A new studio within the Downtown Oak Park business district brings a niche eyebrow service to village residents.
Midwest Microblading, at 1006 North Blvd. in Oak Park, opened Dec. 1. Katie Liberatore, owner and operator of Midwest Microblading, said although microblading has been around for some time, it’s become more trendy recently.
Done by hand, the technique inserts a small amount of pigment into the superficial skin in the eyebrow area, resembling hair. Liberatore meets with clients for an initial consultation, performs the microblading procedure — which, despite the name, doesn’t use a blade but rather a tool with rows of tiny needles dipped in pigment — then has clients return eight weeks later for a touch-up appointment.
From those who’ve lost hair due to chemotherapy treatments or a scar in the eyebrow area, to those with overplucked brows, “it can benefit a ton of people,” Liberatore said. Even elderly women with dexterity issues may find the service beneficial, she added.
Max Austin-Williams, executive director of the Downtown Oak Park business district association, said in an email that Liberatore “brings the community an innovative and on-trend service with expertise not found elsewhere in Chicagoland.”
Liberatore, who became interested in the technique in spring 2016, is a certified permanent cosmetic professional and trained more than 100 hours at Advanced Permanent Cosmetics Academy in Naperville.
Primarily a dental hygienist, Liberatore said microblading incorporates similar skills and chairside manner. She enjoys helping others feel better about themselves and comparing the “before” and “after” results.
“It’s kind of an art, really, what you’re doing,” she said. “It’s definitely something that, as soon as I heard about it, I was like, I have to do this.”
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When health department officials inspected the studio space, Liberatore said they did so with a tattoo establishment classification, given the nature of the procedure. Typically, the pigment needs touching up after one to three years, she said.
Liberatore, who lives in Naperville, said she chose Oak Park because she wanted a studio location that worked for clients both in Chicago and the suburbs.
“Everyone knows where Oak Park is,” she said. “Being in an area where people are walking around helps tremendously.”
Midwest Microblading, at 1006 North Blvd., is open by appointment only. The studio also offers lash extension. For more information, visit www.midwestmicroblading.com or call 708-628-5886.
Caitlin Mullen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.