Nothing here is complicated, but the preparation genuinely affects the result. Skin that is calm and not inflamed takes pigment more evenly, and an appointment that is not fighting swelling or bleeding is a better appointment.
In the two weeks before
- Stop retinol, tretinoin, glycolic and salicylic acids and any exfoliating product on or near the area.
- No facials, chemical peels, microdermabrasion or laser treatment on the area for four weeks.
- Leave your brows alone — no waxing, threading or tinting for at least a week. We work with the hair that is there.
- Keep the area out of the sun. Sunburnt or peeling skin means the appointment is postponed.
In the twenty-four hours before
- No alcohol. It thins the blood, and blood at the surface dilutes pigment.
- Go easy on caffeine on the morning of, for the same reason.
- Eat properly beforehand. You will be lying still for around two hours and low blood sugar is the most common reason someone feels faint.
- Come with your brows made up the way you normally wear them, if you wear them. It tells us more about what you actually want than any description does.
On the day
Allow around two hours, and leave a little room afterwards rather than booking something tight. Much of that time is design — measuring, drawing, adjusting, and looking in the mirror until you are happy. Pigment does not begin until you have said yes to the shape.
Bring anything that helps you explain what you want: photographs you like, and photographs you dislike. The second kind are often more useful than the first.
When to speak to your doctor first
Some circumstances mean permanent makeup should wait, or needs your doctor to sign off before we go ahead. This is standard across the industry and it is not us being difficult:
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- Blood thinners, or any medication affecting clotting.
- Isotretinoin (Accutane) in the last six to twelve months.
- Diabetes, an autoimmune condition, or anything affecting how you heal.
- A history of keloid scarring.
- Active eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis or any broken skin on the area.
- Chemotherapy or radiotherapy, current or recent.
- A history of cold sores, if you are booking lip work.
We are permanent makeup artists, not clinicians. Where a question is medical, the answer is your doctor — tell us what they say and we will work around it.
And if you are not sure yet
The consultation is free, separate from any appointment, and carries no obligation to book. It is a conversation about your features and whether permanent makeup is right for you at all — and sometimes the answer is that it is not, or not yet.