Permanent Makeup: Beauty or Tattoo Shop?

When I trained permanent makeup, I learned that it was technically micro-pigmentation. To sum it up, this means that pigments are deposited into the skin. Naturally, as a tattoo lover, I thought that this should be carried out in a tattoo shop. And that's exactly where I set up shop... as a matter of speaking.

Over time, I've had many clients comment on the fact that they weren't expecting to go to a tattoo shop. And that although they loved the results and told me that they had a great experience, that they thought that this is something that could hurt my business. So it made me think. Why would a procedure that's done exactly the same way as a tattoo not be really accepted in a tattoo shop?

There's a few reasons why I think it belongs in a tattoo shop over a beauty salon.

1. Safety
Firstly, and most importantly is safety. It's probably not something that comes to mind right away when you're thinking about getting some amazing eyebrows, but tattoos and permanent makeup have something very important in common. No, it's not ink- it's blood. When the ink or pigment is inserted into the skin, you will have blood. And dealing with blood can dangerous. Tattoo shop staff are highly trained in how to deal with blood and cross contamination. They specialise in hygiene and have the highest standards when it comes to reducing the risks of any sort of infection. Your (and our) safety is a priority.

2. Hygiene Training
In order to provide permanent makeup and microblading services, you must have a special treatments license. Every council requires different criteria to meet the requirements. This includes vaccinations against things like hepatitis and have undergone training in not only blood borne pathogens (not spreading disease and viruses kind of stuff) , but also things like first aid and how to use chemicals that will eliminate viruses and bacteria from surfaces. The great part about working in a tattoo shop is that everyone has this training- not just the person doing your eyebrows.

3. Creativity
Besides the fact that tattoo shops are experts in hygiene, tattooists are creative. Art is their trade. I truly believe that permanent makeup is also an art. Just because it's not traditional art, it requires a creative eye and a vision of what you'd like the final look to be like. This is a place that specialises in micro -pigmentation.

4. Standards
Just because we use permanent inks on tattoos doesn't mean that's what you'll get on your face. Permanent makeup is still done the way that it's done in a beauty salon. The techniques are the same, if not better in a tattoo shop. If you think about it, we are constantly watching each other work and so it's almost like additional training on a daily basis.

The pigments are the same as a beauty salon, except that we will most certainly buy the best we can get. Again, this is something that we pride ourselves on. This is our speciality.

The same goes for our tools. We spend the extra money so we do the job to the best of our ability. I've heard of beauty salons buying tools and pigments from Amazon... how do they know it's been sterilised properly? Or that the pigments aren't fake?

When I first started doing permanent makeup, I looked into doing Groupon to build my portfolio. And to make a long story short, the deal that they wanted me to provide ended up with me being out of pocket. The only way that I could've made money (even just a little) was to buy cheaper supplies. Which meant compromising quality. And that was something that I was not prepared to do.

5. Atmosphere
One of the biggest reasons why I decided to work in a tattoo shop is because I feel as though when I walk into a beauty salon, that people are secretly judging me. It may be the fact that I'm 6 ft tall, have purple hair and I'm covered in tattoos, but even before this, I was just never comfortable in them. I always kind of felt out of place. I never followed the latest beauty trends and I never wanted a main stream hair cut (or colour for that matter). Hell, I've only done my nails three times in my life!

When I tell this to people, I sometimes get the reaction from people with no tattoos(or a few little ones) that they would feel the same in a tattoo shop. I think that one of the reasons for this is because there is stereotypical image of what tattoo shops look like. It usually involves a big tattooed dude with a beard, heavy metal music playing in the back round and a couple of motorcycles parked outside.

When I show them our shop, they can't believe how much fun and relaxed it is! There are motorcycles are parked outside- but they belong to Edyta (the owner) and myself! The two girls are on the bikes! We play a wide range of music too. Stuff from the 50s & 60s to jazz to motown and rock and roll. And the staff are the friendliest bunch of people you'll get in one room (no big burly tattooed dudes).

All of the nervous clients I've had about coming to a tattoo shop told me how the experience changed their views on permanent makeup and tattoo shops. Some of them even ended up staying for a tattoo or a piercing!

So I guess the question is, why is it so out of the ordinary that people don't think that permanent makeup is a style of tattooing?