Nestled in the hills of Mission Bay amongst native bush and birdsong, you’ll discover The Refinery. Founded by Sheila Ferneyhough, this is a place to rediscover face confidence with an experienced practitioner of PhiBrows – eyebrow micrblading and machine shading.
Tell us a bit about your background, had you always wanted a career in the beauty industry?
Growing up in the Arts City of Wellington, my career in beauty started as a nail technician, working out of a hair salon in Dukes Arcade in the mid 90’s. I was always in awe of Derek Elvy and his team across the road at Buoy (hairdressing), and the enigmatic charm that would waft around them as they went about their craft, while I had fine acrylic dust trailing me like a bad smell (actually, that too was acrylic).
I convinced myself that I needed to break into the world of Administration, so off I went and that was me. Fast forward a decade (or two) and I found myself in Kuala Lumpur absolutely fascinated by this new eyebrow tattooing technique – microblading. We were living in Hong Kong at the time, so, women in their 50’s + with quite harsh brow tattoos (that had turned green or grey), was a common sight. This microblading seemed remarkably natural in comparison.
Having fallen prey to the fashionably thin brow of the 90’s, I was now follically challenged and looking for a solution.
That seed was sown ten years ago. In 2020, I decided to take the Phibrows certification.
What is the most rewarding part of working in beauty, and of running your own business?
It’s the most beautiful experience, seeing your client’s face light up when they see their new brows for the first time. The double entendre ‘FACE CONFIDENCE’ really captures this, and that’s why it’s my tagline. Running The Refinery is exciting EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I LOVE the initial client appointment in particular, as I’ll design the framework for their new look and draw it directly on their face (AKA mapping & predraw). We’ll make minor changes as we go, to ensure we get the best possible shape for them.
Opening a new business can be nerve wracking, but nothing builds resilience faster than opening one in between two lockdowns. That said, I’m in a good place at a good pace.
Can you explain what Phibrows is and how you became a certified practitioner of Phibrows?
Phi Academy’s Phibrows is a style of microblading or eyebrow embroidery. A hand tool containing micro-blades is used to create fine hair-like strokes with pigment which is implanted in the skin. The strokes should mimic the natural brow hair and growth pattern. The overall design should compensate for lack of or uneven hair growth and complement the face shape and bone structure, making it an ideal option for thinning, uneven and patchy brows.
As this treatment is implanting pigment into the skin, it is considered a tattoo.
I specifically wanted to train in Phibrows as Phi Academy has a reputation world wide as a leader in the Permanent Makeup (PMU) field and offered some of the highest quality training available at the time.
Is there anyone who you wouldn’t recommend semi-permanent makeup to? If so, what are their other options?
- Those who are pregnant or breastfeeding should wait until the baby is weaned before undertaking Permanent Makeup as there isn’t sufficient data to indicate whether it is safe.
- Brow lamination, tinting & henna might be better options for those who cannot have PMU.
- Potential clients must be at least 18 years of age before having PMU.
- Anyone undergoing chemotherapy should wait six months after treatment and obtain a Doctor’s consent to PMU.
More information can be found here: https://refinerynz.com/faq
Why do you think having beautiful eyebrows gives women a sense of confidence and empowerment?
It’s not limited to women. Our faces are our primary visual cues for communicating with each other, the eyes being the first point of connection.
By defining and adjusting the brow, we are clarifying and animating the messages we are conveying; whilst the brow shape itself might be attributed to perceived personality traits (or flaws) for example; if the tails fall too low, it might be considered a sad expression; fronts too high – maybe fearful; arches too high – perhaps surprised, etc.
I think the subtleties of our facial expressions can get a little lost in translation, so a fitting set of brows don’t necessarily have to be identical but I do like them to show a neutral interest.
