How to select the right Softap color to achieve gorgeous eyebrows

When you do eyebrows regardless of the technique you use for permanent makeup, whether it is Softap, machine, or microblading, you always want to achieve the best result in the texture, shape, and color.

The first thing you should do is establish what your client wants in terms of texture, shape, and color.

Once you establish these three conditions, you can select the technique and the color you will use.

In this article, I discuss how to select the color when you make beautiful individual hair strokes using either the Genuline technique, the traditional Softap technique, or microblading.

Of course, you must perform the technique correctly. It is crucial for the fixation of the color.

When you create individual hair strokes, the color must look as natural as possible.  However, quite often, the color can turn reddish. This is why many people prefer to use neutral or cool tones. What is often misunderstood with this logic is that this may result in some of those cool tone selections turning grayish.

• For individual hair strokes, you should select shades that mimic the natural color of the hair by following some of the recommendations listed here:

• For people with skin type 1 (redhead) use warm palette tones.

• For people with skin type 2 (blonde) use neutral shades like Bashful Blonde or Hazelnut if you want the brows light.  Use Fawn or Cappuccino if you want a medium blonde tone.

• For people with skin type 3 (dark blond or light brown hair) I recommend using a * 9:1 blend of Café Vienna and Brown Sugar. Mix it well and you will get a beautiful natural tone.

• For people with skin type 4 (dark brown hair),   Earth alone, a blend of * 9:1 Expresso and Brown Sugar, or *9:1 of Expresso and Chocolate Eclair are ideal choices;

• For people with skin types 5 or 6 (dark brown or black hair), if the client does not have much brow hair, you can choose between German Chocolate and Café Olé. If enough brow hair is present, Earth, or even Mahogany are nice choices. I rarely use Mahogany to do eyebrows, but this is one instance in which this color would look very good, provided you make very fine and well-defined hair strokes.

The tones above are just some examples of colors that can be used with correct skin type assessment.  They are an illustration of the alternatives available to achieve optimal results and avoid discoloration.

*To clearly understand and picture the combination of colors, view the following link.

I realize there is currently a deluge of new products and product lines on the market and, with artists wanting the best for clients, this can cause tremendous confusion.   I recommend that no matter what brand you use, familiarize yourself with it. Study it. Test it. Draw your own conclusions. To illustrate, consider these suggestions: 

• For every treatment performed, take clear notes of the color and brand used and record details of follow-up results.  Over time you will develop a series of valid case studies illustrating how specific colors heal/behave on specific skin types.  

• Do not mix colors of different brands, this will confuse you and you will not be able to accurately assess results.

• When you mix two colors, be intentional about the goal.  Adding tones to certain colors must be with the purpose of warming or cooling the original pigment based on an accurate skin assessment.  Without a full understanding of your pigment line and final results on specific skin types, mixing colors in the same palette, in the interest of experimentation, is inadvisable.  It is better to use a single color.

To avoid having problems with the selection of colors, I recommend that you review the subject of skin types according to the Fitzpatrick Scale and that you use the Softap color selection tool for eyebrows. This will make your job easier and you will not need to worry about the final results.

NOTE:

While it is very important that the client is able to participate in color selection, you must first pre-select 2 or 3 colors which you know will achieve the correct results.  Skin type and the desired effect will dictate these choices, and from them, your client can make a decision. Remember, your client most likely does not know about this topic.  You are the expert and the client requires your guidance about the best color.  

Don’t let yourself be swayed.  For this reason, it is recommended you do not show clients your color chart.  Furthermore, you should also not show the color in the container. Place some pigment near the eyebrows and spread it on the skin to show the healed color of each of your pre-determined choices.