Ok, let me first start out by saying I, like many of you reading this review, have been stalking Shaughnessy and Studio Sashiko’s Instagrams for quite some time. And I, like many of you, have had my fair share of fails at securing an appointment. However, on the afternoon on April 15, 2015, the powers that be decided«You know what, Nicole? Today is your day.» And I was able to secure an appointment. Not only that, but my sister was also able to secure an appointment for the same day, at the same time, with a different artist. Talk about some good luck, ay? So, we immediately booked flights, a rental car, and an AirBnB before I even had my vacation request approved at work(whoops). Coming from Chicago, we decided to fly into Seattle and drive to Langley for the day of our appointments, and spend the rest of the time exploring Seattle, which ended up being a lovely time. Our appointments were on a Thursday, and everything went swimmingly. We were greeted warmly upon checking in and given the release form to sign, which is the exact same one made available on the website for everyones viewing pleasure. Chay came up and introduced herself to me and brought me back. She immediately asked about what I wanted, color, shape, if I had any photos, etc. Then we got right into it! A good amount of time was spent drawing and filling in the ideal shape I wanted. We went back and forth a few times of me looking in the mirror, correcting something, filling in, correcting, etc. If you are like me(passive and hate confrontation), then you will probably feel like you don’t want to tell them to change anything they’ve drawn in for fear of offending the artist or making the artist upset, but that was NOT the case at all. Chay was extremely responsive and was willing to change up anything I wanted, while still making great suggestions to me. When that was finished, she slapped on a ton of numbing cream and that sat for a while. This is where I should let it be known that parking outside of the studio has a 2 hour limit, which means you will probably need to move your car to another spot(i literally moved ours one spot over) some time during your appointment. For me, that was when I have a generous coat of white numbing gel on my eyebrows. No worries, folks — it happens all the time and everyone is used to seeing it, I was assured. The process itself was as smooth as it could be. I hardly felt a thing. There is a slight noise, but it’s nothing you can’t get used to. Chay went back and forth from one brow to another several times, and would always slap on a little extra numbing cream. If you don’t do too well with pain like myself(I have several tattoos but anyone that tells you it doesn’t hurt IS A LIAR), be sure to let them know and they can give you a little bit more of that numbing goodness. When we finally got to a good spot, she had me stand up and look in the mirror. I was so pleased, I swear I had tears well up in my eyeballs. I took maybe 5 – 10 minutes looking in the mirror, having my sister look at them, deciding what we wanted to do, and we ended up adding a little bit more. When all was said and done, i left with the exact brow shape and color I wanted. Of course, if you did your research, you know that it will fade about 30% depending on the person and how well you do at aftercare, but I didn’t care. That terrible bald spot underneath my eyebrows has finally been filled in and the joy in my heart restored. Ok, but seriously. It’s been about 2 weeks now since my initial appointment, and yes, they have faded from the initial color, but do they still look lovely and filled in? Yes. They flaked a bit, and it looked like everything went away, but again they mention this on their site about how this may happen but to give it a few days as the color tends to resurface, and mine surely has. I cannot wait to see what they look like in the next couple of months and I am so excited to go back for my touch up in August! TL;DR: Finally got an appointment with Chay. Chay is amazing. Brows look better than I imagined. Read their FAQ’s on their site. No seriously, read the FAQ’s on the site.
Sarah W.
Place rating: 5 Jersey City, NJ
I had my first session in February with Shaughnessy to cover up an old faded and blueish eyebrow tattoo, done 12+ years ago. My free touch up was less than 3 weeks ago and they’re healing quite nicely. I cannot say enough good things about Shaughnessy, Studio Sashiko, the other artists and staff I met during both sessions. Shaughnessy is an extremely talented artist, who’s also kind, patient and very down to earth. It’s rare to find such skilled people with integrity and a humble attitude, yet they’re all there underneath one roof at Studio Sashiko. It took a couple of months to get an appointment because of the amount of other people trying to get one at the same time. However, I had no desire to go elsewhere despite living on the east coast. I only trusted the best of the best with my face. My patience has certainly paid off. I’ve also been very diligent about following the proper aftercare while my eyebrows heal. You cannot put any cosmetics, soap or sunscreen on the area during the first few weeks or it will interfere with how it heals. Keeping the area clean is crucial but super easy if you use common sense while caring for your skin. If you want beautiful, natural looking brows, go to Studio Sashiko! This is the first Unilocal review I have ever written in my life because I wanted to let others know the truth. I will post pictures in a few weeks after the area heals! Thank you, Shaughnessy, for giving me amazing brows!!!
Susy W.
Place rating: 5 Seattle, WA
Wow, so many haters on Unilocal!First of all, this is cosmetic surgery, not LIFEORDEATH. Please keep your perspectives in check. I wanted to make sure to put in a good word for this studio. Yes, they are extremely popular from their Instagram fame, so they are extremely hard to book. Was I frustrated when I thought I had an appointment in my cart, had entered my credit card info, clicked submit only to realize I had lost my appointment when I forgot to check that I acknowledged their terms and conditions? Of course, I was upset. But I kept trying and got myself an appointment the next month. Sometimes appointments get canceled and a stray one shows up… So just keep checking. I took a day off of work to go to the studio to get my brows done by Audrey Glass. The studio is nice and clean. Audrey and the rest of the staff are super friendly! We had a good chat during the two-hour session. She put numbing gel and cream so I hardly felt anything. All I heard was a light shaving sound. I only felt a slight sunburn feeling after the numbing gel and cream wore off. It’s been about three weeks since the appointment. Yes, what you see mostly on Instagram is the immediate results after the session, so it’s a lot more bold than what it is healed. I’m GLAD it didn’t heal that way, because it was too bold for my liking. Skin has flaked off and the color and strokes are still visible. It’s more natural and I love them! Their booking system is as fair as it can be. There is no way they can take bookings via phone, as they would spend all day on the phone instead of doing what they’re obviously skilled to do! Any communication I’ve had with Audrey has been responsive and accommodating. They’ve trained more staff so the chances for appointments are higher. Just be patient and flexible(ANDREADTHE FAQs!)
Amanda E.
Place rating: 5 Fort Lauderdale, FL
After several(and I do mean SEVERAL) months of fighting for one of the few, coveted spots at Studio Sashiko, I was fortunate enough to get an appointment with one of their very talented artists. I originally, of course, wanted the Brow Queen herself, but saw that everyone she hired was fantastic and I wasn’t willing to fight the oh-so-stressful fight that occurs on the 15th of every month for any longer than I already had. Anyway… I book my flight from Miami to Vancouver. I hop on the plane, get delayed, call the studio to let them know my dilemma. They inform me that they are having a very unexpected(and last minute), scheduling issue that was completely out of their control. I was on a plane heading that way and was really worried that I was traveling for no reason, but they quickly got the issue resolved and told me to come in as planned, just a little later in the day. No problem. I land and receive a text saying that I have an appointment with Ms. Shaughnessy Keely: THEBROWQUEEN. I. WAS. ECSTATIC!!! Like, happy-dance in the middle of an airport full of angry people that had just missed their connecting flights and stuck-in-Houston overnight happy. I seriously didn’t believe that it was going to happen. After so many months of only dreaming to get my eyebrows done by her, trying to conjure up all the ways to bribe her or beg her(which I’ve totally seen done on Instagram), I just didn’t believe it. I had wanted it so badly for so long, it seemed too good to be true. I kept waiting for something to go wrong: Me to get held up at the border, them to have a change of heart, an alien abduction… anything. I didn’t believe it until I was actually walking into their gorgeous studio and getting onto Shaughnessy’s table. As a former bottle waitress in South Beach, I have met a lot of celebrities. Never once have I been star struck… until I met Shaughnessy. I saw her behind the desk when I first walked in, but I didn’t know what to say. Do I look at her? Not look at her? Say hi? Hands in my pockets or at my sides? Ok, maybe not that extreme, but you get the gist: I was nervous and giddy. The studio was super-clean and the paperwork was all well written and easy to understand. I was greeted promptly and warmly. Each staff member I came into contact with was very welcoming. Shaughnessy herself is beyond sweet. Not that I imagined her any specific way, but I didn’t envision someone so sweet and soft spoken. I was instantly comfortable with her and felt that I could tell her my life story. Of course I trusted her with my brows, but it didn’t stop me from asking a million questions; she very patiently answered every one and didn’t make me feel like I was annoying her at all. And my brows turned out beyond awesome… obviously. The process wasn’t painful in the least, which I wasn’t expecting. I know a lot of people are upset about not being able to get an appointment, and I totally get it. The process is very frustrating and the booking system can be a headache. But it seems to me that they are doing the best they can to expand quickly as a small business. They have added multiple new artists, have opened a new location in LA, and have upcoming travel plans. I have also noticed that they have started promoting other artists that they like in various cities so that more people have access to a very desirable service. In addition, I have heard people mention the words«money hungry» in regards to the way Studio Sashiko operates. As a person that has visited the studio and met the owners, I didn’t see it. I was treated very well and they seemed quite humble and willing to accommodate me where they were able. I am beyond thrilled and very grateful to have had my eyebrows tattooed at Studio Sashiko and would definitely recommend their services to anyone with the patience to wait for an appointment. I can’t wait to go back for my courtesy touch-up! CONGRATULATIONSON A BOOMINGBUSINESS, STUDIOSASHIKO!!!
Megan A.
Place rating: 1 Vancouver, Canada
I’ve not had the pleasure of getting my brows done by these lovely ladies, as I’ve been trying for OVER a year and STILL have not received an appointment because of their horrendous booking system. They claim their booking system is «fair» but opening up a service then treating the booking process like a national lottery is NOT fair. I would rather book my appointment months or even a year in advance and have a set date no matter how advanced in the future it is, rather than try my luck at the lotto every month, as it’s been well over a year and I’ve still been unable to get an appointment. Maybe for others this isn’t a big deal but for me, having my brows done is something that would change my life entirely(after having lost nearly all of mine except a few random hairs, and needed to spend 40 minutes every day putting them on via makeup). It seems once they gained popularity they felt they didn’t have to try to accommodate clients because people will simply flock to them regardless. Very much acting like they are some kind of celebrity. Granted their photographs on Instagram are utterly amazing which is why I’ve tried to book for such a lengthy time, but it’s just been such a disappointment every month. I’ve had to settle and book with a new permanent makeup artist with good reviews for this Friday so my fingers are crossed I have a good experience. I wanted to love Studio Sashiko but after the last 1+ year they’ve left me feeling totally unfulfilled!
Jasmine L.
Place rating: 5 Burnaby, Canada
I originally found Shaughnessy from her Instagram in 2014. She blew up on social media and people were flying in from all over the country to meet her. From her Instagram, I could tell she was magical; she could single-handedly transform your face just by giving you the brows you’ve always wanted. I know there are some reviews out there that are unhappy with their brows, but I think there are multiple things to understand when it comes to a tattoo on your face. Not everyone will heal the same way. The first time I got mine done, mine didn’t heal very well and I had to get it touched up. After this touch up though(which is complimentary!), my brows were perfect after they healed. $ 700+ is a lot of money to spend on tattooing your brows, and I think Shaughnessy definitely understands that — that’s why she offers touchups for free until you’re happy with it. I just came back from a touch-up a week ago(after a year of no touch ups!) and her studio has now moved to Langley. I had to take time off of work to make the trek out and I had to drive about an hour to get there, but I can still say that it is worth it. Shaughnessy herself is probably the sweetest person I’ve ever met and she’ll spend the time on you to do your brows right — she wouldn’t be frustrated or mad if you asked her to revise her brow drawing on you(even though she’s pretty damn good at it right from the get-go). What’s more amazing is that she has a TON of clients and yet she still managed to remember me and my obsession with working out — I haven’t seen her in over a year! Amazing. She really does treat you with care and I would 100% recommend her.
Kimberley O.
Place rating: 5 Vancouver, Canada
Shaughnessy is the sweetest! She really takes her time with you and never makes you feel rushed. I completely understand the hype surrounding her and the long wait for an appointment. She’s in demand and if you look at her Instagram or Facebook feed, you’ll see why. I looooove my eyebrows and love it even more that I don’t have to pencil them in every morning! Thanks Shaughnessy! You’re the best! The studio itself is gorgeous too. You can really see that the owners take pride in what they do and care about their business! Keep it up!
Shayna R.
Place rating: 1 Coquitlam, Canada
I had mine done by Shaughnessy, and she is very sweet and professional. HOWEVER ***the photos you see on Instagram and from immediately after the procedure*** Sadly this look only last about a week until they flake off and disappear. Ask them to show you photos of healed brows. They wont, because they dont heal well I have had 2 additional touch ups and they still look patchy and horrible, and I have to fill them in every day. Save your $ 700
Lorena L.
Place rating: 1 Downtown, Vancouver, Canada
Terrible customer service, they have become so money hungry and do not care about their customers. I successfully booked an appointment and got my eyebrows tattooed here with the hopes of being able to leave them a 5 star review. Unfortunately, the tattooed eyebrows flaked off my face, completely dissappeared and when I emailed the studio to let them know, they made me wait months for my touch-up even though the artist told me it wouldn’t be longer than 6 weeks. I have just gone in for my touch up and it too has flaked off and dissappeared. I don’t understand how this is happening but I am very curious as to how often this happens to their clients… also it must be their technique as I have followed their aftercare instructions religiously. And no, i will NOT be paying another $ 275 for a third touch up.
Madison G.
Place rating: 5 Seattle, WA
If you’re finding this place by looking up «Permanent Makeup» or «Tattooing» then get off of this page and find them on Instagram and/or Facebook so you know who they are and how they work. This isn’t your typical tattoo shop, nor is it an easy place to get into. Shaughnessy and her team are one of a kind. They are the most amazing makeup tattoo artists, which is why people like myself traveled from Seattle to get to them! They are ALWAYS booked and the booking process is like trying to get your hands on Justin Bieber or Beyonce tickets. Damn near impossible, so GOODLUCK! You and a million other people from around the world are all on the website when they release appointments, trying to get in. It’s so ridiculous to see people getting mad at them on Facebook and Instagram because there weren’t any appointments. Like, oh… My bad they’re the shit and everyone knows it??? Crazy. If you’re lucky enough to get an appointment with them, you’ll be the happiest person on earth. Your brows will go from looking like Walmart to Gucci in no time! Oh and if you didn’t know, that’s their specialty. Brows, brows, and brows! I’ve only met Shaughnessy, but I know others who have went to the other girls and everyone says what I say about Shaughnessy — So, sooo sweet! Lovely group of girls. :) If you’re looking to book with them, I wish you the best of luck! They’re worth the wait though, for sure.
Holly L.
Place rating: 5 Vancouver, Canada
I’ve had my eyebrows tattooed twice before I found Shaughnessy’s work online. Once was with a lady from Hong Kong, and once was with a woman at Adrenaline Tattoo Shop. Both experiences left my eyebrows lacking and my wallet empty. Needless to say, Shaughnessy has fixed any eyebrow problems I had before. Her talent and work is amazing, and the studio itself is a great place. I absolutely love the décor of the studio, the calm vibe, and the cool little things they sell as well. Shaughnessy has a very gentle touch, which helps with the initial pain of microblading. The first couple strokes are always the worst, but after the numbing cream sets in I usually can’t even feel anything and end up falling asleep. I almost knocked over her light fixture yesterday at the end of my appointment because I had a little snooze and woke up forgetting where I was.
Haley M.
Place rating: 5 Vancouver, Canada
The Great and Powerful Shaughnessy’s work speaks for itself. Outstanding, such a lovely and professional artist/human. I saw her in her old Gastown studio for my original tattoo and first touch up; but I’ve got white blonde eyebrows and I needed another touch up for added depth, so I had a third appointment at her new studio in Langley. Studio Sashiko was a bit hard to find at first, I don’t drive so I relied on transit and it took 2.5+hours to get there… I only allotted for 2 hours, so I was half an hour late for my appointment. I was mortified but Shaughnessy was absolutely lovely about it and so understanding(even though there’s no excuse for lateness, kids.) They use Dr. Numb at the studio so the tattoos are relatively painless and her work is worth every penny. She is outstanding and well worth the wait. Every time I look in the mirror I am thankful for Shaughnessy! Thank you so much, you goddess.
Chris M.
Place rating: 5 Vancouver, Canada
I got my eyebrows done by the super talented Shaughnessy Keely and I love them! She did an amazing job! I never thought I would ever get my eyebrows tattooed or that I will find some one who I would trust… BUT then I saw Shaughnessy’s work and I was blown away! After I got my eyebrows tattooed I couldn’t believe how natural they look. Shaughnessy is a very professional & super talented cosmetic tattoo artist and she knows all about perfect shaped eyebrows! I highly recommend Shaughnessy & her team to everybody! They are the best!
Holly L.
Vancouver, Canada
I followed Shaughnessy on instagram for a while, but she was fully booked for several months. I noticed once they launched studio sashiko that Audrey was also providing eyebrow services as well, so I decided to go with Audrey. After viewing her past clients in instagram, I was just as impressed, and took the plunge and booked the appointment with Audrey. I can’t say enough good things about my experience and result — truly professional. I absolutely love the results. She took her time to make sure that the shape was perfect and talked me through the process the entire time. You don’t feel rushed, she makes sure it’s perfect before moving on. You’re not left wondering what they are doing, so it puts you at ease. She helped me to even out my eyebrows, as one has always been slightly higher than the other(due to a bad eyebrow threading experience from the past). She put on a numbing cream, so you barely feel anything. It just feels like a slight scratching sensation. I was so comfortable I almost fell asleep a couple of times… You get a free touch up after 6 weeks, so you can see the results after it has been healed and make any adjustments if necessary. If you see an appointment available, don’t hesitate to book it… They are in such high demand that availability is few and far in between!