Feather touch brows and ombre brows are both very popular eyebrow enhancement techniques, but what exactly is the difference?
The main differences between feather touch brows and ombre brows are the desired finish, the application method, and the skin type they’re best suited for. Both of these techniques will give you a filled in, defined brow, but feather touch brows are more natural, while ombre brows are more bold.
What Are Feather Touch Brows?
Feather touch brows are a semi-permanent eyebrow tattooing technique that is very similar to microblading.
The eyebrow artist uses a handheld tool to mimic hair-like strokes in the brow.
This is meant to correct the shape of the brow rather than fill them in entirely.
Therefore, it leaves a very natural finish that still makes the brows look more defined.
Although microblading and feather touch brows are very similar, feather touch brows use even finer strokes of pigment that blend seamlessly into the eyebrows.
So feather touch brows are going to give you the most natural result.
To enhance the look of feather touch brows, a lot of people will even apply makeup over the top of them.
This gives you a lot more versatility, as you can either wear your brows natural-looking or darken them for a bold, more dramatic look.
What Are Ombre Brows?
Ombre brows are a semi-permanent eyebrow tattooing technique that leaves the brows looking more bold and dramatic, but still natural.
Instead of a handheld tool, the eyebrow artist will use a machine to apply ombre brows, much like a tattoo machine.
This machine deposits tiny dots of pigment into the skin instead of hair-like strokes.
In order to get the ombre effect, the pigment is saturated the least in the inner brow, and it gradually becomes more saturated towards the end of the brow.
Also, most of the time, the inner brow will be a lighter shade while the end of the brow will be a shade darker.
Ombre brows are great for people with extra oily skin. For people with oily skin, feather touch brows may fade faster and look less defined over time.
Since ombre brows are applied much like a traditional tattoo and there is more pigment being used, they are more suited for standing the test of time.
Ombre brows are fairly expensive and can usually cost anything between $500 and $1000.
The Main Differences Between Feather Touch Brows and Ombre Brows
Feather touch brows and ombre brows both give you defined brows that you won’t have to fill in every day.
But there are some key differences between the two methods:
Desired Result
The biggest, most noticeable difference between feather touch brows and ombre brows is the overall result.
With feather-touch brows, the artist tattoos ultra-fine hair-like strokes that look like eyebrow hairs.
The pigment blends seamlessly into the brows, and when a good artist applies them, you won’t even notice that any eyebrow tattooing has been done.
On the other hand, ombre brows provide a much more bold and dramatic result.
Instead of applying the pigment in the form of fine eyebrow hair-like strokes, the artist will deposit tiny dots of pigment into the brows making them appear completely filled in.
Skin Type
One of the biggest factors you must take into account before choosing what type of eyebrow tattooing you’re best suited for is skin type.
If you have oily skin, your options are much more limited because the oil in your skin is more likely to fade the pigment more quickly.
If you have oily skin, feather-touch brows may not be the best option.
This is because the pigment is deposited only right under the skin’s surface.
So when oil comes into contact with it, it can pull out the pigment, cause it to fade faster, and alter the shape.
A great thing about ombre brows is that they are great for all skin types.
The way they are applied lends itself more to people with oily skin, as more pigment is deposited deeper into the skin.
This means it won’t fade as quickly and it will be more likely the remain its intended shape.
Application Method
Another key difference between feather touch brows and ombre brows is the way that they are applied.
To create feather-touch brows, the eyebrow artist uses a handheld tool to tattoo individual strokes of pigment that mimic eyebrow hairs.
Small, minuscule channels are carved into the skin where the pigment will be placed.
To create ombre brows, the eyebrow artist uses a machine much like a traditional tattoo artist would use.
Hundreds of small dots are deposited into the skin, saturated the least in the inner brow and gradually becoming more saturated towards the end of the brow.
This creates the ombre, powdered-in effect that looks bolder and more defined.
Versatility
Another difference worth mentioning is the versatility you get with feather touch brows.
For people who only want to wear a dramatic brow some of the time, feather touch may be the better option compared to ombre brows.
This is because you can actually apply makeup over feather touch brows to make them appear more dramatic.
But even without any makeup, the eyebrows are still defined and filled in – they just appear much more natural.
Feather Touch Brows Vs. Ombre Brows: Which Is Better For You?
Feather touch brows and ombre brows both have their advantages. But with so many different styles of eyebrows out there, your preferences will definitely affect which one you choose.
If you’re someone who wants a more natural-looking brow that you can enhance with makeup, feather touch brows are perfect.
If you’re looking for a more bold, dramatic brow that you see trending on Instagram and in the makeup community, ombre brows are the way go.
Also, keep in mind that if you have oily skin, ombre brows is going to be the better option.
Even if you don’t want your brows to be significantly darker in color or too filled in, skilled eyebrow artists are still able to create a very natural-looking brow using the ombre brow technique.