By Jose Bustos

An Influencer? A Super Influencer?  Possibly!  Who knows who may spearhead the look of beauty and elegance for women and men in Montana. 

Rafael Rivera instinctively knows that and he will with his business, The Brow Boutique located at 3201 13th Street West in Billings. 

Rafa, as Rivera is known, has a business on the forefront of contemporary looks, for both sexes.  For women, a permanent make-up for eye brows and lips, or PMU.  For men he offers haircuts, and for the receding hair line, a scalp micro pigmentation, or SMP.  SMP gives men the appearance of a natural extending hair line where natural balding may occur.

Rafa calculates the growth of his business on the appearance that women and men want for themselves in a new concept known as “Permanent Make-up,” i.e., facial styling.  A fairly new concept in subtle tattoo art for the lips, eye brows, eye liners and scalp artistry.  The creativity of eyebrow enhancement is currently enjoying a phenomenal growth through-out America and expanding into Europe.  Rafa brings this artistry to Billings at the Brow Boutique with the influence in training and experience he adds to his resume with time spent for PMU and SMP in Las Vegas, New York and San Diego.

Rafa and his brother previously owned the Billings Best Barber in downtown Billings, but sold that business to start The Brow Boutique.  The Brow Boutique is a two-fold business that offers vogue hair-cut styles for men and if a gentleman requests, scalp micro pigmentation, (SMP). 

For women, Rafa offers a permanent make-up, a permanent eye brow make over for women that want a “Jewel Standard” for elegant facial appearance.  I was given the unique opportunity to view the procedures for both the SMP and PMU live in Rafa’s Brow Boutique.  Rafa performs his virtuosic, polished techniques. PMU on a young lady’s eye brows, and a SMP on a middle-aged gentleman’s receding hairline.  Both of his clients experienced virtually no sensation other than the vibration of the equipment used for the application of the required permanent dyes.  Rafa uses a soothing and desensitizing ointment prior to the procedure for the comfort of his client.

The need for quality looks and appearance, the latest fashions, generally starts on the East and West coasts, before being absorbed into the interior of America.  Rafa pounced on that concept early.  He discerned the need.  Though states west of the Mississippi are primarily concerned with western American culture, he instinctively knew that today there is a market for a distinctive and contemporary characteristic that many of us search for, i.e., that “latest fashion flair,” thus his introduction.

The procedure of permanent make up is on the rise nationally.  Vanity of course for some, but the value for both women and men is a simple procedure for the covering of scars, burns, and even a correction for a natural lack of eye brow hair.  These procedures are on the forefront of Rafa’s business.

Rafa is well aware of and respects the “rustic look” so many of Montana’s businesses like to display in their particular shop or store, with buffalo and deer mounts, guns and antlers, and fish. They are features you won’t find in The Brow Boutique.  Rafa feels that by decorating his Boutique with the trendy elements of various color combinations, plush furniture, and contemporary art on the walls and floors, brings to his business a relaxing plus chic look to his business.  Upon entering the Brow Boutique, you’ll love the degree of change with a flair of pastels, architectural lighting, and abstract art.  Adding to and enhancing the artistic motif, is a splendor of natural light.  Simply put, the place is just gorgeous!

Rafa is available at 406-717-9187 and by appointment only.

A West Australian energy company is building a $17.5 billion liquified natural gas production and export terminal in Louisiana to expand the U.S. liquified natural gas export market. Perth, Australia-based Woodside Energy plans to develop a three-train, 16.5 million ton per annum liquefied natural gas production and export terminal in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, called Louisiana LNG.