How to Get Better Color Retention in Microblading: Tools, Techniques and Pro Tips
Every microblading artist wants the same thing from every procedure—great healed results and exceptional color retention. But let’s be real: not every client heals like a dream, and even when you do everything right, you can still run into skin types that just won’t hold pigment well.
So what can you do? Control what you can control. Here’s how to improve pigment retention with the right tools, technique, and a few game-changing products.
Start with High-Quality Microblading Blades
This isn’t the place to cut corners. If you want clean, crisp, well-saturated strokes, your microblade needs to be ultra-sharp, sterile, and defect-free. Always buy from trusted PMU suppliers—not Amazon, not eBay.
We recommend:
Before every procedure, inspect your blade with a jeweler’s loupe. Bent or misaligned needles? Toss it. A damaged blade can cause unnecessary trauma to the skin, leading to blurred strokes, excessive bleeding, and poor retention.
The Secret to Crisp, Long-Lasting Strokes
Let’s talk technique. Because without the right approach, even the best tools won’t save you.
🩷 Stretch that skin like a pro. A good, taut stretch allows the pigment to implant cleanly and evenly.
🩷 Hold your blade at a 90° angle. Tilting causes blowouts or thick strokes—never what we want.
🩷 Slow down. Think three seconds per stroke, top to bottom, with even pressure.
🩷 Use a pigment mask between passes if your client is bleeding more than usual. This helps keep pigment in the stroke channels.
When it’s time for the second pass:
🩷 Only touch up the strokes that need it.
🩷 Stay exactly in your stroke channels.
🩷 Avoid double strokes—they’ll heal thick and patchy.
Finish with a final pigment mask for 10–15 minutes. But here’s the key: your pigment must stay wet to be effective. If it dries out, it stops absorbing.
We love:
These pigments stay moist longer and allow for better final saturation.
Want Better Color Retention? Try Pigment Seal.
If there’s one product we swear by for healed retention, it’s Pigment Seal by Skinful Beauty.
This is used during and after the procedure to help soothe and nourish the skin, which helps with pigment retention. You can:
🩷 Use it to clean between passes
🩷 Apply it at the end and let it soak in for 2–3 minutes
🩷 Wipe off for visibly improved healed results
And it's not just for brows, artists are loving it for lips, liners, and ombré brows too.
The PMU Color Retention Checklist
Here’s the full formula for better healed results:
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✅ Quality, ultra-sharp microblading blades
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✅ Thorough blade inspection with a jeweler’s loupe
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✅ Consistent 90° angle with a slow stroke
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✅ Great skin stretch
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✅ Pigment masking between passes (use OMG Restore & Retain)
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✅ High-performance, slow-drying pigments like Li
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✅ Final pigment mask that stays moist
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✅ Finish with Pigment Seal for that extra edge
These are the things that changed the game for me—and I know they’ll help you too.
💬 Got Questions?
Need help choosing the right blade, pigment, or pigment sealer? Reach out—we love helping artists grow. Email us to [email protected].
FAQ: Microblading Color Retention
Q: What’s the best pigment line for retention?
A: Li Pigments' Aqua and Velvet lines are industry favorites for a reason—long-lasting, easy to implant, and they stay wet longer during masking.
Q: Can Pigment Seal be used on oily skin?
A: Absolutely. In fact, it’s one of our go-to tools for oily, tricky, and pigment-resistant skin types.
Q: How do I avoid blurry healed strokes?
A: Use a quality blade, keep a perfect 90° angle, inspect your needle before use, and slow down each stroke to allow proper pigment implantation.
Q: Why should I avoid cheap blades from Amazon or eBay?
A: Cheap tools often mean poor manufacturing, bent needles, and inconsistent results—which can hurt your healed outcomes and your reputation.
Ready to up your healed results game? Shop pro tools and pigments now on the Girlz Ink Store. 💕