Information About Permanent Make-up: Frequently Asked Questions

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Permanent makeup is cosmetic tattooing. During a procedure usually one hour or less, a permanent makeup artist or technician deposits pigmentation beneath the surface of your skin on the dermis layer. This is done to create your desired look in the tattooed area.

For whatever reasons it is a process which has multiple names. Other than the primary permanent makeup moniker, it is also known as permanent cosmetics. In the medical community the exact same process is referred to in more clinical sounding terms as Micropigmentation.

Most permanent procedures are done on women, but some men opt for it, too. The ages of those who choose permanent range from 18 to those well into senior citizen status. (The oldest woman to get permanent makeup from me was... 97 years young!)

Most permanent makeup procedures are done on the face. When applied to the face it is designed to create an appearance which resembles a person wearing topical makeup. The purpose is to enhance the colors and features on the skin, lips, eyelids, and eyebrows.

Eyebrows are probably the most popular area for permanent makeup. These procedures also have multiple names, generally called permanent eyebrows or an eyebrows tattoo. The other common procedures are permanent eyeliner, and permanent lip makeup or permanent lip color. However, some people choose to create other designs such as beauty marks.

Camouflage permanent makeup or cosmetic camouflage is done for purposes of concealing or covering up areas. It is done on the face for facelift scars or scars from injuries. On the body, permanent makeup can be a very helpful finishing touch for women who have undergone breast surgery. The appearance of scars on the areolas can be improved, and even creating the illusion of areolas and nipples can be done using camouflage cosmetic techniques.

There are other medical conditions which lead a person to permanent makeup as a cosmetic solution. These include alopecia, vitiligo, effects from chemotherapy, and other genetic related issues.

Permanent makeup is different than traditional body art tattoos which are usually designed to stand out, generate attention, or make some sort of statement. The best permanent makeup is undetectable. It is meant to provide subtle support of a person's natural features. As a result, permanent makeup should be done in a manner which blends with a person's skin tones. This is why most permanent makeup professionals will advise against trying to match hair colors or using unnatural colors which do not blend with skin tones.

As for the "permanent" label, this process is again different than traditional body art tattooing. Pigments and not inks are used in permanent makeup. Thus, they do not last for a lifetime. Occasional touch ups every few years may be considered depending on a variety of factors including personal preferences, darkness of facial features, amount of exposure to the sun, and the quality of the permanent makeup procedure.

I first got involved with permanent makeup in 1986. I was attending a hair show in Long Beach, California. There was a doctor from La Jolla who was doing a presentation about permanent makeup and how in his opinion it was going to be the wave of the future. He believed it was going to be what acrylic nails were back in the 1970s and the early '80s.

So I thought permanent makeup was fascinating and was intrigued with it. I took home all of the information and thought about it a great deal. At first, I wasn't sure it was a very good idea at the time. Like, who would want their makeup permanently applied? And it kind of scared me a little. But I'm always kind of fascinated with things which are new. So I decided to take this doctor's permanent makeup training course. Next, I went to Canada and took another course with another leading doctor on permanent makeup.

When I returned home I had even more professional training and supervision from Richard Wohl, M.D. a friend who was a prominent plastic surgeon in Arizona. Dr. Wohl was really was instrumental in helping me to perfect my technique and giving me the guidance and encouragement I needed to go forward.

By 1988, I was doing permanent makeup on a full-time basis. I discovered permanent makeup was my passion and wanted it to be my new career. And so I ended up selling my successful beauty salon in Scottsdale to pursue it and have never looked back wondering whether or not I made the right choice.

Overall, I've done tens of thousands of successful permanent makeup procedures since I've been doing it 25 years now. I love it more than ever. Click here for more of the story.

The benefits of permanent makeup appeal to a wide variety of people. Mostly I've applied cosmetic tattooing to women but I've done it for some men, too.

Permanent makeup is for anybody who buys makeup or who doesn't like the time and effort required having to apply, re-apply, and remove makeup every day at multiple points in the day. If you are someone looking for an easier way to a consistently beautiful appearance which looks natural in enhancing the contours of your face, then you would be a good candidate. Basically permanent makeup is just a great way to look good 24/7 and save a lot of time.

Also, permanent makeup is a perfect solution for anybody who has got allergies to ingredients in topical makeup, has vision problems or difficulties with their motor skills. It's very difficult to apply eyeliner, eyebrows, and lipstick if you have tremors or shaky hands, or you just can't see close up. Permanent makeup will make your life a lot easier.

Permanent makeup is incredibly popular today. And there's plenty of good reasons for it. There are many real benefits of permanent makeup, and they are long lasting. Permanent makeup offers tremendous value when you compare it to anything and everything else in personal beauty.

But first, be smart before you start permanent makeup. You use your head to get started. You use your head to think before you act on getting any permanent makeup procedure done. You make a wise, informed decision in choosing the right permanent makeup artist for you. You want to able to live happily with their work for a long time.

Remember you have but one face. Do you want to trust putting it in the hands of just anyone because they are conveniently located or the price is right? Bad permanent makeup can make a mess of your appearance, self-image, and attitude about life. It can cost you far more than the cost of the procedure. The pain of overcoming bad permanent makeup is physical, emotional, and financial.

You get started by realizing the permanent makeup industry doesn't offer you the same consistent experience like walking into McDonald's, Target, Macy's, or Walgreens, where you know exactly what you're going to get and what kind of experience you're going to have.

Not all permanent makeup artists are equal. Not all are properly trained. Anyone can call herself or himself certified, an artist or a professional. But the proof is in their performance, and you wear the results on your face. To say it as simple and direct as possible, not all permanent makeup technicians are good at what they do. The one who is closest or cheapest may not be the best choice for you.

After using your head to get started in permanent makeup, use your fingers to go in the right direction.

It's very important you do your research. I recommend the internet because there is a ton of information on permanent makeup. It's right at your fingertips. You can do it any time you want, and do as much as you want. You can look at websites, YouTube videos, and before/after photos for the quality of a permanent makeup artist's work. You can learn about their knowledge and skills by the quality of their online content. You can see reviews and testimonials posted by other users. You can get a sense of who may be a good fit for you, and much, much more.

Also, ask people whose opinions you value and trust for recommendations or referrals of permanent makeup professionals. Ask your doctor, your hairdresser, or someone whose permanent makeup you like.

I highly recommend seeing one or more permanent makeup artists for a consultation. It's one of my most valuable recommendations, and one of my favorite things to do in my job.

I invite you to take advantage of a complimentary consultation. There is no-risk and no obligation. You simply come in and tell me what you think you want. Let me make recommendations and also show you with topical makeup how you will look if you go forward with the procedure. In less than 30 minutes you can literally see and hear for yourself if it's really what you want to have done, and if I'm the right professional for you.

You can even have your permanent makeup done the same day as you have a consultation. I would never do your procedure without showing you first. All you should do is tell me at the time of scheduling your consultation that you might want to do the procedure the same day and I will leave time open for you.

NOTE: If a permanent makeup technician can't show you what you will look like using topical makeup, do you really want to assume the risks they can somehow do it using cosmetic tattooing?

The above question leads to another... Which is the tougher sex? Obviously, it's females. Let's face it, if we were left to rely on males for overcoming the physical pains of pregnancy and the child bearing process, the world we know today might be a pretty empty place. Okay, so I digress...

Permanent makeup does not hurt. I say this from a few different perspectives.

As a longtime professional who performs permanent makeup procedures six days a week, I can tell you honestly I can sometimes go an entire month without a single client complaining about pain or discomfort.

As someone who has had permanent makeup herself, I can tell you it doesn't hurt. And believe me, I've had more than my share of other cosmetic procedures which have hurt. And even though I know it I still repeat these procedures because the benefits offer more and last longer than the pain of the procedure which is only temporary.

As someone who knows everyone's levels of fear and threshold for pain are different, I make your comfort an integral part of the service I provide.

Getting permanent makeup doesn't hurt but the described feelings of the experience vary from person to person. Five different people can have five different sensations during their procedure. Here are some examples:

"I made it a whole lot worse in my head than it turned out to be."
"Oh, it tickles!"
"It feels a little scratchy, like you're using a pencil that's not sharp enough."
"I didn't really feel a thing."
"I can't believe I actually fell asleep."

For permanent eyeliner and permanent eyebrows, most people say having a procedure done felt like a scratching or tickling sensation. It's very simple. Usually you don't feel much if anything at all. With permanent eyeliner, it is fairly common for you to want to rub an eye after we've done it. But I feel quite comfortable in telling you pain is generally not an issue which stands between a woman and permanent makeup.

As you already know from experiences such as heat, cold, accidental bitings, and sexuality, your lips can be quite sensitive. This is because they are tissue and not skin. And while some permanent makeup technicians don't use anything stronger than a topical anesthetic, clients still manage to get through the procedure.

From my experience, it is best to take the precaution of added comfort for you. So I always have a registered nurse with me to do what is in essence a superficial dental block. This way, you'll feel absolutely nothing while we give you the luscious looking lips you've always wanted.

Lips of course are totally blocked with a down block so you feel absolutely nothing, but eyes it's a sensation of either a little scratchy or tickly.

Regarding cosmetic tattooing of areolas, usually if you have undergone a mastectomy you may have very little sensation. But in my opinion you've already been through more than enough. This is why I still use a lidocaine topical anesthetic as a numbing agent for you just in case you do have feeling.

I can tell you with both confidence and happiness, permanent makeup has come a long, long way in terms of the comfort over the more than 25 years I've been doing it professionally.

I do permanent eyebrows or eyebrow tattoos and permanent eyeliner. I do full lip color or permanent lip makeup. I also do camouflage permanent makeup or cosmetic camouflage. Mainly this is through nipple areola tattooing and facelift scars.

All of the permanent makeup procedures I do are fun, and every person I meet and do permanent makeup for is different so my work is never boring. I never get tired of doing it because it's so exciting to me. It's still like opening a Christmas package every time I do a procedure for someone and give them the mirror when it's done and they see their new look for the first time and go, "Wow!" This is why permanent makeup is very exciting for me and I love doing all of it.

Men don't know the first thing about it, don't notice it, don't care about it. Oh, but women sure do. The eyebrows are important. They attract attention to your eyes. They help to frame your face. While there's the popular saying, about wearing your heart on your sleeve, it's the eyebrows which change your appearance and really define the expression of all your emotions from happy to sad, angry, and so on.

Permanent Eyebrows are a quick and easy way to give yourself a mini-makeover or new look. Since they are such a noticeable representation of you and your appearance, you want to have them done in a way where the level of quality matches the level of importance to your appearance.

If your eyebrows look fake or misplaced, it will often create a negative reflection on you. This prime real estate at the top of your face is not the place for showcasing your favorite colors of the rainbow or what looks like the wings of a couple of birds in full flight.

Fortunately or unfortunately, most people won't come out and say, "Girl, you've got some funky-looking eyebrows!"

Natural-looking permanent eyebrows will generate positive thoughts about you and your appearance. They will also be so much easier to maintain, and will give you back time every day with newfound freedom from applying, checking, and worrying about embarrassing smudges, smears, and run offs. If this sounds good to you I really think you might love the benefits of permanent eyeliner.

Take advantage of my complimentary consultations. It could the best 20 minutes you spend which don't cost you a dime. When you come in, I'll listen to what you want and make recommendations from there. I'll show you with topical makeup exactly how permanent eyebrows would look for you.

The color is harmonized to your skin, not color of your hair, the color of the month, etc. You always want to have a very natural looking eyebrow. This explains why I don't believe in putting any black or gray in your eyebrows. If you were born with black or gray in your eyebrows, you'd be my first, and that would be quite an achievement since I have had thousands and thousands of permanent makeup clients!

I tell you right up front if you don't maintain your eyebrows over time, they would eventually just fade away like it never happened. My philosophy is even though they are eyebrow tattoos you don't want to look like you have tattoos on your face. Remember... natural-looking permanent eyebrows look the nicest.

If you enjoy poking yourself in the eye with a pencil, and you think you'll miss this pain and frustration, or you have nothing better to do with your time than trying to achieve eyeliner excellence every day, then think twice... permanent eyeliner may not be right for you.

Otherwise, when you're ready to enjoy your enhanced but natural-looking eyeliner, I ask you to come in for your complimentary consultation and your procedure without wearing any mascara or eye shadow. If you wear contact lenses you will need to remove them. If they're soft contacts you'll be able to put them right back in as soon as we're done. If they're hard contact lenses then you need to leave them out for about three to six hours.

I will apply a lidocaine paste on your eyelid. This will be just along your lash line. We'll leave that on for a few minutes. You will have your eyes closed and I just gently flip it up during the procedure. It's a very simple and very quick procedure which really doesn't hurt. Some women say it just feels a little bit scratchy. But most describe it as feeling like it's tickly and they want to rub their eyes.

I have my own technique for doing all applications of permanent eyeliner. I do it along the lash line and underneath it. This is instead of the topical makeup look where the line is above the lash line. And there's good reason why I've done it this way for so many years.

I don't like wrinkles. I don't believe in helping or them, especially around the eyes.

I have consulted with some of the leading plastic surgeons to help me refine this permanent eyeliner technique. I'm a woman just like you. And I'm one who is certainly as age conscious as you or probably anyone you know. I don't want to see wrinkles or let them have their way with me or you.

I want permanent eyeliner to help you look better, feel better, not help your wrinkles and hurt your appearance and your feelings. So the way I do permanent eyeliner is because of the fact that as we age our eyelids tend to get more crepey-like, more vulnerable to wrinkles. You certainly don't want to look like you had an unsteady hand when you had your makeup applied.

Personally, my permanent eyeliner is 25 years old and I've only touched it up once. God knows I've aged but people still tell me how great it looks. Women love how having their permanent eyeliner done along the lash line and under. It looks good the day we do it and looks good as well as natural as they age gracefully.

Finally, here is a golden nugget most women want to know. Following your permanent eyeliner procedure, you can wear mascara again in 24 hours. But you will need to use a new tube as we always want to be smart and minimize any risk of infection.

Lips are important to every woman who cares about her appearance. People always look at your mouth and when you don't have lips or your lip line has faded, or your vermilion edges are gone, it makes your mouth look smaller and often makes you look older. Many women say this makes them feel older, too. Whereas if your mouth is clearly defined, and you have a pretty lip color, it's like your eyes, it pops for you. It improves your appearance and your confidence. Permanent lip makeup can do this for you.

If you are choosing me to do yours for you, I have you bring along a lipstick you like to your appointment. I will then I take your real lip color and formulate it. It is always recommended you pick a lipstick color which harmonizes with your skin. It should be a color you don't mind waking up with every day. But remember you still have flexibility as you can put any topical makeup lipstick colors over it whenever you want.

There is one important point you should remember about lips. It's the understanding that lips are tissue which is quite different than skin. So as a result, lip tattoos won't be as bright as traditional lipstick.

As you know, your lips are very sensitive. This is why for all permanent lip makeup procedures I have a registered nurse give you superficial blocks so you are in total comfort with no pain when you have your lips done.

As for lip procedures in general, I always advise against doing only lip liner. It leaves you with a "ring around the mouth" look which I'm pretty sure you won't find to be an attractive look to wake up to every day. On a regular basis I have many women come to me after the fact wishing their permanent makeup artist mentioned this to them before doing their lip liner procedure.

The real art in tattooing lips is getting a perfect line. What happens too often is a person gets an imperfect line which doesn't blend with their lip color, and it leaves them unhappy and insecure over their unwanted "ring around the mouth."

I have built my entire career of more than a quarter century on delivering undetectable permanent makeup. I believe wholeheartedly in it. My clients agree. This is why I always recommend doing the full lips, the liner and blushing throughout. This provides an absolute match in lip color for you and it looks natural for you morning, noon, and night, saving you time, effort, and total freedom from worrying about "ring around the mouth."

One last thing with lips. If you have fever blisters then you will need to get a prescription medication such as Valtrex and take it prior to having your lips done.

I know what breasts mean to a woman. So, I approach this matter of cosmetic camouflage with the utmost compassion and sensitivity. Actually, I've undergone surgical procedures on my own breasts. But while I don't claim to know exactly what it means to you, I can at least share a pretty good understanding of it. And that's a great starting point for us to get your breasts looking more like you want.

While it sounds cliché, it is also the truth... every case is different. The best thing you can do is let me provide you with a no-risk, no-obligation complimentary consultation and look at the solution which is best for your breasts.

If you are someone who has had a mastectomy, we can easily create the appearance of a whole new areola. Then, I can do a 3-D effect where it blends in naturally. Sometimes the surgeon creates a nipple for the patient, but not always. In those situations, I do that too with blending the right color. It's really a great service to offer. And again please allow me to bang my drum... Tattooing areolas is a great service because it looks very natural.

In most cases, it takes two applications. I tattoo the area for the first time. The you wait about 30 days and you comes back for the second application which is when we fine tune the color. We have more flexibility than you may realize here. For instance, if you want to see more of a a beige tone to your areolas, we can do it. If you think more of a light pink tone looks better, we can do that, too. Whatever the natural color of your areolas was prior to your surgery, this is what we should have as our target.

You know, areola tattooing is so important because it represents the finished product for a patient after reconstructive surgery. And I've learned that most women whom I've worked on feel like it's given them a feeling of completion.

I'm sure if you've had breast implants, that in itself has been an emotional journey. You don't want to come that far and have areolas with no coloring. The women for whom I've done cosmetic tattooing of their areolas want their new breasts to look complete, to look as natural as possible. They've wanted to feel like the past was over.

If it's time for the new look you and the new chapter in your life to begin, cosmetic tattooing of your areolas can be the bridge between the past and the future. And I would be honored to help you get there.

First, on the subject of permanent makeup and plastic surgery, let me say I've been blessed to work closely with and learn from some of the finest plastic surgeons in the world. You'll find a number of them on my website under the Endorsements tab. These are doctors who do outstanding cosmetic surgery work which gets amazing results for their patients.
They believe in permanent makeup being a valuable tool on their medical tool belts for helping their patients, and because these top notch professionals build their reputation and their practice on precision and perfection, they are particularly sensitive to the level of quality done in permanent makeup. As Julio L. Garcia, M.D. in Las Vegas, Nevada, so accurately states, "Bad permanent makeup makes good cosmetic surgery look bad."

As for facelift scars, I find permanent makeup to be a very successful solution in camouflaging them. One thing about scars, you know they are inevitable; if you're going to have surgery you're going to have a scar. As to what extent it just depends on the person and the procedure.

Some people don't scar hardly at all after surgery, while other people will have a little bit more of a scar. In any case, cosmetic tattooing presents a great way of covering up a scar and making it look smooth. If you like to wear your hair up maybe behind your ears you can take colors and blend that in, or sometimes right in the front of your ear you might have a little fine scar which can be covered up.

Some people are very self conscious about being left with a facelift scar. At least through permanent makeup following plastic surgery the cosmetic tattooing can fix this problem for you or blend it in to harmonize with your skin to the point where the scar doesn't stand out at all and you feel much better about it.

No. It most definitely should not have any effect on plastic surgery procedures you have in the future. I work hand in hand with a number of the leading plastic surgeons across the United States. They will tell you the same thing. The key here is that permanent makeup needs to be properly placed so you need to choose your permanent makeup artist wisely. Otherwise, you could be faced with the painful process of visiting your plastic surgeon for laser treatments to have it removed.

I get this question often. I am answering it here not to sound negative but actually with a positive intention. I'm hoping to save you time in your research if you have your heart set on certain aspects of permanent cosmetics.

Sally Hayes Permanent Makeup does not do the following procedures:

Permanent Eye Shadow: I have never done this procedure because I don't believe in it. I feel like this procedure locks people into a look that could easily become dated. To me, it isn't worth it since eye shadow for most people is very easy to put on themselves topically.

Permanent Blush: I used to do permanent blush years ago in my career. But this was at a time before all of the laser technology which is available today. To put it in simple and straightforward terms I just feel like permanent blush is too big of a liability issue.

Permanent Beauty Marks: I just don't feel good about them. Over the years I've been asked to fix too many of them done by other permanent makeup artists after they wound up looking more like nasty blackheads than anything else. So, I don't create permanent beauty marks.

Dark Spots: I don't tattoo dark spots. You can't cover something that's dark and make it light. You can cover a white scar but not a dark scar or a red scar.

I don't do birth marks.
I don't tattoo under eye concealer.
I don't tattoo scalps.

Prepare to be on time or early for your consultation or procedure. You don't want me to rush. Nor do you want to have to wait for the next scheduled person or persons if they are early or on time.

Getting permanent makeup is not surgery. So you can eat or drink anything you want prior to your procedure.

Really, all that's different is you just don't wear any topical makeup on your face. You have clean eyes without contacts. You have a clean face. It's okay if you wear your moisturizer.

You can drive yourself to and from any permanent makeup procedure. If you have a career you can return to work right after we're done or take off the rest of the day. It's up to you.

In terms of managing your time, you can pretty much be safe if you allot an hour for a procedure. Doing multiple procedures saves you time. You can figure on around 2 hours if you're doing a full face consisting of eyebrow tattoos, permanent eyeliner, and permanent lip makeup.

The added beauty of permanent makeup is you don't have to worry about pain. And I can say this knowing as a woman we're willing to go through pain if it makes us more beautiful. The other thing which should put a smile on your face is the healing process is minimal. This is especially noteworthy given the fact you can look forward to years of enjoying the benefits of permanent makeup.

Permanent Eyebrows: This procedure involves the most healing. It's up to a week. For the first four days your eyebrows are going to look a little bit darker. It should look like you used a pencil. And then usually on Day 4, they get scaly and it comes off. It's not anything drastic where you need to take time off from work. But it does help to know what you can expect. I'll remind you at the time of your procedure.

It's also important to know you should not pick at your new eyebrows. Believe me, I can tell if you did. : ) But really it's only about a week from start to finish on the healing process.

Permanent Eyeliner: With this procedure there is virtually no downtime whatsoever for a healing process. Yes, you can wear mascara again in 24 hours. However, you must use a new tube in order to prevent infection. The only real limitation is you just can't apply any additional makeup on your eyes for three days following your procedure.

Permanent Lip Makeup: Some permanent makeup artists don't go to the extent I do to make sure you are comfortable during your procedure. But if it doesn't have to hurt, why should it?

After your permanent lip makeup procedure it will be very similar to having chapped lips, that's all. Around the 4th day, your lips will usually peel around the edges. but you're easily able to soothe them and cover it up wearing your favorite lip gloss or lip balm. It's nothing serious. You'll be smiling over the look of your new lips right away.

There really is no right or wrong answer to this question. It comes down to a matter of this being a personal decision based on your personal preferences and circumstances.

If you've already gone through the research and consultation process and feel confident in knowing permanent makeup is what you want, and the "Battle-Tested, Doctor-Recommended" Sally Hayes is who feel will do the best job for you, then by all means do multiple procedures at once. There are advantages to doing it this way.

First, it's a more convenient, time-saving option for you to get permanent eyebrows, permanent eyeliner, and permanent lip makeup in one sitting because you're driving to and from once, you're numbed and in the chair one time, you walk out having all three procedures done at once, and you go through the quick healing processes all at the same time. Then you just come back for your second application three weeks later and you're done.

Doing permanent eyebrows, permanent eyeliner, and permanent lip color together delivers facial symmetry. All of the natural contours of your face have been enhanced at the same time. All of the primary features of your facial appearance are in balance.

Many women describe doing one permanent makeup procedure as feeling like a mini-makeover. Doing all three at once feels even better.

A lot of women will come in wanting to do permanent eyeliner and permanent eyebrows together. Then, after they love how that looks so much they decide they don't want to wait to do their lips.

There are also financial benefits for doing multiple permanent makeup procedures as you are able to get a discount if you do. You'll get a discount for doing 2 procedures at once, and a bigger discount for doing lips, eyebrows, and eyeliner all at once.

Over the years, it's been a little more than one out of three women who do the full face treatment of permanent makeup at once.

The issue of longevity only comes up in permanent makeup because of how natural-looking we are able to enhance your appearance using light blended colors. Having said that, the longevity of your permanent makeup depends on a number of factors including the color used, depth of the pigment, your unique features, proper post-care, and lifestyle choices such as amount of exposure to the sun.

The darker the pigment chosen for you the longer it will last. The lighter the pigment chosen for you, the faster it will fade. If you're a blonde, you're not going to have the longevity of a brunette (though supposedly you'll have more fun). The amount of sun exposure you get plays a major role with your permanent makeup, especially permanent eyebrows and permanent lip makeup. If you use sunblock and limit your exposure to the sun's rays, you're going to have greater longevity with your permanent makeup than someone who sunbathes or lays in tanning beds. The darker your skin gets, the lighter your permanent makeup looks. It's pretty much that simple.

Here's some averages or parameters to consider:

Permanent Eyeliner and Permanent Lip Makeup have the greatest longevity. You're probably looking at wanting a re-touch approximately 7 to 10 years after your initial procedure. Again, it depends on the variables listed above.

Permanent Eyebrows generally have a longevity of 4 to 7 years for people who have darker skin and features. It's often around 2 to 4 years when more fair skinned people think about having a re-touch. As above, your permanent eyebrows results may vary depending on the factors previously mentioned.

For what it's worth, in my case wearing permanent eyeliner, I've had my second retouch after the initial procedure 25 years ago (all done by me on myself). So, in my opinion I'd say that's pretty acceptable longevity.

But my permanent eyebrows don't have the same longevity. They're on the highest point of my face and my home is in Arizona's "Valley of the Sun." Even though I don't bathe in the sun, I still touch up my eyebrows about every two or two and a half years. This is mainly because I don't like to see them too dark. And, I don't believe in ever using any black or gray near the eyebrows.

As for my permanent lip makeup, once again if you do them light and natural-looking you're going to maybe consider touching them up every three or four years. If you happen to do your lips a bit of a darker color there's a good chance you could last about five years without a re-touch. I just re-touched my permanent lip color this spring. It had been six years since the previous re-touch.

Fair question. Unfair answer. While I have done permanent makeup since the year Lady Gaga was born, I did not have anything to do with naming this technique.

The "permanent" label is both good and bad. It works in that this is not cosmetics you can wash off at the end of the day like topical makeup. Where it doesn't work is that often when people see or hear the word "permanent" it implies forever. The reality is permanent makeup is cosmetic tattooing which falls somewhere in between. It lasts longer and wears much better than topical makeup. You don't put it on and take it as is to the grave like you do traditional body art tattoos.

Permanent makeup uses lighter blended colors than body art tattoos in order to keep it looking natural. This is why it eventually fades. You don't "need" a re-touch, but if you like how your permanent makeup looks and how it makes you look better and saves you time and effort, you will likely get them done occasionally. You set the calendar based on how often. If you aren't sure, check with your permanent makeup artist and she or he can help you determine when you might have a re-touch based on a variety or external factors affecting you.

During their complimentary consultations with me, some women make jokes about changing their hair color as often as they change shoes. They wonder how this affects their choices with permanent makeup.

It's important to remember it's always best to settle on permanent makeup which harmonizes with your natural skin tones. Trying to chase your changing hair color will only get you into trouble and turn your natural-looking enhanced appearance into a look which looks like something is wrong or out of balance rather than supporting and showcasing your beauty.

The way I apply permanent makeup you won't ever feel locked into a look. Because you have undetectable permanent makeup which looks natural day or night, you will enjoy great flexibility with your appearance. Wearing topical makeup is still an option or a choice whenever you want. But really, isn't it nice to know it will no longer be a time stealing necessity every single day?

My goodness, you pick it. And when it comes to doing permanent makeup over the course of the past 25 years I can probably give you a "Been there done that. Thumbs up or thumbs down." Keep in mind it's not due to indecision or being unhappy with things, but for me it's more about feeling as though I owe it to my clients and myself to keep up with the latest developments in my endless pursuit of providing excellent skills, service, and long-lasting results.

Right now, I'm still using a digital machine from Germany. I absolutely love it. It's called the PureBeau System. I began using it I think in 1999. I've stayed with because my experience has been nothing but positive. It's a very quiet technology, ergonomic, easily adjustable, and offers plenty of options.

For you, the even better news, the "pure good news" about me using the PureBeau System is it's designed for acupuncture surgical-grade needles which means a major upgrade from standard tattoo pins. If you had permanent makeup done many years ago, you would definitely notice this delivers a much more delicate experience for the skin or lip tissue, and provides you with much greater comfort in getting the look you want.

Now, about that PureBeau rumor I'm often teased about...

Yes. It's true. My beloved, pampered dog is named Beau.

No. It's not true. "The manufacturers of the PureBeau System did not name their machine after my dog in order to get the great Sally Hayes to endorse it." I wish!

The fact of the matter is I receive zero compensation for using PureBeau. I pay for it like every other permanent cosmetics professional who chooses it.

The benefit for me is seeing your reaction that first moment following your procedure when hold up a mirror and you see your natural beauty for the first time enhanced with the power of permanent makeup.

Both methods if performed properly by a skilled and experienced permanent makeup professional can deliver the positive results you want. Both involve the same technique of depositing pigment into the dermis layer of your skin.

The manual method means the technician or artist provides all of the power behind the pen which is used to apply your permanent makeup. The machine method offers a more automated process and there are a number of options on the market from which to choose. They range from traditional tattoo guns to newer, lightweight digital machines.

After being here on my website, watching my YouTube videos, or seeing me on TV, most people who call me are really surprised that they actually get me on the telephone. Usually they'll be talking to me and they'll go, "Is this... Is this Sally Hayes?" And I'll keep going, "Yes, this is Sally, you've got Sally." I do get a kick out of it. But really I don't know why this is so surprising to people. I do take all my own phone calls personally, make all of my return calls, and handle all of my own bookings for complimentary consultations and permanent makeup procedures. I just think it's a nice personal touch which is helpful to you.

Then the other thing which usually surprises most people is the fact that I also am known to stand in front of the mirror and tattoo my own eyebrows and lips. But no I don't do my own permanent eyeliner. You know as I often joke with clients, "If I can't trust myself with doing permanent makeup then I couldn't expect you to trust me with doing your permanent makeup procedures either!"

Oh yeah, there's one more surprise, you won't be the first person to ask me if I am the Sally Hayes from Manhattan in J.D. Salinger's classic book, "The Catcher in the Rye."

Yes and yes. This is a sore subject for me. It angers me. And while I may not be the Sally Hayes from the classic novel, "The Catcher in the Rye," I could surely write a book venting on this subject. Please allow me to be blunt.

Permanent makeup wouldn't be so popular if it didn't offer value and benefits. It does. But it isn't automatic. You must know you must choose wisely where you get it done.

My business and reputation as a permanent makeup professional are fairly established. I don't need to put down the competition in order to get clients. I am lucky and honored to get referrals from doctors. I am always touched by all of the referrals I receive from clients who have happily told others about the permanent makeup I've done for them. It's also very nice to get notes from people around the world expressing thanks for all of the information here on permanentmakeup.com.

The truth is I have seen thousands of examples of permanent makeup success in action. By this I mean excellent undetectable permanent makeup done by true professionals and worn by women of all backgrounds who love how much better they look, how much more confidence they feel in their appearance, and how much of a easier lifestyle they enjoy.

Unfortunately, it is also the whole truth and nothing but the truth that I seem to have more women than ever come to me to fix bad permanent work done by other permanent makeup technicians. I didn't use the term "artist" or "professional" here intentionally because some of the work I see is not that of an artist, nor is it that of a professional.

If you think smears, smudges, or run-offs of your topical makeup is embarrassing, that's a drop in the ocean of tears you'll want to cry when it comes to getting bad permanent makeup.

The problem runs more than skin deep. I have women come to me with the confidence in their appearance gone. They hide the damage as best as they can and now makeup takes them more than ever instead of less. Many of these women say they feel more like hiding when they hoped they would be feeling more like shining. So they actually go out in public less as a result of it.

Permanent makeup is not designed to be a self-imposed prison. It's supposed to help you enjoy more freedom from time and effort spent looking great!

Permanent makeup doesn't wash off like topical makeup. If you think smears, smudges, or run-offs of your topical makeup is embarrassing, that's a drop in the ocean of tears you'll want to cry when it comes to getting a bad permanent makeup results.

Bad permanent makeup is often pretty bad. By this I mean you have to have it either lasered off or surgically removed. I see an average of 12 to 14 people a month that I refer to a laser clinic and sometimes it's so bad I have to refer them to a plastic surgeon. It makes my heart ache because it's my trade and there's no excuse for bad permanent makeup.

I've had a good run for more than 25 years in permanent makeup. There's not a day goes by when I don't feel blessed and grateful for it. I take my career very seriously, and work as hard as ever to help others. Because of this, I have the courage and passion to speak out about bad permanent makeup. Hopefully it prevents people from experiencing this problem.

-Do your homework on permanent makeup artists.
-Have a consultation before having a procedure.
-Don't let anyone tattoo you who can't first show you with topical makeup exactly how you will look.
-Trust your intuition and make a decision you can live with every day.

I absolutely love permanent makeup... and want you to feel the same way!