Permanent makeup: how not to make a mistake when choosing a specialist

The article was first published in the magazine “Makeup&YOU Professional” and is intended for professional makeup artists.

Permanent makeup is the implantation of pigment into the upper layer of the dermis for a long time. Accordingly, the injected pigment must have all the “regalia” of safety, since the reaction of the human body to an introduced foreign body (in this case, pigment) may be inadequate and last quite a long time. Let's look at the mistakes that clients make when choosing a place and a permanent makeup artist, and what illusions dishonest artists and advertisers create. Let's pay attention to the advertising of salons, clinics, and just private masters providing services for performing permanent makeup procedures. The question arises: do mistakes (or simply deception) occur due to the illiteracy of the craftsmen or on purpose, to mislead clients? For example: “I’m doing a tattoo without correction” or “The procedure takes 20-30 minutes.” What can be said in this case? What does “without correction” mean? The permanent makeup procedure usually involves 2-3 sessions. Yes, as a master with many years of experience, I can say that there are indeed cases when, after the first procedure, the result satisfies both the client and the master, but it is absolutely impossible to predict this for all clients, since there are many reasons for both exogenous and endogenous character that influences the overall result. This is the client’s age, the quality of his skin, lifestyle, individual characteristics of the body, etc. “The procedure takes 20-30 minutes” - such a high speed of its implementation can only be characterized by the fact that the artist works with a tattoo machine and performs not permanent, but tattoo makeup The difference is this: damage to the skin during the procedure on tattoo machines designed to work on the body, or on machines of outdated modifications leads to the formation of scars (do not forget that we are working with the face area and the skin in this area differs from the skin on body). These can be either obvious cicatricial changes in the skin - hypertrophic, atrophic or, God forbid, keloid scars, but also simply an internal thickening of the skin (hidden scar), which causes trouble for its owner, because periodically, hyperemia and itching occur at the site of damage and discomfort. We also understand perfectly well that the procedure for permanent makeup of eyebrows, lip contour or eyelid contour has a temporary effect, and after 1-5 years the client may want to update the result. As a result, the procedure occurs in the same places, on the same areas of the skin for a long number of years. The appearance of hidden scars (fibrosis) leads to the fact that the skin stops accepting pigment - absorbing it, so further correction becomes almost impossible. These are just a few excerpts from advertising a procedure that is often carried out by marketers, managers or poorly trained professionals. We must be aware that dishonest advertising, stolen photographs of other artists used on websites, or simply well-processed in Photoshop, as well as subsequent ill-considered actions often work against the artist. A would-be specialist gets a one-time client, which affects further income, his reputation, and just a good night’s sleep. The first visit to the specialist is a pre-procedure consultation. At this stage, all the nuances regarding the procedure are clarified. Proper preparation of the client, as well as adherence to strict recommendations for the care of permanent makeup, guarantee the desired result. For example, improper care can contribute to excessive removal of pigment during the healing process, or, conversely, accelerating the regeneration process can lead to healing through scarring... Once again, I would like to emphasize that permanent makeup is one of the most complex procedures in aesthetic cosmetology and premium service. The best advertisement for a master is his clients. When working with people, the main thing is to be honest. In our activities, this is simply necessary to achieve the best results that decorate and improve the quality of life of our clients. Moreover, the permanent makeup service is developing very quickly, equipment, pigments, techniques are being improved every year, and new opportunities are appearing. And now this procedure occupies one of the most important places in the list of anti-age programs. Dear women, before doing permanent makeup, make sure that you contact a professional! Don't be fooled!