Thinking of getting an eyeliner tattoo? Permanently applied make-up? Maybe you hate applying your eyeliner daily, or you aren’t able to apply it as precisely as you’d like, or maybe you just hate the constant struggle of trying to achieve the perfect cat eye. Whatever your reasons, you may find a solution in permanent eyeliner tattoo.

First of all, it’s important to note that permanent eyeliner isn’t really permanent (more on that later). It’s just the term that the industry uses, and is more accurately semi-permanent. It’s considered permanent because the pigment will remain in the skin forever, but the longevity of the color and its visibility will eventually fade.

Permanent makeup is sometimes also referred to as tattooed makeup because the process is similar to getting a regular body art tattoo: A needle is used to deposit ink into the skin. The process isn’t the same as getting a tattoo because “the pigment is deposited only into the first layers of the skin.” The ink used for regular body tattoos is formulated differently and “goes much deeper”. Body art inks are permanent, and cosmetic inks are semi-permanent. Cosmetic inks have less of of a metal base in them, metal being the component that makes it permanently adhere.

Aside from the difference in inks and techniques, the preparation for permanent or semi-permanent makeup application is basically just like any other tattoo. As such, it carries the same risks and contraindications that would apply to a regular body tattoo.

As a precaution, we ask clients to stop taking any blood thinners for three days prior, even things like aspirin, Advil, fish oils, certain vitamins, to minimize any potential bleeding, which normally doesn’t happen.

If you’re looking to have any Botox or other injections in the eye area, you should definitely get that done before having the eyeliner applied. You should also make sure you’re fully healed at least two weeks before you’re scheduled to have your liner applied.

And if you’re pregnant or nursing, or have diabetes or other serious illnesses that affect your immune system and ability to heal, you may not be an ideal candidate.

If you’re already taking medication, it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor about it before you go ahead with your permanent or semi-permanent makeup application. For instance, if you’re using Accutane (or other retinoids), you need to be off the medication for six months before you can have permanent or semi-permanent makeup applied. (Accutane, the brand name for isotretinoin, has been thought to interfere with wound healing, though it may not always be the case.)

Remove them at least one or two days (or up to a week, to be extra safe) before you have the cosmetic ink applied. If the extensions are removed too close to the appointment, there may be glue left behind on the lash line, which could interfere with the ink. Lash extensions can be reapplied once the liner has healed.

If you wear contacts, you need to take them out before the procedure. You should also be prepared not to wear them for a few days after, your eyes may be a little swollen or tender following the application.

There are generally two permanent eyeliner styles.

First is the tightline, which involves adding the pigment between the layers of your eyelashes to darken your lash line, leaving you with a subtle lash enhancement. This option is “a lot thinner]than an eyeliner, and it’s considered very natural-looking. Then there’s eyeliner, which is “a step above” the tightline. For the eyeliner application, the pigment is actually applied above the lash line and it’s drawn almost as if you were to put a liquid eyeliner on. It’s suited for people who wear that look on a daily basis and they want to stop having to do it.

Our technician will work with the client and take into account their facial features to determine what size and shape the eyeliner should be.

It depends on how thick the client wants it. If they want traditional eyeliner, it can be done in one hour, including numbing and pre-drawing, but if they want a wing or cat eye, it will take longer.

Our clients can expect to be with us for about two hours, including for the numbing process, which takes about 30 minutes. For a stronger eyeliner line, it could take two and a half to three hours, we get our clients involved in the design to make sure the final product will be exactly what they want.

A numbing cream is applied to the area prior to the actual procedure. Once the effects of the cream kick in, the whole process should theoretically be pretty painless.

However, everyone has a different pain tolerance, which means some people might find the procedure to be only minimally uncomfortable, while others may find it to be very painful (even with a numbing cream).

Once you get your eyeliner applied, there’s really no down time. You can leave and go about your daily tasks and even drive yourself home. The one thing you can’t do is wear makeup, especially mascara. We advised against going to saunas or pools as well. You may experience some scabbing as your liner heals, but it will likely be minimal. If you do have scabbing, do not pick it off.

You just notice little black flakes fall out of your eyelashes over the course of a couple days. A tightline application should generally heal within three to seven days, but a thicker eyeliner application may take seven to 10 days.

You should definitely avoid touching or rubbing your eyes while they heal, so you don’t spread any germs or bacteria around the area.

The “tattooed” eyeliner typically lasts about a year, it could last two or three years. However, the pigment will eventually fade.

If you eventually decide you don’t want the eyeliner, it’s possible for it to completely fade in one to three years. Everyone’s skin holds the pigment differently, so it’s tough to say how long it will take for the liner to become invisible.

source https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-to-know-tattooed-eyeliner_n_5b1fcc00e4b0adfb826ded37