Microshading is the ideal alternative to microblading if you have oily or sensitive skin

First came microblading, where semi-permanent pigment is drawn into skin in natural hair like strokes across brows. Then came microfeathering, a targeted approach where only sparse patches are filled in. And joining the trifecta is microshading a convenient technique where tiny dots of pigment are applied to brows to give a pixelation of colour more similar to the finish of brows drawn in with powder.

The treatment has been created mainly for people who have oily or sensitive brows. "It depends on your skin type," says microblading expert, Tracie Giles. “Think of the texture of your skin like a fruit. If I had an apple with a nice smooth skin and I drew a blade across that, I’m probably going to get a nice smooth line (which would work well for microblading), but if the client has skin that’s like an orange and I pull that blade across, it’s going to bounce across the pores and the line is going to be more wobbly because of the pores in the skin. Likewise, if I get a banana and I draw the blade into a banana, you’re going to get blow-out and bruising each side because the skin is thicker and more fibrous."

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Unlike a microblade, which is made up of many pins (or needles) configured in a straight line to give hair strokes, this requires a digital pen with the tiny acupuncture-sized needles configured into a more rounded shape, to give a softer, shaded effect, which can be graduated to look more natural or as though you've filled them in with a pomade. The benefit is that the dots of pigmented can prick more seamlessly into skin with less change of the colour bleeding or smudging.

Like microblading, the treatment lasts around the same length of time (between one to three years) and is completed in two sessions around six weeks apart to allow for any touch ups.