Looking for the best microblading school in your city can be a difficult if not daunting task. But don't worry, you're not alone.
When I first started searching for a qualified training facility in my home state of California, I was overwhelmed by all the different choices in education. Since microblading is fairly new to the United States, you will find that there is no standardized training programs.
In fact, each school has their own training programs, schedules, and techniques that could end up leaving your more confused rather than informed during your search.
The good news is, is that my search experience has blessed me with intuition and a heightened sense of what to look for and what to avoid in searching for the best schools.
See the criteria that I've outlined below that will help you in your quest to find the best microblading schools near you.
School Location: The location of your school is very important in two distinct ways.
1. Is the distance from your home, anything within 1-hour driving distance is ideal. Longer commutes are fine as long as you can make it to class on time.
If your selected school is located further away, look into finding accommodations such as an affordable hotel or an AirBnB that's located near your school of choice.
2. Schools with a physical location are the only kind of Microblading Schools that meet federal, state, and local health regulations. Schools that hold classes in Hotels and work on live models are not only illegal, they are unsanitary.
Reviews: Reviews are important but they need to be carefully checked.
Many schools have reviews by paid clients and not students. Some Schools bribe their students with free stuff in exchange for a positive review "insider tip" from a fellow student. Other school owners encourage their followers to trash their competitors and write negative reviews.
Additionally, you need to check for filtered reviews on Yelp. Yelp has been known to filter legitimate reviews in lieu of payment for advertising. In fact, in one instance they have filtered all 5-star reviews from active reviewers yet they have chosen to only show bad reviews on several schools.
I have noticed that some schools with low yelp ratings have many 5 star reviews on other review platforms such as Facebook and Google. So when reading Yelp Reviews, do your due diligence and check the filtered reviews.
Program Details: The details are important, and the best schools all have similar traits.
When searching for the best microblading schools I found two kinds of schools. Schools that give you a solid education and schools that sell you a dream job.
Microblading is an art that requires thorough knowledge of skin color, bone structure, various brow shapes, sanitation best practices, techniques, and health regulations.
So without further ado here is my list of the best Microblading Schools by City in the United States.
New York City: Tian Permanent Makeup Studio New York
Screenshot of Tian Permanent Makeup Studio in New York
The Big Apple is filled with Microblading and Permanent Makeup Schools that come and go faster than a traveling circus. In fact most schools in NYC are traveling road shows which do not meet required state and local health regulations. While it's a close call when comparing TIAN with other established local schools in the city, this one takes the prize.
Pros:
- Has a physical location that meets required sanitation and health regulations
- Teaches various brow shapes for different types of faces and bone structures
- Offers three and four-day training courses
- Small class sizes
- Complete kit included
- Has excellent review ratings on Yelp, Google and Facebook
- Offers additional permanent makeup courses to compliment your training
- They provide one live model (you can bring additional models to practice with)
- Teaches in three languages (English, Spanish, and Russian)
Cons:
I had a hard time finding any cons with this school. Their portfolio shows off excellent work. Their location however is located in a remote part of Brooklyn and isn't centrally located. So your commute to and from may be lengthy but well worth the travel.
Los Angeles, CA: Fox Microblading & PMU Academy
Screenshot of Fox Microblading & PMU Academy's Website
Fox Microblading Academy gets my vote for the Best Microblading School in Los Angeles for many reasons. Primarily because of their commitment to excellence and student support.
Their microblading training course is four days (one additional day when compared to the standard 3-day courses) and they offer powder shading training in addition to standard Microblading. The school is family-owned and headed by Maritza Fox who according to reviews and feedback is a genuine soul.
She goes above and beyond the information stated on her website and sales brochures and she really cares about the success of her students. This training program also includes a 30-day mentorship with one-on-one training and a 90-day residency at their studio.
Pros:
- Excellent reviews on Google and Facebook (Check their filtered reviews on Yelp)
- They have low-interest financing with online registration
- Has a gorgeous physical location in Huntington Beach, California
- Their facility exceeds all required health regulations
- Provides online training in addition to training at their facility
- Includes the bloodborne pathogens certification with tuition
- Offers 4-day and 6-day intensive training courses
- They teach hand microblading and powder shading in all of their microblading classes
- Provides premium pigments, supplies, and tools
- Teaches various eyebrow shapes, facial structures, and hair strokes
- Low cost with high value: $1,899 for 4-day classes
- They provide their students with lifetime support
- Includes 30-day mentorship
- Includes 90-day residency
- Practice on live models
- Includes an apprenticeship program for additional training
- Centrally located near Long Beach, East L.A. County, and Orange County
- Near beaches, hotels, and restaurants
- They teach courses in English and Spanish
- Cancellations and refunds are allowed on special circumstances
Cons:
The location is approximately 2.5 miles from the 405 freeway and can be a challenging commute for students living in West Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, and Ventura County. Either way, the drive is worth it.
Chicago:Â Esthetic World Permanent Makeup
Screenshot of Esthetic World Permanent Makeup in Chicago
This school gets my vote as the best Microblading training program in Chicago for several reasons. One, they offer thorough training and excellent student support.
Two, they have excellent reviews from clients and students, and three their program teaches you everything you need to know about the art of Microblading. If you live in the region, then this school is worth traveling to.
Pros:
- Online pre-training course
- Only 10 minutes away from O'Hare International Airport, Hotels, and Interstate 90
- Offers 3-day microblading courses, 2-day powder shading courses, and 5-day microblading and powder shading courses
- Take refresher class for free
- 24/7 support via text/phone
- They have an impressive student portfolio
- They include a premium microblading kit that's actually worth $500
- Includes an interactive eyebrow mapping training module
- 6 month and 12-month payment plans available
- They have excellent reviews on Google and Yelp
- Training in English and Spanish
- Permanent makeup courses available
- Fibroblast skin tightening courses available
- Has won awards for the best microblading technique
Cons:
Some of the earnings estimates on their website are a bit ambitious for the average student. While you can easily earn 6 figures in this business, you may be hard-pressed to make over a quarter million during your first year of service.
Texas: Texas Laser & Aesthetics
Screenshot of Texas Laser and Aesthetics
Observation: We checked schools all around Texas starting with Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas and noticed a lack in quality and customer service.
While Austin is noted as the city with the best school, we believe that Texas Laser and Aesthetics Academy is the best microblading school in all of Texas. Most schools had inconsistent reviews across all platforms, and don't have training programs that exceed the value and quality of this school.
Pros:
- They have near-perfect reviews on Yelp, Google, and Facebook
- They are known for their excellent customer service skills
- Their microblading course is affordable at only $2500/3-day course
- When compared to other schools in the entire state of Texas, they win hands down!
- They also offer a host of laser treatment, permanent makeup courses
- Exceeds federal, state, and local health regulations
- Provides medical-grade training
- Located just 13 minutes from Austin International Airport
- Located just off Highway 290
- Hotels from just a quarter-mile away
- Gorgeous location, clean, and professional
- Private procedure rooms
- Internship programs for Alumni
- Provides training materials for download
Cons:
- Does not offer advanced microshading or ombre courses.
- Does not have online courses
Pennsylvania: The Fine Arts of Beauty
Screenshot of The Fine Arts of Beauty School in Pennsylvania
Microblading training schools in Pennsylvania are made up of mostly traveling schools. Since those schools do not meet state and local health regulations, they're automatically disqualified from making this list. Because the city of Philadelphia has a very small selection of permanent makeup schools, we're going to select the best microblading school in the state of Pennsylvania.
Pros:
- They're actually a school
- Out of all the permanent makeup schools in Pennsylvania, they have consistent good reviews
- They have a 100-hour training program
- They provide additional permanent makeup courses
- Hotels located within a short driving distance
- Has satellite locations throughout the state
- They offer one-on-one training
Cons:
- Online training is not available at this time
- You have to call to get details about their courses
Arizona: Collett Academy
Screenshot of Collett Academy in Arizona
The state of Arizona offers microblading training options in the Phoenix and Tucson areas. With that said, there are few schools that stand out from the rest. Of the few options that we've found, we've only seen one school that has consistent reviews, a solid training program, and a spacious state of the art facility.
Pros:
- Featuring a 90-hour microblading training program
- They include a premium kit worth $500
- They teach multiple brow shapes for various facial types
- Advanced brow shading and machine techniques available
- One-on-one training available to school alumni
- Restaurants and nearby shopping
- Easy access to highway 101
- One year of telephone and email support available to graduates
Cons:
- Online training not available at this time
- The nearest hotel is 2.5 miles away: an 8-minute drive
San Diego: Deluxe Brows
San Diego Microblading Training Academy
When it comes to the best microblading schools in San Diego, there's only one choice. We've had our eye on this school for some time and they never disappoint. This school is always innovating and improving the permanent makeup industry as a whole. If you live in/near San Diego and want to get a solid education then this is the place to be.
Pros:
- Has a 125-hour training program: 10-day online training - 5-day hands-on training
- They have consistent 5-star reviews on Yelp and Google
- They teach multiple brow shapes for different bone structures and facial types
- Small class sizes
- Lifetime support
- Advanced Ombre, machine shading, and permanent makeup courses available
- Tattoo removal courses available
- Free live webinars for alumni
- Practice with live models
- Graduates have the option to be listed in their artist directory
- Microblading & PMU Supplies available for online purchase
Cons:
- It may be difficult to get a hold of someone on the phone, keep trying, you'll eventually get through to someone. They may be busy.
- Refunds or cancellations not permitted
San Francisco Bay Area : The Microblading Institute
Best Microblading Training School in San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area is well known for its wealth of microblading and permanent makeup artists however the Bay Area has few options when it comes to quality microblading training and education. With that said the city of Richmond takes the top honors for the Best Microblading Academy in the San Francisco Bay Area. Check their Yelp and Google listings for before and after photos since their website portfolio seems not to be working at the time of writing this article.
Pros:
- They have an exceptional online portfolio
- The school is conveniently located just of Interstate 80
- Hotels, restaurants, and shops located nearby
- Consistent 5-star reviews on Google and Yelp
- Training is provided in 2 parts, online and then at their training facility
- Maya, the owner is well received by her students and clients alike
Cons:
- It's a little over an hour from the nearest airport
- You have to call to get more details about the school
In Conclusion
Finding the best microblading school near you can be a daunting task but it doesn't have to be. Even if you don't live near these major metropolitan areas.
The object of this article is to help you understand what to look for in a good school regardless if you are paying for a good or bad education. Remember, microblading is in its wild west stages and those who start early, build a clientele and master their craft will come out on top in the long run. That's why it's important to get the best education for your hard-earned money!