Jason Dhana is crazy about eyes. So much so that the uber-qualified optometrist and talented artist has added the skill of microblading eyebrows to his lengthy list of talents.
Framing The Face
Ask any makeup artist where eyebrows stand on the pecking order of making up faces and they’ll site them as a solid framework for any face. Jason Dhana couldn’t agree more.
A Registered Health Professional
An optometrist with a masters degree specialising in glaucoma and a clinical education diploma Jason now trains up and coming optometrists as a professional teaching fellow at Auckland University’s School of Optometry and Vision Science. He also works part-time with emergency ophthalmology cases at Greenlane hospital. “I’ve always been fascinated with eyes and the way they work, they’re multi-faceted,” he says. “There’s the anatomy, the optics, prescribing medications and specialties like children, the elderly and blindness.”
An Artists Eye
An extraordinarily talented artist who creates very fine, precision paintings and sketches, Jason visited Europe earlier this year and sketched his way around with a sharpie. And when you consider the exactitude of his optometry work, which may necessitate procedures such as removing foreign objects from the cornea with a needle, his sharp, artistic eye comes into its own.
Microblading
Perhaps it’s no surprise then that years of being immersed in the world of eyes meant eyebrows did not escape his field of vision. “I’ve always appreciated good brows,” he says. And when he began to spot microbladed brows on social media he considered taking up the craft.
The Difference A Good Brow Makes
A form of temporary tattooing that creates incredibly defined brows the craft requires a steady hand. “I was amazed at the difference I was seeing with before and afters,” says Jason. “I thought about training for a few quite a few months before taking the plunge. I recognised there was a niche market for ‘guybrows’ as well as women’s brows. In addition, no one I know of that is practicing microblading in Auckland is a registered health professional.”
“I had one woman who’d had sparse eyebrows for decades and she cried tears of happiness once she saw the results,” smiles Jason. “It’s great, people can sleep in a bit longer without having to draw on their brows and it lifts people’s confidence. Even subtle changes to already good brows adds wow factor.”
LA Trained
Jason took himself off to LA to train at the Elite Permanent Makeup and Training Centre, which is the first school to be accredited by the Los Angeles County of Health. “I read the reviews and looked at the work done by some of their students and was impressed,” he says. “It was in Westwood and I’m a traveller. I love the summer vibe and the palm trees of LA hence the LA summery palm tree vibe of my social media”
Registered Tattoo Artist
Now a registered body art practitioner under LA County and a New Zealand registered tattoo artist Jason is also a member of the New Zealand Association of Registered Beauty Professionals. He’s enjoying bringing all of his talents together and transforming people’s eyebrows under his business Blade.
Guybrows
Jason also specialises in ‘guybrows’. “I love working with men’s brows, it’s different from women’s, which tend to be finer, and more precise—with men’s brows there’s more fullness, and ‘fluff’ where I can just go for it,” he says.
Helping With Cancer
One of the beauties of microblading is that it’s safe. “The risk of infection is very low,” says Jason. As such, one of his goals is to work with cancer patients to help people who have undergone cancer treatment to regain their brows. “I’d have to consult with their oncologist of course, it’s a process but coming from a medical background I want to help.”
And with his combination of tertiary qualifications and an intrinsic artistic eye, we couldn’t think of better hands to be in.
Browaholic
Noun. A person who is addicted to perfectly groomed brows. No plans for rehab.
Offer
Contact Blade before 31 December 2018 and mention VERVE to receive $100 off your initial session.
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