We have practitioners in the area tattooing freckles on women’s faces. Much like the foundation colors being tattooed, we, as professionals, must think how a procedure will appear after years of wear.

Taupe colored freckles, that would have to be used on a cool complexion, may heal out to a grayish shade, after a few years. There will be nothing natural or convincing about them.

Warm freckles, that would be tattooed on a warm complexion, may fade to a strange shade, after a few years. Do you really want to be responsible for this? What happens if they spread? If applied too deeply, they will.

I don’t want to be misunderstood…I love corrective work, truly love challenges, love doing camouflage and facial tattoo removal, but these are procedures that won’t come back to bite me. If I have to be concerned with what it will look like in a couple of years, I will not do it.

We haven’t mentioned the fact that this client, generally in their 20’s or 30’s, may tire of her tattooed freckles. Then what? Let me predict that we will be seeing attempts to cover these freckles with foundation shades. It’s a matter of time before this appears.

There are plenty of waterproof eyeliners with pointy brushes, if this person wants to place some freckles on herself. Tattooing them is taboo, in my book.

Permanent makeup is taking the beauty industry by storm! A person’s life can be transformed with a simple microblading procedure, permanent lip and eye liner, areola tattooing and more. After participating in Beau’s permanent makeup curriculum, permanent makeup artists go on to have successful, gratifying and lucrative careers. Not only will you be transforming someone else’s life, but you will transform your own! Here’s 3 reasons why you should become a permanent makeup artist today.

1. Transforming Someone’s Life

Giving a brow-less woman beautiful, Microbladed eyebrows, adding permanent color to lips and lifting one’s eyes with smudge-proof permanent eyeliner are not the only things that make this career so fulfilling. It is also the instant smiles when the person looks in the mirror for the first time after you give them the look they always dreamed of. It is the endless thank you’s because you restore someone’s confidence. It is performing areola tattooing on a breast cancer survivor’s breast after they had a mastectomy. It is knowing that you restored someone to help them feel naturally beautiful again. People will love the way they look and feel, and you will love that you made this difference in someone’s life.

2. Financial Gains

The financial benefits of becoming a makeup artist are also a huge perk! Below is a chart that displays the amount of money you can make per year depending on the number of procedures you do, weekly. As you can see, it’s time to drop your desk job and indulge in the excitement of permanent makeup! The graduates of Beau Institute have gone on to have very successful careers. A permanent makeup artist can decide whichever path to take whether it be working for a medical practice, medi-spa, salon (where legal), tattoo shop, or becoming a free-standing entity. By making this your career you can decide whatever path you would like to take and ultimately reap the financial benefits!

* Income based on Procedures Per Week

3. Premier Training: You’ll be the best!

You’re in luck! Beau Institute is the Premier training institute in this country as well as globally. Beau’s offers not only the finest permanent makeup training but also continues support. Therefore, you can ensure your clients that you have been taught by the best. With no perquisite required, you will be taught with a curriculum created by Beau’s founder, director of education and permanent makeup pioneer, Rose Marie Beauchemin. The curriculum highlights the importance of safety and sanitation when performing permanent make up procedures. You will not only learn techniques that allow you to achieve the effects of hair simulation and soft and natural powdery finishes on eyebrows, but also assorted styles of eyeliner, lip lining and full lip color. To top it off you will become an expert on color theory! Rose Marie has taken her 25 years of experience and turned it into a program for you to learn the best skills in the industry. After 6-days of class work that include hands-on procedures along with home study that totals 100 hours, you will graduate with a Beau Certificate and a 1-year complimentary, Associate membership to the American Academy of Micropigmentation. This course will lead you to a new, exciting and most rewarding chapter of your life!

What’s stopping you? If you are ready to start you career in permanent makeup call 856-727-1411 or visit https://beauinstitute.com/permanent-make-up-courses/ !

Some of the most intimidating procedures we will ever perform are those that require color corrections and color removal. The reasons are many, starting with the liability involved with correcting work that was performed by another practitioner. We must remember that once we attempt to correct a problem, we become part of that problem. Although our intentions are good, we must know that we are entering dangerous waters.

There are other factors with corrective procedures we must be aware of. Emotions run high with these procedures. We must always keep in check and guard that our Hero Archetype (ego) or our Martyr Archetype, (I’ll save them, regardless of possible consequences) are clearly not in the way. We may feel badly that this client has a procedure that was done poorly, and this is a normal response, however, we must keep these emotions in check and weigh out the facts and the possible consequences. Keep your head on straight. We cannot save the world. So, with this in mind, let’s get down to how we can protect ourselves when we wish to perform color corrections.

1. Under-promise! Be sure your client understands that this is a process and we never know how things will lift out of the skin or how many color corrections they may need. Don’t commit to making things completely disappear. Also, if I feel I can possibly make something look worse, I say no! An example would be a color removal on a Fitzpatrick 5 or 6.

2. Evaluate your client! Observe your client’s anger. Is it more that they are just upset and angry that their procedure was done poorly or are they speaking in a vindictive tone that sounds disturbing? The latter may be a problem and all I can say is go with your gut whether to take this client on or not.

3. Choose only well-motivated clients. Is your client motivated to return for follow-up appointments and understands that this is a process? If not, do not begin to work on them! Do not be bullied either! I don’t care how far they drove or flew to get to me. I cannot speed up the process any faster than their skin will allow. If this is the case, I simply won’t start working on them.

4. Prepare your client for how the color correction or removal will appear and for how long. Will it be very red, swollen, a strange color when they leave you, etc.? Prepare them well. Generally, redness lasts about 2-weeks.

5. Who did it? You can decide whether it is important that you know who the initial practitioner was. Personally, I do not!!! What’s the point? If they intend to sue the practitioner, again, it is up to you if you wish to give them a head’s up and explain you are attempting to make things better.

6. Be sure you know the base color of each pigment you will be using for your color corrections. You can place your pigments on white paper, then run them under water to see what color remains. If you place a brown pigment on white paper, run it under water and it leaves a pinkish stain on the paper, this pigment has a red or purple base which would be warm. You may be looking to take warmth out of a brow that is already pinkish. In this case, if you selected this pigment, you would be adding more pink, thus attain a purple hue. In the event you are not clear, then ask the pigment manufacturer for the undertone. If the manufacturer is not willing to share this information, it is wise to find a new
one.

7. Document and photograph each step that you are about to perform on this client. People tend to forget how they first came into you and the progress you made. Some corrections will take more than one application of the corrective color or colors. Document the machine, needles, movement of the needles (circular or fanning motion, pointillism, etc.), pigments, topical anesthetics and most
importantly, post procedure care. A change in needles can create an entirely different result than your desired outcome. If you started with an 7-round and didn’t document it and proceeded with a 3-round needle on the subsequent visit, you will most likely achieve a more intense and cooler (grayer) color. A 3-round needle, being finer, will travel deeper into the skin, depositing color differently, with less warmth and more cool intensity.

8. Education, Education and Education, is what I recommend before performing these procedures. I have heard horror stories of practitioners attempting corrections using white or primary color pigments. Color corrections and  permanent camouflage require an exclusive and specialized education, since intra-dermal color theory, regarding these procedures, has its own set of rules.

9. Don’t give it away! Here are some ideas on fee schedules for color corrections. Demographics play a large part in this but what I really don’t like to see happen is that you undercharge because you feel badly. You deserve to be compensated for your work, as much as that initial practitioner was. You paid for this education, your materials, your rent, not to mention your time. A reasonable fee for the initial visit, where you consult with the client and patch test the area for color, can be minimally, $150.00 to $200.00. This could take 30 minutes to an hour. By the time you turn over your room, you possibly could have done a brow procedure for $500.00. I truly am not hard-nosed, but I am trying to make a point. Many corrections take more than one treatment. A fee for each visit is the safest way to go! Then, you know you will be compensated with each correction treatment. On the other hand, don’t gouge your clients. You want them to remain with you and elect other procedures. This is intended to become a long-term relationship.

Remember…Your client can go back to the initial practitioner and ask that the removal be paid for by that practitioner’s insurance. Don’t you take the hit!

It’s a great idea to develop a relationship with a skilled laser specialist in the event you cannot lighten or remove an area or areas.

Remember, you cannot cover a dark concentration of pigment with a light color pigment. Worse yet, you will prevent this person from having laser removal, since the light color will likely have titanium dioxide and will turn black upon contact with a laser.

When you are performing a correction, be sure that you only use the corrective color on the exact location of the wrong color, or you can create a new disaster. For instance, if you are using a bright orange to correct blue dots in lips, do not use the orange on the area that is not blue, or you will then create orange areas, that will require further correction.

“Documentation, Documentation and Documentation,” to quote Pati Pavlik, and part of that is photographing this client. Invest in a digital camera that allows you to photograph the integrity of the skin in the area that you will be correcting. You want to be able to see the porosity and actual condition of the skin. In the event the former practitioner gouged out tissue or created visible scarring when performing the initial procedure, you do not want to be held liable, please understand that you can and will if this becomes a legal matter. Photograph this client before you touch him/her, and photograph from a few angles so that the integrity of the area is clear. If an area is scarred or disturbed in any way, a good idea is to write this out clearly on the consent form and have them sign it. If this area is considerably scarred or gauged, do not touch this client. This should be considered an exception to the rule. You can’t fix this! Further trauma can only result in further scarring and damage and you will become part of it.

Here is a question that I often hear, often. Do you inform the initial practitioner that their client is seeking correction in your clinic? This can be viewed several ways. There really isn’t a clear answer for this question, since there are so many variables. First, I do not approach the client with, “Who did this.” I will gently ask if the procedure was performed in the area. They may not offer the name, but they generally do. If I know the practitioner, and they operate ethically, I will call them once the client leaves, to let them know that their client has come in, seeking correction. I always preface that with the fact that we can never please everyone (and we can’t) and minimize the issue. The last thing I want to do is make a fellow practitioner feel incompetent. I have found that a supportive relationship with fellow practitioners has always been beneficial, for all involved, and I’ll tell you why. The initial practitioner now has the option of calling this client in an attempt to make good and make this client happy. This only promotes good will, whether the client allows an attempted correction or not. The initial practitioner may inform me that they do not want this client back in their office, for any reason, or that they just aren’t comfortable attempting a correction. I also have the opportunity to ask the practitioner what pigments were used, and possibly a heads up on some difficulties that they had with this client. In my mind, it shows respect and support for my fellow practitioner. When the client returns and I mention that I spoke with their practitioner, this communication can really disarm the client. This sends a message that we are a united front, all working to make this client happy.

* Remember to keep your words sweet, since you never know when you will be eating them! Someday, a fellow technician may have one of your former clients in their office, so imagine how you would want your fellow practitioner to handle the same situation.

Micropigmentation, also referred to as permanent makeup or cosmetic tattooing, is more popular today, than ever. Interestingly, the term, Micropigmentation was commonly used in the medical community and this very formal term avoided the “T” word, (Tattoo). When permanent makeup came into the general population, in the late 80’s and early 90’s, women were alarmed, frightened or offended by the word, tattoo. Yes, tattooing carried a stigma in those early years and women were actually offended by the word. Referring to permanent makeup with the term Micropigmentation, made it sound somewhat medical. When I began my practice in early 1990, women would ask if their permanent makeup was going to be a tattoo. Of course, I had to explain that all color placed under the skin is considered a tattoo, regardless of how it got there.

Also, Micropigmentation lent a great visual to permanent makeup procedures. It implied a conservative approach to selecting permanent eyebrows, eyeliner or lip color. The mere term sounded safer and more tolerable. At that time, the application was inserting pigment in small amounts or micro amounts, in a soft, pointillistic method. It didn’t sound frightening like body art, where larger images were drawn and tattooed. So, initially, the term, Micropigmentation was used to distinguish permanent makeup from tattooing.

Today, Micropigmentation has taken on a new reference and that is for scalp tattooing. Micro-insertions of pigment or ink are placed into the scalp and appear like a hair-stubble, as though a man had shaved his head and now has just a day or two of growth. Although, more popular in men, it is performed on women, as well, to shade in thinning areas of their scalps. This procedure is growing, rapidly in every community.

These Micro-insertions are applied to create a new hairline or fill in areas that are lacking hair. When done, correctly, it is magnificent and requires a highly specialized training course! Micropigmentation is convincing and incredibly realistic. One example of this application is on African-American men and women that have worn heavy dreads or extensions and lose their hair in spots or around their hairline from the sheer weight of them. Micropigmentation can be skillfully applied to fill in these areas. Balding men can have a new hairline tattooed, making them appear younger. Women suffering from female pattern baldness can have their scalps tattooed to make their remaining hair appear fuller.   

The training is quite different from permanent makeup to what is now referred to as Micropigmentation. Each are very specific training courses. We recommend a Primary Training Course as a pre-requisite. Cross contamination, color theory, needle selection and basically tattooing into various types of skin on the face and on individuals is something you learn in a Primary Training Course. Researching these training courses and asking for referrals is critical! Be sure to do your homework. We receive calls, every day, regarding training courses that did not deliver, where the trainer disappears following a training and left their graduates uniformed and basically armed and dangerous. Be sure your selection for training offers unlimited support. Beau Institute prides themselves with exactly this and has built our reputation on these principals.

Join us in launching this exciting and most rewarding career. We are here for you!!!!

Find out more information about our training services under our training tab.

Women requesting jet-black eyeliner may be in for a disappointment if we, as practitioners, are not honest with them.

When I get this request from a woman sitting in front of me expecting the same black as her black liquid eyeliner she painted on, I explain that this depth of black is not guaranteed and more than likely, although black, her tattooed eyeliner will be a softer shade of black.

I explain what she is wearing is painted on TOP of her skin and isn’t altered by her complexion like the pigment is when it’s placed INTO her skin. I explain that her complexion will play its part in how black her eyeliner heals.

I tell my clients to picture a professional basketball court. Most of the men have tattoos and you can see on the various complexions, the many shades of black. Some tattoos appear quite black, some are more blue, and some even black-gray.  

Then, I explain how Face Inks, Black Noir, has a warm base which is great for preventing bluing. However, each complexion will affect the depth of black, differently.

Yes, I have many clients that return, and their eyeliner is quite black, but I do not make this guarantee. But, I do know this client will be very happy for many years to come but I am honest about how black she may heal.

When I want to intensify my Black Noir I add a few drops of Onyx Black C, Face Inks carbon ink, to my Black Noir. This works beautifully on thicker or more olive tones, but I hesitate to add carbon for elderly or extremely fair complexions, since they typically run more risk of migration.

Straight Onyx Black C can be used ONLY between the TOP eyelashes and NEVER up on the eyelid or on the bottom eyelashes. It is carbon ink and you are playing Russian roulette. You may or may not see a migration but why would you gamble? Just add your few drops to Black Noir for the actual eyeliner on the eyelid and for the bottom eyeliner. Now, your frame will be really deep and will look amazing.

Face Inks has several shades of blacks. Elderly women or very fair women may not want or need the intensity of adding the carbon.

Face Inks also has a color called, Onyx Black …just Onyx Black. Onyx Black is deliberately formulated to have a blue base and is gorgeous on fair, blue-eyed blondes or fair women with silver hair.

Onyx Black CI is half and half, iron oxide and carbon. It heals soft and leans more toward grayish black.

Black Noir is our blackest black and then I add the 2-drops Onyx Black C. Another favorite, of our trainers, a few drops of Onyx Black C with Almost Black.

I feel compelled to educate my clients, so they don’t go elsewhere and experience a migration from someone deciding to gamble with straight carbon up on their eyelids. I explain the black tribal tattoos they see are inks that cannot be used around the eyes, EVER!

I have always found honesty was the best policy when discussing eyeliner, too. Your clients will appreciate it and stay with you for the long-term. We welcome any questions or comments on this article.

Warmly,

Rose Marie Beauchemin-Verzella