The list of banned formulation materials is much longer than just isopropyl alcohol with much more rightfully scary names such as mercury in certain shades of red. There is no doubt about mercury’s dangers to human health. It’s fantastic to avoid. Yet there has never been a single case of mercury poisoning or any other mercury related defects or damage reportedly related to any tattoo in history. This may be because mercury was never included as an individual ingredient in the actual pigments themselves but instead was used within the process of formulating the pigments. To me, this is very similar to considering the scientific (chemical) “ingredients” of an organic apple. When the molecules that make up an apple are spelled out, amygdaloid which produces cyanide, a known fast-acting deadly poison famously used by spies in the World Wars, is part of a completely organic apple. Knowing this, you can rest assured that the former tattoo ink formulations really weren’t much more dangerous before these new laws than after. Tattoo inks are relatively safe now and they were before. It’s always nice to take extra measures for safety.

Like with any tattoo, and any wound, your permanent makeup must be cared for as well. Because PMU is a little different from traditional body tattoos, the after care for permanent makeup is also a little different. I have found that here in the Netherlands Bepanthen is a popular big name brand ointment. After seeing and feeling how it works for myself with a client, I personally do not recommend Bepanthen for tattoos and especially not for permanent makeup. So what healing moisturizer does have the Magic PJ’s seal of approval?

We can certainly do a patch test to check for any reactions to permanent makeup (PMU). Similarly with other cosmetics such an hair dye, there are a standard procedures to patch testing PMU explained in this Magic PJ’s blog post.

This beautiful lady asked if I would be able to touch up some permanent makeup that she already had on her brows for a while. She said she had been having trouble finding someone in the Utrecht area who could work with her particular case. I told her, “no problem” which was totally true. I was able to use microblading to add little hair strokes that blend her natural brow with the fading powder brow procedure already there.

There is the difference between a Trained Technician (over drawn brows like a stencil over anyone’s face regardless of bone structure, unable to work with special cases like this) vs a Dedicated Artist (completely customized treatment unique to every individual face’s shapes with expert problem solving skills). The kind of specialized custom approach I embrace as your brow artist at Magic PJ’s helps me to be able to discern when and how it is possible to touch up brows with corrective methods that can enhance previous work.

My expert color theory skills in all the art I create help me to be able to execute specialized corrections.

Sometimes it is not possible to correct existing work with more pigment application in which case we can talk about dissolving existing pigment with saline. This removal procedure is often referenced to as “reverse tattooing” and takes at least 2 sessions.

Book your free consultation with your Dedicated Artist at Magic PJ’s Permanent Makeup & Tattoo any time via options in my profile links.

This sweet client enjoyed 1/4 off her service in exchange for consent to share these before/after results (anonymously) and you can too! Mention this offer during your free consultation.

After photos are fresh.

In this PMU blog post, I am happy to share some more information about my own training as both a tattoo artist and PMU brow specialist and why you may want to choose my artistry for your brow treatment. Permanent makeup is a committed choice and investment, and you deserve to be informed about who you choose to professionally trust with such an experience. 

Tattoos are known to be painful. They are after all a purposeful wound. However some people, mostly women (especially mothers) in many tattooers’ experiences, can find the sensation rather enjoyable, as long as the tattoo is not very large or in a particularly sensitive area. The face is one such particularly sensitive area, especially upon the brow bone framing the eyes. The specialized form of tattooing that is permanent makeup (PMU) is designed with special techniques, pigments, and tools that considers the unique differences in facial skin from other skin of the human body. While these techniques and materials deposit ink less deeply into facial skin, pain is still an inherent part of the experience. If you have never had a tattoo before, some frequent comparisons to the sensation are a bee sting or cat scratch. Someone with more sensitive skin described the feeling as “a cat scratch on a sunburn”. These comparisons describe the feeling of active tattooing. While any tattooed area will be a little sore for a couple days afterward, it should not be as painful as the procedure itself.

Are pain relief/numbing options available?

In short, yes. But there are some details to consider about numbing options. Please continue to read the following insights and information about pain relief during permanent makeup procedures.

These are the different styles of permanent makeup brows available at Magic PJ’s:

Powder Brows:

• soft gradient for a full and natural looking definition

• no hair strokes

• longer lasting: touch up every 1.5-2 years

• suitable for all skin types

Microblade:

• mimics natural hair strokes

• done with special non machine microblade tool

• touch up once a year

• not ideal for oily or very thin skin

Combination brows:

• lasts longer than microblade only

• hair strokes made with PMU pen machine

• touch up every 1-2 years

• suitable for almost every skin type

Machine assisted permanent makeup is performed with a single needle. This is one reason why when properly applied, permanent makeup fades over time. This method keeps pigment from spreading instead, allowing it to dissipate so that it can be touched up and redefined. In fact, this is often not realized by first-timers with permanent makeup, but it is part of the standard procedure of all permanent makeup processes for there to be a follow up procedure 6-8 weeks after the initial application.

Two sessions are essential to getting long-lasting permanent makeup results. Here’s why: