On a pure cost basis, microblading and daily brow makeup can land closer than they first appear over a few years. Here is the 3-year breakdown. This is a cost comparison only, not medical or cosmetic-procedure advice.
The microblading side
A $550 initial session plus a $175 perfecting touch-up, with an 18% tip and a $300 yearly color boost, comes to roughly $1,560 over three years - about $520 a year on average, or close to $2.50 a day once amortized over an 18-month lifespan.
The brow makeup side
Daily brow products are cheap per unit: Anastasia Dipbrow runs about $20 and Benefit Gimme Brow+ about $26. At roughly $60 a year, that is about $180 over three years - far less in dollars, but it adds a daily routine of several minutes.
Which wins?
In raw cost, daily makeup is cheaper for most light users. Microblading closes the gap mainly for people who already spend heavily on brow products and value skipping the daily routine. Run your own numbers in the calculator on the hub page to see where your break-even falls.