Beauty treatments

Semi-permanent make-up procedures are increasingly popular among busy women keen on creating make-up looks that last

Who wouldn’t want to wake up every morning looking like they are wearing immaculate make-up, without having spent half an hour in front of the mirror?

Semi-permanent make-up has become extremely popular over the last few years, largely due to the time saved from morning routines.

With this surge in awareness and demand has come an increase in the number of people offering the treatment, and unfortunately huge variability in the results achieved. So how can you decide where to go, what to expect and what to be wary of? Our guide to choosing the right treatment and the right practitioner is the perfect place to start.

How does it work?

Using a technique called micropigmentation, colour is introduced under the skin to enhance facial features. These pigments are different from normal tattoo inks and are specially designed to blend and fade naturally on the face.

Expert technicians can create your perfect eyebrows, enhance your lash line and make your lips luscious.

Semi-permanent make-up, when done well, can give you a fresh natural look that will last for many years.

What to avoid

Unfortunately, you don’t have to look very far down the internet search rankings to find headlines such as ‘I look like a cross between a drag queen and a clown’.

While we may all be able to laugh at a tattoo with a typo done on someone’s back, the impact of bad work on the face changes everyone’s first impressions on meeting you and plays havoc with your confidence.

Camilla Seton, a trainer for Nouveau Contour, has been offering semi-permanent make-up for more than 10 years and has seen more than her fair share of complications.

“On a daily basis I am asked to correct procedures that clients are unhappy with,” she says. “It saddens me that on occasion I have to turn clients away because the best professional advice I can give is to remove the pigment that is already there, rather than to add more to it.

“The best solution is to always do your research properly the first time.”

7 top tips

Helen Porter has also been offering semi-permanent make-up treatments for more than 10 years and is extensively involved in training other professionals. Helen has given Kent Life her tips for how to make sure you are in good hands.

• Get a recommendation: Word of mouth is the gold-standard. If you have a friend who has had a good treatment and is happy to recommend their technician, this is a great place to start.

• Look at their previous work: An experienced technician should have an extensive portfolio, which should include many examples of their work.

• Look at their reviews online: Google and Facebook both allow people to review businesses. Search for their name and see what other customers have had to say about them.

• Council registration: All semi-permanent make-up artists should be registered and licensed by the council. You are within your rights to check this.

• Trust your gut instinct: If something doesn’t feel right, then walk away. You are putting a lot of trust into your technician and need to feel confident they understand what you are asking for.

• Expect two treatments: During your initial session you should have a thorough consultation covering shape, colour and style. The shape of lips and brows will be pencilled in so you can make sure you’re happy before anything invasive is done. If you don’t think it looks right this gives you an opportunity to say so, before anything permanent is done. A second treatment should be done four to six weeks later to perfect the result.

• Hygiene: Remember these treatments involve putting needles into your skin, and as such strict hygiene protocols need to be followed. The equipment should be laid out on a clean trolley and covered with protective plastic. All needles should come in a sterile pack and disposed of after a single use. Don’t be afraid to walk away if you don’t feel hygiene is up to scratch.

GET IN TOUCH

Helen Porter

Evolution Skin Studios, 20 Burgate, Canterbury CT1 2HG – clinics available across Kent

01227 764633

www.permanentmakeupkent.co.uk

Camilla Seton

14 Weston Road, Rochester ME2 3EZ

01634 730877