Over the years, eyebrows have changed from decade to decade. From full, overgrown and bushy brows in previous years, to the late 1980’s – 1990’s, which saw a drastic change where women were over plucking and even shaving their brows, to make them thinner. It was this era that seemed to affect people’s brows long term. Some were not as fortunate as others and found that their brow hair never grew back the same.
This takes us in to the noughties and, over the last 4-5 years, the sudden boom in wanting that perfect brow. During the last decade we have seen eyebrows become fuller and more shapely, due to the influences of the likes of Cara Delevingne and Emma Watson; even the Kardashians have changed their look over the years.
I believe there has become more of a need for the “Perfect Brow”, since the era of social media, reality television and the younger generation aspiring to be like the people they see on TV.
Unfortunately, as anyone in the industry knows, no one’s face is of perfect symmetry, therefore their brows are very unlikely to be symmetrical or ‘Perfect’. The famous saying ‘Eyebrows are sisters not Twins’ resonates with every eyebrow technician I’m sure. This said, girls and women all over the world are continuing to try and find the perfect solution for achieving amazing brows. From having regular tinting and waxing, or HD brows, to spending £100’s buying all the latest brow makeup products. More and more people however are wanting minimal maintenance and to wake up not having to spend time drawing on their brows.
In the last few years we have seen the rise of Permanent Makeup, also known as Semi-Permanent Makeup or Cosmetic Tattoo. Here we have a solution to suit the individual who wants to simply wake up and go. Let’s face it, that’s probably most of us.
What is Permanent Makeup?
It is an advanced technique which enhances your natural beauty and adds shape and definition to your features. The procedure involves applying tiny coloured pigments beneath the first layer of the skin, following the same basic principles as tattooing. This pigment will stay in the skin for a number of years, gradually fading with time. The longevity of the results will depend on your age, skin type and lifestyle
Who would benefit from Permanent Eyebrows?
Many clients are looking to improve imperfections that may have been caused by either nature, over plucking or trauma. It provides so many benefits for so many reasons, some of which are below:
- Someone who wants 24 hours a day beauty and confidence
- Sports enthusiasts, especially swimmers
- Someone who is allergic to conventional make-up
- People wishing to correct certain facial asymmetry
- Anyone suffering from alopecia (loss of facial hair)
- People who have had, or are having chemotherapy
Whatever your age or reason, Permanent Makeup could not only simplify your make up routine but would rejuvenate your confidence, self esteem and well-being.
Here are some things to consider when deciding on the right Permanent Makeup Artist for you:
It is essential to find a specialist who has experience and a good reputation. Research is imperative in finding someone suitable. The best way is usually word of mouth. Being recommended by someone you know who has previously used their services, is usually the best indication of their work. Things to look out for when finding the right person:
- Are they fully qualified?
Unfortunately the industry of Permanent Makeup is not the most regulated. Therefore it is down to the client to ensure they are going to someone who has full qualifications. If you are unsure, any reputable specialist should be willing to show you any certificates of proof.
- How many years experience do they have and does their pricing reflect this?
We have all had to start somewhere and at the beginning of our careers we are not usually the most confident or skilled. This is ok. It is not however ok to mislead someone into thinking you are more experienced than you are. If someone is starting out, they should be very clear of this fact and their pricing should reflect this. If someone is doing a half price offer to get more practice, then – as long as the client is aware – everyone knows where they stand. As the saying goes ‘You get what you pay for’. It is worth remembering this when looking for a cheap deal.
- Do they have full liability insurance?
It is very important that anyone practising in this industry should have full public liability insurance cover. This is predominantly to cover the technician if their clients suffer personal injury because of your services. It can pay for the costs of subsequent legal expenses or compensation claims and is an integral cover for businesses that interact regularly with clients. It also gives the clients reassurance that they are going to someone who takes their business seriously and has all the legalities in place, should anything arise.
- Have they been inspected by the local authority and been issued a licence?
Regulations on licensing vary from council to council, but as a general rule, everyone performing a service which involves piercing the skin and producing blood should be working from a clean and sterile environment. The environmental health department inspect the premises you work from to ensure you are abiding by their simple rules. The main things they look for are: hard wipeable floors (no carpets), sink with hot running water and good lighting. They also need to know the technician is following certain health and safety protocols, i.e wearing gloves and aprons and having a sharps box for used needles.
- Do they provide a mobile service? If so, they shouldn’t
Due to the above licensing and health and safety regulations, it is extremely important that any tattooing services are not provided as a mobile service. It is very different from doing someone’s lashes or their nails. This is a service that produces blood (however small) and the risks of cross contamination are high, if not keeping up with the hygiene standards. Would you really want someone tattooing your face with kids running around or dog hairs getting in the way?
- What are their reviews like and are they genuine?
Gone are the days of contacting a business from the yellow pages and not knowing what service you are going to get. Most people now go online to search for a service they want and one of the first things they look for is whether the business has good reviews (or bad).
It can be quite easy for someone to write a fake review on their website, but with social media platforms like Facebook and linkedin, it has made it easier to sift out the genuine reviews from the fake ones. If someone has been given numerous ratings of 1-2 stars, you have to ask yourself why?
- Do they have a website?
Nowadays it is easy for some businesses to simply run off social media platforms alone and although this is almost an essential part of running a business nowadays, i believe having a professional website is imperative. It is important, when people are researching where to go, that they have enough information provided to them, including an explanation of services and pricing, before and after photos and contact details.
- What does their work look like?
Lastly, it is important to determine whether the services they provide and the look of their work suits you and your needs. Eyebrows can be very diverse and not every shape and colour suits everyone. They may tick all the boxes above, but if their eyebrow style doesn’t work for you then you may need to go back to the drawing board. The main concern is when you see someone create the same brow for every client. Shapes, colours and general styles should differ per client. Everyone is unique: their brows should be too.
The main thing to consider when trying to find the right brow technician for you is RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH. There are so many great artists out there, but unfortunately just as many bad ones.