Hello! Mag | I woke up like this

The semi-permanent beauty treatments that could streamline your morning routine.

If brow pencils and mascara just aren’t cutting it, or if you can’t remember your last frizz-free hair day, it might be time to turn to the pros for some extra help. We’ve spoken to the best in the business to give you the lowdown on our favourite semi-permanent treatments…

The Brow Factor

Fed up with pencilling in and brushing up your brows every morning? A new tattooing technique promises wispy hair strokes for fuller, fluffier arches.

Treatment: Hyper-Realism Brows

What it does: Perfect for those of us who got pluck-happy in the 1990s, this treatment promises natural yet defined brows to frame your face. “It’s totally different to microblading,” explains Tracie Giles, Founder and Artist at Tracie Giles London.

“For microblading, we tattoo on individual, unconnected hair strokes and the result is usually a little more groomed – whereas with Hyper-Realism Brows, we tattoo overlapping hair strokes to mimic the natural movement and direction of eyebrow hair.

“The pattern builds in intensity in the middle of the eyebrow to create a 3D effect. It takes the natural appearance of microbladed brows to the next level with softer, wispier hair strokes for a perfectly styled look that’s really on trend.”

From fine stroke formation to shade matching the pigment, the tattooed hairs are indistinguishable from your natural hairs.

“Our Artists complete an in-depth facial and skin tone analysis before they start tattooing and will then use this to create a bespoke pigment blend,” Tracie tells us. “Initially, the pigment will appear approximately 40 per cent darker, but this will fade as the skin heals, leaving you with the perfect shade.”

After numbing gel is applied, a device similar to a conventional tattoo machine (but much less aggressive) is used to create a “your brows but better” finish that gradually fades over time. “When performed by an experienced Artist using the highest quality pigments and equipment, should not ‘bleed’ and will instead fade away gradually,” explains Tracie. There is a risk that hair strokes might blur slightly over time but definition is easily restored with yearly touch-up appointments.

How long do the results last? As a general rule, two to three years, with retouches.