Modern permanent pigments: a hybrid of organic and inorganic

Hybrid pigments: theory

According to chemical formulas, pigments are divided into inorganic and organic . Dyes of natural origin, such as umber, sienna, ocher, ultramarine, became the first raw material for the creation of inorganic pigments for permanent makeup. They gave good coverage and lasted quite a while, but lacked brilliance, especially in lip pigments.

The use of organic components has brought pigments for permanent makeup to a new level. Different manufacturers present their palettes, full of bright, saturated and, most importantly, long-lasting shades, which are characterized by fast entry, a good residue after healing. These pigments are easy to mix with each other, in addition, they can be used alone to create an excellent result.

Studies have shown that organic pigments fade much more slowly than inorganic pigments and produce a watercolor effect. The main raw materials for production are the most persistent inorganic pigments - iron oxides, chromium oxide, etc. To compensate for the shortcomings in the composition of inorganic pigments, red, yellow and orange organic components were required. The “bright” color of the pigment indicates that there are more organics in its composition, and warm, “earthly” colors are more inherent in inorganic pigments. The right combination of organic and inorganic pigments gives excellent opaque effects and amazing shades of color.

It can be rightly argued that modern pigments are often a scientifically based mixture of organic and inorganic to improve the color of the entire group of pigments. The combination of substances in different proportions, selected by leading chemists-technologists in the production of pigments, is ideal, since organic pigments give brightness and color, while inorganic pigments give density and stability in healing. They fit snugly and have good coverage.

Pigment compositions guarantee long-term pigment retention and provide an opportunity to create a bright palette of truly modern shades.

Pigments: practice

We note right away that hybrid pigments must be worked with extreme care. They are quite intense and concentrated, and this quality distinguishes them from many other pigments for permanent makeup. Accordingly, during the procedure, the consumption of these pigments is actually half that of all others. For example, for eyebrow tattooing in the hair technique, approximately 0.2-0.3 ml of pigment is needed, for shading procedures - 0.4-0.5 ml. For pigmentation of the lips, only 0.4 to 0.6 ml is required, depending on the size of the applied surface.

But, there is another side: pigments require, as we said above, a certain careful approach. And the first thing the master should take into account is that hybrid pigments have a huge potential for color retention. The healed work will match 90% of the selected color that was originally approved by the client. The loss of color is insignificant and amounts to 5-10%. This must always be remembered and must be taken into account when choosing the intensity of the tone.

If you feel the skin well and know how to work easily, such pigments can be used in their pure form, and not be afraid of a bright result. If you consider yourself a master with a “heavy” hand, you need to dilute the pigment or choose the least intense shade. When working in the blending technique, it is recommended to add pure pharmaceutical grade glycerin to the mix. This will give the pigment viscosity and softness, and will help improve its penetration into the skin, as well as increase ease of use. You don't need to make too many passes. Enough 2-3 passes during one procedure. At the same time, remember that the result depends precisely on the number of passes, and not on the depth of the introduction of the pigment and not on the density of its laying. To achieve a natural, transparent result of your procedure, the applied pigment should not stand out with a dense color. And when the goal is to get exactly the “pomade” of the lips or a dense, clear arrow, the result of the procedure should be similar to the surface painted over with a felt-tip pen. When you first start the procedure, after the first strokes, you can do a test, wipe a small area with a cotton swab and see how clear the line appears. This will serve as an excellent guideline for choosing the intensity of subsequent work.

First hand information

Very often, manufacturers immediately release information with a list of possible uses for pigments. As an example, consider the recommendations for the use of SHINE pigments, an eyebrow ruler.

Blondes :

• Latte - in its purest form;
• Cappuccino - in its purest form;
• Cocoa + orange (if you want a darker result) or Cocoa in the second pass for all of the above pigments (easy, for accents);
• Cinnamon - in its pure form or with the addition of a few drops of orange.

Blonde :

• Latte - in its pure form (or the first pass), the second pass - Mocha, Cinnamon, Cocoa (light and airy);
• Cinnamon + orange.

Redheads :

• Latte - in its pure form, or the first pass;
• Cappuccino - in its pure form or the first pass;
• Cinnamon - second pass.

Brown haired :

• Latte - in its purest form;
• Cocoa - in its pure form + orange (if you need a warmer result);
• Cinnamon - pure + orange (if you need a warmer result);
• Cappuccino - in its pure form or the first pass, the second pass - Latte or Cinnamon, Mocha;
• Espresso - in its purest form (or a second pass to create accents).

Brunettes :

• Espresso - in its pure form (allows you to get a dark, almost black color by layering the pigment);
• Dark chocolate + orange - only for clients with a neutral / warm skin tone.
• Latte - the first pass or the final stage, for the depth of color and neutralization of red in Dark chocolate and Cocoa;

For other pigments of the brow line, orange must be added, a couple of drops:

• Mocha + orange;
• Cinnamon + orange;
• Cocoa + orange.