Shaded Arrow: Secrets of the Popular PM Technique

Victoria Lisitskaya, methodologist of the training center "Cosmotrade", winner of the championship "Permanent style of Ukraine", speaker of the scientific and practical conference on permanent makeup "Picturesque Beauty"

Soft shading is deservedly popular among both masters and their clients. Clients appreciate the work done in this technique, primarily for its elegance and unobtrusiveness. The period of wearability of this type of tattoo (and shading lasts less on the eyelids than the classic arrow, made using the technique of dense coloring) is also an important factor that can prompt such a choice. Indeed, thanks to this, the arrow will not deform with age-related changes in the area of the upper eyelid, fall and break in the area of \u200b\u200bfolds on the eyelid.

Eyelid shading can be the technique of choice in cases where the client insists on fairly thick eyeliner or wants the stylist to go beyond the crease on a fixed eyelid.

Masters are attracted by this technique primarily because it provides more opportunities in sketching, since the rules for drawing a classic arrow do not allow the tail to be pulled out of the crease. And also for the low traumatic nature of the work, due to which healing is often easier than in the classics.

An arrow with feathering is a great choice if you want to move away from the classics and the intensity of lines on the eyelids. In addition, this technique is perfect if the client does not want to acquire arrows for a long time or wants them to be “not like everyone else”.

Technical features

If you are just starting to master this technique, it is first of all important to learn how to perform uniform shading, without spots and gaps, since shading on the eyelids often heals with almost one hundred percent color retention.

The essence of the technique is to paint over the space between the eyelashes well and create a soft gradient in the area of \u200b\u200bthe arrow (Fig. 1).

1 - the most saturated color; 2 - average saturation; 3 - maximum transparency

When performing work with the capture of an area on a fixed eyelid, it is important to observe the main condition - that the shading is light, uniform and airy, so that it looks unobtrusive and guarantees the client that in the future, after a while, the pigment on the fixed eyelid will disappear (unlike the classic arrow, which can last for years).

No special preparation is required on the part of the client before the procedure of permanent make-up of the eyelids. The exception is when the client wears eyelash extensions: they must be removed at least three days before the procedure.

There are two ways to execute an arrow with feathering:

1. The pigment in the region of the inter-ciliary space is laid in the same way as when performing a classic arrow, that is, it is quite dense and saturated. When moving to the shading zone, the same pigment is diluted, which reduces the concentration of the coloring matter and creates a light shadow.

2. Both the inter-eyelash space and shading are performed with undiluted pigment. The gradient effect is created exclusively by the correct application technique. This method is suitable for experienced craftsmen who are good at creating soft and airy shadows.

Shading can be either one-color or using different colors. For example, a combination of black eyelashes and brown shading looks very good.

Procedure steps

Stage 1. We create a sketch of the future arrow, observing symmetry in front of the eyes. We simulate a soft shadow in the sketch so that the client can understand how the work will look like in the end.

Stage 2. Applying primary anesthesia and fixing the sketch.

1. Maintain anesthesia under occlusion (film) for 5⎼10 minutes.

2. The most important part of the frog is the bottom line of the tail. We start by fixing this particular area. You need to fix it slowly so as not to lose the sketch.

3. With light shading movements, we fix the shadow area.

4. We carry out the first pass through the inter-ciliary space.

5. We apply secondary anesthesia. We do this carefully to avoid getting into the eye. Immediately after applying the product, the client may feel a tingling sensation on the eyelid, but this is a normal skin reaction. If the client complains of a burning sensation in the eye, then the anesthesia has got under the eyelid, in which case the eye must be immediately rinsed. We repeat the same manipulations on the second eye.

It is important to properly fix the eyelid so that the client does not blink and there are no wrinkles on the eyelid.

Stage 3. Create a gradient in the shadow area ⎼ from dark at the interlash to the most transparent to the motionless eyelid. The movements should be uniform, with the same depth of penetration of the needle. You need to work with the very tip of the needle, slightly scratching the skin. Stroke length ⎼ 0.5⎼0.8 mm. Repeat on the second eye. The main movements are horizontal lines. Shading can also be done with diagonal movements from the bottom up.