Microblading

Microblading – Personal Journey For A Successful Startup Business in Saginaw

Ed Note: Occasionally, I’ve been contacted by folks who want their businesses highlighted on Thumbwind. I usually pass unless it’s related to the thumb. I was contacted by a young businesswoman named Jordan Manzoni in Saginaw. She is getting started with a new business she founded due to a journey of personal growth. Starting a new business during a pandemic is hard, and I thought her story was interesting enough to share.


A Modern Microblading Journey

By Jordan Manzoni

Jordan Manzoni

If anyone had told me almost two years ago that my life would look the way it does today, I wouldn’t have believed it. I was lost, broken, and had no idea what I wanted out of life two years ago. I sure as heck had no idea what career I wanted to go into or what career I’d even be good at. Fear and insecurities can be crippling, and I had a whole lot of those after battling with addiction for so many years. Yes, I am an addict in recovery, and though that is hard to admit to the world at times, I feel it’s important to tell some of my story. I tell my story so that the addict still struggling, or even an individual feeling lost or depressed, can see hope and changing your life around is possible. 

This whole journey of my life change began in March 2020 after deciding enough was enough and I was going to reach my new potential. Well, March 2020 is a time we all are familiar with – COVID. This was a definite twist on what I had imagined would be my challenges. Though quarantine was a struggle, it was a turning point for me in my life. I think once you’re beaten down so many times in life, you get sick of being so miserable. Or at least I can say that’s the case for me. I was determined to walk a different path. 

Setting a Path By Taking A Chance

 As I was contemplating what my next move would be, someone close to me said, “Jordan, what do you want to do? You need to pick something and do it,” Even though I didn’t have an answer at the time, I knew I needed to figure it out. The career I love so much came into my life by taking a chance. Before this point in my life, I had been an expert at taking the wrong kind of chances, which let me stay in my comfort zone and avoid facing fears. With no promises of anything and not knowing how I would make it work in the long run, I took a chance with Microblading. Something I hadn’t ever really heard of, let alone experienced. I signed up and took my certification. I had no idea where to go after that. But I knew I had to keep putting one foot in front of the next. Building a successful business isn’t a straightforward process. There are A LOT of options, ideas, and strategies on how to be a successful microblader. I realized I was going to have to take a step out into the unknown. Thank God I have friends and family along the way that volunteered to be guinea pigs as I dove into the learning process headfirst. I will forever be grateful for those people that have supported me along the way. I owe them an eternal debt of gratitude

Lucky for me, I fell in love with microblading. I fell in love with the new me even more. The me that takes chances, even when I am not sure of the outcome. Chances that help me to grow as an individual. The me that puts me in situations that are totally out of my comfort zone. The me that only continues to push me for a better life. The Jordan two years ago to today are two completely different people. 

A Series of Coincidences Set the Course

I started from having nothing 12 months ago to today being able to support myself and my beautiful 4-year-old twin girls. There really aren’t sufficient words to truly explain these last 12 months. I can’t even count the magical moments. The moments when things just clicked. When that connection to the right person just coincidentally happened. I’ve had so many coincidences during these last 12 months that I’m beginning to think I’m on some hidden camera show!

I guess I can just say I’ve created a new me in the last year. I am building a family with my girls and the man I love. We are moving into a home when not so long ago I wasn’t even sure where I would be staying each night. I have realized that I am a woman of integrity. When I am faced with situations where I have to make a choice about telling the whole truth or being less than honest I chose to tell the whole truth. Now I am not perfect. I still have my struggles. But today I am a woman, a mother, a daughter, a partner, and a sister. These are the roles I value most in life. Come to find out tho…..I am also one heck of an amazing microblader. 

What Exactly Is Microblading

Microblading before and after
Before and After Microblading – Courtesy Modern Microblader

Many people will hear my story and might wonder at this point what microblading is. You are not alone. It’s new for some and others are more familiar with the process. I will briefly explain for those not so well-versed on the topic. Microblading is a semi-permanent tattoo that places hair-like strokes onto the eyebrow area, giving the person’s eyebrows or adding to existing brows to enhance or reshape them. A pen-like tool with tiny needles at the end is used to add pigment into the skin. A complete microblading procedure consists of two separate sessions. The first appointment can last up to three hours.

After your first appointment, you wait 4-6 weeks until the brows are healed to come back for your touch-up, which can last 1-3 hours, depending on the individual’s specific needs. After your touch-up appointment, microblading can last 1-3 years, depending on a person’s skin type and how well they follow aftercare. Aftercare is important to follow because it has a lot to do with how well retention will be. All artists have their own aftercare suggestions. However, there are some common principles almost all experienced microbladers agree on—for example, no extended exposure to direct water or sun for two weeks (swimming, tanning). Also, no scratching or picking while healing because it will pull out the pigment. Stick to light workouts for two weeks to avoid heavy sweating. I tell my clients not to get their brows wet for three days, and then on day four, they can apply my proprietary blend of aftercare oil given to all my clients at their first appointment.

Is Microblading Painful?

One frequently asked question is if the procedure is painful. This is understandable since there are needles involved. I take great care to ensure the highest comfort level to my clients, and most report little to no pain. I use a topical numbing cream to keep the brow area numb throughout the procedure. Many individuals ask if their brows will be too big or dark or too light or misshaped, etc. This is understandable because the brows really can make a face just all come together. I take this part extremely seriously. A color is chosen for each client based on their skin town and hair color. The brow’s size and shape are based on a client’s bone structure giving them the perfect brow shape for their face.

Where Can I Get the Microblading Procedure Done?

Model Microblading

I currently work out of a beauty salon called Bella Capelli, located in Saginaw, Michigan. Four months ago, I was approached by the owner who offered me an opportunity to work out of her salon. I am forever grateful to have been given this opportunity and the relationships I have been able to build because of it. While I do work out of the salon, I handle all my own bookings through my website http://www.modernmicroblading.com. Those interested in knowing more can read Jordan Manzoni’s blog at Modern Microblader.


Do you Have a Business Starting Up?

If you have a business or service in the Thumb or Mid-Michigan area that is getting started, we would like to hear your story too. Reach out on our About Thumbwind page.

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Michael Hardy

Michael Hardy is the owner of Thumbwind Publications LLC. Michael was born in Michigan and grew up near Caseville. In 2009 he started this fun-loving site covering Michigan's Upper Thumb. Since then, he has authored a vast range of content and established a loyal base of 60,000 visitors per month.

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