BLUSH Estética · Central Málaga
How to lighten microblading: what to do if your brows look too dark
To lighten microblading, the first step is to wait until your brows have healed: the colour loses a lot of intensity during the first month. If they still look too dark after that, the shade is corrected at the touch-up with a warmer or lighter pigment, and if there is a lot of built-up colour it is lightened with laser.
Why freshly done microblading looks so dark
A brow that has just been done always looks more intense than it will end up. In the first 48 hours there is pigment sitting on the surface, the area is slightly swollen and the strokes look thicker. During the first few days the colour can look almost black, and many clients panic, thinking they will have near-black eyebrows forever.
They won’t. As the scab forms and the skin flakes, a good part of that colour goes, and between day 8 and day 14 it can even look as if the pigment has disappeared. The whole process is explained phase by phase in the microblading healing stages, day by day.
Antonella’s tip: don’t make any decision about the shade until a month has passed. The real colour of your microblading only shows once the skin has finished healing, between the fourth and sixth week.
How to lighten microblading step by step
- Wait for it to heal. Allow 4 to 6 weeks. In most cases the shade softens on its own and nothing needs to be done.
- Assess the healed result. Once the brow has healed you can see whether the problem is the shade (too dark, too cool or greyish) or the amount of colour.
- Correct the shade at the touch-up. At the touch-up session a warmer pigment or a lighter colour can be used to balance the result and leave natural-looking brows.
- Lighten with laser if there is too much colour. When the pigment is very saturated or the shade can’t be balanced, a few laser sessions weaken it before the brows are retouched.
At BLUSH Estética, laser removal of eyebrow permanent makeup costs €50 per session. The number of sessions depends on how much pigment there is and on your skin type; Antonella assesses it with you before starting. If you would rather remove microblading completely, read our guide to microblading removal.
Laser or saline removal?
There are two main removal techniques for old microblading. Laser tattoo removal uses light to break down pigment into tiny particles that the body then clears; it works on most PMU pigment and is the method we use at BLUSH. Saline removal works differently: a saline solution is worked into the strokes to lift pigment out through the skin as it heals. Both are valid removal options, and a trained PMU artist or technician will recommend one depending on how dark and how deep the colour is and on your skin. Neither is a quick fix: they take several sessions spaced weeks apart.
When the colour can be corrected without laser
If your microbladed brows are too dark but have fine, well-placed strokes, a touch-up with a different shade is often enough. A pigment with a warm base neutralises a cool or greyish tone, and putting less colour into each stroke makes the whole brow look lighter. This only works when the original work is good: if the hairs are badly drawn, too thick, or the design doesn’t suit your face shape, the problem isn’t just the shade. In that case, read what to do when microblading has gone wrong.
What not to do to lighten your brows at home
It’s tempting to look for tricks, but home remedies tend to damage the skin without lightening the colour evenly, and often leave the brow uneven. To protect your brows and avoid patchy pigment loss, avoid:
- Rubbing with lemon, hydrogen peroxide, salt or scrubs to «draw out» the pigment.
- Picking the scab or scratching the area while it heals.
- Applying acids, retinoids or a lightening cream on the brow.
- Putting makeup on top in the first few days: foundation, concealer or brow pencil can irritate the area. The same goes for mascara close to the brow.
If anything worries you after the procedure, message us: it’s better to check it in the treatment room than to try to fix it yourself.
How to keep microblading from turning out too dark
The best way to avoid having to lighten anything is to choose the right shade from the start. Before beginning, Antonella studies the colour of your brow hair, your skin tone and your skin type, because the same pigment doesn’t look the same on fair skin as on olive skin, or on dry skin as on oily skin. The aim is hair strokes that blend in with your own hair and a shade that still works once healed, not just on the day of your appointment. A good PMU artist adapts the shade to all skin types instead of using the same colour for everyone.
Aftercare also plays a part: moisturising with a very small amount, not getting the brows too wet and protecting them from the sun all help the pigmentation heal evenly. Here is what happens with sun exposure after microblading and why your eyebrows itch while they heal.
Does the colour lighten on its own over time?
Yes. Microblading is a semi-permanent cosmetic tattoo: the pigment is placed in the upper layer of the skin (we explain it in what layer of skin microblading goes into) and fades gradually. So if the shade is only slightly more intense than you wanted, waiting is often the simplest option. You’ll find the timings in how long microblading lasts.
Real results at BLUSH
Real photos from @blush.esteticamalaga, no filters. Tap a photo to enlarge it.
FAQs about how to lighten microblading
How can I lighten eyebrow pigmentation?
By waiting for it to heal and, if it is still dark, correcting the shade at the touch-up or weakening the pigment with laser. Never with home remedies.
How much does microblading lighten as it heals?
Quite a lot: the colour in the first few days is far more intense than the final result. The true shade shows from the fourth week.
Can microblading that is too dark be corrected?
Yes. If the design is good, the shade is balanced at the touch-up; if there is a lot of built-up pigment, it is lightened with laser first.
How many laser sessions are needed?
It depends on the amount of pigment and on your skin. Lightening usually takes fewer sessions than removing it completely.
Does laser damage the natural brow hair?
The laser targets the pigment, but in some cases the hair in the area may lighten temporarily. Antonella explains beforehand what to expect in your case.
Have your brows turned out darker than you wanted?
Whether this is your first time getting it done or you’re dealing with previous microblading from another salon, send us a photo in natural light and we’ll tell you whether it’s enough to wait, retouch the shade or lighten with laser. The centre works in Spanish, but we can help you in English via WhatsApp. And if you’re thinking about getting your brows done, see how we approach microblading in Málaga.