Jodie Turner-Smith: Instagram
Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought, “Why did I ever get that brow tattoo?” Well, you’re not alone, and with the latest viral #browblindness hashtag sweeping TikTok, we’ve never been more aware of those golden arches above our eyes.
If you haven’t yet heard of it, brow blindness is less about losing sight of your brows but rather losing perspective, and that’s generally the case with our old and outdated brow tattooing (that may or may not have been purchased using a voucher from a questionable vendor offering a discount deal circa 2014). Luckily for us, beauty trends and treatments have come a long, long way in recent years, with advanced technologies, techniques, and ingredients offering the eyebrows of our dreams! But what can we do if we want to erase the past and start again?
Enter brow tattoo lightening.
The latest sensation sweeping across Australia and beyond is trail-blazed by Australia’s brow guru Amy Jean, owner and founder of the world-renowned Amy Jean Brow Agency. “This treatment is a need at the moment, and we had to make it happen,” she says. “The amount of clients we were having to turn away because we simply couldn’t help them if they had existing dark, outdated brow tattooing, was so frustrating.”
With some of the most innovative technologies now available, there is hope on the horizon for anyone wanting to amend their cosmetic tattoo regrets of the past. Here we delve into how Amy Jean is transforming brows, faces (and lives, let’s be real) with her magic touch of toning.
What is brow tattoo lightening?
Let’s rewind back to the early 2000s, when brow tattooing first became the biggest beauty treatment around. Think dark, block pigment that defined our faces in all the wrong ways—even tinging a not-so-gorgeous shade of blue or green as badly mixed ink wore off over the years.
Thankfully though, bad brow treatments that we thought we had to live with forever, can now be un-done thanks to some clever toning. This game-changing treatment is essentially old brow tattoo removal but with a twist—your hair remains and the daggy tattoo of the past is softly lightened.
“It works by using advanced technology to gently fade and lift old brow tattoos, preparing your brows for a fresh start,’” says Amy Jean. “It can lift older ink to better achieve a soft wash of colour so you can get a more sheer result and almost a pixilated effect, which you can’t achieve if you had four or five layers of cosmetic tattooing over the years.”
How quickly can results be seen?
Because brow trends are ever evolving, getting quick results is paramount to staying ahead of the pack. ‘Sometimes a client will only need one brow tattoo lightening treatment because they love the colour and don’t necessarily need to come in for another, especially if we can correct any ashy or warm tones that have formed,’ says Amy Jean. ‘Most clients will need two sessions usually, and in rare cases, some might need up to four.’
What happens next?
Well, the world and your new brows are your oyster. “After brow tattoo lightening, clients can reinvent their brows to be pretty much whatever they want!” says Amy Jean. “You can re-tattoo them with a super light wash of colour, which we call Brow Misting here at Amy Jean Brow Agency, or you can just enjoy your new sheerer, lighter, natural look to suit the current trends,” she adds. The treatment is quick, comfortable and involves minimal downtime, so you can flaunt your new brows pretty instantly. “If you’re wanting to go over them with a brow misting treatment to define, you’ll just have to wait a minimum of two months though,” she adds.
So, whether you want just a tweakment or a full brow overhaul, this new buzzy treatment is worth looking into. In 2024 it’s time we all say goodbye to outdated ink and hello to a whole new world of brow possibilities.
Here are just a few products to stock up on while you’re at it for ultimate brow perfection.
01
Amy Jean Lamination Brow Gel
$48 at Adore Beauty
Treat your brow hairs while taming them with this strong hold brow gel. Brush the collagen infused formula through your brows then set them firmly in place with this handy brush.
02
Ardell Brow Tint
$19.99 at Adore Beauty
If your brow hairs are looking a bit faded, a subtle tint can work wonders to define the depth and shape of your arches, with minimal extra products needed. This semi-permanent formula can be applied in the comfort of your own bathroom in just a few simple steps.
03
Benefit Cosmetics Goof Proof Brow Powder
$48 at Sephora
One of the quickest and most natural looking ways to fill in brow gaps and sparseness is by using a brow powder. This formula is finely milled and highly pigmented for perfect arches.
