VERTIX MICROBLADE
The Vertix Microblade was designed to be a culmination of artist's knowledge and feedback from the microblading community. Through many workshops and artist sit downs, I was able to narrow in on what features would provide the biggest impact. Microblading is a semi-permanent cosmetic tattooing technique used to enhance and define eyebrows. The process involves using a handheld tool with fine needles to create thin, hair-like strokes in the skin's surface, depositing pigment that mimics the appearance of natural eyebrow hairs. They then carefully etch individual strokes into the skin, following the natural brow line. The biggest challenge came from trying to incorporate all the different features into one compact design: a mascara brush hidden within the grip and an applicator tip to help apply ink to the skin at the opposite end.
The product is currently in production and is for sale on Microbeau's website here.
Engineering Team: Guillermo Paz
My Role:
Market Research
Industrial Design
Visual Brand Language
Design for Manufacturing
Product Visualization
Packaging
The Opportunity:
Microbeau had no footprint in this corner of the beauty space, and the task was to originate a product line that was shaped by direct input from PMU artists who would rely on it daily. The category itself was expanding fast, driven by growing demand in major U.S. beauty markets for tools precise enough to match an increasingly refined technique. Sitting down repeatedly with working artists surfaced a consistent frustration: too many separate implements changing hands during a single session with every swap breaking focus and slowing the work. The real design problem was integrating all of that separate functionality into a single, confident instrument without it becoming bulky or overcomplicated.
The Outcome:
A single confident object rather than a compromise between competing needs with texture-creation and pigment application integrated into opposite ends of one clean silhouette, with no visual seam where three separate tools used to be. For the artist, that integration removes the actual friction of the job. The design lets artists move through a full procedure with one continuous motion, which translates directly into cleaner, more consistent strokes. Since launch, the Vertix Microblade has held a place in Microbeau's active product lineup.
A Resurgence in Permanent Make- Up
Permanent makeup is making its mark in the beauty industry as a rapidly growing trend especially in New York City and Miami. Women are enhancing their features with semi-permanent cosmetic tattoo procedures such as microblading, permanent eyeliner, and lip blushing. There has been a demand from artists for a product that can meet their standards of beauty and be able to execute the perfect brow.
Creating A Tool For Effortless Precision
Drawing inspiration from the beauty industry, the visual direction revolved around creating a product for professionals within the field. I wanted our microblades to empower our artists and allow them to effortlessly create impeccable, natural-looking brows that last. Exploration focused around new ways on how to provide a meaningful experiance for the artists. We aimed to simplify the amount of tools they use and enhance the form factor to better help create clean brow lines. The product went through a lot of iterations around how to incorporate all the innovations and details that went into the final design. Communication with overseas vendors was crucial to the success of the launch and working with them resulted in the final design.
