Weddings

the bride’s home,” said Elshaer. “It’s important that the bride feel comfortable during this time. Quite often, I will also do makeup for the bride’s mother. It is a wonderful bonding experience for them.”

For skin care, Elshaer recently began to offer ProCell microchanneling, in which microscopic grooves are created in the skin with needles. This stimulates collagen production in the skin that results in the skin rejuvenating itself. Microchanneling is used to treat wrinkles, acne, rosacea, and reduce dark spots on the skin. The treatment takes three appointments, each one month apart, for full effect to take place.

By Kathryn Acciari Contributing Writing

EEvery bride wants to look and feel her best on her wedding day, and that includes knowing that your face is glowing throughout the ceremony and celebration. With the services offered by Dina Elshaer, owner of Subtle Ink of Northborough, brides can enjoy their big day with the knowledge that their makeup is absolutely flawless.

Elshaer offers both permanent and non-permanent makeup treatments.

“Brides want their makeup to be perfect. I enhance their appearance by providing permanent makeup procedures as well as formal makeup applications,” said Elshaer. “Popular shortterm treatments among brides this year are brow lamination and tinting. Brides want their brows to look lush and thick.”

Elshaer’s permanent brow procedures require an initial consultation of two to three hours. During this time, the client’s eyebrows are mapped to the facial structure to draw out the face’s underlying shape. Elshaer then performs colorswatching to match the natural brow hair color.

“The color-swatching is an important part of the brow process,” said Elshaer. “You want the brows to look natural and to enhance the face. I have had clients leave the studio crying from happiness at the way they look after my treatments. They look entirely different from their initial consultation.”

In addition to the brow treatments, another makeup procedure that is gaining popularity is lip blush, which enhances one’s natural lip color.

“Lip blush gives a fresh tint to lips that lasts for about a year,” said Elshaer.

Elshaer recommends that brides allow for a two-month lead time between having brow and lip makeup procedures and their wedding day, because the treatments require healing between each procedure. Full healing occurs in four weeks, after which a touch-up procedure can occur.

For clients who aren’t ready for such in-depth treatments, Elshaer offers full, formal cosmetic applications. She will travel to a client’s home for the makeup session, which can last between two and three hours. For brides, this can be a timesaving convenience.

“The permanent makeup procedures must be done in a licensed location, so the client comes to my studio. But my formal makeup applications can take two to three hours, and I frequently go to

“ProCell therapy is an amazing new skin treatment,” said Elshaer. “Results are seen very quickly, with little downtime or healing time needed.”

Subtle Ink also offers fine line tattoos.

Elshaer said, “These are common with women who want to explore the idea of a tattoo but aren’t ready to commit to a larger design. Our needles are very small, so the tattoos are delicate.”

Now fully operational following the pandemic, Elshaer notes that she did not have to change her protocol too much.

““I wear a mask when working on a client, and I have always sanitized my studio and equipment between clients,” said Elshaer. “I follow the aseptic protocol for a certified and licensed studio. This includes single-use, disposable materials and following OSHA guidelines in compliance with the Board of Health. “

Elshaer finds great joy in helping her clients feel good about their appearance. For the future, Elshaer will continue taking classes and expanding the offerings at Subtle Ink.

“I am so happy when people like the results of my work and my artistry,” said Elshaer.

The Subtle Ink studio recently moved from Southborough to Northborough and is located at 82 West Main Street, Northborough. Brides can visit Subtle Ink at subtleink.com or call (774) 359-5896 to schedule a consultation.