Cosmetic Eyebrow queen Shaughnessy Keely talks brows #BrowsonFleek (Q&A)

If you haven’t heard of her yet, Shaughnessy Keely is someone you need to know about. Shaughnessy is a cosmetic eyebrow legend that has clients flying in from all over the world (including Germany, Prague and all over North America) to see her. Their destination? Langley, BC.

Shaughnessy has mastered the artistry of cosmetic tattooing and women on social media are clamouring to get a coveted appointment with her. Much of her success she credits to social media. The woman has defined #browsonfleek, making her an Insta-famous brow guru (62.4K followers and counting).

Best of all, she’s a local Vancouverite who has just opened her first studio in none other than Langley, BC.

We chatted with Shaughnessy to fin rout more about cosmetic tattooing, her background and her newly opened studio.

What is cosmetic tattooing?
Cosmetic tattooing, also called semi-permanent makeup or micropigmentation, is the process of implanting pigment beneath the surface of the skin. This can be done using a rotary tattoo machine or a handtool. I use both methods to create realistic looking eyebrows.

What can your clients expect immediately after?
Immediately following the procedure, the tattooed area will appear to be darker and bolder in colour and more sharply defined. This can last up to a week after the treatment while the initial healing process takes place. Redness and swelling is extremely minimal.
For this technique, two treatments are usually required, at least six weeks apart. Sometimes just one treatment is sufficient, but a touch-up appointment is offered just in case.

With most clients, the color looks quite a bit lighter and more natural once healed. Some clients prefer this, while others opt for a bolder look. At the second treatment, we will assess the color retention and make adjustments as necessary. Everyone heals differently and at different rates.

What’s the process when you meet with a client?
I generally schedule each client for a maximum of three hours. The entire process rarely takes this long but I like to ensure we can take our time discussing and designing the shape beforehand. I will not begin the tattooing procedure until both the client and I are happy with the shape we’ve created.

A topical anesthetic is used for optimal comfort. Most clients compare the sensation to threading or tweezing and many fall asleep during their appointment. I also take before and after photos so the client can compare the results at the end.

You have clients that travel just to see you. What’s the furthest a client has travelled from?
It still blows my mind that clients will travel so far to see me. Such an honour. So far, this year I have had two twin sisters travel here from Germany and another client of mine flew here from Prague. We get quite a few customers visiting us from Seattle, Portland and LA, as well as all over Canada.

You’re an eyebrow guru that is booked well in advance. How did you start off in the industry and what do you credit your rise to fame to?
I have worked within the Tattoo and Body Modification industry for over eight years. I began working at a body jewellery retail store shortly after graduating and worked my way up from a receptionist to a manager position at a well-known tattoo studio in downtown Vancouver.

I attended Emily Carr University and have always loved painting and illustrating portraits and realism. With my background in Fine Arts as well as a love for cosmetics, I feel that tattooing was a natural progression. I am now fully certified in Cosmetic Tattooing and Micropigmentation practices and plan to continue to evolve and perfect this technique even more.

I credit my “rise to fame” to Instagram. It has been the greatest tool for advertising and gaining a clientele quickly. I don’t even have business cards. I generally like to stay booked up to a maximum of six months in advance, and about 3 months in advance during the holiday months. This allows me to make minor changes to the calendar if necessary and not lose my sanity.

You’ve just opened a new studio. Congrats. Tell us about it.
Thank you. We are so excited to now have our very own space, Studio Sashiko! My partner Kyle Otsuji and I have proudly created a boutique studio space that is modern, clean and bright to ensure that our clients are as comfortable as possible during their appointment.

We have included Mid-Century Modern, Japanese and minimal design elements into the decor to reflect some of our personal favourite styles. We provide services such as realistic eyebrow tattooing, scalp micropigmentation, and hairline restoration.

Many of our clients have gone through chemotherapy treatments or have been diagnosed with Alopecia or some other type of hairloss. We love being able to give back to these clients the hairline and eyebrows they used to have! We also have clients who prefer to have their eyebrows tattooed to fill any gaps or bald spots or merely just for the convenience of not having to fill them in with makeup.

We currently have three artists working at Studio Sashiko including myself, Audrey Glass, and Kyle Otsuji. We aim to provide high quality services with nothing short of incredible results!

 

Studio Sashiko

Where: 20538 Fraser Highway, Langley

Phone: (604) 427-3995

Website: Studiosashiko.com