permanent makeup
Combo Brows
Combination of microblading and shading for natural, full brows Offered on-site by Charm Brows & Beauty
Booking for this service continues on the Charm Brows & Beauty website (opens in a new tab).
About this service
Combo brows use both techniques in one brow: hair-like strokes through the front and along the top edge for realism, with soft shading through the body and tail for fullness and definition.
Offered on-site by Charm Brows & Beauty.
It's the most versatile option, and often the best result on brows that are sparse in places but need density elsewhere. The strokes keep it looking like hair; the shading gives it the presence that strokes alone can't.
As with all our permanent makeup, a touch-up 6 to 8 weeks later completes the work.
What's included
- Consultation and patch test discussion
- Brow mapping and shape agreed and drawn on for approval
- Pigment colour matched to your hair and skin
- Numbing throughout
- Hair-stroke work plus machine shading, built in layers
- Aftercare product and full written instructions
What to expect at your appointment
Allow around two and a half hours — this is the longest of the three brow techniques because two methods are used.
After mapping and your approval, and once numbing has taken effect, your artist works the strokes and then builds the shading, balancing the two as they go. You'll see the result and be given aftercare.
Healing runs in stages: darker and bolder for the first few days, then flaking around days 5 to 10, then a period where the colour looks faint before it settles fully at around four to six weeks. Don't judge the result until then — the mid-healing 'ghosting' stage worries almost everyone and resolves on its own.
Who it's best for
Brows that are patchy or gappy but need real density, and anyone who wants both realism and definition. It works across a wider range of skin types than microblading alone. Not performed during pregnancy or breastfeeding — discuss your medical history at consultation.
Caring for it at home
Keep the area dry for the first 7 to 10 days: no soaking, swimming, saunas, steam or heavy sweating, and no makeup over the brows. Don't pick or scratch as the area flakes — pulling the flakes off takes pigment with them.
Apply the aftercare product exactly as your artist directs, sleep on your back where possible, and keep the area out of direct sun. Once healed, sunscreen is the single biggest factor in how long your brows keep their colour.
Tips from our stylists
- Bring photos of both very natural and more defined brows so your artist can see your range
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine and blood-thinning supplements for 24 hours beforehand
- Don't wax, tint or tweeze for a week before
- Allow the full two and a half hours; this technique isn't rushed
- Expect the initial colour to look bold and settle lighter
- Book the 6-8 week touch-up at the same time
Common questions
- Why choose combo over microblading or ombré?
- Combo gives realistic hair strokes and the fullness of shading in one brow, which suits patchy brows that still need density.
- How long does it last?
- Typically one to three years with good aftercare and sun protection.
- Is it more painful than the others?
- No, but it's a longer appointment. Numbing is used throughout.
- Will it work on oily skin?
- Better than microblading alone, because the shaded areas hold well. Your artist will advise at consultation.
- How long does it take?
- Around two and a half hours.