If you are a regular here at Arner Adventures, you know that time is something that we value as a premium for quality of life, and of course, in the long run, financially. There is a reason that people say, “time is money.” If you can help me save time, you are of great value to me! This is why I cannot wait to tell you about Inkvictus Studios, and how their services have not only saved time in my morning routine, but also my brows. Yes, my eyebrows. Let me explain.
Some Eyebrow History
Being a teenager of the 90’s, I was a follower of the Drew Barrymore eyebrow look. You know, pencil-thin, tweezing as much as possible-look. Well, trends change, but your brows don’t really get the memo. My brows took a hit. They took a hard hit. I was never able to get them to grow-in as well as I’d like, so my morning routine became longer as I started to build up my brows so that I felt more confident with how they look.
Save: Time, Money, Resources
So, you may be wondering, how Inkvictus Studios came into the picture to help me save time with my brows and my morning routine. First, the amount of time that I spend on my brows is probably the same as anyone else who uses make-up to style their brows as well. Most people, including myself, spend about 10 minutes each morning (the mornings that they apply make-up) on their brows. Let’s say that you work on your brows just 5/days/week. That is a little over 43 hours/year! Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be spending an entire work week on my eyebrows. I would much rather be extending my walk with Betty White, enjoying my coffee, meditating, or just enjoying life.
Time is money, but so are supplies. Consider what you spend on taking care of your eyebrows- whether that is waxing, eyebrow tinting, brow make-up, pencils, etc. It all adds up. When you add up the financial amount that could be spent or made-up with your time, because it is of great value, plus the actual money saved with the product(s), you then realize that a cosmetic tattoo service isn’t a spa/luxury service, though it is a very pleasant experience (see more on that below). It is truly an investment in the quality of your life, and your confidence, which go hand-in-hand. Lastly, but surely not less important, you will be saving resources. Meaning, the less products you buy, the less trash that ends up in the landfill, and/or the less recycling, less energy, and your carbon footprint reduces.
Enter Inkvictus Studios
Inkvictus Studios, founded/owned by Natascha Hanner, cultivates confidence. That is their tagline, but that is exactly what they do. Inkvictus is a natural cosmetic tattoo studio in Raleigh, North Carolina, that offers an array of services for brows, lips, eyes, and lashes. I wanted to make sure that whatever studio/artist I moved forward with, it was someone who was trained, professional, and was empathetic to my brow situation.
Natascha fit all of my requirements that I was looking for, and as a business owner, she instills those same values amongst the artists whom she hires. Natasha consulted me on the entire process of what I was envisioning with my brows, and we discussed why powdered brows would be the way to go for me.
What are Powdered Brows and Why are They Better Than Microblading?
I had just assumed that microblading was the service I was looking for, when it came to cosmetic tattooing for my brows. After consulting with Natascha, I was schooled on the benefits of powdered brows vs. microblading. Inkvictus has always performed microblading, but once the industry proved to not be as beneficial for clients, Natascha opted to go towards what would be better for the client: powdered brows.
Powdered brows is a less abrasive process, therefore easier on your skin. The pigment/color is still implanted/tattoo’d underneath the skin, like microblading, but uses fine dots to implant, rather than small cuts, like microblading. Due to this process, the look is more natural and soft, which is ideal. It also provides a more predictable healing process. Oh, and even though microblading is relatively low-pain, powdered brows is even less pain. Yay! Win-win-win-win!
My Experience
First, let’s talk about the studio from an aesthetic standpoint. Oh my gosh! This place is retro-chic and adorable! It has a welcoming vibe that immediately makes you feel as though you are not only welcomed, but that you are important, beautiful, and that you matter! Natascha created this vibe herself, and said that this is exactly what she was going for. It doesn’t feel like a stuffy environment, nor like a tattoo parlor. It feels like you want to hang for a while.
I was given a few preliminary instructions prior to arrival: things I could have, should stay away from before having the powdered brow service- no alcohol, caffeine (explicit instructions are given to you by Inkvictus, so don’t take this blog as your instructions). I followed them perfectly because as Natascha says, “my work is 50% of this process. Your care is 50%.” We’ll get more into that in the after-care.
Natascha began by mapping- the pre-drawing/design that fits your face. Inkvictus Studios are the experts with this, but you get to pre-approve the design, of course. They take their time with this process, which I appreciate. It is actually what takes most of the appointment. Once approved, I was given a numbing ointment that sat for about 10-15 minutes. I relaxed, had a bottled water, mozied around the studio taking in the artwork/design on the wall, and enjoyed the space. It’s easy to do!
Then, I ventured back to the chair, sat back and relaxed while Natascha took over. The powdered brow/tattooing process began. I didn’t have to do anything but let her work her magic since I already fell in love with the design that she mapped out. She was very thorough; you can tell that she is not only an artist, but a perfectionist! My kind of gal! It’s also the type of person you want working on your brows.
Once the process was complete, I took a look and was ahhh-mazed! Not only did I love the brows, but I looked refreshed, rejuvenated, and frankly, younger! Bye-bye Drew-90’s brows! Hello, 2021/2022 Shannon brows!
After-care
As I mentioned above, Natascha will let you know that the brows are created by her, but you have work to do, too. At least, for the after-care portion. Don’t worry, it’s not difficult, and you get an adorable little pouch with all you need. Inside is also a care card with explicit instructions. I even traveled a few days after, took the card and what I needed with me (cleaner and moisturizer) and abided by the care instructions with no problem.
Wrapping Up
To say that I am pleased with the results would be an understatement. For someone like me who is nuts about being efficient with my time, my resources, and of course quality of life and enjoying it, having Inkvictus Studios’ services is an amazing value and benefit. I already have seen my morning routine reduce with the time that is needed to get ready. My confidence level has also gone up, and something that we haven’t talked about but is very important- due to Natascha’s expertise, I now know what my brows are supposed to look like! So, my eyes are widened, the rest of my eye make-up looks better, which also leads to a more refreshing look. Again, all of this leads to more confidence, and better quality of life.
Sharing the Love
Inkvictus has been so gracious to allow us to share with you a discount code on your powdered brow service. When booking, use code: ARNER10 to save 10% off of your booking. You will not be disappointed!
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