Success Story: Interviews with Leading Permanent Makeup Artists

"You are in the image forever "

Dossier: Evgenia Bryukhovetskaya , certified PM master in Ukraine, international class master teacher, founder and owner of Vobrazi PM studio schools (Kyiv, Krivoy Rog), leading master teacher of Bellastudio permanent makeup studio (Kyiv), regular participant of international exhibitions and conferences in PM, official representative of TM Biotach and Icore (USA) in Ukraine, cosmetologist, specialist in laser tattoo removal and PM

Permanent: We are pleased to introduce today's guest of our editorial staff - a wonderful master Evgenia Bryukhovetskaya. Evgenia, thank you for agreeing to give an interview to our magazine! And our first question is traditionally about how you got into the profession and why did you choose this direction?

Evgenia Bryukhovetskaya: I liked the direction of cosmetology since childhood. I literally fell in love with this profession from the moment when my mother first brought me to a beautician. But since my parents believed that I should definitely become a banker, I received my first education as an economist not by vocation. At the age of twenty-five, I accidentally got to the InterCHARM exhibition and plunged into the world of beauty. It was then that I first saw how the permanent makeup procedure is carried out. This made a huge impression on me. A little later, I went through this procedure already as a client. I do not want to name the master - I will only say that for a rather high cost I received a very low quality result. So, learning from bitter experience and my mistakes, trying to understand the nuances of permanent makeup, I came to the conclusion that I want to develop further in this direction. In addition, there were also changes in my usual way of life: I was about to move from my hometown. In general, I realized that with this profession I can go through life.

Permanent: Who do you consider your mentor to be the most influential in your formation? Where did you learn the art of permanent makeup?

Evgenia Bryukhovetskaya : My mentor, even, I can say, a guide in the profession of a liner artist, was Birgit Tode, the founder of MyStyle. And I am still learning, because there is no limit to perfection. I have visited a large number of conferences, congresses, forums in many countries on my account. I always follow the master classes given by my colleagues. I choose for myself not by titles, but by the works of masters. I also observe the master as a person: what a person is fond of, how he develops. I am grateful to many colleagues who hold the bar high in our profession and from whom, I know, I can still learn a lot. I consider the main training option for myself to be continuous improvement in practice, my own experience, constant striving to improve the quality of the procedure.

Permanent: The profession of a PM master is quite difficult. What, in your opinion, is the most difficult and how did you overcome difficulties at the beginning of your professional path?

Evgenia Bryukhovetskaya : The most difficult thing in the profession is to accept at the beginning of the journey the fact that you have very little experience. And that this experience is most often the son of difficult mistakes, the poet was right. Not everything turns out right away - on the contrary, very rarely you are satisfied with the result of your work. Many young masters lose heart and face all sorts of difficulties. How did I overcome this? I loaded myself with work, worked almost twenty hours a day, in order to see the finished result more often and make sure that each new work was somehow better than the previous one. I analyzed my mistakes. Eleven years ago, when I started, there was not such an information boom as now, and I collected bit by bit the information on the permanent that was available.

I can say that not only beginners, but also already established masters face difficulties. What I mean? When PM was just starting to appear as a beauty service, there were only a few masters. Now PM is at the peak of popularity - and there are a huge number of masters. On the one hand, there are dropouts that undermine the authority of the profession, on the other hand, there are more excellent craftsmen, so now you need to confirm your level every day, prove that the client can trust you and why he should choose you from the abundance of offers. And our target audience - our customers - has become more advanced in various issues.

Permanent: Evgenia, what, in your opinion, is the most important thing in the profession? What would you wish to young masters in the field of PM?

Evgenia Bryukhovetskaya : Endless work and experience - that's what is most important in the profession of a PM master. Love what you do. Remember that this is not only a job that makes a profit, but also the work of your whole life. Experience comes with difficulty, not with the number of diplomas on the wall. No need to overwhelm yourself with master classes. Remember that each master class requires careful practice. And this development, in my opinion, should be from fifty to one hundred models. Only then new knowledge turns into practical skills - and you can claim that you have mastered the new technique. I want to call on novice masters so that they don’t think: “I’m going to a master class of a brilliant specialist, I’ll buy magic devices and pigments, and with them I will succeed right away - just because I paid the money.” Any knowledge must be backed up by many hours of practice. Analyze your every working moment, then many questions will disappear by themselves. Work for the future, do not live for a second profit. My credo and my attitude to the profession - be workaholics! I believe that there are no insurmountable difficulties in our profession. The main thing is desire and aspiration. Do not stop there, do not rest on your laurels, work without sparing yourself. And then everything will be as we need it. No matter what. Only in this way comes experience, knowledge and, in the end, recognition in the profession.

Permanent: Do you think medical and artistic education is important in permanent makeup?

Evgenia Bryukhovetskaya : The desire not to harm your client makes you think about what we are doing. This is followed by a chain of your professional interests. In my opinion, PM masters may not have a diploma in medical or art education, but they are simply obliged to be interested in these issues! The constant interest in these industries forms an understanding of what we do - both from the point of view of medicine and in terms of art. Medicine is important in our profession, we need knowledge in the field of histology, dermatology, virology and so on. You can’t wash off the PM, a person will walk with our work for years. It is necessary to be clear about what will happen to the PM over time. Hence the need to understand color, the basics of drawing. Without this knowledge, a beautiful result of the procedure is impossible.

Permanent: Do you have any special requirements for materials and equipment? Do you work with any particular brand? Are you a distributor or facilitator for a specific brand?

Evgenia Bryukhovetskaya : I am very demanding on the materials I work with. They, like equipment, must be of a high level, safe, of high quality, certified in our country, Europe and the USA. I am an official representative of Biotach and Icore (USA) and a Biotach methodologist. For the preparations of these brands, my studios have certificates in Ukraine, basic training takes place on these materials. But this does not mean that I work only with these pigments.

I use pigments for both PM and tattoo. I prefer synthetic pigments: they are non-allergenic, the composition is balanced. But first, I definitely study pigments and anesthesia for a long time. To which I urge everyone! Take this issue seriously and never save on materials!

Permanent: Do you have a favorite technique or zone perhaps? What are the main principles of your work?

Evgenia Bryukhovetskaya : I work in different areas, but my favorite technique is still PM eyebrows by spraying (for myself, I called it velvet brow). I haven't changed it for several years. I like how it heals, I like the final result. Now I am giving a series of master classes on this technique. On the lips, I prefer lipstick coloring (warm lips technique) - a non-contour technique, but with a rather bright effect. This most often meets the needs of my clients as well. I can advise and recommend to my client a technique suitable for him, for me the most important thing in my work is to create a complete image. I adjust each technique individually for each client. The personality and lifestyle of a person is the starting point for choosing the PM technique, from shape to color. The main principles are the safety of the procedure, beautiful work after a long time, a satisfied client after years.

Permanent: How long ago did you open your own salon? What prompted you to do this?

Evgenia Bryukhovetskaya : For a long time I worked as a leading master in the permanent makeup studio Bellastudio, and two years ago I opened my own school-studio PM Vobrazi. This happened due to the belief that permanent makeup is my life's work. A job that I want to pass on to my children.

Permanent: Evgenia, why did you decide to teach and what does it mean to you to be a teacher?

Evgenia Bryukhovetskaya : Teaching has become a new (and beloved) facet of the profession. Despite the fact that our profession is in demand and there are many craftsmen, low-quality work is quite common. It's a shame! I enjoy working with beginners. For me, being a teacher means sharing all my experience, my knowledge. Pass on your craft, reveal secrets, teach new things so that those who come to me become more independent in their work. This is a big responsibility, so I conduct the basic course only individually with each student. It is important for me that there are as many good masters as possible.

Permanent: What is your job that you are most proud of?

Evgenia Bryukhovetskaya : Of course, there are more or less successful works. Pride cause, probably, those works of eight and ten years ago, which made my clients permanent. People still come, bring their acquaintances, friends, children. I am also proud of the works that not only beautified a person, but also helped to correct some aesthetic flaw in appearance (clients after an accident, after the work of plastic surgeons, etc.). This is not a decorative decoration, it is a necessary help, after which the client leaves really happy.

Permanent: Many potential clients are put off by the fear of pain and the prospect of noticeable scabs. How do you deal with the fears of your clients?

Evgenia Bryukhovetskaya : I just don’t instill this fear in them. (Laughs.) Naturally, any client who comes to the PM salon is worried both about the sensations and the result. Information about my work is completely open. Before going to me for procedures, clients can familiarize themselves with my portfolio on the pages of social networks or on the faces of their acquaintances. During the consultation, I always tell how many years I have been working, that I use the best materials and equipment. My experience allows me to insure both myself and my client against an unsuccessful result. My confidence is obviously passed on to the clients.

Permanent: What, in your opinion, is an indicator of the successful work of the master? Can you call yourself successful? And what is the secret of your success?

Evgenia Bryukhovetskaya : An indicator of the master's successful work is his clients. No matter how much money is invested in advertising, poor work and negative customer reviews will cross everything. I believe that the return of clients in a year, two, five years, a permanent record, their willingness to wait for this mater is an indicator of success. That is why I can call myself successful. This field of activity gave me the opportunity to realize all my dreams, undertakings, to be self-confident, independent, to become a sought-after master and teacher. All these are the components of my success. The secret is simple. It's hard work and honesty. I am honest in relation to my clients, to colleagues in the shop, to myself.

Permanent: What are your plans for the near future? What do you dream of making a reality?

Evgenia Bryukhovetskaya : I dream of building a house and planting a tree. (Laughs.) The plans are not to stop there. Always go forward, follow the news, learn, set new goals and achieve them.

Permanent : Evgenia, thanks for the interview! In conclusion, your wishes to our readers.

Evgenia Bryukhovetskaya : Dear colleagues! I wish you all more work and grateful customers. Do not give up before difficulties, believe in yourself and do not stop in development. Remember that this is hard work and mistakes are inevitable. But the road will be mastered by the walking one. Think and worry about your work, and then the respect of customers and colleagues is guaranteed to you.

The material was first published in Permanent No. 1(9)/2018