigment with it and causing uneven healing. Come the end of the week the work may appear less defined or patchy, but this is part of the process and no indication of a botched job. Colour can still be settling.
Two to Six weeks
Do not take a brow that looks healed to mean it is ready for any cosmetic procedure. Clear with your practitioner on facials, Botox, tinting and the like. And do not put in for a touch up ahead of time; the artist has to see how the pigment has been retained and the condition of the skin before applying more.
Be judicious in your choice of products
For an eyebrow tattoo aftercare cream, go with what your qualified practitioner has put forward and apply the quantity he or she suggests. There is no virtue in using more; a heavy, greasy coating will make the skin too moist and be a magnet for dust, hair and pillow fibres.
Some practitioners might put you on Vaseline for certain techniques but it is not a one size fits all solution. Resist the urge to make it a stand in for the product or regimen your artist has prescribed.
Strong Ingredients: Put Them On Hold
Retinol, benzoyl peroxide, AHA/BHA acids, exfoliants, scrubs and anything with fragrance should be kept from the area until the skin has healed and your practitioner gives the all clear. They can be an irritant to sensitive skin and interfere with the colour taking hold.
Makeup is best left off fresh brows unless you are told otherwise by your practitioner. Foundation, concealer, a brow pencil and the brushes that come with them are a source of bacteria and friction. Make sure your tools are clean before they are anywhere near the area once it has healed.
Don’t Miss The Warning Signs
A degree of flaking, tightness, itching and tenderness is part of the normal course of healing and ought to get better, not worse. Should you have any doubts as to a reaction, get in touch with your brow artist without delay. But for signs of infection or some other complication such as fever, red streaks, pus, pronounced swelling, increasing pain or spreading redness, you need a medical opinion.
What You Expect And What Is
You may expect perfection right away. In reality the brows could be dark and uneven, a little swollen before they settle.
Think a hot day is going to undo everything? An accidental splash is not like being in the sun or rubbing at them repeatedly, but then again you would do well to heed your practitioner and not cause further irritation.
And while you may think scabs ought to be taken care of neatly, picking is the surest way to damage the pigment and the healing skin. Let the skin get on with its unglamorous work.
Eyebrow Tattoo Aftercare FAQ
The following are answers to what is commonly asked, though every case of healing is different. If there is a conflict between general advice and the written word of your artist, take the personalised instructions and put any questions to him or her.
What constitutes good aftercare?
Gentle cleansing as directed, keeping hands off, shielding from heat and the sun, and no picking. Swimming, saunas and steam rooms are out while the skin recovers, as is strenuous activity. Stick to the aftercare cream of choice and be there for the touch up when the time comes.
After a week how will they look?
Lighter, perhaps dry and flaky, even patchy for some as the surface sheds and the colour is uneven. Do not pass judgment on the pigment until the full period of healing your practitioner has set is over.
When can I have a shower?
There is no problem with the rest of your body so long as the spray does not hit the brows directly. For the face, many will tell you to leave it dry for 24 hours or so and then be careful with it, but your artist’s word is final. Hot water and steam are to be avoided in the early days.
What should I not be doing?
No scrubbing or swimming, no sauna, heavy exercise or strong sun. Leave the retinol and AHA/BHA products well alone and do not put extra on because the skin is dry.
Is sunscreen alright on new brows?
Until your practitioner says it is, use a hat and stay in the shade, making sure the hat is clean and does not chafe. After healing has occurred sun protection will see to any UV fading, but do as you are advised.
Healing Does Not Have To Be Complicated
In Australia as elsewhere, proper aftercare is a matter of restraint: sensible protection from the sun, minimal water and heat, and clean hands. Summer will not preclude healing if one is prepared for the sweat and UV rays.
I would put it this way: plan to give your brows a quiet week, have a new pillowcase to hand, stay out of the pool and don’t try to “help” the scabs along. Your brows do not want a miracle, they want you to let them be and heal.
