Inside Dallas’ Newest Beauty Mecca — Makeup Artist’s Brow Project Raises the Microblading Bar

Dallas’ beauty scene is getting a major new addition in The Cedars this November. One of the only stand-alone permanent makeup, microblading clinics in the city, The Brow Project is opening at 1904 S. Harwood Street.

PaperCity got a first look of the space and exclusive interview with the makeup guru behind the project, Nicole Blankenship. With a background as a luxury makeup artist, the Dallas native has worked for luxury beauty brands like YSL, Armani, Laura Mercier and Lancôme. She most recently worked at The Village Salons in Lakewood in an 100 square foot space, hence the move to a much bigger space.

Walking into the studio off Harwood Street is like being transported into a contemporary art exhibit. The space, designed by Gino Iallonardo, is very pink, but in a cool artsy way. Blush pink encompasses the walls, furniture and decor. In the main waiting area, a rope-looking chandelier light hangs from the ceiling over a pink couch sitting in front of pink bookshelves with all painted-over pink books. There’s also a wall covered in golden lanterns to mix it up.

“It’s inspired by my travels,” Blankenship says. There are several framed photos of places in Europe, like Milan, where she went to her first outside of the United States eyebrow conference. Blankenship has traveled the world for her profession, including a recent speaker role at the Worldwide Eyebrow Festival in Amsterdam.

This December, she’ll be a Rising Star speaker at America the Beautiful in Las Vegas.

What inspired Blankenship to get into the beauty business was not as fun. Being born with a rare skin condition, Blankenship was bullied from kindergarten to high school. But it was the years of cruelty and insults centered on her appearance that motivated her to pursue a career in makeup.

“I first got my eyebrows done [microbladed] five years ago,” Blankenship says. “I was very brow challenged. It really affected my confidence.” The Brow Project is her way to help other women with the same problem feel confident and beautiful.

For those who may not know, (the trend is still pretty new) microblading is a tattooing technique to add permanent pigment to the skin on eyebrows. It’s for those who have been over-plucked, over-waxed, or just don’t naturally have great eyebrows. Blankenship says it’s also a solution for women going through chemotherapy or other diseases that cause you to lose your hair. It does come at a hefty price, ranging from $1,000 to $1,300. But if you’re going to have your face tattooed don’t you want to make sure it’s perfection?

And that’s what Blankenship is, a perfectionist. Throughout our interview, she made sure to get up and go check on clients currently getting services done to make sure things looked absolutely perfect. Besides microblading, the clinic also provides eyelash extensions and lip blushing is coming soon. I did get a sneak peak into what lip blushing consists of, with Blankenship having a guest artist come in to do some sessions, and it’s definitely going to be a thing.

Blankenship is only 29 years old, but her business has been named as one of the 7 Most Exclusive Beauty Treatments in Dallas by PureWow.

“I’m a born hustler,” she says. “I grew up in Arlington in a poor home. I had to be independent at a young age.”

Blankenship’s short-term goal is to travel more, educate more and be able to employ other artists. She also hopes to bring in some of her own products in the future. But for now, she’s just very excited to have more than 100 square feet of space to do what she loves.

The grand opening of The Brow Project will take place on November 14. Follow The Brow Project on Instagram for updates.