We get this question often, and we’re going to finally reveal all of our top secret credentials! We’re tagged, hash-tagged, and dm’d in hundreds of photos every single day. Finding work that’s #AAworthy is a lot of work, but the reward is getting to connect with fellow brow fanatics from all over the world. #loveyou
Being Arch Addicts™ Approved has become recognized in the industry and shows your work has impeccable quality. We are regularly contacted by clients looking for artists all over the country, and we refer them to our online locator. Artists that have been Arch Addicts™ Approved can apply to be listed on our locator here.
Getting the stamp of approval is actually not that complex, nor that much of a secret either. There are a few critical elements, and we’ll walk you through each one in detail below.
PICTURE QUALITY
First and foremost is the quality of your pictures. Unfortunately, there are many photos we’ve had to pass up due to poor resolution, awkward angles, dim lighting, strong filters, etc. We’re going to get into more detail on this topic because it’s essential.
Lighting - Avoid subpar photos and shadows with good lighting. This is also usually the cause of pixelated, fuzzy pics that just won’t make the cut. If you don’t have the space or cash flow for fancy lighting, spend a few bucks on a clip-on light for your phone. Like this one here.
Watermarks - We encourage you to use your watermark or logo in your pics. What you don’t want to do is let your logo distract from the main focus, eyebrows! Always ask yourself, what’s the first thing I notice when looking at this photo? If the watermark is too large, colorful, and/or busy think about simplifying it, so it doesn’t overpower the picture.
Border/Frame - Borders and frames are all good as long as they don’t look like they belong in a scrapbook. Keep it simple, thin, skip funky layouts and ideally, choose black or white borders only. Clean and classy!
Filters/Airbrushing - We discourage the use of heavy filters, editing or airbrushing. We love to see your clients’ natural skin and brows as much as possible.
Size - Instagram has lots of new features including larger photo sizes but, we tend to lean towards the traditional square.
Selection - We rarely feature work with more than two photos in the post. Select one beautiful picture or two, side by side/one on top of the other in a collage. Three or more photos tend to have less of a visual impact than one or two.
Uniformity - Every camera has a grid option. It’s in your settings. The grid does not show up in your photos, it helps as a guide, and you can utilize it to take your before and after picture from the same position and angle every time. If they’re still slightly different, you can edit the angle with your phone’s editing tool. There should be some uniformity in both your before and after picture. See the pics below.
Clean Lens - Our last tip is the easiest and gets looked over ALL the time; clean your camera lens! A clean lens will help prevent blurry photos and result in better quality photos.
QUALITY OF WORK
Impeccable work is paramount to having your photo approved. Even though we fall in love with every gorgeous Instagram brow, they are not cookie cutter, and we definitely appreciate the beauty of individuality! We can recognize the work of many artists from a mile away, and although each of their brows is drastically different, they’re all equally beautiful. We look for perfect, pristine lines and also, the perfectly imperfect.
There isn’t one rule or element that defines a perfect brow, it presents itself. Among many other details, the placement of every hair, your trimming skills, arch placement, and overall shape are all imperative to the finished product. If we can tell you anything, it is to take your time and be strategic in every decision you make.
If you’re struggling with brows, check out our online training. The training is available to licensed professionals and covers a multitude of predicaments and challenges that will take your brow game up a few notches!
ONE LAST TIP... TAGGING
Last but, not least, tag us in your photos! Use the hashtags #archaddicts and #bentonbrows, tag us in the photo itself too as if you were tagging a friend. You can also mention us in your comments @archaddicts, doesn’t hurt to try every method possible!
We love you all and are so excited to help each of you become Arch Addicts™ Approved!