Is Permanent Makeup the Same as Semi-Permanent Makeup?

Let’s clear up the confusion between “Permanent makeup” and “semi-permanent makeup”!

The bottom line: there is no difference. “Permanent makeup” and “semi-permanent makeup” both refer to exactly the same thing; that is, pigment placed just beneath the dermis (upper layer of the skin), to simulate regular makeup (brows, lips, eyeliner) or to look like natural brow hair. Another name for it is cosmetic tattooing.

Microblading is a form of permanent makeup.

It is just one of the several techniques of applying the pigment and creates simulated hair stroke brows applied using a handheld blade (a series of tiny needles) instead of a machine.

If permanent makeup is actually a tattoo, why doesn’t it last permanently?

It’s all about the micro-pigment. Another term for permanent makeup is micropigmentation. This is because the molecules that make up the pigment used in permanent makeup are tiny…or ‘micro’. Because they are so tiny, the colour is less dense than that of traditional tattoo ink, and so the colour fades more quickly.

That said, it can be visible for anything up to 5 years.

I want my eyebrows and lip colour to stay forever – can you just use regular tattoo ink, with its larger molecules?

Well, you could, but you wouldn’t want to – so no! Regular tattoo ink would certainly stay visible for a very long time on your face, if not forever, but would the colour stay fresh? Would the shape stay the same? And would you really want the same shape, style, and colour forever?

All pigments and inks gradually fade and change colour, whether they’re permanent traditional tattoo inks or cosmetic tattoo pigments. So a colour refresh would still be required. Plus, the changing structure of your face over many years would mean that the original cosmetic tattoo would eventually look badly placed.

Benefits of the temporary nature of “permanent” makeup!

Over time, as we age, skin thins and becomes more lax. If permanent ink was used for cosmetic purposes, the precise edges that are achieved in permanent makeup would eventually blur and become smudged. This is because over time the pigment is broken down by the body.

Add to this the increasing skin laxity as we age, and you can see why actually the gradual fading of cosmetic tattoos is a good thing. Add to this the fact that over time, trends really do change dramatically (compare today’s ‘fluffy’ brows with the 90’s single arched line) and you’ll think twice about wanting your current style etched in permanent tattoo ink!

 

Changing Trends: Then and Now.

 

So why is it called permanent makeup, if it’s not actually permanent?

Parts of the pigment technically stay in your skin permanently, but the colour fades over time due to the way the body heals and the molecules in the pigment fade and shrink. So a proportion of the pigment is permanently there, but the look does not stay forever. However, you can expect your brand new, perfect brows, lips or eyeliner to last anywhere between 1-5 years.