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.

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.