Everlasting Brow Conference 2017
What a great way to start off the year! The Everlasting Brow conference was the first large gathering of microblading and permanent makeup professionals in North America for 2017. More than 100 artists gathered from far and wide including UK, Mexico, Australia, Philippines, and Canada to hear more than 15 experts from various specialties present topics including microblading and shading, soft-blush lip color, smokey eyeliner, ombre brows, advanced eyebrow patterns, effective numbing techniques, social media marketing and laser tattoo removal, just to name a few!
Throughout the conference, experts demonstrated their unique art, reinforcing the idea that there is no right or wrong way to do a procedure, simply different ways to approach your canvas as with any art form. 
I loved how open the speakers were as they revealed their tricks of the trade and shared their lessons learned. This is something that we don’t usually see in such an extremely competitive industry. It's rare for people to share their knowledge but the mission of this conference was for open sharing and I think we can say, mission accomplished! When we empower each other and collaborate, there are no barriers we cannot break, no goals we cannot accomplish. It is exactly how I would like to encourage everyone to be: open, non-judgemental, and working towards the greater good.
I was impressed by the overall thirst for knowledge! Participants expressed their main reason for attending was to strengthen their skill set as the demand for all types of permanent makeup services from eyebrows to eyeliner, to lips is flooding their business. It was clear that the attendees had come to learn and soak it all in. They sat, glued to their seats for 10 hours a days and continued to practice their new skills even in their hotel rooms! You could feel the passion for this art form throughout the conference.
There were lots of discussions about the evolution of social media marketing and how much of a role it plays for artists and their businesses. The visual essence of social media is a perfect tool for permanent makeup artists to share their craft with potential clients, allowing the client to research and make comparisons during their consideration phase. I know that I’ve seen an increase of inquiries coming from Instagram compared to other channels and it was great to share and learn from each other.
As the conference came to a close, it made me realize that there is no substitute for face-to-face contact and the amazing energy of gathering professionals together. I believe that everyone should go to at least one conference a year to further their education, and keep their finger on the pulse of their industry. Conferences are where people connect, ideas are born, and bonds are strengthened.
I’ll be heading to two conferences this coming March, first up is Detroit's Motor City Tattoo Expo and the Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals Permanent Makeup Conference in Orlando. Be sure to let me know if you’ll be at either!
