Permanent Makeup vs. Messy Mornings After
Do you dread messy mornings after? You know – you wake up, go into the bathroom and there they are, staring back at you in the mirror:
- Mascara smudges where there once was concealer
- Remnants of eyeliner clinging to the corners of your eyes
- Lackluster lashes that are barely noticeable above them
- A faint, pinkish haze where your lip liner used to be
Is it a good day for permanent makeup? Maybe, if any of that sounds familiar or you’ve ever thought: “Geez, I totally rocked this look last night! What happened?” Welcome to the world of micropigmentation – a process now offered at day spas, clinics and plastic surgery offices nationwide.
Want awesomely outlined eyes at any hour? Perpetually smudge-free lips? Sun-kissed cheeks in winter? Permanent makeup (a.k.a. permanent cosmetics) treatments give you perfectly outlined eyes, colored lips and rosy cheeks with permanent, organic pigment.
Permanent Cosmetic Makeup: How it Works
The process of micropigmentation, or permanent makeup, involves the application of organic pigment below the skin’s surface – for color that lasts. Think of it as facial tattooing with a super slender needle that deposits “makeup” in fine punctures which push pigment wherever it’s wanted or needed.
Permanent makeup typically falls into these categories:
- Full Face
- Permanent Eyebrows
- Permanent Lip Makeup
- Permanent Eyeliner
- Cosmetic Camouflage
Full face permanent makeup offers a finished look that stays put – day, night and at all hours in between. Cosmetic camouflage techniques with permanent cosmetics can hide routine or surgical scars on the face, breasts, etc. It can also heal related emotional scars by minimizing the evidence of painful surgeries.
A non-surgical option, permanent makeup can enhance your:
- Cheeks – for a warm year ‘round glow
- Eyes – for lasting liner &/or eye shadow effects
- Lips – lining &/or filling them in with great color
- Eyebrows – enhancing shape & appearance
- Eyelashes – using products like Latisse®
Permanent makeup application can be a “manual” or “machine” process. It’s manual when permanent makeup is applied without a tattoo gun or other device. Instead, a professional applies your permanent cosmetics using a pen-and-ink technique.
Machine applied permanent makeup is deposited under the skin using a specialized device. In either case, the right technique for you should be decided in consultation with a certified, experienced permanent cosmetics professional.
The areas to be treated may affect which method is used or recommended.
Benefits & Risks of Permanent Makeup
Beyond side stepping the messy-morning-after experience, permanent makeup may make you feel better overall.
Benefits associated with permanent makeup include:
- More striking eyes, lips, etc.
- The ability to dare to go “bare”
- A sexier, more youthful appearance
- Fewer tell-tale signs of prior surgeries
- Less time & money spent on topical cosmetics
- Confidence that “stays put” at all hours of the day
Risks associated with permanent makeup may include:
- Imbalanced outcomes
- Unskilled or improper application
- Irreversible depositing of pigment/color
- Poorly chosen pigments which lead to poor results
- Side effects typically associated with products like Latisse®
Permanent Cosmetic Makeup – Always in Fashion?
Let’s talk a bit about topical makeup. You know the kind – you apply it in the morning and touch it up here and there. Hopefully, you take time to cleanse it away at night. If not, you may find evidence of it on your pillow. Blow your nose or eat lunch and it’s gone.
If you’re tired of spending time and money on cosmetics that don’t last, consider permanent makeup. When applied by a qualified professional, the results should free you from a daily routine that requires ongoing upkeep and maintenance.
You should get a natural look that isn’t garish or over-the-top. In short, your “finished” face should never go out of style. It should compliment your natural features, skin tone and the products you’d like to use to play it up for day, evening or special occasions.
Permanent cosmetic makeup, when correctly applied, should:
- Play up your best assets
- Look natural vs. “made up”
- Be individualized vs. trendy
- Compliment hair, skin & eyes
- Blend vs. compete with your features
Permanent makeup shouldn’t keep you from wearing topical makeup, either. After all, we all love eye shadow, mascara and lipstick. Having a solid foundation to build on can make applying topical products easier and less stressful. Yet, cosmetic makeup helps you “save face” after taking a dip in the pool or while sweating at the gym.
Permanent Makeup Professionals
So, who do you turn to for help with permanent cosmetic makeup and what should you expect? How can you tell whether they have a steady hand or will deliver the results you want? These are things to consider when you start your search.
Again, many plastic surgery offices now offer permanent makeup services. Some employ related clinicians. Others can refer you to outside sources. Still others have on-site day spas where you can schedule treatment just like you would BOTOX®, dermal fillers, laser skin resurfacing and more!
Before signing up for treatment, ask:
- Can I get a consultation?
- Will I need to take time off to heal?
- Can I see your before and after photos?
- Are you certified & how many faces have you worked on?
- Can you show me, with regular makeup, what my face will look like?
Choosing a permanent cosmetic makeup professional is like choosing a plastic surgeon. Ask questions until you’re satisfied. You’re considering a procedure that will permanently alter the look of your face; you deserve to be in highly qualified hands.
You also need to know they’ve delivered consistently positive results. A portfolio of permanent makeup before and after photos is a must. Client testimonials and contact information are helpful. Lastly, be sure you’re treated with care, honesty and dignity.
Knowledgeable, trained and caring permanent makeup professionals won’t promise you the world. They’ll promise realistic results. They’ll want you to show off or help you learn more about their work. After all, they’re artists and should take pride in what they do…
Especially if it means getting to work with you!