Unpleasant Experience on Eyeliner by Korean Artist
/43A Neil Rd #nextsingapore #eyelinerembroidery #koreanartist #koreansalon
Hi all. This is my first post. After having a bad experience on my first eyeliner experience by a korean artist, I feel like I should share it to warn others like me.
How I chose the korean artist?
I was attracted to the works of a korean eyeliner artist on instagram. Her IG is Next_Su. It seems like "Next" is a group of korean artists with different specialisations. My main concern was the pain as i heard stories it is painful. As I am very afraid of pain. I tried to search for online reviews before my session but could not find any. Her IG posted she had good reviews and she looked gentle from her posts. In addition, she even had a post talking about the pain, so it seemed like she is quite an accomodating person (a twist at the end). And she is Korean lol. So I took a leap of faith and pray hard all would go well.
First session
I wanted tail embroidery, she recommended I do the full set. Prior to first session, she told me she would draw it for me and I can decide again. During first session, she didn't draw but just draw the tail and asked if it is ok. It seemed like there is language barrier, like she didn't talk to me much, just using gestures most of the time.
I ate 2 panadol before the session as I was afraid of pain, as well as I stopped eating blood thinning supplements a day prior.
The session turned out surprisingly painless with the numbing cream. it was towards the last 5 minutes where I felt the pain of the needle and I voiced it out, but she did not stop and mumbled something I can't really catch so I endured the pain. Luckily it was the last bit and she did on the other eye. Same thing, it started to hurt and I voiced it out again, but felt like she tried to tell me to endure it as it was ending, so I endured. Since it was only the last 5 minutes that I felt the pain, I was thinking I was blessed, the tail looked nice too. she messaged me after my session, thanking me and gave me aftercare guidelines. I felt it was still a pleasant experience. However, by the third week, the tail on my right eye completely disappeared, so I thought I needed to go back to her for touch up and I did.
Touch Up session
I arrived early but she did not greet me, and rather gestured me to the bed. ok. I felt like she wasn't in a good mood. so she applied numbing cream and let me lay there for 20mins and she came back to draw the eyeliner. even though it was touch up for tail, i felt she used the pencil to draw a full eyeliner. i thought she would show me beforehand before she statted, but no, she just proceeded without warning. she started doing one eye. Unlike my first session,, I started to feel the pain not long after. I voiced it out, she stopped for a bit and continued. it started to be unbearable, so I voiced it out again. she just stopped and just said "numbing cream?" I said yes. I felt impatience on her end. throughout the session, I I voiced out the pain 4 times, but she did not say anything to me much. only at my second time, she said "others 1 round numbing cream, do 2 rounds but you 1 round numbing cream, 1 round" I was shocked, I thought according to her post, she would be quite understanding. nevertheless, I kept apologising to her and told her I don't know why this time it was so painful but she just replied ok or never respond lol. I felt her impatience. she was trying to do my eye opposite of her (why can't she sit the other side instead) and I felt she was struggling with my left eye somehow but she didn't tell me anything. so I just tried my best not to move or breathe too hard. throughout, she didn't tell me much and just kept sighing at me wth. then when I voiced out it was painful the third time, she mumbled something in korean to herself in a frustrated way. lol.
Last straw
In the last round, no matter how much I endured, the pain of the needles going in and out on my inner eyelid got so painful on my right eye, I told her "I'm so sorry, it hurts". she immediately stopped, applied numbing cream and worked on the other eye, I supposed she would come back to this eye again since she applied numbing cream. when she worked on my left eye, I felt her struggling again and the pain came shortly after. I voiced it out again and she stopped immediately. I felt she completely stopped as stepped away from me. it was like awkward silence as I can feel like she is sitting there staring at me in frustration, so I said "I'm very sorry it is painful." No response so I continued, "I feel both my eyes are very swollen now" without replying to me. she just stopped. she wiped my eyes one time each and asked me to open my eyes. and tried to pass me the mirror. huh? it guess she just wants to end the session. so I sat up, took the mirror and said ok. after I paid, I believe she intentionally looked down at her counter and said thank you unwillingly without looking at me. who says thank you looking down lol? I looked at her and she didn't even want to look at me at all. lol what did I do to her? she pms or what?
before I exit the salon, I finally gave out a loud sigh. what an unpleasant Experience. I wouldn't go for korean salons anymore, I will stick back to my usual japanese salons.
when I checked my eyeliner again, as expected on my left eye which she was struggling, there was empty patch lol. not sure how I will deal with it later on. but I will never go back to her again.
i guess never judge a pretty cover? lol.
Eyeliner embroidery, also known as semi-permanent makeup or tattoo eyeliner, is growing in popularity in Singapore, especially with Korean artists known for their delicate work. While many salons advertise painless experiences, it’s important to understand the risks and the variability in pain tolerance. Before undergoing eyeliner embroidery, I recommend researching salons thoroughly—not just relying on Instagram photos or glowing reviews. Try to find detailed, authentic reviews from previous clients. Pain management can differ widely between artists and sessions; some apply numbing creams multiple times, while others may rely on less analgesia. Also, discuss the design clearly before starting. Some artists might proceed without explicit consent for changes, so ensure you’re comfortable with the planned approach. Language barriers can complicate communication, so consider how this might affect your experience. Touch-up sessions are crucial for long-lasting results but can sometimes be more painful or uncomfortable. Make sure your artist listens and is attentive to your feedback to avoid distress. If pain becomes intolerable or technique seems off, don’t hesitate to pause or reschedule. It’s worth noting the pricing range at such Korean salons in Singapore, which typically charges from $290 for tail embroidery to $650 for full eyeliner sets, with touch-ups around $210. Be clear on the cost and what’s included beforehand. Finally, take good care of your eyelids post-procedure by following aftercare instructions closely to avoid infections or patchy results. If you experience swelling, pain, or uneven fading, consult the artist or a professional promptly. In summary, eyeliner embroidery can be a great beauty enhancement if done by a skilled and communicative artist. But as my experience shows, pain and dissatisfaction are real risks. Always do your homework, listen to your body, and choose a salon that respects your comfort and preferences.
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