Organic or inorganic: which permanent pigments to choose?

Svetlana Kachalova, founder and head of the Ideal Contour training center (exclusive distributor of Nouveau Contour (Netherlands) in Ukraine), international certified trainer of Nouveau Contour, participant in international conferences and exhibitions, graduate in marketing and economics of business process management

Expanding their horizons, improving themselves and constantly being interested in the news of the sphere, many PM masters are probably already interested in such a novelty as organic pigments. In this material, we will deal with what they are and how natural and safe they are.

It's no secret that permanent makeup uses dyes that are introduced into our body. Work with the body, in particular tattooing, has been carried out since time immemorial, decorating one's body was an acceptable norm. Accordingly, the use of pigments for the procedure began with the birth of civilization, and it is obvious that the question: “Will the compositions that make such makeup harm, and what if they are toxic?” - appeared repeatedly.

The global market for pigments for permanent makeup and tattooing is diverse and wide. Like a living organism, it constantly changes its formula, structure, rules of the game. Leaving behind only the basis ⎼ purpose and impact zone.

A relatively young area of work with the face, where advanced technologies and the development of high-quality pigments for permanent makeup have been used for only the last twenty years, have a short but successful history. The scientific laboratories of the leading companies producing equipment and materials for tattooing are working on the creation of such pigments that would be absolutely compatible with the tissues of the human body and chemically inert in relation to the metabolic processes in them.

In their work, the masters use dyes that have a rather narrow “specialization”, ⎼ separate palettes of pigments for eyebrows, eyes, lips and corrective pigments. For whatever area pigments are used, they are divided into organic and inorganic.

Inorganics: the end of an era?

It would seem that the word "inorganic" is more logical to use in the context of dyes with a non-natural base, but everything is exactly the opposite. Inorganic pigments are dyes based on elements of natural origin: water, metals (for example, iron and titanium oxides), minerals and salts.

The composition of organic pigments includes dyes with carboxylic components, hydrocarboxylic, benzenes, ethanols - microelements produced by the chemical industry. In other words, organics are not natural dyes, but artificially derived, or products of chemical synthesis.

Each element, whether organic or inorganic, has its own structure, properties and characteristics. Of course, they are duplicated in both organic and non-organic versions. For example, Carbonblack is carbon black (an organic compound) and soot is amorphous carbon (an inorganic compound).

That is, you can buy black pigments for the eyelids, but with completely different chemical properties and characteristics. They will be based on different dyes and trace elements of different origin. The master must have all the information in order to understand what will come out, what color migration and how many passes are needed, how the pigment will behave with this or that technique, how it fits and whether it is pleasant to work with.

Unfortunately, inorganic pigments contain metals containing nickel, which is dangerous and allergenic for humans. But the recommendations for the use of pigments are always based on products that do not harm the human body. That is, the safest. In this regard, European legislative standards were established, thanks to which it became impossible to produce inorganic pigments, which include metals with a nickel content (even in acceptable standards).

This will lead in the future to a ban on the sale of inorganic pigments on the European market, which served as an impetus for all manufacturers wishing to sell their product in Europe to prepare to replace the inorganic line with an organic one in the format of lip pigments, eyebrow pigments, eye pigments.

Organics: an untested novelty?

Now we have another line - organic, which over time, perhaps, will replace inorganics. These are new pigments that are just conquering the market.

For many craftsmen, replacing their favorite pigments from European brands with a new and little-studied line is sometimes quite unpleasant. Indeed, why replace the pigment line, which is successfully used by masters?

So what is organic and what properties do organic pigments have, what basics does a master need to know in order to work professionally and not lose customers, but to use the novelty both as a necessity and as an excellent opportunity to realize their bold plans for a creative profession - a permanent makeup master?

Organic pigment line ⎼ brighter, resistant to discoloration. If we talk about lip pigments, then, in my opinion, it is ideal for the Ukrainian consumer. Since the ruler is colder, it fits well and is worn by Ukrainian women. Our girls are mostly of mixed types, there is little pronounced cold skin phototype. You can not be afraid that cold organic pigments with a raspberry-violet undertone will look unnatural, giving age and creating the effect of an evening make-up.

Eyebrow pigments are good, but color migration and cold undertones must be taken into account. Masters' favorite question when choosing brown pigments: “Advise a beautiful brown. Well, such a deep, chocolatey one. As a rule, this refers to a warm tone of brown. To achieve this effect, it is necessary to insulate the color that is available. This is a prerequisite for work - to insulate cold shades. Even with an organic warm color in the palette, it is still necessary to visually visualize it colder by one or more tones after healing. When working with organic pigment in the eyebrow hair technique, it is necessary to take into account color migration, make up to two passes and, if necessary, warm the pigment to avoid an unnatural gray tint.

conclusions

Of course, many do not know what is in the jar, calling this or that chemical element a trade secret of the manufacturer. I just urge buyers to be careful, be interested in the composition and what kind of organic dye is used. This is a rather important fact, since there are organic pigments whose chemical composition is unacceptable for sale in European countries and is considered toxic. Remember, organic pigments are 100% laboratory-produced chemical elements.

And yet, given my personal experience of working with European brands, I can say that before releasing a new product for free sale, the plant conducts its testing for about two years. I doubt that all Asian pigment lines have such concern for the consumer, the cost of which, of course, compensates for the fact of safety and the work of professional technologists.

On the other hand, the European manufacturer promises to leave inorganic pigments for sale in different markets (after all, there are not only Europe, but also Asian countries, the US market, and the product that they have the right to sell will dominate there). Although on my own I can add that the loyalty of the Europeans knows no bounds yet, they call it an innovation, and their opinion is still recommendatory for buyers and manufacturers.

Be that as it may, there are many positive aspects: these innovations have given us a new type of pigment - organic, with unique properties that the master must use in his work. Europe, in turn, has activated the industry of developers, chemical technologists, production, all areas of marketing and the end consumer - you and me.