How to keep your Permanent Makeup looking FRESH…

Best Advice For Keeping Your Permanent Makeup In Tip Top Condition …

If you’ve read any of my other blogs, you’ll know that permanent makeup is indeed permanent, whether you choose to use the term semi-permanent, or not 😉

But just because the pigment is always there, doesn’t mean it will always look as fresh as the day it was done. So, how can you make sure it stays looking fresh?

USE THE FOLLOWING AFTERCARE INSTRUCTIONS!

KEEP IT DRY!

Whether you have your brows, lips or eyeliner tattooed, you will be instructed to keep the area dry, for at least a week. This is because the skin has been opened during the tattooing process, and is slowly healing. Excessive water may flush out some of the pigment that was so carefully implanted over several hours. Bacteria in the water may also increase risk of infection.

AVOID SWEATING!

The reason for avoiding the gym, steam rooms etc in the week or so after your procedure is that the salt in sweat can break down some of your pigment. Saline is an ingredient used in some forms of tattoo removal. So, if you want to keep your new tattoo, avoid too much saline-filled sweat in that first 10 days!

COMPRESS

It is likely that there may be a small amount of lymphatic fluid secreted during tattooing and for some time afterward. You may be advised by your technician to gently compress the area, several times a day following the procedure, with a clean cotton bud and a small amount of cooled boiled water. This removes any lymphatic fluid which will help to prevent any scabbing, which in turn will help retain pigment.

AVOID INFECTION!

It goes without saying that you don’t want your newly tattooed area to become infected. Do NOT put anything – makeup, moisturiser, etc – on the treated area until it has healed (approx. 7-10 days). If infected, you’re not going to get a good healed result.

SUN BLOCK!

Once the area is healed, a major factor in preserving the freshness of your permanent makeup is to prevent the pigment from fading in sunlight. This doesn’t just mean on sunny days – even in the winter, cover the tattooed area with at least factor 30. Just remember not to put sun cream on BEFORE it has healed. During healing, wear a hat and large sunglasses to cover it.

AVOID RETINOL

Don’t worry, you can continue to use retinol on your face, just do not put it on the areas you’ve had tattooed. Retinol works by exfoliating the top layers of skin; doing this over your pmu will remove some of the pigment.

Colour boost

You can expect to go for a colour boost any time between 1-3 years, depending on the above factors. At the colour boost stage, your permanent makeup will have faded enough so you feel top up is necessary. To pay a reduced colour boost rate you will still need a visible shape and colour to work with.