Waking Up With Makeup Could Be A Nightmare

By Dixie Medford, P.C.C.D

What a wonderful concept, “Wake Up With Makeup” or “Makeup That Does Not Smear”.  With the demand for this wonderful concept more and more people are making the decision to have their makeup permanently applied.  It is a wonderful concept, if it is done correctly.

However, today too many people are attending two or three-day classes to learn the art of applying permanent makeup.  Many of them attend “Free” classes where the main purpose of the trainers is to sell equipment and products.  These technicians with inapt training and skill are entering the work force.  Their prices are low and so are their skills.  This has been exploited in the news media of recent.  Permanent makeup applied incorrectly is a nightmare.

Designing a set of skillfully placed, beautiful, and well-proportioned eyebrows on an asymmetric face is a challenging task for a well-trained permanent cosmetic technician.  It is vital to learn the guidelines required to avoid asymmetries, even through the facial structure is asymmetrical.  A technician needs to learn the standard measurements and application of conventional makeup.

Uncomplimentary and irregular eyebrow designs are caused by lack of ability, poor training or different morphology or study of facial structure.  This occurs most often when the shape of the supra orbital bone of the face is more concave on one side of the face, and the parietal bone is uneven.  A recent client visiting my office was seeking corrective work on her brows.  She told me if she could have three wishes from the gene in the bottle, the first would be to wish she had never had her eyebrows done.

Because one side of the face is higher than the other one eyebrow is usually higher.  An inexperienced technician might run the risk of drawing one eyebrow higher than the other.  Performing facial expressions of surprise and anger, looking down and then up into a mirror, and tilting the head back and forth can help create asymmetry.

A good technician must be able to calculate the height of the brow arch and calculate the distance that needs to exist between the middle of the forehead to the high part of the eyebrow.  This distance changes is the face is round, long, or has an uneven configuration.

The technician needs to be aware of when and how to do eyebrows on plastic surgery patients that are considering or having brow lift surgery or Botox injections.  It is important to be aware of the impact of aging skin and the changes that will occur in the brow shape.

Plastic surgery and aging are also factors to consider when performing eyeliner.  A blepharoplasty is a cosmetic eyelid procedure, which is surgically performed.  It is used to remove excess fat under the eyes and droopy skin on the eyelid and around the eyes.

The permanent cosmetic technician must take additional consideration when working on post surgical clients. 

Lips can also be a drama. There are many incorrect lip lines done.  Color is sometimes implanted crooked or out of the lip line.  Correction of colors is common.  Browns added to red for a lip liner can appear as chocolate milk around the mouth.  Some cool reds can make the lip look like they are purple or cold.

Permanent cosmetics basically consist of droplets of pigment implanted into the skin.  The process consists of the skin being punctured, scraped, or cut to allow for the pigment.  As the skin heals it grows over the pigment.  The pigments are classified as color additives, which are inert, material, insoluble in water and most organic solvents.  Therefore, these pigments will not be diminished by the surrounding biological substances and biochemical processes.  Further more, water detergents, solvents, and mild abrasives do not affect the pigment, as there is not direct contact.

 There are several techniques being used for removing mistakes or unwanted work.  Chemical peels and medium depth peels have been used to lighten color.  Modern laser technology allows some permanent makeup to be removed with hardly a trace.  Many times over tattooing the area with different or lighter colors can correct the problem.  Eyebrows that are black or too dark can be over pigmented with correct color.  This is an art in itself.  It is not a job for a novice.  Warning, if someone does not have the skills to do a good job the first time, why would anyone consider allowing them to attempt a correction.

There is a new approach that is a simple esthetic method, which can be an effective and convenient way to correct permanent makeup.  The method involves breaking the skin in the same manner as when the pigment was placed into the skin.  An inorganic substance paste form is tattooed into the area.  When the paste comes into contact with the implanted pigment, the pigments merge into the paste and blend together.  As a result, the implanted pigments can be removed together with the paste.  The area will form a white scab, which will peel off by itself taking the color with it.  The skin will be red after healing, but eventually will return to its natural complexion.

There is no wand for correction of bad work.  It can be done and in most cases done quite effectively.  The best solution, of course, is prevention.   A cheap price or a good deal could leave you with something you really didn’t want and you may want a wish from the gene also. Take your time and make sure you have elected a well-trained experienced technician.  Select the best technician available; check their credentials.  Remember it is your face, and this stuff doesn’t wash off.

For more information email dixie@classicbeautyconcepts.com or call 972 596-7090.