Permanent Makeup

The Pros and Cons of Permanent Makeup

Stunning eyeliner, perfectly arched brows, and lips that are the perfect hue. You can go to the fitness center, dance the night away, work the whole day, and still have flawless makeup on. The promise of perpetual makeup is just that. Nothing seems to be able to phase correctly done cosmetic tattoos.

The treatments are often safe when performed by a qualified individual. Nevertheless, there are many untrained individuals using needles, so you need to be cautious. If you’re wondering if permanent makeup is for you, we’re hoping to help you make that decision with this post.

In this article, we’ll touch on the following:

Permanent Makeup

Woman Getting Permanent Makeup Done

What is Permanent Makeup?

Similar to tattoos, permanent makeup is regarded as micro pigmentation. It entails injecting colored granules under the epidermis with a needle. Similar techniques to tattooing include medical restoration, which covers over scars and vitiligo (loss of natural color in the skin)-related flaws.

The most popular cosmetic improvement is permanent eyeliner, which is followed by permanent brows and permanent lip color. Due to the uncertainty surrounding the color’s effects and the size of the affected surface area in the event of an allergic response, some practitioners do not recommend blush or eye shadow.

The majority of treatments begin with the application of an anesthetic to the skin. One to three months after the first operation, a touch-up may be necessary. Dermatologists, estheticians, cosmetologists, and tattoo artists are some examples of practitioners.

How Long Does Permanent Makeup last?

The greatest color results might last for many years, or they could start to deteriorate with time. Depending on the individual, this might take a certain period. How well your application heals also plays a major role in how long it lasts.

While the pigment from permanent makeup stays in the dermis, several potential factors might affect how long it will stay beautiful, including environmental, procedural, and personal factors. 

Sunlight deteriorates color and changes in color value over time are influenced by skin tones. The quantity and color of pigment deposits at the dermis level can influence how long permanent makeup maintains its optimum appearance. 

For this reason, very natural-looking applications are more likely to need a touch-up than more dramatic ones. 

Now that you know what permanent makeup is, let’s dig into the three most popular types of permanent makeup.

Microblading

The most well-known permanent cosmetic procedure is undoubtedly microblading, which is a fancy term for an eyebrow tattoo. To reconstruct larger, darker, and more realistic-looking brows, the artist inserts pigment right beneath the skin using a small needle. 

The very tiny needles on the microblade tool are used to implant the ink and form each hair stroke. Microblading provides some people with the gift of a brow while filling up the sparse regions of already full brows. 

Other names for this technique are microshading and brow feathering. Yet, some methods can be categorized as natural-looking hair strokes. Seeing examples of your artist’s work and confirming that you are a fan before booking is crucial.

Permanent Makeup

Permanent Eyebrows – Microblading

Microblading might not be a terrible option if filling in your brows is an important component of your cosmetic regimen. Microblading does fade with time, similar to any tattoo, turning permanent eyebrows more into semi-permanent ones. 

A fairly natural method of getting fuller-looking brows without making a big investment is microblading. Depending on your skin type and lifestyle, these brows can last anywhere between one and three years. 

You can notice your eyebrows disappearing more quickly if you often use exfoliating skin care products or don’t protect them from the sun. But regardless of your way of life, you should plan on visiting your artist again 12 to 18 months later for a touch-up. You decide when to return precisely.

Permanent Eyeliner

According to their demands and personal preferences, people can obtain a variety of eyeliner tattoos. The lash liner enhancement is a black line that lies within the lash line and helps to draw attention to your eyes. 

A lash enhancement will only make you appear to have longer lashes if you are not using cosmetics. Another option is semi-permanent eyeliner, which can be used to create some of your favorite eyeliner looks, such as a cat eye or a soft wing, by applying it above the lash line. 

If you wear eyeliner every day, permanent eyeliner can provide you with comparable effects without constant trouble. According to the same variables that impact eyebrows, as indicated above, results can endure anywhere between one and five years. You’ll probably want to make another appointment for a touch-up six weeks following your initial one.

Lip Blushing

Lip tattoos, which are sometimes referred to as lip blushing or lip tinting, are only a light color wash applied to the whole lip. For larger lips without filler and a more polished pout, this ultra-natural, semi-permanent cosmetic tattoo establishes a constant hue and defines your contour, meaning you only have to wear lip balm and not lipstick.

As the skin of the lips doesn’t maintain the color as well as other skin types, lip blushing is sometimes a more involved process than other permanent cosmetic tattoos. A few customers need two or three touch-ups. 

Lip blushing could be a perfect choice for you if you’re after a daily blurred lip appearance with a little color boost. But you also need to be able to tolerate discomfort very well. Many do feel discomfort and swelling because the lips are so much more sensitive than the other areas of the face. 

You should anticipate looking like you recently had lip injections for up to a week after your session, leaving you a touch puffy. Once you’ve had the several touch-up visits required to initially get the appearance you want. The color will remain for almost a year. Touch-ups often occur six weeks apart.

Permanent Makeup

Woman getting permanent lipstick

Is Permanent Makeup Considered Safe?

Permanent makeup can be completely safe, but there are many things to think about before getting it done to prevent any issues or infections. When you recuperate, be careful to take exceptional care of your permanent makeup and confirm that the artist is qualified to execute the treatment. 

Your aftercare will depend on the permanent makeup you have, but generally, you should keep the area dry for about a week and cover it with an authorized ointment. Since the needle doesn’t penetrate the layers of your skin as deeply as it would with a traditional tattoo. The healing time is significantly quicker. 

However, you may still anticipate a lot of the same side effects as with regular tattoos, such as scabbing, peeling, and dryness. It may be a good idea to treat your eyes with a rejuvenating eye mask once your healing process is complete.

Advantages of Permanent Makeup

Here’s a handy breakdown of the advantages of getting permanent makeup.

  • That will not wash away. As the name says, it’s permanent, meaning you’ll never have to waste time applying makeup again.
  • It’s professionally positioned, so you won’t have to stress about inconsistent makeup again – but only if done by a qualified expert.
  • It guards against potential cosmetic allergies since many artificial materials can be detrimental to your skin, particularly if applied wrongly.
  • It’s a huge timesaver. If you need to get out the door quickly, you can go without having to worry about taking the extra time to apply the basics.
  • It’s resilient. The worst problem about makeup is that it smudges. We’ve all woken up with eye makeup all over our pillows or smeared all across our faces after neglecting to wash it before bed. 
  • The esthetician will tailor your application to your style and preferences.
  • Permanent makeup will never smudge if you unintentionally wipe your eyes, thus it will be unaffected by allergy season. It’s also excellent for someone who exercises frequently or lives in a humid climate.
  • It may be worn alone or enhanced with ordinary makeup for special events – just don’t forget to still do your normal skincare routine. Permanent makeup is not a replacement for that.

Disadvantages of Permanent Makeup

Everything in life has its drawbacks. Permanent makeup is no different and we wouldn’t be giving you the full truth if we didn’t also mention the complications that could arise from permanent makeup. So, here they are:

  • You should only consult a reputed and competent specialist for your application since unsterilized tools and needles might cause infections.
  • Granulomas might develop. These nodules can develop around foreign substances that are inside our bodies, such as the pigment or ink used in permanent cosmetics.
  • The only way to reverse the effects is by using a laser. Don’t get it done on a whim because it can even be more expensive to have your permanent cosmetics removed as opposed to having it done originally.
  • Permanent cosmetic inks and tattoos can cause allergic responses in certain people.
  • They fade, just like conventional tattoos, necessitating touch-ups to keep the intended appearance.
  • Unwanted outcomes are possible. While doing permanent makeup may save you time, the end effect might not be exactly what you were hoping for, and if the person performing it makes a mistake, there is no going back.
  • No diversity. If you like to switch up your makeup every day rather than wear the same look all the time, permanent makeup might not be for you. You cannot alter your eyebrows or eyeliner to fit your present phase. (Although I occasionally make mine darker or lengthen my eyeliner wings, so I guess my suggestion here is that less is more)
  • You can’t easily take the permanent kind off when you don’t feel like wearing it.
  • The thin skin on your face makes the procedure potentially painful. So don’t say we didn’t warn you if you’re typically sensitive to pain.

Should You Get Permanent Makeup Done?

The obvious answer to this question is…it’s completely up to you. If I answer this question based on my personal experience, the answer would most definitely be yes. I have had my eyebrows done (including all three of the different methods – to find which one I preferred), I have both my top and bottom eyeliner done and I have also had my lips done. 

You need to do your lips more often as the skin rejuvenates there most often, so I won’t have mine done again, as I don’t think it lasts long enough to warrant the cost. Eyebrows need to be touched up every 12 to 18 months, but are worth it because you don’t have to worry about shaping them properly or reapplying any type of makeup. 

I’ve done my eyeliner twice over the last 12 years – each application lasts anywhere between one and five years, so it seems like the most cost-effective permanent makeup option of the lot. 

The most important thing to remember when making this decision is that once it’s on, it doesn’t come off. Even if you have it laser removed, there will still be skin damage and discoloration afterward.

Finally, if you do decide to go this route, make sure it’s something you want on your face for years to come, and be sure to only use a certified beautician with many positive reviews, portfolio photos, and testimonials because errors are not easily fixed.

Leave a comment and let us know what permanent makeup applications you are thinking of doing or have done and share your tips and experiences with the rest of our readers so that they can make an informed decision.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The Green You

Author

Cindy Lowry

Cindy Lowry

Writer

Edit Content

Subscribe to our Newsletter

No spam, notifications only about new updates.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.