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I really wanted Yara Shahidi eyebrows, so I had them microbladed

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Permanent and semi permanent makeup have been around since the '90s, and it keeps evolving. So much so that microblading is now the most sought after semi-permanent makeup procedure the world over.

It's like one day we went to bed totally satisfied with our thin, penciled-in brows and then woke up the next day eagerly craving fuller, darker brows.

Thanks, Cara Delevingne.

Read more: How to get flawless brows in a flash

I've been itching for fuller brows for a while now and I finally scratched this itch (quite literally) when Jade Petkov of PhiBrows worked her magic on my eyebrows.

WATCH: Everything you need to know about microblading

When I started using makeup I never used to pay any attention to my brows. I was really indifferent. 

But last year when I started playing around with makeup more, I reluctantly stepped into brow territory. It was a challenging start to say the least. However, with a lot of practice (and Cynthia Gwebu tutorials), I finally aced it.

Knowing how to do your eyebrows well also means you need to set aside 10 minutes (or even 20 for some!) in your morning routine, though.

Before

This is what my brows looked like when they weren't filled in.

Oh to be black and beautiful. Hello, Solange ?? #melaninpoppin #CollarBonePoppin

A post shared by Afika Jadezweni (@lulo_acups) on

And filled in:

Must be that black girl magic ? [Hair, nails & eyebrows courtesy of @mrs_kushwilliams_ ??]

A post shared by Afika Jadezweni (@lulo_acups) on

Now let me take you through the process before you see the final result...

Day 1:

I didn't fill in my eyebrows in the morning because I knew they would have to be wiped off for the procedure anyway. So this was my first taste of what a quick makeup routine feels like.

Jade announced that she doesn't use any numbing agents, so I was a bit nervous. But it turns out the most painful part was actually just the plucking of stray hairs. 

The shape of your brows is determined according to "your facial features and bone structure" and the PhiApp which measures symmetry. So my Yara Shahidi brow aspirations had to fly out the window.

In the same way that "the colour of the pigment used will also be best suited to your skin and hair colour, to give you the most natural looking brow."

And so it began - etching away for about an hour...

New brows. Who dis? Thank you, Jade @phibrowssouthafrica ??????

A post shared by Afika Jadezweni (@lulo_acups) on

Half an hour after the procedure I had to wash my new brows with neutral soap (provided) and apply the PhiBrows Skin Candy afterwards. I had to repeat this about every hour or so.

Day 2:

I didn't touch them at all, as I was under very strict instructions not to do so.

But the itching!

Read more: WATCH: Everything you need to know about microblading

Day 3:

I remembered to apply a thin layer of Skin Candy on each brow (to be applied once daily). Nothing else. No water, foundation or oils are to go near or on this area for 14 days.

Day 4:

At this point the appearance is a bit scabby and irregular itching persists. However, do not scratch or peel.

Sidebar: I had a dream that I woke up and no longer had any eyebrows. Very stressful.

Day 5:

One of the scabs actually peeled off in the morning and I freaked out. I was so ready to call Jade in a panic because I thought the dream mentioned above was fast-becoming a reality.

But when I got to work I found out from Brows&Body.com that it's totes normal and expected. They also mention that this is going to continue for the next five days. (I'm still checking my compact mirror every hour just to make sure, though)

After

What I currently look like.

I'm incredibly satisfied and chuffed with the new look.

Microblading at PhiBrows South Africa will cost you R3300 and lasts for up to three years.

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