Narvely Labastide is a 31-year-old beauty expert born in Sangre Grande. Very soon after completing high school, Narvley found herself in the world of cosmetology. “Once I realised how eager I was to stimulate my creative side, I discovered my interest in Makeup Artistry.” Having trained at the Ephraim Hunte International Makeup Academy in January 2010, she received a solid foundation that quickly built a network of peers and developed an exclusive clientele. From early in her career, the nickname ‘The Brow Queen’ was adopted after her peers coined it simply because she always had a signature style of sculpting and filling them in when she did makeup. That nickname stuck and nine years later has developed into an entity of its own.
Throughout the years, enhancing and nurturing her craft has been an integral part of her development. She had the opportunity to train with some of the world’s best educators in Makeup and Permanent Cosmetics in New York and Los Angeles. Narvely’s bubbly personality, professionalism, and passion for brows, bridal and beauty, has made her one of the more sought-after makeup artists in the country.
1. What is the one thing for which your clients can really count on you?
My clients can really count on me for consistency in the quality of my service.
Yaisa Tangwell
2. Tell us about the three best achievement/milestones in your life or profession.
One would definitely be assisting my mentor and now very dear friend, celebrity Makeup artist Monifa Mortis at her 5-star makeup workshop in New York City. Another would be being part of the creative team and executing some of my favourite makeup looks for The Lost Tribe from its inception. Lastly, would be my weight-loss journey which is still a work in progress but has so far been tremendously fulfilling in improving the quality of my life and well-being.
3. Tell about your newest luxury brow service, the Ombré brow?
It has been almost three years since I first ventured into the world of permanent cosmetics by learning the art of Microblading but recently, I have added a couple of new luxury services to my resumé, one of them being Ombré Brow Shading. This technique is done with a machine to create the illusion of depth and definition in the brow by depositing the pigment in a gradient of very soft and natural looking pixels. When it is healed it looks as if the brows are permanently filled in with powder. The brow’s shape is also customised to suit each client. I have been obsessing with this technique for a while now, mainly because it is suitable for most skin types and once skin conditions are ideal, it can be combined with Microblading to create the most unbelievably beautiful, natural-looking brows.
4. What can clients expect during the Ombré brow procedure?
The technique takes two and a half hours to three hours to complete from start to finish. While everyone’s pain threshold is different, it’s safe for me to say this is also not painful for the client. Regardless, I use anaesthetic throughout the procedure so that it’s less unpleasant to the client.
4. How do you stay abreast of the latest beauty trends?
I try not to get caught up with every new beauty trend out there mainly because it is just that, a trend. Thriving for timeless brows, bridal and beautiful makeup has always been my go-to aesthetic.
5. What tips can you offer us where the eyebrows are concerned?
A magnifying mirror and tweezers are a dangerous combo. Do not over-tweeze your brows.
Go to a professional to have your brows groomed.
Do not be afraid to explore the option of permanent cosmetics, waking up to a perfectly sculpted brow every morning is LIFE and please do your research to find a qualified and credible brow technician.