Some of the books that I recommend deal with reasons to get an eyebrow tattoo or permanent makeup and others explain personal benefits and risks. A few of the books have been written for aestheticians, technicians and cosmetic tattooing professionals however these books also contain valuable information that a client may also benefit from. Being an active participant will encourage the specialist to give you the best treatment possible and you will find the cosmetic tattoo experience a fascinating one as you journey into the world of your own beauty.

I Love My Permanent Makeup

by Debbie McClellan

Although you may have an hour consultation with a permanent makeup specialist prior to the procedure, it is difficult for you to know what questions to ask and for a specialist to give you all the information available in such a short span of time. That is why this book is great for you to read before the procedure because it has the 65 most common questions and their answers regarding permanent makeup.

It also contains information regarding safety and includes testimonials from women from different parts of the world who tell about their positive cosmetic tattooing experiences and how their tattoo eyebrows have turned out. This book is the revised edition of Is Permanent Makeup for you.

101 Questions & Answers On Permanent Makeup for the Technician

by Debbie McClellan

This book is directed toward a professional permanent makeup and eyebrow tattooing specialists and offers the steps that qualified professionals will take in creating eyebrow tattoos, eyeliner, lip liner and full lip procedures. It helps with making the all important color decision for matching hair colors and even skin undertones. She offers quite extensive information on skin undertones because by knowing these tones it can help to decide on the best possible colors for cosmetic tattoos.

The author Debbie McClellan is a qualified and experienced cosmetic tattooing expert who, as a permanent makeup specialist for more than 13 years, has 10,000 successful procedures to her credit. Her book discusses implanting techniques and if touchups are really a normal part of makeup tattooing follow-up procedures.

She discusses equipment and table set up and the actual eyebrow tattooing procedure. She answers questions about migration and how to properly measure brows when drawing them on before the tattooing begins. There are suggestions on how to improve the shape and style of the brow as well as tips for lips, especially lip liner procedures and how to fill them in. She also discusses the lip colors that are best and most often used, and how to keep colors looking rich.

(Spanish Edition)

Permanent Makeup and Reconstructive Tattooing

by Eleonora Habnit

If you’re like me (before I decided to tattoo my eyebrows), and are tired of the daily ritual of makeup, and desire to have perfect eyeliner, eyebrows and outlined lips then author Eleonora Hanit suggests that permanent makeup may be what you need. She also suggests that if your hands are shaky or you are allergic to cosmetic products the choice of having cosmetic tattooing or an eyebrow tattoo may be right for you. She writes that permanent tattooing can help to conceal scars and be the last step to completing a look after cosmetic or plastic surgery.

Eleonora Habnit is a specialist in the field and her book offers many eyebrow pictures and before and after shots of those who have had permanent makeup.

She also discusses ways to find and work together with a professional if you are considering a procedure and gives an idea on eyebrow tattoo cost. There is also information for those who are contemplating becoming specialists in this area of tattoo art. For professionals she gives information on color, equipment, certification and professional associations in the United States. It is a book that is dedicated to the public and will also be useful to permanent makeup practitioners, cosmetic surgeons, tattoo artists, and anyone who is the beauty and cosmetics industry.

Milady’s Aesthetician Series: Permanent Makeup, Tips and Techniques

by Pamela Hill

This book, written in 2006, may be a little outdated as to the newest equipment, but Pamela Hill’s suggestions regarding permanent makeup and eyebrow tattos techniques that remain timeless.

This book is designed both for the tattoo specialist as well as the general public with topics for how to get involved in this profession, and for those already qualified, how to expand on techniques. It also contains information regarding cosmetic tattooing laws in the United States. For readers who are interested in undergoing a cosmetic procedure for the first time, she discusses aspects of anatomy and physiology and explains pigments and how the best results can be achieved. This is an illustrated book with eyebrow tattoo pictures and photographs of the techniques and what to expect from permanent tattooing makeup procedures.

Beautiful Brows: The Ultimate Guide to Styling, Shaping, and Maintaining Your Eyebrows

by Nancy Parker and Nancy Kalish

This book has illustrations and instructions that will help you to create beautiful brows. It may be useful for those who are contemplating a permanent makeup procedure because it helps to decide what shape and style of brow will be best with your face shape and to enhance your best features and also may provide ideas for temporary eyebrow tattoos that you can later have made into permanent ones.

Although it is designed as a guide for plucking and shaping your own brows, it has pertinent information that you can discuss with a cosmetic tattoo professional to help you and your specialist achieve the best permanent eyebrows. There are few book son the market that have this much eyebrow specific information that is laid out in terms any woman can easily follow and understand.

The contents of this book tells it all:

Part One:

• The best Brow Formula: Choosing the right shape for you
• Anatomy of an eyebrow
• The five basic brows
• Step one: Find your face shape
• Step two: Figure out your signature features
• Step three: Determine your best brow strength
• Step four: Put it all together

Part Two:

• Define and Conquer:
• How to shape, color, and recreate your brows
• The tools of the trade
• Good Riddance: the best (and worst) hair removal methods
• Eyebrows for dummies: Brow shaping 101
• Arch Enemies: The most common brow problems
• Basic brow cleanup
• Consider your inner corner

How to Create the Perfect Eyebrow

by Victoria Bush

Victoria Bush offers 13 chapters on how to create the perfect eyebrow by comparing what other beauty and eyebrow shaping experts have written and expanding upon that information. Victoria Bush is a makeup artist, image consultant and has a line of eyebrow enhancement products.

Again this book is not specific to the permanent makeup industry, but it is specific to eyebrows, and before any cosmetic tattooing or before a micropigmentation tattoo specialist even comes near to working on your brows, YOU must know the shape and style and have a plan for what you hope to achieve.

This book can help you decide on tattoo patterns for your brow and how you can work with a specialist to get that perfect eyebrow shape perhaps by using the suggestions to play with temporary tattoo eyebrows before getting the real deal, or by shaping your natural brows better so that eyebrows tattoos will simply enhance what you already have achieved naturally.

Here is what Victoria Bush discusses in 169 pages divided into 13 chapters:

• Chapter 1 – The art and science of creating beautiful, symmetrical brows
• Chapter 2 – The study of the facial zones
• Chapter 3 – The study of the geometric face shapes
• Chapter 4 – The study of eye set
• Chapter 5 – Assessing the facial features
• Chapter 6 – Assessing the eyebrow
• Chapter 7 – Rules of proper eyebrow management
• Chapter 8 – Corrective techniques to the eyebrow to enhance the features of the face
• Chapter 9 – Eyebrow design methods
• Chapter 10 – Performing eyebrow design and enhancement
• Chapter 11 – Hair removal for the eyebrows
• Chapter 12 – Other eyebrow enhancement services
• Chapter 13 – Case studies: Eyebrow design in practice

Makeup Makeovers: Expert Secrets for Stunning Transformations

by Robert Jones

International makeup artist Robert Jones believes any woman can be beautiful and he details how this is possible with a step-by-step guide and lots of photos.

Although this book does not discuss permanent makeup techniques nor eyebrow tattoos, it is a perfect compliment to cosmetic tattooing treatments because the end result is for a woman to use her features to look her best. How to apply a little foundation makeup in a way that will make her feminine after her procedures can be useful. The great thing about this book is that’s not about celebrities or unattainable model looks but about how to enhance your skin and eyes and bring your best to the forefront with your own true beauty from the inside out.

Tattooed eyebrows, perfect eyeliner and even lips filled with permanent color are a great place to begin, but it’s still necessary to know simple techniques to camouflage flaws and how to make your new eyes and brows really work in your favor. This book is for women of all ages not just the ones with young perfect skin. It has been recommended by Rhonda Shasteen, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Mary Kay Inc.

Straight Talk about Cosmetic Surgery (Yale University Press Health & Wellness)

by Arthur W. Perry MD

Dr. Arthur W. Perry, a plastic surgeon for over 20 years, gives general information on all procedures pertaining to cosmetic treatments. He discusses benefits and risks and explains terms and offers suggestions for finding doctors and facilities. It is an ideal book to read if you are considering any kind of cosmetic surgery or skin-care procedures as well as those who need advice regarding tattoo removal.

Although he does not specialize in permanent makeup tattooing, make up tattoo micropigmentation or specific eyebrow tattooing applications, he touches on these topics and his advice and suggestions are pertinent for those who are contemplating procedures in conjunction with a cosmetics tattoo, such as scare removal and illness related cosmetic enhancement needs.

Here is an overview of the book’s contents:

The book also discusses:

1. The Future of Plastic Surgery
2. Fees for Typical Procedures
3. National Ranking for Cosmetic Procedures
4. Age Distribution of Cosmetic Procedures

Aesthetics and Cosmetic Surgery for Darker Skin Types

by Pearl E Grimes

This book offers a guide to surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic treatment of patients with darker skin pigmentation — African, Asian, and Latin descent and is actually written by a variety of international experts.

Amongst the wide range of surgical topics he does include advice on micropigmentation and permanent tattooing procedures and also on tattoo removal and skin discoloration. The book is edited by a world-renowned researcher on pigmentation disorders and is enhanced with over 350 color illustrations.

The Eyebrow

by Robyn Cosio

Robyn Cosio, a renowned make-up artist in New York and LA who specialized in eyebrows, has provided an eyebrow shaping and designing encyclopedia that includes a historical overview of the brow, and offers facts that are also entertaining such as how women used false eyebrows from mouse hides in the 1700’s.

There are many examples of famous eyebrows and how the eyebrow gives shape to ears, and she even discusses male brows.

She does not discuss eyebrow tattooing at any length but does provide many ideas for designs and shapes and the book is full of eyebrow photographs which may be helpful to those who are contemplating redesigning their brows with eyebrow cosmetic tattooing procedures.

Sephora: The Ultimate Guide to Makeup, Skin, and Hair from the Beauty Authority

by Melissa Schweiger

Melissa Schweiger is a freelance writer and editor with articles in Women’s Wear Daily, Interview, Marie Claire, Redbook, Hamptons, Seventeen, and In Style, and on Sephora.com. This is not a book I recommend for its intellectual merits or as a guide on cosmetic tattoo or microimplataion procedures. It is simply a book that may be useful to guide those who are searching for a new look and need ideas.

There are full color pictures and lots of brows and lots of simple beauty suggestions for beginners. It’s a picture book with lots of Sephora products but the faces and their eyebrows may serve to inspire your new eyebrow tattoo!

Eye Candy: 55 Easy Makeup Looks for Glam Lids and Luscious Lashes

by Linda Mason

Linda Mason is a professional makeup artist from New York who in this book has catered more to a young audience, however the eyebrow shapes in the 55 looks she offers in full color illustrations are good to find a brow that will be right for a younger person and for the older women who may want to see the difference between brows and makeup styles from fun daywear to dramatic eveningwear.

There are diagrams and instructions for makeup, but for those who are considering eyebrow tattoo procedures the photos are a great way to get an idea of what is possible, see different face shapes and arches and to see how makeup can be later applied to enhance the brows and facial features once the cosmetic tattooing has been completed.

Make-Up : Fresh Ideas for Fantastic Looks

by Bernadine Bibiano for The Body Shop

This may be a beauty book for beginners written to promote The Body Shop products, however, it is a very useful tool for those who are needing inspiration while seeking to change their eyebrow shape or their look because the photographs are not of perfect western models but beautiful real people from all around the world with a variety of skin tones and complexions and facial features.

This book does not discuss cosmetic tattooing but does offer real advice for looking your best and has lovely pictures of eyebrows that may provide the basis for eyebrow cosmetic tattooing. And, The Body Shop has some excellent products for caring for your skin; especially tea tree oil products that will help to care for your eyebrow tattoos after your procedure is finished.

Remember a little tee tree will sooth the swelling immediately after the eyebrow tattoo procedure and help to avoid excessive scabbing and crusting during the healing process. There are also tea tree sprays that you can lightly mist your face with when you feel your tattoo eyebrows itch and cannot scratch or rub them after days after the procedure.

Asian Faces: The Essential Beauty and Makeup Guide for Asian Women

by Taylor Chang-Babaian with a foreward by Yoko Ono

Professional makeup artist Taylor Chang-Babaian has created a beautiful book with techniques and styles for Asian women of all ages and ethnicities. I have included this book on my recommended list not because it is the best beauty book on the market but because it has 100 full-color photographs of Asian women that might inspire eyebrow tattoos from where eyebrow tattooing began – Asia.

Although the technical aspects of cosmetic tattooing procedures are not discussed, I suggest it as a resource for finding YOUR look. Since this book is filled with gorgeous pictures that do not try to make Asians look Caucasian but enhance their own unique beauty features, I believe it is essential for international women who seek eyebrow ideas and makeup tips prior to micropigmentation or tattoo eyebrows enhancement.

Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual: For Everyone from Beginner to Pro

by Bobbi Brown

Bobbi Brown, if you don’t already know, is an internationally renowned makeup artist and CEO of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. Her products are sold in over 400 stores and 20 countries worldwide. Bobbi is also the exclusive beauty editor of NBC’s TODAY show and a frequent guest on E! and the Style channels. Need I say more!!

My list of beauty books and eyebrow enhancement suggestions and photo idea books would just not be complete with at least one of Bobbi Brown’s books. You can select any of her books because they are all great, well written, easy to understand and have lots of glossy pictures. This book includes some breathtaking photos that may inspire you and your cosmetician to create the best eyebrow tattoos yet. Enjoy! It’s Bobbi Brown, you won’t regret reading her and looking at her creative faces.

Making Faces

by Kevyn Aucoin

This book is by the famous Kevyn Aucoin who needs no introduction since his work is on the faces of Cher, Tina Turner, Vanessa Williams, Julia Roberts and others.

The final chapter is entertaining and fantastic with the likes of Isabella Rosselini, Demi Moore, and Nicole Kidman as made-up characters that are wonderfully photographed.

Just for fun and ideas, check out these gorgeous star’s eyebrows for permanent make up eyebrow tattoo inspirations.

Kevyn Aucoin’s other bestseller, Face Forward, is also a great book for eyebrow tattoo shape ideas. Again this incredible makeup artist shows what he can do to faces like those of Calista Flockhart, Jodie Foster, Jewel, Gwyneth Paltrow, Michelle Pfeiffer, Diana Ross, Christy Turlington, and Vanessa Williams. There are more than a few good eyebrow shapes amongst these!!!

Beautifeye: State-of-the-Art Methods to Enhance and Rejuvenate the Eyes, Brow & Face

by Dr. Stephen Bosniak

Author Stephen Bosniak, both an eye surgeon and a cosmetic surgeon, has complied invaluable information regarding surgical and non-surgical procedures to help you select which ones to use to rejuvenate your eyes; everything from brow lifts to Botox and semi-permanent makeup.

It is co-authored by Dr. Marian Zilkha, an eye surgeon, who tells of the latest medical procedures from Brazil to New York.

This book is not only informative regarding micropigmentation options and eyebrow tattoos and permanent makeup solutions but is also filled with helpful illustrations. The book is endorsed by Kevyn Aucoin.

The Green Beauty Guide

by Julie Gabriel

Your Essential Resource to Organic and Natural Skin Care, Hair Care, Makeup, and Fragrances…

Nutritionist, and beauty advisor Julie Gabriel discusses green health and beauty, and ways to make your own beauty products.

Yes I know this book has nothing to do with eyebrow tattoos in specific, but since I love to make my own beauty products with olive oil, shea butter, avocado and cucumber, I thought I’d share this with you, so that after your permanent makeup procedure you can come home to nourish your skin in natural ways and keep your permanent makeup permanently lovely on fresh skin.

- choosing a certified permanent makeup professional {CPCP or the international equivalent} who will provide safe eyebrow tattooing services in a licensed clinic or health inspected private practice where strict medical-grade hygiene and sterilization standards are maintained.

- ensuring that the equipment used, be it high-tech digital devices or manual SofTap tools, will have single-use needles or disposable cartridges {such as the Nouveau Contour needle/cap cartridges}.

To quickly find a micropigmentation expert in your area, view profiles in the Professional Directory where specialists are listed according to region. Each cosmetician, technician or micropigmentologist’s level of certification, years of experience and techniques differ, so consult various websites.

Make sure that your professional aesthetician or tattoo artist is certified. In the US there’s the Society of Permanent Cosmetics, and individuals who’ve been certified will use the term CPCP {Certified Permanent Cosmetic Professional}. Facilities can be clinics, private practices, medical or plastic surgery centers, aesthetic / beauty salons or tattoo shops, but all must have a cosmetic tattooing area and a certified permanent makeup specialist who meets professional micropigmentation standards and follows strict medical-grade hygiene guidelines.

Check that:

- the initial consultations are free, or if there’s a small fee at the time of making an appointment, it’s later credited toward the cost of the procedure

- one or two touch-ups are included in the initial price. If additional charges apply for touchups, know in advance how much they’ll cost and calculate at least one touch-up into your procedure budget

- there’s a portfolio to view before and after pictures of tattoo eyebrows to determine if techniques, pigments and overall style is in keeping with your needs

Remember: some specialize in paramedical tattooing, others in soft natural-looking eyebrows, others in dramatic or artistic permanent eyeliner and tattooed eyebrows.

Watch expert Dorothy Kizoff perform an eyebrow tattooing procedure.

Tattoo Eyebrows – Permanent Makeup by Dorothy Kizoff:

Book the Initial Consultation

A – ask your specialist for pictures of tattoo eyebrows done on other clients

B- Discuss, and test, eyebrow shapes

C- select pigments and have your specialist explain the techniques she/he will use

D – ask for a pigment allergy test to be done a couple weeks before the procedure

You’ll be tempted to leave everything else in the hands of your expert, but eyebrow tattoo pictures and a brief consultation may not provide all you need to know, so read on.

You’re about to have pigment permanently deposited under your skin {which may last 1-5 years or longer}. It will form part of the look you present to the world every single day, so choose your eyebrow shape, pigments and overall design with great care.

Watch how it all begins in this video courtesy of expert Dorothy Kizoff.

Permanent Makeup Eyebrow Tattoos, Dorothy Kizoff

Permanent Eyebrow Tattoos – General Overview

1. It’s recommended to choose a micropigmentation specialist who’s experienced in the latest HAIRSTROKE and soft shading techniques using custom blended pigments to get the most natural colors and designs that mimic brow hair.

You can add more color later, but tattoo removal or lightening is difficult. Tale a conservative approach and you’ll be more satisfied with the results.

2. An eyebrow tattoo is a delicate procedure that requires technical skill, artistry, the correct instruments, needles, equipment and also demands the application of an ANESTHETIC to keep you comfortable before and during the procedure. An eyebrow tattooing procedure can be comfortable and trouble free if you have wisely selected a clinic, tattoo shop or professional aesthetician experienced in modern micropigmentation techniques and will provide a topical anesthetic to numb the region where the tattooed eyebrow will be created. This is essential because the micropigmentation needles rapidly penetrate and puncture the skin in a very small area during an hour or so and this can cause trauma to the skin in that delicate area. However, if an anesthetic has been applied, you can expect to feel a tickle at first, a bit of pressure and a tugging sensation, then a little stinging at the end.

3. Once the permanent eyebrow tattoo procedure is complete, get aftercare instructions and some basic items to keep the area clean and moisturized. Depending on the techniques used, newly tattooed eyebrows need care for 3 days – 2 weeks or more.

4. Be sure to schedule a follow-up visit with your specialist for 4-6 weeks after the initial procedure to check healing and do any touchups that may be required.

Cosmetic Tattoos versus Artistic Body Art

While body tattooing artists are skilled professionals that work in hygienic settings with specialized equipment to implant ink or pigment into the dermis, cosmetic tattoos {those that reconstruct hair-like eyebrows or add the appearance of fullness to thin brows, define the eyes with eyeliner or dot-like lash enhancements, lip liner or full lip pigmentation, paramedical procedures for areola repigmentation and scar camouflage} are different from artistic permanent tattoo procedures in some important ways:

1. Permanent Cosmetic Professional Certification

Professionals who are qualified to perform cosmetic tattooing procedures on the FACE and other delicate body areas {such as the breast for camouflaging surgical scars}may be licensed aestheticians or cosmetologists, nurses {RN}, medical assistants {CMA}, registered dental hygienist {RDH} and/or other professionals working within or near a medical clinic {for example: in conjunction with plastic surgeons}or in an aesthetic salon, but they must be certified micropigmentologists or permanent makeup technicians. In the United States such professionals use the abbreviation CPCP which stands for Certified Permanent Cosmetic Professional, and these individuals must undergo specific permanent makeup training in cosmetic tattooing using micropigmentation techniques with equipment designed for the permanent makeup industry.

2. Professional Micropigmentation Equipment

Most artistic tattoo professionals that work from a tattoo shop, studio or other private environment will utilize high-powered coil machines. While the equipment is indeed powerful and uses sterile disposable needles, and provides artists the ability to create precise outlining and artistic details, they’re not ideal for facial procedures in delicate regions such as the eyebrow, eyelids, lash lines and lips. Most micropigmentation specialists who provide permanent makeup services will choose high-tech digital panels connected to handheld devices, such as the Nouveau Contour systems with auto-adjusting or adjustable needle frequencies, adjustable depth penetration with single-use cartridge-style needle/caps that eliminate cross contamination, are lightweight and provide exceptional control. The PMU rotary-style machines, needles and pigments for delicate facial procedures are specifically designed for cosmetic purposes and require qualified, certified and experienced technicians to use them properly.

3. Techniques for Cosmetic Tattoos

The techniques used by an artist in a tattoo shop versus those used in a permanent makeup clinic or salon are based on similar principles – that of depositing pigment to a specific depth and with a certain number of needle punctures per second to achieve a desired design or effect. However, creating eyebrows, for example, requires knowing the hairstroke technique which simulates individual hairs, especially for patients with alopecia {who have no hair}or adding a powdery filler between hairs to provide a 3 dimensional shading effect that looks as natural as possible. Permanent eyeliner techniques may involve depositing a single drop of pigment between lashes to create the illusion of thicker / darker eyelashes, but only in the lash line. Other techniques provide subtle outlining of the eyes, smudging techniques on the eyelids to provide soft shadowing with pigment blends that may involve mixing colors to achieve flesh-tones that go with specific skin types. Areola reconstruction and repigmentation is a field with specialties all its own, and scar camouflage involves providing realistic flesh pigments to make white scars appear less visible. Cosmetic micropigmentation requires a different type of artistic skill and a series of highly specialized techniques, for which certified permanent cosmetic professionals undergo extensive training and are tested.

4. Cosmetic Micropigmentation Clinics versus Tattoo Shop Artistry

Artists working from a modern tattoo shop will offer excellent hygiene, sterile equipment with disposable needles, anesthetic and a comfortable environment, however a tattoo shop is more often an artistic center for body art with all the charm that goes with that field, while in most cases, permanent makeup will be done in a cosmetic micropigmentation center, clinic or salon that resembles a medical or dental facility. PMU procedures are most often done in a clinical environment {inspected and certified by a local Board of Health authority}, and it’s not surprising this is the case. Cosmetic tattooing procedures are done in a medical-type atmosphere partly because many of the “clients” who want such procedures are in fact “patients” seeking help to correct or minimize the effects of medical conditions such as alopecia, Vitiligo discolorations, skin pigmentation disorders, post-surgical scars, lip contouring to minimize wrinkles, correction of asymmetrical facial features – lips, eyes, brows and post mastectomy areola reconstruction and repigmenting and/or post cosmetic surgery scar camouflaging. In many cases, cosmetic tattoo professionals are skincare and beauty professionals that also have a medical or dental background and may work in cooperation with cancer centers and reconstructive or plastic surgery clinics. The professional care, hygiene and comfort level offered by cosmetic tattooing professionals should equal that of a medical facility or surgical clinic.

5. Multiple Permanent Makeup Procedures

Cosmetic tattooing or permanent makeup is not only for the brow. Many people schedule several sessions {or multiple procedures in one day} to have tattooed eyebrow procedures and also get their eyes lined and lips enhanced or filled with color. Each procedure takes about 1 hour.

A successful eyebrows tattooing procedure requires these 10 basic things:

• a well trained and experienced permanent makeup specialist or aesthetician

• a good sketch drawn onto your brow with the final shape YOU want

• the right pigments that will match your skin tone and hair color

• receiving proper anesthesia before the procedure begins

• the use of a modern rotary tattoo machine or a SofTap manual tool

• the right selection of needles for the right style of cosmetic tattoo

• numbing creams or anesthesia during the procedure to ensure comfort

• proper application of aftercare products immediately following the procedure

• aftercare products to avoid swelling, excessive scabbing / itchiness / infection

• a follow-up visit with your tattooing specialist a 2-6 weeks after the procedure

The Anesthesia or Numbing Agent

Most numbing agents are safe for eyes, eyebrows and lips and some creams are very smooth and effective especially those that contain about 4% Lidocaine made especially for eyebrow permanent makeup applications. Some professionals use a blend of Lidocaine and Epinephrine and other experts, with years of experience, have developed their own proprietary anesthetics especially designed for delicate permanent makeup procedures. There’s no reason to grit your teeth and endure pain if sensation begins to return to the area. Even if the micropigmentation tattoo procedure is underway, instant numbing agents help keep clients comfortable and allow the skin to relax without getting dehydrated as the aesthetician creates permanent makeup eyebrows, lips or eyeliner.

Avoiding Bleeding

If you tend to bleed, this may not only be uncomfortable and unhealthy but it may get in the way of the technician’s work. It’s difficult to make fine lines and use feathering techniques if there’s constant blood. There’s a special gel that can eliminate most of this; a coagulating gel that stops bleeding and swelling (specific for use during the creation of permanent tattoos) and can be combined safely with other numbing cream or instant painkilling ointment. It also contains Epinephrine.

Don’t forget to tell your cosmetician beforehand if you tend to bleed more than average so she/he can have the right products prepared.

Eyebrow Tattoo Needles

You may not need to know what tattoo equipment or what needle your cosmetic permanent makeup specialist has chosen, it may suffice to see her/him remove it from a sealed wrapper and insert it into a machine to know it’s sterile and disposable. Nevertheless, if you’re curious, you can ask your specialist about needle sizes and find out that round ones are mostly used for adding filler to brows and for creating thick eyeliners and sometimes for filling lips.

(Note: A lip tattoo is different from lipliner or a full lip filling tattoo in that a lip tattoo is usually thought of as a decorative mark inside the lip – done in an artistic tattoo shop, whereas a cosmetic tattoo is for adding color to the entire lip. The round needles for tattoo makeup that are often chosen to eliminate scaring on delicate areas such as procedures done on the lips.)

There are 2 prong round needles which ensure that pigments are deposited more quickly and evenly. The angle of the needle is also important. It’s imperative that there be no back suction of pigment and blood. {The latest Nouveau Contour cartridge style needles and the engineering of the equipment prevents this and makes cross contamination virtually impossible.} 3 and 4 prong flat needles may be used to prevent excessive bleeding and are better for leaving fewer scars in delicate areas. 6 prong needles that are flat may be used for lipliner and to mimic fine brow hairs. 7 prong round needles provide strong lines and fill areas quickly.

Eyebrow Shape with Stencils

The eyebrow shaping consultation with a permanent cosmetic professional is imperative. She/he will use an eyebrow pencil or semi-permanent pen to create an initial sketch. You can help by getting professional stencils and trying various designs beforehand, then when you’re at the consultation you’ll know if the shape suggested is what you want. Cosmetic tattooing is permanent and it’s on your face! Get the eyebrow shape right the first time so won’t need to think about eyebrow tattoo removal.

Temporary Eyebrow Tattoos

If you want to test what shapes best suit your face shape and brow structure, it’s a good idea to try temporary tattoo brows that are smudge-proof / waterproof and will give you an idea what to expect prior to the “real” permanent tattoo procedure. Temporary tattoo eyebrows come in many styles and colors.

Temporary eyebrow tattoos are easy to apply. There’s a pen from Sephora that’s waterproof and creates a temporary eyebrow tattoo or eyeliner that will provide an idea of what to expect. Just keep in mind that brows drawn-on with a pen {or the temporary tattoos that stick on} are not custom designed and won’t mimic feathering or hairstroke techniques. Nevertheless, if you like what a semi permanent eyebrow tattoo looks like, you’ll probably be delighted with the real ones.

More Suggestions for Temporary eyebrow tattoos

Try false eyebrows from NU-BROW® to decide on a shape, or use an instant stick-on eyebrow stencil, then fill with a semi permanent eyebrow pencil, like the ones from Styli-Style {Styli-Style Brow Liner 24} or the Styli-Style Browtints, which are like markers.
There’s a great way to test whether you’ll like an eyebrow tattoo {or other permanent cosmetics} by asking your micropigmentation specialist about the Magic Styl’o semi-permanent pen that mimics the effects of an eyebrow, eyeliner or lip liner tattoo. The Magic Styl’o semi permanent makeup pen is sometimes used by cosmetic tattoo artists to draw temporary hair on the brows {and other areas} before doing the actual procedure and sometimes to create the initial outline. These temporary eyebrow tattoos {that can be expertly drawn-on by a professional} will last 24 hours or longer. Ask your technician if she has the semi permanent Magic Styl’o pens so you can give your brows, eyeliner or lip tatoo a trial run before making them permanent.

Eyebrow Tattoo Cost

Eyebrow tattoo cost is relatively affordable, especially since the alternative is eyebrow implants {eyebrow transplant surgery} which costs between 2 and 3 thousand dollars. Yet, even expert master micropigmentologist’s eyebrow tattoo price ranges around $400 to $800 per procedure. To get exact permanent makeup price quotes and see tattoo eyebrows pictures by experts in the industry, consult the list of professional permanent makeup experts in your area that can be found in the Professional Directory.

Eyebrow Tattoo Aftercare

Once the eyebrow tattooing procedure is complete, your permanent makeup cosmetician will apply something to sooth and protect the newly tattooed area. Tattoo care is important right from the start. The brow area has had a needle inserted into the skin hundreds of times and requires help to heal. It needs something to calm the swelling, ease the stinging, protect from infection, and moistures the skin. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize – that’s the key to eyebrow tattoo aftercare. You don’t want your new brows to scab-up and flake away.

Watch how beautiful the results can be in this video courtesy of one of Toronto’s top cosmetic eyebrow tattoo masters – Dorothy Kizoff.

Permanent Makeup Cosmetic Eyebrow Tattooing – Post Treatment & Unveiling:

Tattoo Care at Home

Don’t panic if your brows begin to itch and form scabs. Don’t pick the scabs. Don’t rub the area. Pat gently, splash with cool water, apply ice, sooth with aloe and fragrance-free lotion or use analgesic ointment to calm the itching. Its best not to wash the brow area {just splash with cool water} and don’t scrub them in the shower or take long hot baths for about a week.

Trouble with Brows

1. If your permanent make up tattoo appears too dark, don’t worry. Eyebrow tattoos often look darker than expected for a few weeks, but they usually fade.

2. If you’re unhappy with the shape, if there’s been a mistake or they don’t appear to be healing properly after 48 hours, call your micropigmentation specialist. She/he will explain what can be done to correct the shape, design or color after 4-6 weeks.

3. If everything isn’t perfect, don’t sulk. Make an appointment with your permanent makeup specialist and plan how to fix things. Most lightening procedures or minor corrections are best done as soon as possible.

Give Your Brows a Month

In most cases, brows will heal in a couple weeks but give them a month to fade a little and heal completely. Never have a procedure done anytime near a special event. Plan your cosmetic eyebrow tattoo procedure for the least eventful month.

Reasons For Permanent Cosmetic Tattooing

- Some women with eyesight problems forgo makeup because they can’t see what they’re doing. Other have shaky hands and find it difficult to apply eyeliner or use eyebrow pencils. For these ladies having eyeliner or eyebrows permanently tattooed makes life easier.

-Another reason women opt to have permanent facial tattooing is because of allergies to commercial cosmetic products.

- Women who’ve undergone chemotherapy or suffer from a hair loss illnesses find cosmetic tattooing an affordable alternative to expensive hair replacement surgery.

More Information

1. Browse a list of suggested permanent make up and cosmetic tattooing books that are available for sale through Amazon
2. See professional credentials, learn individual specialties and quickly find a qualified eyebrow tattoo expert in your area using EbT’s Professional Directory.

By about 3:00 AM, as he walked me to my flat, he asked if he could see me again. I replied that I was leaving for Seville in the morning and wouldn’t be back for some time, but that I was certainly wrong for him because I had tattoos. He stopped in his tracks and looked me in the eye. “Where?” he asked with disbelief.

“You’ve been looking at four of them all evening,” I said with a laugh.

He found it rather humorous to discover my only tattoos consisted of permanent make up, but I found it comforting to know that my choice to have cosmetic tattooing was not so obvious so as to scream FAKE at first glance. And the tattoo situation didn’t hinder me returning to Barcelona, falling love, and having a wonderful man chase me around the world until we finally married a year later in Hong Kong (where I had my eyeliner tattoo refreshed).

Me and my permanent eye make up

My husband has often commented on is the speed at which I can be ready to go out. He is a rather spontaneous man and many times in the past 3 years he has entered the house and announced, “You have 7 minutes to be gorgeous and ready to leave!” To date, I have been ready on time!

I know that there are risks in telling other women of how fabulous permanent eyebrow tattoos and eyeliner can be because it isn’t always true. I also know that many of the ladies who will read this are from western countries where the idea of permanent make-up is relatively new and still perhaps classified as faddish. Yet it’s not a new concept at all. It’s an ancient art that has been used by ladies of style and class, by courtesans and by princesses for centuries. In India it is such a common practice to have eyebrow tattoos and permanent eyeliner etched around eyes that there is a tattoo shop or ladies beauty parlor that offers permanent cosmetic tattooing every few blocks.

In China and Japan almost all the mature, elegant ladies have some form of cosmetic tattooing that is quite obvious (and not very natural) since the applications from 30 or 40 years ago were much more dramatic than what is stylish today. But young women also indulge in having an eyebrow tattoo or eyeliner or lip liners tattooed because the techniques used today can be subtle and naturally blend with hair and skin tones.

Permanent make up may not actually change your life, but it certainly can give a little more freedom to a woman who values being feminine without having to arrive fashionably late.

The color choice is bit trickier because cosmetic eyebrow tattooing pigments change over time and fade or alter based on your natural skin tones, your lifestyle, the sun, how you cleanse your skin and how many touch ups you had after the original procedure. Try to stay away from cleansing products and creams that contain alpha-hydroxy acid since they alter the color and sometimes make the tattoo fade faster.

Your color choices for eyebrow tattoos and liner include: henna, auburn, dark brown, black, grey, blue and bluish-purple (if you want permanent dramatic). Most fair skinned women select light brown or henna and this can be a mistake. Unless you are a redhead you want to neutralize the red tones with a little blue or black even if you are fair.

It’s better to have your eyeliner fade to grey than to a pinky-ginger tone and it’s better to have slightly darker brows than to have vibrant carroty color ones. Ask for the pigments to be blended and not used pure, unless you have black hair then go with pure black or red hair go with henna, otherwise BLEND!

It’s obvious you want to know all you can about the techniques involved, what the procedure will be like, will it be painful, what about health concerns, what clinic or tattoo shop will be best for you and the cost of such cosmetic tattoos. But one very effective way to know if eyebrow tattoos are for you is to look at eyebrow tattoo pictures, of what other women looked like before and how the tattoo changed their appearance for good or for bad.

Where to find Eyebrow Tattoo Pictures

There are many internet sites that offer eyebrow tattoo pictures, but even better is to make an appointment for a preliminary consultation with a cosmetic tattooing clinic or beauty salon in your area and look through the portfolio of actual clients. There you will be able to see what colors worked on women with your similar complexion and hair color.

You may also be able to see what to avoid in terms of brow shape and what not to do based on what others have done wrong.

Also you should look at tattooed brow pictures and eyebrows in general to find what you like and use as a model to show your aesthetician or tattoo professional. Many of the lovely natural looking brows of celebrities have been enhanced by permanent eyebrow tattooing, and there is no reason you shouldn’t look as good as the stars.

Cut out your favorite brows and place them on yourself and look in the mirror, or draw them on with your eyebrow pencil, and play with styles until you have the exact shape that suits you. You can’t expect a tattoo artist to give you perfect eyebrows if you don’t know what you want or what will suit you best.

Not just the Pretty ones

Don’t just look at the pretty tattoo eyebrows pictures that tout perfection, have a look at the horror story pictures also; not to scare yourself, but to know how the problems with cosmetic tattooing have arisen and to ask yourself if you are a good candidate for a cosmetic make-up procedure of this nature.

Ask yourself: how well do I heal when I get a cut? Do I bleed more than most people? Will any health condition I have be a contraindication for getting permanent eyebrow tattoos? How do I react to pain? How important is looking good versus the possible side effects I might experience?

Go Ahead and Get those Eyebrows Tattooed

If after looking at before and after pictures and doing your research you decide to go ahead and have your brows tattooed, then ask yourself one final question: When is the best day to have it done? Remember it will take several weeks for the tattooed area to heal.

When you’re all healed, don’t forget to get someone to snap a picture of your new brows to give to your eyebrow tattoo shop or clinic so they will have a record to pass on to other women that shows what eyebrow tattooing is all about!

Let’s assume that you have researched eyebrow tattoos and you know it’s the right choice for you because you have sparse eyebrow hair, and what is visible is fine or blonde, or perhaps you are recovering from an illness that caused hair loss and you simply wish for a natural looking permanent eyebrow tattoo to feel whole again. You have decided that the benefits outweigh the potential risks and you just need to know where is the best place to go for tattoo eyebrows that will enhance your look.

First you can check out plastic surgery clinics in your area and ask if they offer cosmetic tattooing. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that the procedure can be performed in hygienic clinical conditions that will set your mind more at ease. Just make sure that they offer a selection of colors and high quality pigments and will take the time to design your brow the way you want it.

Second, go to your favorite hair salon or aesthetician and ask for them to recommend an aesthetic permanent make up artist in your area. Most hair care professionals and regular makeup artists are familiar with who does eyebrow tattoos for the best price and with the most care. There are also highly qualified tattoo artist and permanent make up specialists who work from home and have better prices than the clinics or beauty salons and offer personalized appointments.

Your ideal eyebrow tattoo shop, clinic or beauty salon selection should be based on where you feel most comfortable having the procedure done. Here are 10 things to consider when choosing where to go:

1. Sanitary conditions and a comfortable atmosphere
2. A pre tattoo consultation, free of charge, to discuss your personal needs
3. A stenciled outline of what your brow will look like, and a session to do some trials with a pencil
4. A wide range of colors (that can be mixed) to match your natural tones
5. A semi-permanent tattoo option to test if you want them to become permanent
6. A large portfolio of clients with eyebrow tattoo pictures of before and after the procedure. Beware if all the pictures are perfect and everyone claims to have healed without incident. It must be an honest portfolio of real clients and the way they have healed well or not and the shapes that worked and the ones that did not. No clinic or aesthetician should show you only the good eyebrow tattoo pictures. You need to know what hasn’t worked to be well informed and avoid the same mistakes.
7. A straightforward list of the risks and benefits you can hope to achieve with cosmetic tattooing. Remember it won’t change the shape of your face or your eyes, it will only aid in framing the face and accentuating your eyes. Be realistic and seek a professional who is honest about what you can expect.
8. Unlimited post tattooing consultations for at least one month after the initial procedure. You may need to call to ask questions when you wake up and your brows are crusty and itchy. You may not know if this normal, (which it is) but it’s nice to have someone to call. You should also be able to return within a week or two to have someone take at look at the healing process and see if you will need touch ups. This is a good time to make follow up appointments so you don’t get discouraged if a crust has fallen off and there are small gaps in color. (This is normal so don’t panic!)
9. Retouching of the brow area (for a period of about 2 months after initial procedure) or until the brow is how you want it. This service should be free of charge, included in the initial price or charged at a very low, nominal rate. Most reputable shops offer post eyebrow retouches, for a reasonable time after the initial surgery or procedure, for free.
10. You may need to choose a more clinical environment instead of a funky eyebrow tattoo shop if you need medication prescribed, such as an antibiotic. If you know that you are a slow healer, have heart problems, are diabetic or have other health concerns you should have the procedure done at a clinic where there are surgeons and nurses to attend to you. I have a prolapsed mitral valve heart condition so I must take antibiotics prior to the procedure to avoid infection. That is why I have almost always gone to a clinic for my cosmetic tattooing.

If you are searching for a tattoo shop near you and are using the internet here are some phrases you might want to keep in mind: permanent make up, cosmetic tattooing, cosmetic surgery, eyebrow tattoo, permanent eyebrow tattoo, semi-permanent eyebrow tattoo and plastic surgery clinics.

Simply put, eyebrow tattoo removal is done in laser clinics that specialize in removing facial tattoos.

What’s involved in laser Tattoo Removal and how do I get started?

First, the clinic should run tests on what kind of pigment or ink was used before they even begin any kind of treatment. They spend a great deal of time (at least an hour or more), at the initial consultation determining how to best correct the situation and if you are even a candidate for the procedure or not. Laser tattoo removal is not for everyone.

The factors they take into consideration are your health history and the tattoo itself. It is evaluated and determined weather it is removable or not. It is not possible to do this evaluation by telephone or online. It must be done in person. You must also be at least 18 years of age, which I find a little strange because often I have read about girls who have their brows tattooed at age 15 or 16 and are not happy because they are too dark for their complexion at such a young age. However, you may not have them removed until you are 18. The fee for the initial consultation varies from clinic to clinic, but is not a free service because each case must be evaluated individually by a specialist.

So the price is usually about $50 and goes toward the cost of the removal treatment should you proceed. If you do not have the laser tattoo removal surgery the consultation fee is usually not refunded.

According to some patients who have had laser tattoo removal, some say all the ink or pigment was removed while others say the surgery only took away about 80% and the rest faded faster than normal over a period of time. If your eyebrow tattoo was of black ink it is the easiest to remove.

How does laser surgery remove the tattoo?

Laser surgery for removing eyebrow tattoos has come a long way from the days of dermabrasion, salibrasion and C02 lasers that often left scares or noticeably lightened the skin where the tattoos had previously been. Modern clinics will probably use Q-switched lasers, a laser procedure in which a beam of light is applied to the skin and absorbs natural melanin and tattoo pigments. Each treatment lasts about 30 minutes.

It is claimed that the chances of scarring is less then 5% using this laser tattoo removal system and even better if you carefully the doctor’s follow-up care instructions which will include things like how to keep the area clean and dry and out of the sun. The area where the tattoo has been removed should not be scrubbed and you should be provided with a kit, ointment and bandages, to take home and care for yourself.

Tattoo Removal Cost

There are many different prices but the range is from $250 to $900 per laser treatment. Remember that it may require several treatments (up to 10) to successfully remove a tattoo. Some clinics offer discounts if you buy packages of treatments in groups of half a dozen or more.

Will it hurt?

Yes, a little, somewhat like the snapping of a rubber band, but you will receive a topical anesthetic to numb the region. Most clinics promise to make you comfortable and give you as little pain as possible; some say you will feel nothing at all.

Side Effects?

There are normal side effects after a tattoo laser removal surgery such as blistering and crusting. Redness and crusting is normal for a week to two weeks after the treatments. That is why there is a long interval between treatments.

If it is only implanted in the top layer it is considered semi-permanent, if it goes into the second layer it is permanent just like any other type of tattoo. This procedure must be done by a qualified and reputable technician and under hygienic conditions. Since it is a tattoo on your face, in a most delicate area, it can be painful, and requires a local or topical anesthetic to be applied or administered.

Why have your eyebrows tattooed?

The wonderful thing about eyebrow tattooing is that it can correct flawed eyebrows, shape brows that are not to your liking, make absent or hairless brow areas appear to have hair, and accentuate the eyes and face, and with little effort an eyebrow tattoo puts an end to having to draw on eyebrows each day. It’s also possible to sleep and work and swim and awaken or come out of the water with perfect eyebrows.

Reasons not to get eyebrow tattoos

Some concerns about the cosmetic tattooing or permanent make up procedures is that it is relatively expensive, it may not turn out exactly as you hoped and the color fades over time requiring eyebrow tattoos to be retouched every few years. You can develop infection, though very rare, and may have scares if you do not go to a good technician or doctor.

You may end up with a shape that is unnatural or a color that is so dark you can’t hide them with makeup. You simply may not like your new brows and the only way to wipe them off is with laser surgery. Although most women, about 70% who have had the procedure, are very happy with the results, you must consider that 30% of them were not happy at all.

Additional Eyebrow Tattoo Considerations

When selecting a cosmetician, aesthetician, doctor, nurse or artist to do your delicate eyebrow tattoos consider if they will have the expertise to make your brow look natural by using a feathering technique and the correct color pigments that will match your own hair and skin tones.

It is important for you to understand the eyebrow tattoo procedure. It is not a quick eyebrow fix for a special occasion. It will take weeks for your brows to heal and for you to have the necessary touchups until they are exactly as you want them. They may fade and/or be too dark or too thick or too thin and may need to be fixed over a period of a month or two.

So do not plan on having your brows tattooed a week before summer vacation because you want to go swimming and not worry about make-up. And do not do it just before an important meeting or an event like your wedding.

It is important for you to select your technician or beauty specialist or doctor with care because the affects of permanent eyebrow tattoos are exactly that – permanent!

Here some of considerations before getting a permanent eyebrow tattoo.

1. To state the obvious, eyebrows are made of hair and tattoos are ink or pigment. If you have no natural hair at all, the results will be somewhat false no matter how well the eyebrow tattoo is done. You may consider this better than having no brows at all and that will be your decision. For the ladies who have hair but the shape is wrong or the color is too light, or there are bare patches, consider that you are filling in empty spaces with ink and not hair and therefore up close the difference likely will be visible. Once again, remember hair cannot be replaced by pigment no matter how good the color. If you don’t like what an eyebrow pencil does to your brow, you won’t like eyebrow tattooing results either.
2. It’s a tattoo! Tattoos are ink or pigment injected into your skin. It is permanent coloration. The only way to change your brow after cosmetic tattooing is with very expensive laser surgery. If you are unsure, or if your natural brows are not too bad when plucked nicely and cared for with a little tinting, you might want to try a semi-permanent tattoo before going all the way to a permanent eyebrow tattoo.
3. It may not be very frequent but it does happen. Eyebrow tattoos have been known to heal poorly, get infected, damage the hair follicles in the region and leave scarring that cannot be corrected except by surgery. Although healthy women who normally heal well usually have no problems with tattoo eyebrows, if you have diabetes, bleed easily, have herpes simplex or any immune system problems or healing problems at all, getting eyebrow tattoos is not recommended.
4. Keep in mind that although the inks and pigments used for micropigmentation are regulated as if they were cosmetics or food dyes, there is nothing to control the actual tattoo industry and therefore there is no standard other than the one that you research and find to be up to YOUR standard. If you do not know what the standard should be you may not get what you’re hoping to find. Do some research and talk to the professionals in your area. The best advice will come from those who have had a permanent eyebrow tattoo done or are in that line of work.
   Take it slow and don’t rush into having eyebrow tattoos!