Additives for permanent pigments: what are they and why are they needed?

We are again invading the field of biochemistry. In order to avoid unnecessary complications, not only the base substance and pigment binders for permanent makeup, but also the additives used must be mutually compatible. About this - in the permanent heading "The ABC of a novice master of PM"

A - Additives

Permanent makeup and tattooing can be compared to a jigsaw puzzle in which all parts must match and fit one another: anesthesia, dye, additives and post-procedure products. Only then there is a whole picture and good quality.
Recently, a very large amount of dyes have been used in permanent makeup salons. For a richer and brighter tattoo, masters mix several types of pigments. Depending on the solvent used and binders in the composition of paints, pigments are divided into two types: water-sorbitol-alcohol and water-glycerin-alcohol. They can also be divided into cream and liquid.

Liquid dyes are cheaper and they are not suitable for all types of tattoo machines. As for creams, they are not only suitable for all machines, but their advantage is that the pigments can be mixed together to achieve the most suitable color for the type of skin. Good and high-quality pigments should not contain organohalogen compounds. These include: bromine, chlorine and iodine. They are very toxic and cause various complications. There are also a number of other substances that are part of the pigments and it is not advisable to use them for permanent makeup, namely: heavy metals, azo dyes or the so-called debatable components.

What kind of pigment additives are used?

Often masters when carrying out permanent make-up use additional substances to pigments. They are also called additives - additional substances to dyes (pigments) used for tattooing and permanent makeup, which are various chemical components. They are also stable and do not break down into components, which does not allow them to react with blood and various fluids.

Anesthesia. No matter what tattoo dyes (pigments) you use for permanent makeup, it is always better to work with liquid anesthetics based on lidocaine. It quickly, already after three to five minutes, has a good effect and anesthesia is not burdensome for the skin. Another advantage of liquid agents is that, due to the alcohol content in the anesthetic, additional disinfection of the treated skin is carried out. Thus, while working on alcohol-containing dyes and liquid alcohol-containing anesthesia, you are disinfecting at the same time.

Accelerator. For sorbitol-based pigments, there is the Turbator accelerator, a colorless liquid that accelerates the absorption of the dye by the skin during the tattoo procedure. Turbator can be mixed in the form of drops into the working dye solution or applied with a cotton swab during the pigmentation process. In addition to sorbitol, Turbator contains isopropyl alcohol, water, sodium chloride and other additives.
The fixative for sorbitol pigments is intended for treatment of the wound surface after the procedure. It protects the skin from the penetration of dust, dirt and microorganisms. The fixative contains sorbitol, glycerin and water. The diluent for dyes of this line consists of sorbitol, water, isopropyl alcohol and other substances.

Additional substances for glycerin-based pigments are also determined by the composition of the dyes. To improve the perception of the pigment by the skin, the accelerator "Driver" was developed. Since the requirements for the physicochemical properties of dyes for permanent makeup and tattooing are different for different areas of the skin, and the skin in the area of the lips, eyebrows and eyelids has a different structure, the "Driver" exists in three versions for different purposes of use. "Driver" for lips, eyes and eyebrows contains, in addition to sorbitol, water, alcohol and glycerin, sodium fluoride phosphohydroxy sulfate and other substances in various concentrations. It can be used by mixing into the working paint, or applied in its pure form directly during work.
As a fixative of the wound surface, a fixer is used, which stops the lymph and keeps the pigment in the skin. After its application, the wound crust is thinner and is barely noticeable.
softener. For very tough skin, there is a softener. If it is applied twenty minutes before treatment, it softens the corresponding area of skin well. Usually the skin surface is especially hard in brunettes and older clients. The main components of the softener include a mixture of stearates, urea, water and other components intended for tattooing on the relevant areas (lips, eyelids, eyebrows).
We draw your attention to the fact that you should always use only specially designed additional preparations that, in terms of chemical composition, fully correspond to the applied line of pigments. It should be emphasized that those who use these products are solely responsible for applying them according to the instructions and not mixing them with products from other manufacturers.
The rule of thumb should be "less is more". The load on the skin should be as small as possible and only really necessary products should be used.

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Note to the master: how to properly store permanent pigments