You’ve rolled out of bed, your makeup’s done and you’re good to go - sounds ideal, doesn’t it?

Permanent makeup treatments can save you time and hassle getting ready in the morning. Karen Betts, owner of an industry-leading, permanent makeup (PMU) company and K.B Pro Training Academy, explains the benefits of permanent makeup treatments to enhance your features and keep your appearance looking fresh all year-round.

Karen shares her advice on choosing a clinic: “Make sure you choose a practitioner that’s trained in a good academy,” Karen advises. “Do your research, ask for their insurance, look at the images on their Instagram - but make sure it’s them who has performed the work. You should be able to trust the expert you visit to give you a treatment that makes you feel comfortable in your own skin. If you don’t feel comfortable, then trust your gut.”

Below, she discusses the four top treatments to consider.

1. PMU brows

“Permanent makeup is a form of cosmetic tattooing,” Karen says. There are two main options to consider for brow treatments, but she explains that an experienced practitioner would use a two-treatment approach, and combine them to create the best, most natural result.

%image(14523587, type="article-full", alt="The results of a treatment for Alex Lewis to recreate the lip shape after his lips were amputated due to an infection.")

An Ombré brow

This is a treatment which creates the look of a brow that’s been pencilled in.

“I advise this treatment for those with fuller brows to begin with. We apply the shadow of colour from dark to light to create an ombré, powdered finish. If you’re someone who likes to pencil in your brows, then you’ll love this finish”

Microblading

Karen explains that this treatment is for those with finer, sparser brows that need some shaping or restructuring. “We apply tiny amounts of pigment to the skin, choosing from a variety of shades to suit the client. Using a handheld microblading tool, we create ultra-fine hair strokes that look completely realistic.”

She explains the process of analysing an individual’s natural brow shape and working with what they have to produce the most natural result possible. “By mimicking the hair growth, we can make the brows look fuller, longer, and better shaped. For those with Alopecia or undergoing chemotherapy, we can create some truly life-changing results. From the bone structure, we draw on the brow based on where it should be naturally sitting to create the illusion of a real brow.”

%image(14523589, type="article-full", alt="Karen is experienced in treating cleft lips or clients with scarring around the mouth, adding pigment to the skin to reshape the appearance of the lip.")

2. Lips

Using a digital cosmetic tattoo machine, Karen and her team can create fuller, plumper-looking lips without the need for injections. Adding freshness and colour, the lip is outlined, then filled to give a ‘your lips but better’ finish that’s completely natural.

“For more mature clients who may be dealing with a diminishing lip that's getting thinner, we have another approach. We can add a natural base colour beneath and above the lip which will give the illusion of a lifted lip, and, if they wish, we can add a lipstick-like colour too, so they don’t need to worry about applying a lipstick each day.”

The clinic also performs treatments on those with scarring, burns or cleft lips, to bring back the symmetry and colour which has been lost. “I add detailed lines to look like natural lips along with stubble around the face from where the hair growth has diminished,” Karen tells us. “It really does change people’s lives and give them their confidence back.”

%image(14523590, type="article-full", alt=""We analyse an individual’s natural brow or eye shape, and work with what they have to produce the most natural result possible."")

3. Eyes

“We perform medical tattooing around the eyes for a number of reasons,” Karen says. “You may wish to alter/change the shape of the eyes, so they appear more lifted, or make the lashes appear fuller. It can even help people dealing with hair loss: whether from chemotherapy, alopecia or simply the natural ageing process. It’s a great option for those who don’t want to feel ‘naked’ without makeup,” she explains.

Karen explains that they can add a colour to the base of the lashes, so they appear longer and thicker. “Whether you’re going swimming or if you just don’t feel like putting any makeup on, this treatment is perfect for people who just want to ‘get up and go’ in the morning. We can also mimic eyelashes around the lash line for Alopecia patients where they have lost their natural lashes.”

For more information on permanent makeup treatments at the Karen Betts clinic, visit karenbetts.com. For enquiries, contact 01977 655107 or visit karenbetts.com/clinics/yorkshire.