The 5 Best Microblading Needles – [Reviews & Top Kits for 2020]

A microblading needle is a needle used by makeup artists in order to add shading, depth, and texture to your eyebrows. Choosing the best microblading needles can make or break your daily look.

Choosing the correct microblading needle is incredibly important, especially if you are beginning to tattoo. You must consider the blade angle, blade size, number of pins, and the quality of the blade steel (Source).

These additional elements on your microblading needle can completely change your look and the amount of pain you do or do not experience.

Make sure you read our final tips thoroughly before you purchase any microblading needles, to ensure the best possible experience.

Which One is Better – Microblading or Tattooing Eyebrows?

While the processes for both are similar, microblading uses a manual movement, while tattooing involves the use of a machine. With microblading, the pace of the drawn fine lines can be controlled.  That makes microblading maintain its pace while drawing the lines.

As a result, the pressure can be adjusted, which also ensures that there is little to no bleeding. On the contrary, tattooing on the eyebrows can apply a lot of pressure, which causes bleeding.

Additionally, it can even lead to injuries. To ensure a clean work on the eyebrows, they need to undergo a procedure that does not cause eyebrow filling excessively. With microblading, redundancy can be avoided.

The lines drawn with microblading needles are so subtle that they barely create gaps for the ink to fill in. That makes it look more natural. Whereas, if you get eyebrow lines tattooed over the skin, they tend to fill ink more deeply inside the skin, causing them to look abnormally darker than your natural shade.

Therefore, it is quite evident that microblading should be your preferred choice for eyebrow enhancement.

How Much Does a Microblading Kit Cost?

If you are a passionate knife aesthetician or makeup artist, who is willing to invest in a good set of microblading needles, then you ought to choose a variety of them. Each needle or microblade has its unique traits.

While a typical microblading procedure can cost a client anywhere between $300 to $900, microblading needles cost between $20 and $80.  The variation in microblading cost is due to the quality of the sterilized needles, their flexibility, their thickness, etc.

Comparing The 5 Best Microblading Needles

1. BigWasp Professional Disposable #10 Bugpin Tattoo Needle – Best Overall

In terms of microblading, the best overall needle is the big wasp professional #10 needle. These cartridges are excellent for those adding ink to professional makeup. First, these needles come with a membrane to prevent any ink from leaking out. This means your hands will stay clean while you do your work.

Next, the tips are beveled, semi-transparent, and close-mouthed. This makes the tips very steady and more fluid as you draw. The transparency also allows you to see what lines you are drawing as you go.

Keep in mind, the needles on this blade are .3. This is a very high size for micro blades and should be used with caution. The high size of the blade is only recommended for those with thick eyebrows or a lot of experience.

Additionally, these needles are made of 316L surgical stainless steel. Along with the material being excellent, the needles are also sterilized. This should provide an incredibly safe tattooing environment.

The grade of steel and the sterilization should also prevent any issues arising with your needles themselves. The final preventative measure put in place by BigWasp is the bubble packaging to protect the needle from contamination.

Finally, this is a set of 20 needles. Each needle is meant for one use and is disposable.

2. Pinkiou 50 Piece Set Microblade Permanent Makeup – Best Microblading Needles for Details

Another microblading set by Pinkiou sets incredible standards. This set is a 50 piece set, meaning you receive 50 needles and each needle is a one time use.

These needles are .2 mm, making them primarily for detailing. Keep this in mind as you consider what permanent makeup or tattooing you will be doing.

These needles are another needle made of medical-grade stainless steel. They are also gamma-ray sterilized. Once again, this provides the perfect tool for safe tattooing. It is important to remember that this is an incredibly small size. This means that you have to apply more pressure when tattooing.

Even experienced tattoo artists struggle with the amount of pain caused by a needle so small. Be aware of this struggle and ease your way into using these microblades. So what makes this needle more tricky and painful?

The low needle size of .2 and the number of pins involved. As an 18 pin blade, this is incredibly tricky to use as it provides very broad strokes.

Remember, the .2 needle size is often use for those with regular to thin eyebrows. This means that you will not want to use this if your eyebrows are either very thin or close to thick.

3. PROMICRO Sloped 12 Needle Permanent Makeup – Best Microblading Needle for Beginning Tattoo Artists

Another excellent needle option is ProMicro’s sloped 12 needle. This needle is excellent for beginning tattooers. First, the sloping design of these needles make them excellent for multiple areas on the face. It can be used for eyebrows, eyeliner, and even areola restoration.

Sloped needles, or angled needles, are going to be the easiest needle for those who are just starting out. You can easily use it to shade the eyebrow, shape the eyebrow, as well as add many different strokes and details.

When you consider this blade, keep in mind that you simply will not be able to effectively use it for shading. Instead, you will want to purchase a microblading needle with a higher pin count.

Again, these needles are made from stainless steel. Just like our top-rated microblading needle, these are 316L. To add to the safety, these needles have been sterilized. Like the Pinkiou needle, the ProMicro needle is a rather small needle. Be aware of this if you are just learning how to apply permanent makeup.

Smaller needles often mean sharper needles, which can cause more pain and be more difficult to avoid mistakes. We recommend you practice with a larger needle before using a microblading needle this size.

4. U Needle Microblade 10 Pack of Disposable – Best Microblading Needle for Long Strokes

Another phenomenal set of microblade needles is by U  Needle. These needles come in a pack of 10. The blades of these needles are .25mm, making them slightly bigger than the last two needles listed. This means less pain with a wider blade.

The blades are also shaped in a U shape and then tilted at a 30-degree angle. This makes a fantastic U shape creating flawless tattoos. These needles have an excellent number of pins. At 14 pins, you can do a decent amount of shading without struggling when you are trying to shape or stroke along your eyebrow.

Additionally, these are more 316L Stainless steel needles. They have also inspected a minimum of three times and sterilized with EO gas. This allows for the safest makeup tattooing experience. Remember, the 316 stainless steel prevents corrosion. The gas makes sure that germs are hard-pressed to interfere with the makeup tattoo.

An additional benefit to this microblade pack is the grip. The grip is incredibly cushioned, allowing for the best hold as you finalize your makeup.

5. Beauty7 Blue U18 Eyebrow Tattoo U Shape – Best Microblading Needles for Average Eyebrows

The final microblading needles on our list are Beauty7’s Blue U18 Eyebrow tattoo. These needles come in a pack of 20 and provide excellent tattooing.

At .25 mm, they are, once again, a bit larger than other needles on this list. This makes them easier to use than the smaller needles.

Smaller needles are harder to use because they are much sharper. This can cause more pain and can be more difficult to avoid mistakes.

This blade also has 18 needles on it. This makes it a great option for shading, which many blades with lower number counts simply cannot handle.

One downside to this needle set is steel. The stainless steel found her is only graded at 304. While any surgical stainless steel is good, this is not as high caliber as the other needles listed here.

Like the U Needle, these needles are in a U-shape. This u-shape provides the best options for tattooing makeup, as it helps control where you are distributing ink.

Remember, these needles are disposable. You can only use each blade for one use.

Which Needles To Use For Microblading?

Aestheticians and makeup artists, whether beginners or advanced, often find it hard to select the right microblading needles or blades. Every client has his/her own needs for making eyebrows fuller.

With the right needle, you can fulfill the requirement of your customer. A few factors that come into consideration for selecting the right microblading supplies are listed below:

• Thickness – A thin needle is going to add more precise strokes in the eyebrows. Tiny needles, usually come in bunches that aestheticians use over the eyebrows to create lines to fill the ink. Thin needles are also sharper, which is why they tend to create seamless lines when used. Thicker needles are usually harder to work with, and they end up creating small dots instead.

• Pressure-Sensitivity – Some beginner makeup artists do not know the right way of applying pressure with the needles on the eyebrows. That can result in uneven lines. Sometimes, the pressure is not even because they end up using the wrong microblading needle. For such aestheticians, flexible needles can do the trick by absorbing excessive force. It also ensures that the client does not feel too much pain while going through the procedure.

• Usage – The use of needles also vary based on their purpose. For instance, if you want to add strokes to the eyebrows, then you might need curved needles to give more comfort while creating lines. On the other hand, if you want needles for shading purposes, then you might need a microblade with multiple needles in it. That way, it acts more like a brush to shade the eyebrow area.

Factors to Consider Before Purchasing Microblading Needles

Choosing microblading needles can be incredibly difficult. These needles are often tricky to learn how to use and leave semi-permanent makeup behind.

When choosing your microblading needles, consider what your primary objective is. If you are mainly trying to shade your existing eyebrow, you should select an angled blade. This will give you the most consistent look for your brow.

Remember, the companies that have created microblading needles are constantly updating their needles. This can cause more confusion and frustration by users.

Types of Microblading Needles

Flexi Needles

If you are brand new to microblading, you should really consider purchasing Flexi needles instead of standard hard blades. Flexi needles are often made from leathers or fabric bound together in many layers.

These layers create a needle which provides the user enough give to create a gentle, brushed look. The only downfall is that on occasion they do not create a strong enough stroke to provide a finished look. Some touch-up may be required.

One final note on Flexi needles. These needles can also be great to use if your skin is particularly sensitive. The flexibility of these needles provides a much more gentle stroke.

Hard Blades

Hard blades, however, provide a clean line and a finished look for the eyebrow. These are not as easy to touch up, meaning you should only use these needles if you feel incredibly comfortable in your skills.

As stated, there is no flex when it comes to hard needles. They are made for the firm, straight strokes, and really should not be used on those with sensitive skin.

Needle Size

A tricky part of choosing microblading needles is the size of the needle. The smaller the number, the finer the look. The higher the number, the heavier the look. If you have normal thickness eyebrows naturally, a .2-.25 will help you achieve a standard eyebrow appearance. This is the most commonly used size of the microblading needle.

Finally, for those with very light skin or thin hair, consider a needle size smaller than a .2. This will give you a clean, soft look, without looking too dark and heavy. Keep in mind with the smaller needles, those below .2, they are often also much sharper and are typically a hard blade. This can be unnerving for those just beginning to microblade.

Keep in mind that .3 needles are very hard to use. They often provide a thick, heavy look, and should only be used for heavy or dark-colored eyebrows.

Some professional permanent makeup tattoo artists prefer .3 needles. This is only partially because of their caliber of experience with the needles. Another reason for a preference of .3 needles is that the needles can be manipulated to create better shading or ombre.

Needle Count

Most microblading needles have a large whole number by their names, such as 7, 9, 12, or higher. This number dictates how many needles are actually on the blade. Typically, a smaller number of needles provide more of a detailed look.

Smaller numbers of needles can also be used for touch-ups. The higher number you go, the bolder, and often larger, your stroke will be. Keep this in mind as you consider what part of your eyebrow you will be doing with your blade.

Angled Needles

Another awesome choice is an angled needle. Angled needles are very versatile and user-friendly, especially if you choose a smaller needle.

Microblading needles come with two numbers. One needle refers to the size of the needle, the other refers to the number of pins on the needle. For angled needles, be sure to choose the needles with fewer pins.

Try to use your angled needles for short strokes and for touching up your makeup. If you spend too much time trying to use the angled needle for long strokes, you can have some major issues with your eyebrow line.

U-Shaped Needles

U-Shaped needles are one of the best needles on the market. These needles are shaped similar to a makeup brush. The u-shaped needles, like the ones made by Beauty7 and U Needle, are best for filling in makeup.

In other words, this is not a needle you would want to use to outline or shape your eyebrows. Instead, this style of the needle is specifically designed for creating the eyebrow itself.

Be cautious, do not use it for any sort of shading changes in your eyebrow. A major benefit of using this needle is that it is fairly friendly to different pressures and holds.

You can do many different styles of stroke with this needle and feel confident in your look.

Double Shader Needles

Another style of microblading needles is double shaders. This essentially means that there are two layers of blades instead of just one.

This makes it an ideal blade for shading and for creating ombre underneath the eyebrow. While this micro tattoos needle is not necessarily the best for beginners, if you are a professional makeup artist, consider purchasing a double shader needle for extra finesse.

Get the Right Color and Shape

It is important to use the best microblading needles to get the right shape and color of your brows. Pay particular attention to the needle size. For example, ombre brows are done with a few different needle sizes.

It’s kind of like “instagram brows”. These brows appear to be lighter and softer in the front, as well as darker on the tails. That’s a perfect option for people with oilier skin.

It is also important to consider your type of skin and lifestyle. Based on these factors, you should choose needles that best suits your tat brow needs.

Level of Surgical Grade Steel

Surgical grade steel is an incredibly important part of microblading needles. You must choose a good quality of blade or you run the risk of more corrosion. The higher the number of surgical grades, the better the steel is.

The highest grade of surgical steel you can have is 316. It is our recommendation that you stick with the 316 rated blades. The only difference between 316-grade surgical steel and a 304 is the ingredient molybdenum.

This ingredient is added to anything surgical related as it resists corrosion caused by salt. Considering many people sweat when they are coming in contact with tattoo needles or microblading needles, it is wise to stick with the 316 for accurate eyebrow drawing.

Microblading Needles FAQ’s

Q: Can Microblading Ruin My Natural Eyebrows?

If you have naturally sparse brows, you may have a hard time making a nice brow look with powders or gel. Keep in mind that these makeup applications do not look natural and they can melt off your face after a while. That can ruin your natural eyebrows.

As a tattoo technique that involves hair removal, microblading is capable of lasting through just about any activity. In fact, this technique will improve the appearance of your eyebrows and make them look fuller.

This is actually a semi-permanent application that mimics natural hair whereby the eyebrows are etched in very tiny strokes. That’s why microblading creates natural-looking, fine brows.

Q: Are Microblading Brows Permanent?

A: No, they are not permanent. As a semi-permanent brow tattooing technique, microblading eliminates the need for costly gels and brow pencils. Yet it should be noted that it is more superficial than body art tattooing.

Furthermore, the ink used for microblading is more degradable. It will be digested by your immune system so that the pigment is pushed out. As a result, these brows will be fading over time.

So, how much microblading eyebrows can last? Depending on your lifestyle and skin, they can last between one and three years. However, bear in mind that microblading requires touchups bi-yearly or yearly.

Q: Does Microblading Improve Hair Growth?

A: Even though microblading can make your brows look fuller, it neither promote hair growth nor make thinning hairs thicker. So don’t rely on this temporary treatment if you want to encourage hair growth of your eyebrows or stop progressive hair loss.

Q: Are Tattooing and Microblading the Same Thing?

A: Despite the fact that microblading is a type of tattooing, there are some differences between these practices. Microblading artists make use of pigments, whereas Tattoo artists work with liquid inks. This makes a big difference.

Unlike inks, pigments involve a lighter variant of the color rather than fading into an odd green-blue color. If you have ever seen somebody with “blocky” brows that feature green-blueish tint, then it’s very likely that these eyebrows are tattooed. Mineral-based, all-natural pigments don’t change color over time.

Ready To Buy The Best Microblading Needles?

When choosing your tat brow microblading needles, take your time to consider all of your options. The first priority is to make sure that your blade is a 316 surgical steel. Also, make sure it is the correct thickness for your natural skin.

If you are trying to outline your eyebrow and create more depth, you should select an angled or double shader. If you are not sure which look you are hoping to create with these micro tattoos, a U-shaped needle will be your best option in a microblading pen.

Consider your skill as a microblader and consider the style of stroke you are hoping to use most often. Many artists who do makeup end up using multiple blades for each eyebrow.

Are you actually looking to remove your tattoo? Then take a look at one of these creams to help you do that!