Everything You Want to Know About Permanent Makeup and Cosmetic Tattoos

Are you considering permanent makeup but want to know a few details before making an appointment? Perhaps you’re a current client at my studio or somewhere else, and you’re looking to sharpen your knowledge of the craft. Either way, we’re here to help provide you with some important information!

Permanent makeup encompasses a variety of services, so we developed this FAQ page to help answer some common questions you might have. If you have any questions that you do not see on here, please ask me a question anytime and I’ll be happy to talk more with you.

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Pmu has many titles such as permanent cosmetics, Cosmetic tattooing, and micro pigmentation. These cosmetic techniques employ tattoos as a means of producing designs that resemble makeup, such as eye-lining and other permanent enhancing colors to the skin of the face, lips, and eyelids.

If you’re someone who spends their mornings filling in brows, applying eyeliner, or lipstick almost everyday-you’re likely a great candidate for pmu! We will go over which style and shape would suit your unique face best at your consultation which is included in your appointment time or can be scheduled separately.

Of course! I’m always happy to answer any permanent makeup-related questions you have. Just complete the form here or connect with me on Instagram and I will get back to you in a timely manner.

Touch ups 1-1.5 hours

Full appointment 2.5-3 hours

No, we are not a traditional tattoo shop – though my husband is a tattoo artist! KaraBella is solely dedicated to permanent makeup services.

We are an appointment-only business. You can request an appointment here.

Similar to as if you were getting a traditional tattoo, we recommend not arriving with an empty stomach or in a dehydrated state for your cosmetic tattoo appointment. It is commonly known that many people who are hungry or dehydrated may experience a sudden drop in blood sugar during a tattoo service.

To help avoid that from happening to you, we recommend you do the following before arriving for your appointment:

  • Eat a regular-sized meal approximately an hour before arriving
  • Consider eating a piece of fruit with your meal to give a healthy boost to your blood sugar
  • Drink at least one bottle of water shortly before arriving
  • Relax – don’t psych yourself out! These are common procedures, and your safety is our #1 priority.
  • If you are still worried, consider having someone drive you or take a ridesharing service to the studio.

You will be sent home with all of your aftercare needs on the day of your appointment. Please note that proper aftercare is crucial to achieving your desired results so be sure to follow the aftercare instructions to a t and reach out if you have any questions or concerns

Retention is dependent on many factors such as age, skin type, aftercare, style performed, etc. A 8-12 week touch up is recommended to ensure results that last two years. From there bi yearly color boosts are recommended to maintain color.

We take the risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic extremely seriously and put your health and safety first and foremost. I personally clean and sanitize the studio on a regular basis and abide by all regulations for business owners. Unless a mask interferes with your procedure of choice, you may keep one on for your entire session, and I will be wearing one as well.

Topical anesthetic is used for each treatment for maximum comfort. Everyone’s pain threshold varies however, most clients will attest that pmu is relatively pain free, some have even fallen asleep on me!

There are three main phases of healing:

  • 1st stage: too dark/ dry/patchy
  • 2nd stage: “loss of color”
  • 3rd stage: color starts to bloom (14-21 days)

It is recommended to schedule atleast 4 weeks before any major events like parties and weddings.