Permanent Cosmetics is a form of cosmetic tattooing. Permanent cosmetics are often referred to as micropigmentation, permanent makeup, microblading, microshading, powder brows & ombre brows .

In essence it consists of the implantation or deposits of colored pigments into the upper reticular layer of the dermis.

Pain is subjective, and as we know everyone has a different measure of pain tolerance. My clients often describe the sensation as a tiny scratching. Rest easy knowing that steps are taken so that you feel the least amount of discomfort, because we are able to apply a specially formulated topical anesthetic prior to starting the process. In addition to pre-numbing we also continue to apply a tiny bit of numbing throughout the procedure to ensure maximum comfort.

The vast majority of clients become very relaxes & sometimes take a nap.

Most people experience little to no discomfort – to put this in perspective, thousands of body art tattoos are performed annually & traditional tattoo professionals do not use any anesthetics.

Side Note: If you are close to or currently experiencing your menstrual cycle/ovulation, you may feel a bit more hypersensitive to the tattooing process. Please remember, most medications that provide pain relief (and are anti inflammatory) are prohibited prior to your procedure due to their affect on blood flow and the stunting of the healing inflammatory process. Tylenol may be taken, should you need some pain relief before your appointment.

Costs will vary depending on your city & state. Please visit the “Services” link of the site to view current pricing for your desired procedure. Typically the average cost per procedure averages between $550-$1500.

Advanced work may be additional charges. Procedures that require correction will be additional visits, thus incurring more costs. The most important task to do before booking an appointment with a permanent makeup artist is checking their credentials. DO NOT hesitate in asking questions; it is within your rights to do so. Also remember the cost of any procedure should not be the most important and influential factor when electing an artist remember the phrase:

“Cheap Work Isn’t Good, and Good Work Isn’t Cheap”

Permanent cosmetic procedures are considered permanent. The reason being is because pigment is tattooed into the upper reticular portion of the dermal layer, and it can never be washed away. However, as with any pigment – fading will and often occurs. This will require periodic maintenance referred to as “touch up”. The scientific structure of pigments and the requirement for periodic touch-ups is completely normal. Factors such as skin conditions, skin care regiment, earthly elements (sun exposure), certain medications and select beauty procedures can and will effect the longevity of permanent cosmetics.The periodic maintenance requirement is a good opportunity to reevaluate an individuals color and design preferences. While the concept of permanent, without any change, may seem like a perfectly good idea, think about how your tastes have changed over the years. The fact that most people will require touch ups it presents an opportune time to work with your artist to reevaluate your overall appearance profile and determine if any changes are appropriate.

Permanent cosmetic procedures are performed using various methods, which can include the traditional tattoo coil, a rotary machine, a digital pen hand piece and the manual “microstroking”, “soft-tap” methods. The process includes a consultation, the application of pigment, and at least one or more follow up visits for evaluating the healed design work and color of the pigment.

Individuals who meet minimum age requirements and have the ability to heal properly can benefit from permanent cosmetics. Interest in such procedures, range from young to a more mature audience. It is an excellent option for those who desire a soft and natural enhancement. It is especially valuable to people who cannot wear traditional makeup due to allergies and skin sensitivities, people who want to look their best for sports activities such as swimming and working out without the worry of “sweating off” or reapplying cosmetics. Permanent Cosmetics also benefits individuals who have difficulty applying their makeup due to visual challenges, dexterity related conditions (arthritis), many other balance inhibiting conditions, and busy people who don’t have time to spend applying and refreshing makeup throughout the day and evening.

If you are a viable candidate and if proper sterilization and disinfection guidelines are met, permanent cosmetics should be completely safe. Professionals in the permanent cosmetic industry routinely attend Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) classes to become well versed on safety principals, and are required to attend Bloodborne Pathogens training. At the Brow Clinique the health and safety of our clients and employees are key. We take it very, very seriously.The guidelines include, but are not limited to the following:

1. All needles/blades are new and sterile for each client and are opened in their presence.
2. Disposable sterilized one-time use machine parts are disposed of in a sharps container immediately after the procedure has been completed.
3. Personal protection equipment such as disposable one-time use aprons and gloves are new for each client and changed during the procedure when needed.
4. The technician and work area is clean and neat; with the procedure area free from other contaminants.
5. Disposable one-time use chair/bed coverings are new for each client.
6. Barrier film is applied to each item, which has the possibility of being handled by the artist during the procedure.

Although the procedure is considered permanent, these procedures do have flexibility in changing color and shape to some extent, depending on the expertise of your technician. Colors will appear darker immediately following the procedure but will soften and lighten during the healing process. The healing time is different for each individual, and it may take time to become acclimated to the new look. Be patient and understand that only once the area is fully healed can we evaluate and make adjustments if necessary. Permanent cosmetics are not easily removed, so do your research and before committing ask for a consultation. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Communication- There needs to be clear and concise communication with your artist. It is key!! In addition you must maintain realistic goals at all times. It is possible your wishes are not attainable.

Color- Selection of color cannot be made based on your color treated scalp hair. Some individuals go thru stages in life; one year they have red hair, the next year black hair, then brown or blonde. Permanent cosmetics cannot and will not undergo color changes as such. Therefore we cannot choose a color that does not compliment your genetics. If you were naturally born with ginger red hair, and you want black brows; It’s not happening (at least not in my clinic). In the world of permanent makeup there is a very important equation that every permanent makeup artist must follow:

Pigment + Skin Color= Healed Result

The permanent makeup artist must do their due diligence and determine what pigment is best for your skin. At the consultation stage many topics will be discussed such as your ethnic background, skin undertone and overtone, natural hair color, and the condition of your skin. Keep in mind that you are a living canvas and there are many factors that play into proper color selection. Tattooed colors are constant, while your own skin color will vary depending on exposure to cold, heat, sun, lifestyle, beauty regimen, and certain medications; thus causing color shifts.
Design- Let us acknowledge and admit that brows are an important facial feature. They are what shape and frame the face. There are plenty of women who walk around with questionable looking brows (whether they realize it or not). I’m sure you have seen a few, however that’s where a permanent makeup artist or professional brow groomer can show the client a better way in brow design. I will only work on clients who are realistic, reasonable, and seek a natural looking brow enhancement.

Clients may experience little-moderate swelling, redness, slight bruising, and bleeding. While eyebrows may show little to no swelling or redness afterwards, eyeliner and eyelash line enhancements may show slight to moderate swelling. This is very dependent upon the amount of work performed, and also varies client to client. Some people swell more from minor skin irritations than others. The color is much darker than you may expect for the first seven to ten days.Other less often reported side effects are difficult to determine due to the individuality of each person’s biological system. This is why professional permanent cosmetic technicians require a client history profile be filled out to assess different factors that may contribute to your experience after the tattooing procedure has been completed.

Most times tattooed color is not perfect after the initial procedure heals, some areas may heal lighter, and need to be tweaked. Permanent cosmetic procedures are a process and at least one follow-up to the initial procedure is scheduled. There is a minimum of 8-12 weeks of healing before the second visit. There are absolutely NO exceptions. Please understand that the body needs to fully heal. The cited time frames will vary depending on the health profile and age of the client.

Maintenance touch-ups are done as needed and vary with each client, the normal & typical time frame is every 1.5- 2 years. Tattooing the skin excessively or too soon, is not a best practice and can cause scarring.

On rare occasions a second touchup may be needed to fill in & adjust areas that didn’t heal as expected. This often happens with clients whose skin had a hard time accepting color, for those who didn’t adhere to Pre & Post care, and for clients who have very very oily skin.

Note: It is so important to prep your skin prior to booking. As an artist we need the best possible canvas to work on. You can best prep by having a basic skincare routine of :

2x daily cleansing & moisturizing (in the AM & PM)
Weekly exfoliating (2x a week)
Daily SPF, to protect from the sun
Quarterly facials at least (if unable to do monthly)

Starting a skincare routine as the one above will have your skin glowing, and will best prepare your skin for the tattooing process.

The longevity of Cosmetic Tattooing varies client to client. In rare cases a client may be tattooed and never experience the gradual lightening or fading that most individuals experience, and on the flip side there may exist a client that doesn’t hold on to color as long as others. Because it is a tattoo no artist can guarantee that the pigment will 100% fade away or give you a timeframe or visual of how much fading to expect (it’s impossible to guarantee that).

This is why you must choose your artist wisely, and be sure that you are prepared to commit and ultimately have better looking brows.

Like any elective cosmetic procedure, there are risks associated. Provided that you are booking with a well trained, experienced artist & Pre/Post care instructions are followed, the chances of issues are relatively low.

The overall obvious risks that apply to each individual are the following: allergic reaction, infection and/or failure to retain color.

There is no down time and ideally you may return to your normal work activities immediately after (provided they don’t interfere with post care restrictions). Taking time off work is not really necessary – Don’t waste your PTO.

The healing stages may cause the brows to appear a bit flaky, and undone, however the surface healing take about 1.5 -2 weeks. For more specific info, consult your artist.

Many clients dye their hair over the years, some lighten, some darken, some have fun and even use bright colors, however your DYED hair color doesn’t play a hard weighing factor when an artist chooses the pigment.

We do factor in the intensity that you’d like to have as a healed result, however, we must blend as best as we can with your natural brow hairs in order for the brows to heal as natural as possible.

If naturally your brow hairs are jet black, but you dye your hair a honey blonde, I cannot go with my lightest brown, because it will not blend with your black brow hairs.

The healing time frame varies client to client, and typically lasts 6-12 weeks. Although the brows may heal on the surface, healing continues in the lower layers of the skin.

The answer in short is yes/no.

Certain health conditions & medications disqualify you from eligibility, and they include:

Currently taking the following medications: blood thinners, antibiotics, steroids, cancer treatment modalities (chemo, radiation, immunotherapy) are automatic disqualifiers until their use is discontinued if possible – with Dr’s permission.

Cholesterol and Blood Pressure medications may also (as they contain anti platelet properties, and also dilate blood vessels, thus causing more bleeding than usual), this can cause issues with implanting pigment and can cause color loss. Depending on your individual case, skin type and prior history of tattooing with no issues – in some cases we may be able to move forward – this will be discussed at the consult if applicable to you.

Currently taking the following supplements (due to their blood thinning properties) Fish Oil, Krill Oil, Vitamin E, Cinnamon, Vitamin K, Grape Seed extract, Tumeric, Primrose Oil) – until their use is discontinued if possible – with Dr’s permission.

Skin irregularities in the brow & surrounding areas, such as : Eczema, Psoriases, Seborrheic Dermatitis, excessive sun spots, sun-damaged/sunburned skin, acne, extreme oiliness

Currently pregnant, nursing (must wait 3-4 months postpartum)
Have used Accutane in the last 12 months
Have a pacemaker or major heart complications
Organ Donor recipient At risk
for keloids or scarring
Have been diagnosed with a bleeding disorder

Diabetics –
For clients whose diabetes is under control, heal well if injured, and have had tattoos prior with no issues, we can most likely move forward, providing there are no other major risk factors.

For clients whose diabetes is not under control, do not heal well, have a compromised skin barrier – it will be advised to forego treatment in their best interest.

If you have Thyroid/Graves disease and are taking medication it is not an automatic disqualifier, however medications for thyroid conditions tend to cause the pigment to shift in tone, thus causing it to appear gray & ashy – especially synthetic thyroid medications. This means additional color toning sessions may be required, at an additional cost. This doesn’t happen with each client, however with a large population. Results cannot be guaranteed to be favorable, but we do try to work with what you have while also being honest and transparent.

During the procedure we utilize numbing agents such as lidocaine, tetracaine, epinephrine to reduce/eliminate any discomfort- Should you be allergic to any, it will be advised to forego treatment.

Unfortunately, these cases cannot be taken on. The skin has been compromised and has a certain degree of scar tissue after the minimally invasive procedure. It is VERY hard and in some cases impossible to work over scar tissue, it bleeds, it swells, and in most cases does not accept color evenly.

Rosacea varies in levels of severity and location; this will determine eligilibity. It is recommended for clients whom are able to move forward (since their case isn’t severe) it is highly recommended to avoid completely Microblading and any type of hair stroke technique, and only g: environmental factors, lifestyle factors, an overactive immune system and genetics.

Rosacea varies in levels of severity and location; this will determine eligilibity. It is recommended for clients whom are able to move forward (since their case isn’t severe) it is highly recommended to avoid completely Microblading and any type of hairstroke technique. Microshding is the best and only option for clients with visible signs of rosacea, as it heals better, is better for the skin and heals more true to tone.

Please visit the “Services” tab to see photos and a detailed explanation of each procedure.

Excellent question!!

It is recommended to book your brow appointment first, and to book out your Botox appointment 3 weeks. During the tattooing process, your artist will be pressing, putting pressure, stretching, pulling and maneuvering the skin/muscles on the forehead and brow bone; this may cause wearing or migration of the Botox which will affect your aesthetic result.

If Botox has already been administered there is a 2-3 month wait period in between the Botox and Brow appointment. This is non -negotiable. Botox may take up to 21 days to settle, each client is different and each appointment results in different reactions. As artist we cannot work in the brow area, if you have swelling, inflammation, redness, etc.

The 2-3 month wait period may sound extreme, however- there is a good reason. Your artist needs to see your brows in their most natural state ; altering/freezing your forehead/brow muscles does not allow us to properly gauge which areas of the brows need to be adjusted (raise or lowered) – as far as the arch area. Further clarification & explanation is discussed at the consult; should this apply to you.

If you have booked your appointment, please review the attached Pre Care PDF for details.

Pre-Care Instructions .pdf

(This form only applies to official Brow Clinique clientele. If you have booked services with another studio/artist please follow their professional advice)