The Beauty of Permanent Cosmetics
Permanent Cosmetics, a procedure also known as permanent makeup or micropigmentation, has long been popular in Europe and is now rapidly gaining popularity in the United States. Applied by a gifted practitioner, permanent cosmetics can give you the polished glamour of professionally applied makeup that will never flake, smudge or run. It will stay with you day and night and last for years. At a fraction of the cost of plastic surgery, permanent makeup can instantly take years off your appearance, bring out and enhance your best features and correct minor flaws and skin imperfections. Many entertainers, actresses and models - Jennifer Aniston, Pamela Anderson, Cher, Dolly Parton, Nicolas Cage, Little Richard, Gloria Estefan, Marie Osmond, Madonna, Wynonna Judd, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Elizabeth Taylor, Raquel Welch, Donald Trump and others, have used it to maintain their polished, seemingly flawless appearance. On this page and other pages of this site, I will describe the benefits of the most popular permanent make up procedures and explain how to select a competent practitioner. I hope these pages will help you decide if permanent cosmetics can help you achieve the appearance that you want.
What is Permanent Cosmetics?
Permanent (or semi-permanent) cosmetic application is a non-surgical technique in which a tiny quantity of pigment is placed under the top layer of the skin, simulating the effect of makeup. This allows for a safe and long lasting method of defining the facial features. My treatments are performed using a pharmaceutical grade topical anesthesia. There is little to zero pain, the recovery time is normally minimal, and the results are visible instantly. Once the skin heals over the inserted pigment, it seals the makeup inside. Protected by the skin, the makeup is care free, waterproof, will not smudge or run and can last for years. On occasion touch-ups are necessary to maintain the vibrancy of the color. Typically, permanent cosmetic procedures are done on eyebrows, eyes, and lips. Changing the shape, fullness and definition of the eyebrows emphasizes and lifts the eyes, frames the face, and adds balance and symmetry. Permanent eyeliner makes lashes appear fuller and thicker. Subtle definition can be added to the eyes, making eyes appear larger and more striking. Accent colors may be used to match, contrast or deepen the color of the eyes. Lips can be made to appear fuller and more defined, adding youth and sensuality. Other popular procedures include camouflage of C-section and plastic surgery scars, areola reconstruction and repigmentation, tattoo removal and stretch mark camouflage. Men have also used permanent cosmetics to create a more masculine, or in certain cases, a more feminine appearance.
I'm still a bit confused. This is basically a tattoo, right?
Yes, but there are a few caveats. A tattoo is considered permanent because even after many, many years there will always be traces of pigment in the dermal layer unless completely removed via surgical methods. Permanent cosmetic makeup differs from traditional tattooing in a few key areas, mainly of which is the longevity the pigment remains visible in the skin. The amount and depth the pigment is placed into the dermal layer of the skin is not the same as a traditional artistic tattoo. Due to the lack of thickness of the facial skin, permanent cosmetic makeup is not placed as deeply, thereby necessitating periodic touch-ups to keep the color vibrant (in some cases). In general, artistic tattoo pigments react differently to skin types and there are different qualities of pigments, some lasting longer than others. Finally, the equipment I use is designed specifically for permanent cosmetic makeup application. The pigments (colors) I use are hypoallergenic, time tested, have been personally hand selected by me, and are designed exclusively for permanent cosmetic makeup.
Why doesn’t permanent eyeliner/eyebrows/lip color last as long as a regular tattoo?
It would if I were to use regular or "traditional" tattoo ink. Pigment and ink are different and it is pigment that is primarily used in permanent cosmetics.
Selecting the Right Practitioner
The popularity of permanent cosmetic procedures has attracted not only highly skilled professional make-up artists but also many amateurs without the necessary training in make-up or any legal certification to perform permanent cosmetics. Although their prices are frequently cheap, correcting their results is neither cheap nor easy.
How can I tell if the permanent cosmetic technician I am considering seeing is a qualified professional or not?
1. Total Commitment to Medical Grade Sterility and Universal Precautions.
I cannot emphasize this enough. The most important consideration in a permanent cosmetic procedure is total commitment to maintain medical grade sterility of the operating environment. Procedures generally require puncturing of the client's skin. Infection caused by unsanitary or non-sterile equipment can cause disfiguring scars or worse. Hepatitis and HIV can be transmitted even when needles are sterilized prior to reuse. Unfortunately, strict compliance with the health code regulations is often missing among unlicensed operators for whom permanent cosmetics is frequently just a side business. Lack of a required license from OSHA and the Department of Public Health is a good indication that the establishment does not follow the sanitary codes. Currently, both Washington State and California do not require licensing in Permanent Cosmetics. My practice is located in a sterile, professional environment licensed by OSHA and the Oregon Department of Public Health. Only single-use disposable needles and products are used in procedures. All other equipment used during the procedures is disinfected and sterilized before and between each client. Only MRI-safe pigments with FDA-approved components are used.
2. Professional Level Skills both as a Make-Up Artist and as a Micropigmentologist.
Permanent makeup is still make-up. "Beware when a cobbler bakes your pies and a baker cobbles your shoes", goes the famous quote. A skilled manicurist, esthetician, or even a tattoo artist is not necessarily a skilled make-up artist. If you would not trust that individual to do your conventional make-up, you definitely should not trust him or her to do your permanent one, which will be part of your face for a much longer time. Permanent cosmetics is not just a technique, it is in fact an art form where the client's face is a painter's canvas. The artist's ability to draw free hand, keen eye for color and facial symmetry, and thorough knowledge of conventional make-up and its uses in altering the overall appearance is what distinguishes the professional from an amateur. In addition to skills as a professional make-up artist, your practitioner must be thoroughly trained in the latest micropigmentation techniques, tools and procedures. A well-trained technician should be able to recreate individual hairstrokes and match natural colors and shading. To avoid unexpected shading, he/she must be able to anticipate interactions of pigment color with skin color and avoid such known problems as pigment migration, which can lead to "smudged" appearance. Permanent cosmetic makeup has become a rapidly evolving field. New pigments, techniques and procedures are continually developed and continuing education and attendance at professional industry sponsored conferences and seminars are vital in keeping up to date.
3. Investment in Quality Equipment and Broad Range of Pigment Shades.
To better accomodate client's preferences and in order to achieve the most natural looking results, reputable practitioners will maintain a large selection of high quality, expensive pigment colors and tints. Less reputable practitioners are often reluctant to make such investment and try to cut costs by using a few popular pigment shades for all skin and hair colors.