Eyebrows by Nere

Eyebrows by Nere is registered as Eyebrows by Nere LLC and works from a studio at 9611 Acer Avenue in El Paso. Nereida Murrieta is the artist who performs the brow treatments.

Nereida found microblading through a social media video in 2015 and took a one-on-one course in Dallas, Texas, that year. Her training continued through PhiAcademy, beginning with an online course in mid-2016, and she was awarded the PhiBrows Royal Artist title in early February 2017.

The menu runs from a temporary henna brow tint, which includes brow mapping and shaping and typically lasts about 2.5 to 3.5 weeks, through semi-permanent options. Microblading gives a natural look that blends with the client's own hair, powder brows use machine shading for a powdered make-up look, and micro-shading combines the two for a soft, powdered finish. Color boosts and touch-ups are for returning clients: a touch-up is booked 4 to 6 weeks after the first treatment, and the second color boost is for clients returning two or more years after their initial treatment. The studio also offers a lash lift that uses vitamin-based products in place of the chemicals in basic lash lift and lash perm treatments.

Consultations are complimentary, and gift cards for services are available. Rates may change and are not negotiable. A light topical anesthetic can be used to ease discomfort, and the business says most clients compare the sensation to tweezing a few hairs at a time. Clients usually need a correction about a month after treatment, since 10 to 15 percent of strokes are lost after the first session. Final results appear after at least 28 days of healing. Pigment retention averages 10 to 12 months, or up to 6 months for oily skin, according to the business. Results are not guaranteed, since they depend on skin quality, aftercare and other factors.

Before treatment, clients are asked to avoid peels, fruit acids, chemical peels, laser work, botox and fillers for a month, to skip ibuprofen, aspirin and alcohol for at least 72 hours, and to stop retinol, AHA and other regenerative products at least six weeks ahead. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent. For brow-area skin issues such as eczema or acne, the business advises using its PhiTopic cream seven days before treatment, and that cream is sold in the salon.

Brows are shaped by the PhiBrows method, a manual, semi-permanent technique in which the shape is calculated from facial structure and the golden proportion. Treatments use sterile, disposable tools and PhiBrows microblading pigments.