Frequently Asked Questions
Please read this page in its entirety before scheduling your appointment for Permanent Makeup. Getting the best results starts before you ever step in my studio!
Contraindications:
Pregnant or Breastfeeding, under the age of 18, uncontrolled High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease, Blood Disorders, Epilepsy (requires doctor's approval), Diabetes Type 1 (doctor's approval required if you are insulin resistant), Taking Blood Thinners, Psoriasis, Allergic to Anaesthetic, Chemo Therapy (must wait 6 months after completed), Hepatitus, Keloid or Hypertrphic scarring. **If you use Tobacco products permanent cosmetics may not heal to your desired results.
Preparing For Appointment:
Do not take aspirin, ibuprofen, vitamin B, fish oil or any other blood thinners 3 days before.
No alcohol 24hrs or Coffee 12hrs prior (this includes exercise stimulants with caffeine.)
Retin A and Retinols must stop using 2 weeks prior and not be used for 3 weeks after.
Don't plan a facial, peel, fibroblast or microneedling within 7 days before and 2 weeks after.
Botox and fillers must be done no less than 2 weeks before an appt or 2 weeks after.
Lip Blush Only: if you are prone to cold sores you must start a prescription anti-viral 3 days before your appt and 2 days after.
Day Of Appointment:
Wash your hair! You won’t be able to get your brows wet for the next 10-14 days, so wash your hair beforehand to give yourself a few extra days before your next wash!
Avoid exercise. Exercising increases blood flow and will cause excessive bleeding, leading to poor healed results.
Makeup: You are welcome to come to your appointment with or without makeup on. We will be taking lots of photos, so come however you are most comfortable. If you regularly fill in your brows, coming with at least your brows filled in helps me see your regular shape.
Bring your brow makeup. If you have a specific product you love, bring it along!
RELAX! Feeling nervous is normal. We are going to work together to create your dream brows! Take a deep breath and get excited!
Aftercare & Healing:
You'll receive an aftercare kit with everything you need to care for your new permanent makeup.
This includes washing twice a day and applying a balm 2-3 times a day for 10 days.
It's very important to follow the aftercare instructions in order to have the best healed results.
No water besides washing for 10 days. Including sweating, swimming, sauna, hot tub, ocean, pools etc.
No makeup, lotions or face wash on brows for 10 days.
No direct sunlight. Wear a hat outdoors. *Once healed (after the 10 days) SPF should be applied to prolong and prevent premature fading.
What is Microblading?
Microblading is a form of permanent makeup where a small blade is used to create thin lines throughout a persons brows, giving the illusion of a full, natural brow. Is it a semi-permanent procedure, with results lasting 1-3 years.
Microblading is meant to be a natural enhancement, and to create the appearance of full, beautiful brows. It looks most natural on clients who have full brow hair, and are wanting to perfect their shape and add natural fullness. The more fine hair you have, the more natural it will appear. This is not an ideal service for those with little natural hair, hair that is patchy, or coarse hair.
Microblading heals best on young, normal/dry skin. Those with combination/oily or aging skin are not candidates for microblading, and are better suited for a combination or powder brows.
Many clients think that microblading is the only way to achieve “natural” results. However, unless a client is an ideal candidate, microblading can look more unnatural that something like a combo or powder brow. If you do not fit the above description of an ideal microblading candidate, book a combo or powder brow!
It is also important to note that microblading, over time, is very likely to blur together. While initially the strokes may look crisp and thin, if you have oily skin, aging skin, are in the sun frequently, or other reasons, the strokes will blur together. Microblading can typically be done by itself 4-5 times before a client switched to a powder brow to avoid scar tissue build up.
What is a Combination Brow?
A combination brow combines microblading strokes with machine shading. Like microblading, results typically last several years depending on your skin type.
If you have naturally sparse brow hair or uneven brow growth, a combination brow is perfect for you! Soft shading blends out any unevenness in the growth and can give a more 3D result. It is also ideal for those looking for a more defined or filled in brow. We can add as much or as little shading to give a variety of different looks!
This is a beautiful look for all skin types (including oily/aging skin), and heals very soft and beautiful.
If you are unsure of what service to book, a combination brow is the safest choice!
What is a Power & Ombre' Brow?
Unlike microblading or a combination brow, a powder brow (also known as an ombre brow) has no hair strokes and is made up entirely of machine shading. It is ideal for all skin types.
When doing a powder brow, a single needle tattoo machine implants small dots of pigment below the skin. These dots are layered on top of each other until the desired amount of saturation is achieved. We can do a very soft amount of shading with no harsh edges for an ultra natural look, or layer shading on top of each other for a more defined, fill in look! Powder brows can be completely customized to fit the clients preferences.
A powder brow can be just as natural as microblading! If you have oily skin, large pores, uneven brow hair growth, or very coarse hair, microbladed strokes look very unnatural and don’t blend with the natural hair. It can lead to blotchy, uneven ink saturation in the skin, and blurred results over time. A powder brow would give an even layer of color of the brow, healing to the perfect powdery finish! Powder brow are not “sharpie brows”, and have gorgeous results!
What is Lip Blush?
Lip Blush is a beautiful and natural looking lip tint giving you an organic plump and a fuller lip appearance that lasts 2-3 years.
I custom blend pigment colors to reach your desired look giving you a beautiful lip tone. A single needle tattoo machine implants small dots of pigment below the skin. These dots are layered on top of each other until the desired amount of saturation is achieved. By enhancing the shape of the lips, contouring defines the cupids bow and vermillion border.
Pale lips? Gray lips? Uneven lips? Loss of youth? Blush lips is the natural answer.
If you have previously tattooed lips you must contact me before booking to ensure you are a good candidate.
If you are prone to cold sores you must get a prescription anti-viral from your doctor to prevent a breakout.
What Factors Will Effect My Results?
Oily Skin: Increased oil production can cause hair strokes to blur and fade very quickly, or not stick at all. If you have combination or oily skin, you are a candidate for a combination or powder brows, but not for microblading.
Sun Exposure: Increased exposure to the sun will cause premature fading. I recommend all my clients purchase Cannasmack Ink Guard on Amazon to protect their healed brows from the sun.
Excessive Bleeding: Excessive bleeding during your procedure will greatly affect how your body retains pigment. Pinpoint bleeding throughout the procedure is normal, but excessive bleeding causes pigment to fade very quickly and heal ashy. While bleeding is not entirely in our control, it is important that you follow before care instructions to help minimize bleeding. This includes avoiding blood thinning medications and alcohol 24 hours before your procedure.
Improper Pre and Post Care: Not following the given pre and post care instructions will greatly diminish your healed results. Follow all instructions exactly for the best results! I can only control what happens inside my studio, so please come prepared beforehand and follow all instructions exactly afterwards for the best results.
Does It Hurt?
Most clients report little to no pain throughout their procedure. While pain tolerance varies between clients, a topical Lidocaine is used throughout the procedure to make sure you’re comfortable.
I've Had My Brows Done Before, Will You Still Do Them?
I require that anyone who has had their brows done previously by another artist text me a picture before booking an appointment.
I typically only go over other artists work if it’s at least 85-90% faded, and all new clients to me are considered initial sessions.
I want to give my clients the very best, and help create their dream brows. If I don’t think we can achieve what you’re wanting with your existing work, I will give recommendations on how to help the ink fade more quickly or recommend removal.
Please text current photos of your brows, along with your goal photo to 805-746-5100 before booking to make sure I am comfortable working over the existing work.