PhiBrows Blades - A Simple Guide
Microblading artists must be well-versed in all of their equipment. You need to know what microblading blades to use to achieve the desired stroke length, thickness, and curve. And all those aspects depend on the configuration and thickness of the microblading blades.
Every artist needs to know how to use various blades for microblading. You can look at them as painters look at their paint brushes! So let’s get into the basics of PhiBrows blades.
Key Features of PhiBrows Blades
First off, it’s important to note that you can buy Phi blades independently and use them with your holder, or go for disposable tools, where the blade is an integral part of the pen.
Most artists use disposable tools, as they’re in accordance with all the regulations regardless of your location, and they’re much more practical.
Whatever your choice, most configurations come both as just the blade, and as a disposable tool.
Microblading blades differ in terms of base, shape, number of pins, and diameter. There’s also a special range of shading blades.
Let’s explain each of these properties in more detail, and present you with the most used and most loved PhiBrows blades.
The Base of Microblading Blades
Let’s start with the basics – bases!
Microblading blade bases differ according to their rigidity. The base is often chosen according to the preference and experience of the artist. But that’s not the only reason behind the choice. So let’s explain the difference between the characteristics of each base.
Soft or Flexible Base
Soft, flexible bases allow artists to moderate the pressure on the skin.
These bases help absorb some of the pressure and prevent the blades from going too deep into the skin. So they’re perfect for beginners who are still learning to adjust the pressure according to the thickness of the client’s skin and their skin type.
Hard Bases
These bases don’t give any flexibility, so they’re less than ideal for beginners. They aren’t as forgiving and it’s easier to end up going too deep into the skin.
But they are much steadier in hand than blades with flexible bases are, as they’re made of aluminum and not plastic. This makes hard bases a better choice when it comes to precise detailing.
PhiBrows Blade Shapes
PhiBrows blades come in different shapes. Each one of these microblading needles achieves different strokes so they’re used for different purposes. Let’s focus on each one individually.
U-Shaped PhiBrows Blades
The most popular PhiBrows blades, U-shaped blades are pretty self-explanatory – the pins are shorter on each side of the blade and the longest in the middle, in the shape of the letter U. This configuration is great for making curved strokes, especially those at the heads of the brows.
They are best suited for more experienced artists, but their use is intuitive and it just takes a little practice.
PhiBrows Microblading Disposable Tool U24 Nano Blade
Curved (C) PhiBrows Blades
Used less often than PhiBrows U blades, but still worth mentioning are curved blades, or C blades. In this configuration, the pins are shorter at one end, and get gradually longer towards the opposite ends, forming a curved shape with their tips.
Nowadays, they are commonly called slanted. Since this name is much more popular, we’ll use that instead.
Angled or Slanted (S) PhiBrows Blades
Angled AKA slanted blades can have both flexible and hard bases. They’re simple to work with – angled blades with flexible bases are a great choice for beginners. All the pins in the blade touch the skin at the same time, so it’s easier to control the depth.
These microblading needles come in various thicknesses and lengths and can be used by artists of all skill levels. This plus the fact that they achieve the traditional hair stroke look effortlessly makes them the safest choice.
PhiBrows Microblading Artist Blade #14
Number of Pins
Another property of the blade that artists need to pay attention to is the number of pins in the blade configuration, or blade length.
The smaller blades, 7-9 pins, are used to create short, fine strokes. They’re very useful for in-between longer strokes to break up uniformity and create a more natural look. So these are primarily used at the touch-ups.
A bit bigger, 10-13 pin blades, are used for medium-length strokes. Size 12 is the most universal in this range.
14-17 pin blades are used for longer hair strokes as well as outlines and to fill in fuller brows.
And the largest, 18-21 pins, are used to create the longest hair strokes, although they can also be used for shorter ones, with care.
Thickness
Besides the length, it’s important to know the thickness of the blade, AKA the diameter of the pins in the blade:
- 0.20 – 0.25 mm blades are used for thicker skin and thicker hair strokes
- 0.18 – 0.20 mm blades are the most commonly used needles as they work for normal and thick skin and give strokes of medium thickness
- 0.15 – 0.18 mm needles are also known as nano blades, used for very thin hair strokes.
Artists have been loving the 0.15 and 0.18 Phi Brow blades as they give the most delicate, natural-looking results. The nano obsession has inspired some artists to call microblading done with a nano blade – nanoblading.
PhiBrows Microblading Grand Master Blade U24 Nano
PhiBrows Blades for Shading
Microblading shading blades or needles differ from those used for strokes. They have a different pin placement, as they cover a wide area, speeding up the manual shading process.
Depending on the number of pins in the configuration, shaders can cover a smaller or larger area in one go. Shaders with more pins are used if the body of the brow is shaded, while smaller ones are suitable for shading at the tails, as they allow more precision.
Let’s go through different PhiBrows shading blade configurations:
Round Shader
Round shader blades contain a bundle of same-length pins that are distributed in a round, circular configuration.
These give very consistent coverage – great for creating fuller, dense brows.
PhiBrows Microblading 36-Round Ombre Blades
Flat Shader
Flat shading blades feature pins in a flat configuration (also known as magnum), in 1 or more rows, depending on how much coverage you need to create. They’re mostly used for shading the outlines and narrower parts of the brow.
If you are trying to create an ombre effect or fill in thinner areas in between strokes, these shaders make it much easier.
PhiBrows Microblading 9 Double Flat Blades
Browse All PhiBrows Blades + More on PhiSupplies
With Phi Blades microblading turns out perfect every time – you just have to choose the best blade for you. Hopefully, this overview has helped you decide what PhiBrows blades you’re looking for.
You can find a wide variety of different Phi Blades, as well as all other Phi Academy products, on PhiBrows Shop – Phisupplies, the official Phi Reseller in the US. Pick and choose the right ones for your skill set and create your perfect microblading kit, catering to each client’s wishes!
