I have had my brows tattooed before, can you fix them/touch them up?
Do I need a touch-up/follow-up appointment?
What can I expect immediately after my appointment?
What factors will affect my Permanent Cosmetics?
How long will my Permanent Cosmetics last?
How long does the appointment take?
Am I a candidate for permanent makeup?
Do Permanent Cosmetics hurt?
permanent makeup FAQS
HOW SHOULD I PREPARE FOR MY APPOINTMENT?
what is microblading?
lip blush FAQ's
DO PERMANENT COSMETICS HURT?
Topical 5% Lidocaine and secondary numbing are used to make you comfortable during your permanent cosmetic procedure, however pain tolerance varies for each client. Having the procedure done during your menstrual cycle may increase your sensitivity. You may take Tylenol before your appointment if are concerned with discomfort.
AM I A CANDIDATE FOR PERMANENT MAKEUP?
- Pregnant or nursing
- Diagnosed with epilepsy or seizures
- Currently using Accutane or have used it within the past 12 months
- Freshly tanned or sunburned face
- Taking blood thinning medications, antibiotics or steroids (Must be off antibiotics and steroids for at least 2 weeks before your appointment)
- Skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, dermatitis, acne or irritation/rash in the procedure area
- Currently undergoing any form of cancer treatment
- Must be off Chemo or Radiation for 6 months and get a Doctor’s approval
- Sick/cold/flu- if you are ill or have been in contact with someone who is ill, please reschedule!
If you show up to your appointment and have one of these conditions, I will not perform the procedure and you will charged for the FULL price of the service.
HOW LONG DOES THE APPOINTMENT TAKE?
The initial session takes about 2-2.5 hours total, depending on the service. This includes the consultation, taking before/after pictures, mapping the brows or lips, numbing and the actual procedure. The 6-10 week touch up and annual appointments only takes 1-1.5 hours.
HOW LONG WILL MY PERMANENT COSMETICS LAST?
Cosmetic tattooing pigment is designed to gradually fade over time. Factors such as skin type, lifestyle, age, metabolism, skincare, medications and pigment color affect the longevity of the tattoo. The sun and some kinds of lighting (UV, tanning beds) will affect the rate at which these pigments are broken down. To take care of your brows or lips, follow the aftercare instructions, use SPF daily and have your annual touch up done every 10-24 months. Touch-ups are normal and expected for these procedures.
*Please note that final results vary and CANNOT be guaranteed due to the nature of skin as it heals. A follow-up appointment is recommended at 6-10 weeks, where we can assess your pigment retention and make any changes necessary. A second touch up (at an additional cost) may be needed for completed results, depending on your skin type and healing.
HOW SHOULD I PREPARE FOR MY APPOINTMENT?
You must NOT use any Retin-A, Retinol, acids, anti-aging or acne products around the brow area for at least 2 weeks before or after your appointments.
NO Botox/wrinkle relaxers, fillers, chemical peels, microneedling, laser treatments, brow growth serums, tanning beds, spray tans or anything of the like for at least 2-4 weeks prior to your appointment, and also 2-4 weeks after.
If you have inspiration pictures of brows or lips that you like or how you do them with makeup, please have them ready to show me at the appointment. You can also come with your brows done so that I can see in person how you like to shape/color them. This will help me to have a better idea of what style, shape and color you prefer.
I will be taking before/after pictures. You can wear whatever makeup you like- I want you to feel comfortable having your picture taken. I will be removing any makeup around your brow or lip area during your procedure. You can bring your makeup with you to touch it up before I take after pictures if you’d like.
Doing any of the following will cause excessive bleeding during your procedure and will hinder your final result:
- Do not take any medications that may thin your blood (i.e. Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Vitamin E, Fish Oil, diet pills/fat burners, etc.) 48-72 hours before or immediately after your procedure.
- Do not drink alcohol 24 hours before your procedure.
- Do not drink caffeine 12 hours before your procedure.
- Do not exercise the day of your appointment.
WHAT FACTORS WILL AFFECT MY PERMANENT COSMETICS?
- Oily Skin/larger pores: Increased oil production will cause hair strokes to blur and heal light/patchy. Ombré brows are more suitable for this skin type.
- Smoking: The brows will heal very ashy, patchy and fade quickly. This service is not recommended if you use any type of nicotine or tobacco products.
- Anemia: Your body will absorb these pigments quickly and you may need a touch up sooner.
- Sun exposure: Increased exposure to the sun will cause extreme fading. You will want to use a mineral SPF with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide on the brows once they are healed to prevent premature fading.
- Sweating: Exercising or sweating during the 14 day healing process will cause the brows to turn ashy/grey, patchy and blurred. We can’t fix grey brows!
- Age and metabolism: The faster your metabolism, the faster pigment will fade. If you are very active, you can expect the brows to not last as long.
- Bleeding during the procedure: Excessive bleeding during your procedure will greatly affect how your body retains pigment. While this is not entirely in our control, it is important that you follow before care instructions to help minimize bleeding. This includes avoiding blood thinning medications, alcohol, and caffeine 24 hours before your procedure.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT IMMEDIATELY AFTER MY APPOINTMENT?
In the hours following your procedure, the pigment will appear much darker and bolder than it will heal due to oxidation in the surface layer of your skin. Your brows could also appear warmer in color. You may experience some redness or swelling around the brow area, this typically disappears within 12 hours. Around day 5-8 you may notice some flaking or light scabbing on the treated area, DO NOT PICK AT IT, doing so can result in loss of pigment in those areas. Brows may appear spotty or patchy until the entire brow has finished healing. You may notice that some areas may appear very light or even have lost pigment entirely after they have flaked. Your new layer of skin is regenerating over the tattoo and causing muting or hiding of pigment underneath. The epidermis will normalize over the next 4-6 weeks and pigment should appear more clearly on surface of the skin. At 4-6 weeks, your brows will be fully healed. Whatever pigment that does not return will be addressed at your touch up appointment. If you’d prefer darker, bolder brows we can always add more color or shading during that appointment!
DO I NEED A TOUCH-UP/FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENT?
Yes! All permanent cosmetic procedures require 2 sessions. During your 6-10 week touch up, we can assess your pigment retention and make any adjustments needed. This touch up is also called the “perfecting visit” and it increases the longevity of your brows by adding additional strokes and pigment.
I HAVE HAD MY BROWS TATTOOED BEFORE, CAN YOU FIX THEM/TOUCH THEM UP?
I require that anyone who has previously tattooed/microbladed brows by another artist submit a “New Client” form on the booking page before reaching out. After I see pictures of the brows, we can discuss if I am able to cover them, what your options are and schedule the correct service.
Anyone coming to me from a different artist is considered a new client at my full price for an initial session with a 6-10 week touch up. Typically the previous work needs to be 80-90% completely faded, a symmetrical shape and no scarring for me to feel comfortable taking you as a client. I want to be able to do my best work and give you beautiful results, so I may suggest that you have laser tattoo removal done first before moving forward with a cover up.
WHAT IS MICROBLADING?
This is the process of infusing pigment into the skin to simulate the appearance of natural hair. It is considered a tattoo, and permanent makeup but it does fade over time. A touch up is recommended every 1-2 years in order to keep the color fresh and shape precise.
Microblading is meant to be a subtle natural enhancement, and to create fuller more beautiful brows. It looks most natural on clients who already have semi-full brow hair and are wanting to perfect their shape. The more hair you have, the more natural it will appear. Microblading heals best on young, healthy and dry/normal skin. Oily/combo and mature/thin skin is not suitable for microblading. Results will not heal as well, or look as natural. If you are in this category, you would be a better candidate for ombré brows with shading.
LIP BLUSH FAQ
Lip blush is a form of cosmetic tattooing that heals to a subtle pop of color, like a tinted lip balm and can last 2-3 years. The color will fade about 50% once the lips are fully healed 4-6 weeks later, but the “healing time” for peeling/flaking is only about 5-7 days and is super easy!
This will not replace the need to wear lipstick if you like a dark or bold color! It can give the appearance of fuller lips and a more defined vermilion border, but we can’t tattoo outside of the natural lip border or “over line”the lips.
An 8-12 week touch up can be done if any adjustments are needed, like wanting to go a little darker or brighter with the color. An annual touch up can be done usually 2-3 years after your last session to refresh the color.
If you have a history of cold sores, even if it was 10 years ago, you will need to get a prescription for an antiviral like Valtrex and begin taking it 3 days before each lip blush appointment. This will lessen the risk of having an outbreak after the procedure.
