Permanent Makeup & Skin Types

There are a few things to consider about your skin when deciding on a permanent makeup procedure. First, your skin type: dry, normal or oily; the age of your skin and if you have any skin disorders. All of these factors play a role in which permanent makeup procedure would be best for you.

Skin types:

·      Dry skin: may take longer to heal initially, but overtime will have the best longevity. Dry skin tends to heal clean and crisp with very subdued fading. Because there is less natural dilution of the pigment (with oil, excessive moisture) the pigments will stay more true to colour when healed and not fade as much even after the initial procedure. You want to be careful when doing machine work on drier skin because it can take the pigment easily and may not tone down as much as you want it to, so be cautious with colour choice and the opacity of shading. Microblading is a good choice for dry skin.

·      Oily skin: may heal quickly because it has more moisture but because of that moisture (oils diluting the pigments) it can heal much lighter than that on dry skin. Oily skin also tends to blur or fade hair stroke lines much faster. To get the best longevity out of your cosmetic tattoo you should consider having a procedure done with a machine (nano brows, brow shading) instead of just microblading. The permanent makeup machine implants the pigment much more precisely and concentrated into the dermal layer of the skin which will give you longer lasting results and less touch up visits.

·      Normal Skin: well aren’t you lucky! You could really swing either way when deciding on a permanent makeup technique so base your decision on what you want your result to look like, ie. Natural, fluffy, bold, sleek, etc.

Aging skin:

Permanent makeup can be done on pretty much any age of skin but the technique chosen and the experience of your artist is very important. As we age our skin’s connective tissues change, reducing collagen production which affects the skin’s stretch and elasticity. Since older skin is much thinner, permanent makeup artists must be very gentle and cautious. Microblading is not ideal since the tool is meant to be used flat, as soon as you hit a spot that isn’t flat (aka. wrinkles) you can get pigment migration or patchiness. Because thin skin is so delicate and can tear easily, the motion of scraping pigment into the skin while microblading, may be detrimental. Machine work is best for aging skin but only when done with proper technique and experience. Choosing colours that are soft and subtle are definitely something to consider as well.

Skin Colour:

·      Light skin (Fitzpatrick 1-2): Fair skin is nice because you can use most colours on it (blonde- dark brown), depending on the person’s undertone but light skin can also have the most issues. Usually when somebody has fair skin it tends to be more sensitive and gets irritated much quicker which can cause issues with the pigment going into the skin as well as your artist being able to see their work properly due to redness. Lighter skin also has a much higher risk of having skin disorders ie. Eczema, rosacea, etc.

·      Medium skin (Fitzpatrick 3-4): Olive or naturally tanned skin tones are basically a dream to work with. They take pigments very easily which results in less irritation to the skin. Usually if somebody has a medium skin tone, they also have medium- dark features which means you don’t have to worry about tattooing in light colours which are harder to see and fade more quickly.

·      Dark skin (Fitzpatrick 5-6): Darker skin tones take the pigment pretty easily but there is less contrast between skin colour and pigment colour which can make it harder to see results. Therefore, doing a technique that has a more bold outcome (brow shading or mixed with machine strokes) is going to be the most effective. Darker skin can often be oilier as well so it’s imperative to do a technique with the machine.

Skin disorders:

Individuals having any type of skin disorder on or near the treatment area are really not ideal. Eczema, dermatitis, rosacea, psoriasis or any one of these skin conditions may compromise the surface and texture of the skin. A procedure performed on skin with these types of conditions may have subpar results. A few of these disorders are easily recognizable and should not be worked on, however, rosacea can be a bit sneaky. The main symptoms and signs of rosacea include red or pink facial skin, small dilated blood vessels and small red bumps sometimes containing pus or cysts. Many people who have rosacea may just assume they have very sensitive skin that gets red easily but with that redness comes blood. There is excessive blood flow just under the skin so clients with rosacea may bleed, a lot. You will want to choose a technique that causes the least amount of bleeding. Microblading will have the worst results, brow shading will have the second worst and nano brows would be the best for this type of skin. If someone has a skin disorder and is persistent about having a permanent makeup procedure done, it is a good idea to warn them that they may need multiple touch ups.

Every single person’s skin is different, they take pigment differently, react differently, heal differently and fade differently. Choosing a professional who has a lot of experience with permanent makeup and different skin types could make or break the results of your tattoo.