Why Choose Permanent Makeup? (Psst…it’s a Big Decision!)
Disclaimer- I’m a brow permanent makeup artist to be specific, so in this context I can only speak from the perspective of permanent makeup for eyebrows. But I have a lot of thoughts on this so let’s dive in! But first, a brief backstory…
Image Left: Me swimming with my kids in Maui after permanent makeup brows.
I actually started my journey and interest in permanent makeup exclusively as a client. I was retiring from the military and about to transition into another career field. During that time, my sister mentioned she was thinking about getting her brows tattooed. That’s what initially sparked my interest. When I thought of an eyebrow tattoo in the past, I thought solid black or black that aged to an ashy color like gray, blue, green…and that just wasn’t an option for me. But she told me the work she was seeing online was quite different, natural looking even. So I typed “Eyebrow Tattoo” into the Google machine and the modern world of permanent makeup brows emerged. Having sparse brows all of my adult life (thanks to the 90s), and relying on brow makeup DAILY, I was sold and began my research to find an artist. Before I even made it to my appointment, I started doing my own research to learn what it took to become a permanent makeup artist myself…scheduled training…fast forward…and here we are! But WHY did I want my brows done? Why do my clients choose permanent makeup?
I would say the number one problem that permanent makeup solves is makeup dependency. When you are dependent on makeup, it can feel limiting. Sure it is a time sucker and inconvenient but I’m not talking about makeup you put on to go to work, date night, or an event which can be fun. I’m talking about feeling like you have to put makeup on to be seen in public. My makeup dependency was my brows. I could leave the house without any other makeup but my brows were always filled in. When I was deployed to Iraq over a decade ago, which was not a practical nor convenient location or situation to fill in my brows…I still filled them in daily! I literally brought a year supply of brow makeup to a combat zone! There is no doubt that brows frame the face and play an integral role in facial recognition. Full, groomed, symmetrical brows can make you look more youthful and can balance your entire face. I’ve understood this even as a kid in some form or fashion and have made my brows something I paid attention to my entire life. For me, I looked like an entirely different person when I didn’t use brow makeup because my natural brow hair is so sparse. As a busy mom getting two girls with big hair ready for school each morning, getting myself ready, at the gym, doing a quick run to the store to grab milk or other essentials, traveling for work, going on a beach vacation, at the neighborhood pool with my girls, etc.…I had been tired of filling in my brows for years! Permanent makeup was a GAME CHANGER for me. I’m not going to lie, it was scary as heck because I thought I was doing an amazing job at filling in my brows over the years (in retrospect, they weren’t great). Permanent makeup has freed me from the self consciousness about my brows. Maybe it was an unhealthy obsession…maybe I am just really vain. Either way, I get up and go and rarely think about my brows because…well, I have brows! Full, filled in, symmetrical brows no matter where I go or what I am doing. If I’m on vacation in Hawaii, at the gym, in the pool, at the grocery store, etc…I‘ve got pretty good brows.
Can you relate?
Image Left- Example of Nano Brows (tattooed hairstrokes) before and after.
Maybe you don’t have this [borderline unhealthy?] obsession with brows like I do. Maybe you are getting older and have lost fullness in your brows. Maybe you have an autoimmune disorder or other medical condition which has resulted in your brows thinning; this is actually quite common. Maybe you over tweezed and thinned out your brows at some period in your life. Maybe you have patchy brows or smooth areas without hair growth due to a scar from an accident. Maybe you don’t really have a great shape and need some help with that. Permanent makeup can be a great template for a brow shape for those that just have a hard time with shaping their brows.
Are you a mom? I can’t tell you how many times my kids have wiped half of my brow makeup off when they were hugging me, falling on me, or knocking into me.
Do you have trouble seeing? Sometimes that alone can make it difficult to put on any makeup, especially brows that take some precision.
Do you workout? Do you travel? For me, when I traveled, went to the pool, beach, or gym I would do my brow makeup and just hope it would last as long as possible. Now that I have permanent makeup, I never worry about my brows in these environments.
There are two unexpected and delightful consequences of having my brows tattooed. The first is that shaping my brows is a no brainer. I just remove the hairs that are outside of the permanent makeup and voila…done. Even as a brow professional, I appreciate that I don’t have to think about it and it saves me time. There is no worry about getting the shape ‘right’ and making them look symmetrical because the permanent makeup in my brows acts as a template. The second is waking up every morning with brows. When I look in the mirror my hair is a mess…but I have brows and that is an amazing feeling! It’s the emotional connection that’s tied to the confidence, that’s tied to the brows. When you’ve been waking up for years disliking your brows and then one morning you wake up loving them, that is powerful. It can change the way you view yourself. That is also the reason I love being a permanent makeup artist…I strive to have this impact on my clients by way of their brows. Now, don’t get me wrong…I still on occasion put a little makeup in my brows if I want a bolder brow look. But makeup is the exception, not the rule and I don’t feel like I need it to be seen in public. I will also mention that it is considered permanent because of how long it lasts, but it doesn’t last forever. After a year you may decide you need them touched up but it can last in your skin for years while gradually fading.
If you are interested in permanent makeup I would start by doing your research (and this was a great place to start!). Find an artist you can trust, view their work, ask questions, have an idea of the techniques they are skilled in doing. I didn’t really know there was a hairstroke brow when I started my own permanent makeup journey and Nano brows wasn’t anything that came up in my research nor was it something being offered in my area. Know that you have SO MANY options and this blog is a great place to start for information. Choosing permanent makeup is a big, scary decision but when it is an informed decision you will feel less anxious and more confident and excited about your choice! Check out my blog on the different types of permanent makeup brow styles, how to choose an artist, and a deep dive into my favorite technique: Nano to learn more!
I hope you find this information useful! At Sun Siren Brow, my goal is to give you beautiful, natural looking results you will be happy with for the life of your permanent makeup. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to send a message to hello@sunsirenbrow.com.
