HOW TO HIRE · BEAUTY & GROOMING

How to hire a microblading artist in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

Microblading is licensed by the council in every UK nation. Here is how to check the studio, what to ask, and what to do if it goes wrong.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a microblading artist in five steps

  1. Find the licenceCouncil registration on the wall; in Wales, the artist's licence.
  2. Patch test the pigmentAhead of the appointment.
  3. See healed browsMonths on, not freshly done.
  4. Prepare your skinNo retinoids, sunbeds or tinting for the weeks advised.
  5. Check the top-upIncluded, and when.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

Council licence or registration

In England, where the council has adopted the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, both the microblading artist and the premises must be registered for tattooing and semi-permanent skin-colouring; in Greater London (not the City of London) the borough issues a Special Treatments Licence instead. In Northern Ireland, councils that have brought in Article 14 of the 1985 Order register the same work.

Look for the registration certificate and the council's byelaws on the wall of the microblading artist's studio, or ask the council's licensing team. gov.uk →

Special procedure licence (Wales)

Since 29 November 2024 anyone doing tattooing and semi-permanent skin-colouring in Wales needs a personal special procedure licence from the local authority under the Public Health (Wales) Act 2017, and the premises or vehicle needs an approval certificate. A microblading artist licensed elsewhere in the UK still needs the Welsh licence.

Search the microblading artist on the national special procedures register, and look for the licence displayed or worn on a lanyard. specialprocedures.co.uk →

Skin piercing and tattooing licence (Scotland)

A business offering skin piercing or tattooing in Scotland needs a council licence (the 2006 Order under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982), whether the microblading artist works alone or in a studio.

Ask the microblading artist to show the council licence, or ask the council's licensing team to confirm it. legislation.gov.uk →

Under-18s and the Tattooing of Minors Act 1969

If the pigment is designed to leave a permanent mark, a microblading counts as a tattoo under the Tattooing of Minors Act 1969, and tattooing anyone under 18 is an offence in England, Wales and Scotland unless a doctor does it for medical reasons.

Expect the microblading artist to ask for photo ID; one who does not is taking a risk with the law. legislation.gov.uk →

VAT

Microblading is a cosmetic service taxed at the standard 20%, top-up included. A microblading artist with turnover above £90,000 must register, add VAT to the first session and the top-up, and show it separately on the receipt.

Ask the microblading artist for a VAT number and check the receipt shows VAT apart. gov.uk →

“Is your studio registered or licensed for microblading?”

A good answer: Yes, with the certificate displayed; in Wales the artist's licence too.

“Will you patch test the pigment?”

A good answer: Yes, ahead of the microblading appointment.

“Can I see healed microblading you have done?”

A good answer: Photos months on, on skin like yours.

“Is the hand tool blade single-use?”

A good answer: Yes, opened in front of you.

“How will you map my brows?”

A good answer: Measured, drawn on and agreed before the microblading artist starts.

“Is the top-up included?”

A good answer: Yes or no, with the date.

“Is my skin suitable for microblading?”

A good answer: Oily skin, keloids or blood thinners discussed honestly.

Getting the quote right

  • First session and top-up
  • Technique — strokes, shading or combination
  • Patch test
  • Deposit and cancellation terms
  • Who actually attends: the microblading artist whose healed brows you saw, not an apprentice, and whether they are employed by the studio or subcontracted
  • The studio's VAT number, with VAT shown apart from the first session and the top-up

Walk away if

  • No licence on display
  • No patch test
  • No healed photos
  • A blade not opened in front of you
LOW
£180
TYPICAL
£300
HIGH
£600

What a microblading artist costs: £180–£600 per treatment

Microblading artists price per treatment, usually with the top-up session included. Eyebrow Microblading price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Microblading artists near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. Consultation and patch testHealth questions and a pigment test ahead.
  2. Brow mappingShape measured and drawn on for approval.
  3. Clean set-upGloves and a sterile blade.
  4. MicrobladingFine strokes of pigment cut into the skin.
  5. AftercareBalm, written aftercare and a top-up booking from the microblading artist.

Microblading
Hair-like strokes of pigment made with a hand tool.
Combination brows
Strokes plus shading.
Top-up
The follow-up session weeks later.
Brow mapping
Measuring the shape before work.
Colour boost
A later session to refresh faded pigment.
Special procedure licence
Wales's personal licence, which names microblading.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the recordPigment, date and artist.
Follow the aftercareKeep brows dry and balm as advised.
Book the top-upOn the interval given.
Leave the reviewYour review is tied to the booking, so it carries weight. If the microblading is not right, use the make-it-right step first so the microblading artist can put it right before the review goes up.

STEP 1Tell the microblading artist, in writingDescribe the problem, add photos and say what would put it right. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 lets you ask for the microblading to be repeated, or for a price reduction if that fails.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyGive the microblading under four stars and we ask whether to send it to the microblading artist first; we follow it through with them, and then you review.
STEP 3Hygiene or an unlicensed studio — the councilThe council that registers or licenses a microblading artist is who to tell about an unregistered studio, a microblading done without a licence or poor hygiene; in Wales it also runs the special procedure licence. For a money dispute, Trading Standards is reached through the Citizens Advice consumer helpline, Advice Direct Scotland or Consumerline.
STEP 4Small claims, if it comes to moneyIf the microblading artist will not refund or redo the microblading, you can claim without a solicitor: up to £10,000 on the small claims track in England and Wales, up to £5,000 under simple procedure in Scotland, and up to £5,000 in the small claims court in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a microblading artist: questions people ask

Yes, in every UK nation: council registration in England where the 1982 Act is adopted (a Special Treatments Licence in Greater London), a special procedure licence in Wales that names microblading, a council licence in Scotland, and council registration in Northern Ireland where Article 14 applies.

If the pigment is designed to leave a permanent mark it is a tattoo under the Tattooing of Minors Act 1969, an offence on anyone under 18 in England, Wales and Scotland. Ask the studio's age policy.

£180–£600 per treatment, typically around £300. The artist's experience, whether the top-up is included and a big-city studio drive it. The eyebrow microblading price guide explains each factor, and a search above lists microblading artists working in your area.

Ask the artist; it fades and usually needs colour boosts.

Ask what numbing the artist uses and when.

Tell the artist in writing. Patches are usually corrected at the top-up; work not done with reasonable care and skill is a reason for a reduction.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in beauty & grooming

How to hire: Tattoo ArtistHow to hire: Cosmetic TattooHow to hire: Permanent MakeupHow to hire: PiercingHow to hire: HD BrowsHow to hire: Eyebrow TintingHow to hire: Henna & Mehndi ArtistHow to hire: Acrylic NailsAll 701 hiring guides →

Microblading artists near you

Microblading artists in LondonMicroblading artists in ManchesterMicroblading artists in BirminghamMicroblading artists in GlasgowMicroblading artists in BelfastAll microblading artists on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. gov.uk — tattoo, piercing and electrolysis licence (England and Wales), with London's Special Treatments Licence
  2. Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, Part VIII
  3. gov.wales — licensing scheme for special procedures
  4. Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Skin Piercing and Tattooing) Order 2006, article 2
  5. Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, Part V
  6. Tattooing of Minors Act 1969
  7. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  8. nidirect — small claims process (Northern Ireland)
  9. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  10. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register