Is Permanent Makeup Like Tattooing?
Permanent makeup is also known as cosmetic tattooing or semi-permanent makeup. The name can certainly cause confusion to what this procedure actually is but I will start this off by stating that it isn’t quite permanent. While the technique allows artists to implant ink into the skin with either a tattooing machine or by microblading (which uses groupings of needles to make a small and shallow incision on the skin to implant ink), it is not the same as tattooing.
The big reason is due to the depth that the ink is implanted. In our skin, we have epidermis at the top layers of our skin, and dermal layer beneath the epidermis. Traditional tattoos implant ink at a much deeper level when compared to permanent makeup. The ink gets deposited to the dermal layer of the skin to prevent ink from being lifted as your epidermis layer sheds and regenerates over time. This causes traditional tattoos to be “permanent”.
With permanent makeup, on the other hand, artists aim to deposit the ink to the lower levels of the epidermis layer (above the dermal layer). This means we are implanting the ink at a shallower level of the skin to allow the ink to be faded and lifted over a time period (typically 1-3 years). This is why permanent makeup is sometimes referred to as “semi-permanent makeup”. This is also the reason why touch-up appointments are recommended. Depending on your artist technique, skills, as well as specific skin type, ability for ink retention, and how you take care of the permanent makeup before & afterwards, you may need touch-ups every year, or you may not need them for even 3 years. This can provide excellent benefits - less time getting ready, decreased spending on specific makeup items, enhancing natural features, etc. The fact that permanent makeup is not so permanent also allows you to have the flexibility to change your looks over time, that is responsive to the changing trends and your own preferences.
Overall, you don’t need to be afraid that this will cause any permanent changes to your features. Your artists can walk you through what permanent makeup is, how the procedure is done, as well as any questions you might have on the longevity of your permanent makeup. That said, permanent makeup continues to be an excellent solution for folks who are looking to decrease their time and effort spent on getting ready, save costs on buying makeup, as well as waking up feeling ready to go!
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions regarding permanent makeup and we hope to see you at Miae Beauty (:
