Analysis of the appearance of the client: criteria for an objective assessment (part I)

A permanent makeup master must have impeccable taste, but you should not rely on talent completely. The specialist needs to determine the client's data according to a number of criteria and, based on them, predict how the pigment will behave in the skin and how natural the permanent makeup will look on the face of this client. An objective assessment is very important: it helps to avoid mistakes such as unwanted shades, blurry lines and even scars. How to conduct such an assessment, read in an exclusive translation of an article published on the website of the international journal for micropigmentation specialists PMU International. Magazine of Permanent Makeup (original article - link )

So, at the beginning of the work, it is necessary to evaluate the appearance of the client on several points, such as:

• skin tone;
• skin type;
• tendency to scar formation ;
• face shape and features;
• psycho-emotional status (facial expressions, gestures);
• image as a whole (style, make-up, clothes).

Determination of skin tone

The first thing the PM master should pay attention to is the skin tone. It depends on what pigment will be used in the work and whether the color will eventually turn into an unwanted red or blue tint.

Melanin is the first factor influencing skin color. The yellow tone of the skin depends on its concentration. The second is the circulatory system. If the vessels are located close to the surface of the skin, then it acquires a pink tint, if deep - green, gray or blue.

You can divide all skin tones into warm and cool. This is a very rough classification, but it helps to explain the principle of pigment selection. We are accustomed to the fact that in makeup, decorative cosmetics of cold shades are selected to match the cold skin tone, and warm to warm skin. But in permanent cosmetics, the opposite is true. A cold pigment applied to a cold skin tone will end up blue, while a warm color applied to warm skin will turn red.

Experienced professionals mix the pigment, achieving the desired warm tone, working with the client's cool type of appearance, and vice versa.

The dye does not mix by eye: it is measured with mathematical precision according to a certain scheme. To use the correct proportions, the artist must determine the skin tone and melanin concentration. Special tools help with this, among which the most common are the Fitzpatrick digital scale (based on data on how the skin reacts to ultraviolet rays) and the Lushan scale (applied to the inside of the forearm, which usually does not tan).

skin type

Skin type affects the final result of permanent makeup and its duration.

Oily skin is porous, usually thick, so deep pigment penetration is required in this case. PM masters often recommend avoiding the hair-drawing technique when working with this kind of skin because it is difficult to hold the paint and the lines can become blurry. In this case, to achieve the most natural effect, many experts recommend using the shading technique.

Dry skin - thin, with almost invisible pores - on the contrary, very quickly captures the pigment. When working with such skin, it is recommended to use the shading technique very carefully, without going too deep. Otherwise, the pigment will disappear unevenly, take too long, or leave scar marks.

Aging skin is usually dry but tight. Any technique can be applied to those with soft skin. However, women with rough skin are advised to do more superficial permanent makeup - for example, soft shading.

Read the continuation of the article here