My experience at LA VIDA™ (eyebrow embroidery)

HELLO EVERYBODY!! 

Today I'm super excited to talk about something i've been dying to do ever since I got the scar on my eyebrow when I was 7. EYE BROW EMBROIDERY!!! 

The perfect brows for times when you want to be both casual...and dolled up! :D

Frankly speaking, I've been putting this off for many many many years. Reason being, I think of myself having a pretty low pain tolerance level. 

So...why do eyebrow embroidery in the first place?

I have a lot of insecurities just like everyone else, the two things I'm most insecure about on my face is my scar as well as my dark eye rings. I blame the dark eye rings on my job (ha ha ha I hope none of my colleagues are reading) but that is reversible. My scar, however, :( is not. I had it since I was 7 when my "partner" who was holding my hand and walking down the stairs decided to jump down the remaining steps instead of walking down sensibly like any normal human beings. Dragging me along, I fell smack face first onto the floor and back then, the specs I was wearing cut into my brows and ever since, not a single strand of hair grew along that scar :( So you can imagine why for the longest time I've been reaaaally wanting to do an eyebrow embroidery.

Why it took me so long?

I'm sure I'm not the only one. I can't imagine myself ever getting a tattoo, not because of the stereotypes having a tattoo may bring to you; nor was it the idea of having something permanent on my skin that was off putting. It was actually the idea of having a needle digging into me for hours on end that really makes me not ever considering having a tattoo ever. Similarly, I've seen way too many horror stories on facebook and instagram of bad embroidery work with blood oozing out of bloody eyebrows and how the colours faded into greens, reds and blues after a couple of weeks. I'm sure many can relate to my fear especially when the procedure is to be done on our faces and we all know how important a first impression can be. It cannot be changed easily or unseen.

(Weirdly, I'm actually fine with injections, blood tests and body piercings because usually the process is quick and painless.)

So after giving a little context on my (really weird) train of thoughts, I would like to share with you guys, why did I (finally) got the courage to go ahead with the embroidery at LA VIDA (Northpoint City).

Why LA VIDA™?

They were actually not the first to have came to me for embroidery services and I personally do have a package for a beauty salon that covers eyelashes, nails and embroidery too. However, after doing some research, I felt more assured to leave my eyebrows in their hands. Reason being, a quick google shows they have 6 outlets in Singapore. Immediately I was assured that they are not a fly by night company. As their logo suggested, they branded themselves as eyebrow specialists (reassured x2) but further digging reveals they offer other really holistic beauty treatment in their sister company, like, SPAs, slimming, facials and many more and has been in practice for the last 8 years (definitely a plus plus plus plus point).

Me and my freshly embroidered brows with my pretty Korean, eyebrows specialist, Sunna. She's reaaaaally amazing. She's extremely polite and friendly. Also was really trying to reassure and check back on me periodically even though silly me was trying to be all brave and tough on the outside. 

P/s: I was actually freaking out a little especially when she told me to go to the back and brought out the blade. More on that later. 

P/s/s: I was pretty sure it wasn't obvious tho

Topical Anaesthesia

So first, she sat me down in a nice comfy sofa with a cup of warm beverage of my choice. (I'm also really afraid of the cold...so ya) and then she removed the make up on my eyebrows and applied some topical anaesthetic cream and told me to be comfy for the next 30 minutes.

Sketching out the brows

Then she went ahead to ask me some questions on the way I like my brows to be done, questions like the arch of my brows/straight brows/thin brows etc. She also takes my previous brow make up as a reference in terms of my preference in brow colours etc. I told her to follow my natural brow shape and that I do not really have a preference and will leave to her professional opinion. 

She took her time to really perfect my brows. My left brow is slightly lower than my right and I would know because drawing my brows and making them look even is my first challenge of the day everyday. I felt really bad because after all the time and effort to carefully sketch out my brows, I told her I actually preferred a straighter brow and also for it to be slightly thicker and positioned slightly nearer.

She was really patient and changed the sketch in accordance to my preference and also shared extensively on the after care of the eyebrows such as the dye will not last as long on the oiler areas of the face especially the "front" of the brows and of course, in my case, the scar on my eyebrow. She walked me through the after care process even before starting to do the micro-blading!

This was right about the time I started to panic a little. She brought me to a little room with curtains and got me to lay down so she has an easier access to my brows. She started wearing rubber gloves and she took out the blade. -insert cold sweat- I was bracing myself for the pain. She took out the brow pencil again and started to do some amendments. 

Suddenly, she spoke to me, "If it is hurting too much please let me know okay?"

!!!!! SHE HAS ALREADY STARTED.

And I was completely UNAWARE.

It's insane! The feeling I felt could be described more as how you know some salon they use a brow blade to scrape off your loose brow hair during eye brow shaping? YEAH THAT. Completely painless, besides feeling a slight pressure of something scraping the skin. I was SO relieved and I actually let out of laugh.

Me: "That was it? You've started?"

Sunna: "Yeah! Please tell me if it gets too painful okay"

It was completely painless. 

On the left: While she was doing one side of the brow.

On the right: Both sides done and she soaked some really soothing liquid into the cotton pad and placed over both my brows.

At this time, the brows were starting to really sting a little. However, it was so bearable, I hardly noticed it. (Bear in mind I really can't tolerate pain).

Deluxe Creative Brows

The type of brow I opted for was one of their highly raved "Deluxe Creative Brows". It is a semi-permanent make up with small incisions made with a micro-blade along the brow line to mimic brow hairs. Individual brow strands are carved in accordance to the direction of growth of the brow hair to imitate actual brow hair. According to Sunna, this can last me roughly 18-24 months depending on how I take care of my brows.

And the finished product!!! I WAS SO HAPPY!!! Sunna gave me some cream to apply on my brows as part of the after care process and also told me it is normal for the brows to turn darker in the next couple of days before lightening.

I WAS SO HAPPY. I went home with my new brows and my mom saw them. She insisted I bring her to La Vida and to arrange for Sunna to do one for her too. So I did. My mom went down to the Northpoint City outlet too just to look for Sunna even though there were other outlets that was nearer to us. She was equally pleased with the brows! I've asked her for permission to post her photo up on the blog but she has flat out refused, said I got to pay her money. So ya, no picture of her here -hehehehe.

Sunna was right, it got progressively darker from Day 1 to Day 3. However, on Day 2, it started to reallllllyyy itch. I had to really remind myself not to scratch the scabbing as I was worried it may cause the embroidery to not last as long.

On Day 5, I went to Tioman to get certified as an Open Water Diver. I was actually highly discouraged by all my friends who has embroidery done before to go into the sea water and wear the diving mask because it may really affect the recovery process. However, my dive trip was planned so long ago:( I couldn't rearrange so I went ahead and look! They are still perfect! Though granted, you can almost see some parts of the skin is peeling off which is normal and to be expected especially around the edges of the brows.

Wet and soaked in sea water but still very pleased with my brows!

Day 6

Day 8

Day 8 was when it started to fade quite a bit. This is also around the time I started to touch up the brows a little with my eyebrow pencil. Which is again, to be expected.

Day 8 after make up :D

Day 12 

By now most of the scabbing is pretty much gone and omg you guys, I've save so much time everyday ever since the embroidery in my morning routine. Literally smack on some concealer and powder and go. Ofcourse the brows still need some touch up from time to time but only to fill up the empty spaces. Here is a picture of me prior to my eyebrow embroidery session. 

Me carrying baby riley when was only barely 2-3 months old!! I was so afraid of dropping him, literally had a awkward forced position and a frozen smile hahahahaha.

Last but not least, LA VIDA is having a promotion right now!

They will be offering their best selling Deluxe Creative Brows embroidery services at a promotional price of $398 + Complimentary touch up session (U.P $1369.60) to all their first-time customers (by appointment only) age 23 years old and above. 

PLUS PLUS PLUS!

My followers will also enjoy a complimentary facial treatment (U.P. $204) when appointment is booked via SMS/Whatsapp at 87976271 with quote "Kayla398"

Find out more here at: www.lavida.com.sg

tata!~ Enjoy fuller brows and a more youthful look with a new brow transformation! Please remember to redeem your facial too!

My next update will be on my touch up session with LA VIDA. Will be documenting the brows till then as well!

Thanks for reading, I love y'all!! Bye!