Permanent makeup is a solution offered to people who’d rather sleep in than get up early in the morning for doing their makeup. Eyebrows, eyeliner, lipstick, and even concealer can now be made permanent. The procedure is comparable to that of a tattoo; it involves blades and needles so the pigment will adhere deeper into your skin.
Now, hearing “blades and “needles” may make you draw back if your pain tolerance is low. But you don’t have to fear that pain, because you’ll be administered with an anesthetic before undergoing the procedure. That should take off a load of your anxiety.
That said, here are the most frequently asked questions about permanent makeup, and the answers you’ve been looking for.
What are the Types of Permanent Makeup?
The four most in-demand permanent makeup services are permanent eyebrows, eyeliner, lipstick, and concealer. Permanent eyebrows refer to microblading, which is the process of depositing pigment into the eyebrow skin with the use of a blade, particularly a handheld, manual tool that’s either a blade or a rotary pen with different needle configurations. The slices of the blade create sharp strokes, whereas a rotary pen delivers a softer fill.
Permanent eyeliner also uses a puncturing method, called European acupuncture, to deposit pigment onto the lashline. They’re usually done in thin and light strokes so that they won’t look too harsh.
Permanent lipstick or lip blushing, involves a procedure similar to microblading, as a rotary pen is also used to deposit pigment onto the lips. Lastly, permanent concealer is a procedure that isn’t recommended by experts. The pigment doesn’t fade nicely, so many clients end up with worse under eyes.
How Much Does it Hurt?
As mentioned, anesthesia, specifically topical ones, are applied to the skin before the procedure. In permanent eyeliner, for example, the technician will apply a pre-procedure anesthetic to the lashline, then cover the skin with a film or wrap for 10-20 minutes. This lessens the pain from the first needle pass. The same anesthetic process can be expected in microblading.
If pain is your main concern, then it’s the pain of lip blushing that you should be most aware of. It’s the most painful permanent makeup procedure, and some professionals even use injectable anesthesia to further lessen the pain. But this makes the lips swell, altering the canvas the technicians will work on. However, the pain is worth going through if you really want to skip applying and re-applying lipstick every day.
Is it Expensive?
Prices of permanent makeup vary by the size of the work area, the technician, and the salon. Microblading prices range from $500 – $3,000, but in top-rated salons that offer microblading in Utah and other states, prices can start as low as $400.
For permanent eyeliner, prices range from $600 – $1,500. Lip blushing can cost you $700 – $3,000. And even if it’s not recommended, you might still want to know how much permanent concealer costs, which is anywhere from $800 – $2,000.
Touch-ups are also part of the procedure, and every touch-up requires a fee, but it’s significantly lower than the price you initially paid.
Is it Safe?
Permanent makeup is generally deemed safe. The risk of serious infections would come from improperly sanitized tools and equipment and unqualified technicians. To secure your safety, make sure your chosen technician has the necessary certifications and licenses. They should also be able to professionally answer your questions about safety. And as the procedure is being done, you should see them take out fresh and sterile tools, and use gloves before touching them and your skin.
Seeing all these answered questions, there is really nothing to fear about permanent makeup. However, it may only be for people who would be fine with the same makeup look every day. If you’re one of those, maybe permanent makeup is the way for you to get that extra five minutes of sleep.