Do Your Homework Before Permanent Make-Up

Dissatisfaction with your permanent make-up can lead to frustration and costly corrections. Sometimes when the pigment is too deep, it can be more difficult to remove. As with any permanent make-up procedure, including corrective procedures, doing your homework is the key factor for your own satisfaction.

In the past few days, I have spoken to two ladies who are unhappy with their eyebrows. Their desire to have the work done overshadowed the questions they needed to ask. One had received 3-D eyebrows, and the other an eyebrow touch up as her brows had faded after several years. The 3-D brow did not look like hair strokes but stripes, and the shape of the touched up brow was unbecoming. I suggested a consultation to evaluate an approach to correct the eyebrows with minimum work. I won’t get into corrective procedures now, that would be another blog post.

Here are some steps to take so that you are satisfied with your research:

1. Take time to check out more than one practitioner.
2. Don’t rush to make an appointment unless your feel 100% sure.
3. Look at the quality of work done through photos and ask questions.
4. Ask how many years of practice the practitioner has.
5. If possible, let the practitioner create a shape during a consultation … even if you know what you want.
6. Take photos of the consultation work.
7. When the practitioner asks what shape you would like, and it needs a new direction, and they don’t make suggestions, chances are they may not know how to identify the best shape ….red flag.
8. Sometimes one brow needs to be refined when they are not even. Knowledge of brow shaping is very important. I keep a wax pot and tweezers handy.
9. Create a file of brow photos, lip shapes, and eyeliner photos, and take them to your consultation.
10. Make sure the practitioner speaks English so there are no misunderstandings.
11. Discuss color, length, thickness. Browns for example can have red, grey, or  gold  undertones. These are vital so they are in harmony with your skin’s undertones. Black is never recommended for brows, since they tend to turn blue.