Do You Need Touch-Ups? How to make your permanent makeup last long!

In the world of permanent makeup, touch-ups are highly recommended. Whether you are getting microblading, nano brows, lip blushing, or eyeliner tattoo, permanent makeup is meant to be “semi-permanent”. This is due to the fact that the ink is implanted on a much shallower level than a traditional tattoo. This allows the permanent makeup to gradually fade as your skin sheds and resurfaces over time. Once you get permanent makeup done, the result can last anywhere from 1 year to 3 years. 

Most artists will recommend a 6-8 week touch-up or “perfection session”. This will not only allow your artist to get a better understanding of how your skin reacts as it heals but tells us what we need to adjust in order to get your permanent makeup looking perfect. This is also a great opportunity to adjust for any unevenness or color (i.e. if you went with a lighter color option and you’d like a darker color), etc. Once you’ve completed your perfection session, you may want to consider an annual touch-up. As you heal, your permanent makeup will become a lot softer. Some people love the softer look and prefer the flexibility to be able to do their makeup darker/defined on some days. Otherwise, an annual touch-up allows you to freshen up your permanent makeup each year and give you a boost of vibrancy in color.

There are various factors that can determine how long your permanent makeup lasts including artist technique, skin type, and before/after-care:

Artist Technique
What I’m referring to when I say artist technique is both the style that the artist provides and the techniques they utilize. For instance, you may be looking to get your brows tattooed and the artist may provide various styles like microblading, machine-strokes (nano), combo, or ombre brows. Within those styles, your artist will utilize different techniques to achieve the different styles of permanent makeup services. In the realm of artist technique, pigment type is another factor that can play a role in your permanent makeup longevity. Most artists will conduct a thorough consultation with a new client, inspect the client’s skin, consider the desired result, and choose a pigment type that will provide the desired healed result. It’s important to take into consideration what the artist's style is by looking at their portfolio and/or scheduling a consultation with them to learn more.

Skin Type
Skin type is another important factor when it comes to making your permanent makeup last. Are you dry, normal, or oily? Are you in your 30s or 60s? Are you prone to any skin conditions (rosacea, alopecia, etc.)?  For example, if your skin is very oily, you will most likely not be a good candidate for microblading as the ink from the hairstroke lines can become blurry more easily as you heal. Your artist may recommend an ombre style instead. If you’re in your 50s, 60s, etc., your skin may be thinner, which means your artist will need to adjust their pressure & stretch when providing any permanent makeup procedure. There are a lot of factors to consider as we walk you through your permanent makeup journey. But with a thorough intake & consultation, your artist should have a better understanding of how your skin can react to permanent makeup procedures and help your skin heal to your desired outcome. 

Before / After-Care
Last but not least, before/after-care is crucial in making your permanent makeup last. This is also the part where you contribute the most. Your artist should be providing you with the necessary information & consultation to ensure you have a good understanding of what the before/after-care is. Adhering to the before/after-care will be your responsibility and as artists, we not only want you to heal to your desired outcome but we want our work to last as long as possible, so we are here to help you successfully manage both the before & after-care.

In the before-care, we want you to avoid chemical peels, laser treatments, retinol products, and tanning at least 30 days prior - basically any treatments that can cause exfoliation to the skin and prevent optimal healing for when you receive your permanent makeup service. In the 24 hours prior, we ask you to avoid heavy sweating/exercise, alcohol, caffeine, fish oil/Vitamin E, prenatals, hair/skin/nail supplements, and aspirin/ibuprofen - anything that can cause increased bleeding as that will affect implantation of the pigment as well as visibility for the artist. You can read the in-depth before-care instructions here. This is all meant to help our clients best prepare for the service for optimal results. In the aftercare, we ask you to clean the affected area with clean hands and mild soap as your skin is healing. We also want you to apply the provided ointment to keep the area moisturized for the designated days. We’ll ask you to avoid sleeping on your face, direct makeup, shower spray, picking/scratching, exfoliation, sauna/steam, as well as sunlight. You can read the in-depth after-care instructions here. Following the instructions as best as you can will help you and your artist to achieve the best results possible. You should have your artist’s contact information in case anything out of the ordinary comes up. We are experts in the field and we are here to be your resource in your permanent makeup journey!

Hopefully you were able to get some helpful information on how to increase your permanent makeup longevity as well as recommendations on whether you’ll need a touch-up or not. 

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions and we hope to see you at Miae Beauty (: