Looking after your new permanent makeup is one of the most important parts of the process.  If you don't look after your treatment properly you have a higher chance of losing more pigment and shape.  Each treatment has different instructions and is VITAL to follow in order to maintain optimal pigment and shape.

Eyebrows

Your new eyebrows will be around 40-50% darker than normal for at least 2 weeks and this is completely normal.  You might need to use a healing cream over the course of a week and I recommend Hustle Butter.  It is 100% vegan, does not contain petroleum,  preserves the pigment, and helps you heal.  It also smells amazing.  Do not put any makeup in your brows for at least 10 days while they're healing.  After your brows have healed, you will need to wear SPF protection in your brows so the pigment does not fade.

Aftercare during the first 3 days for your new brows are crucial in order to reduce scabbing and retain pigment as well as shape.

After your procedure, ensure you dab your new brows with a lint-free tissue every few minutes for the rest of the day or until any oozing has stopped.  This is to ensure that any Lymph is absorbed and prevent it from hardening.

Wash your brows with a mild anti-bacterial soap VERY GENTLY morning and night.  Wash your hands and get a few damp cotton pads and gently wipe over your brows.  Using your fingers, apply a very small amount of anti-bacterial soap and lightly sweep over your brows.  Use more damp cotton pads to wipe away all traces of soap.  Do NOT use any cleansing products that contain any acids (glycolic, lactic, or AHA), or any exfoliants.  

Gently pat dry your brows with a lint-free tissue

If you have been recommended to use Hustle Butter, then you will need to apply it after cleansing with a  cotton swab.
Use a rice-grain size amount for both brows (half the size for each brow).  The cream should be barely noticeable on the skin and if there's any excess, dab off with a lint-free tissue.  Applying too much cream could result in suffocating your skin and delay healing.  After the first 3 days, continue to moisturise with the cream morning and night.

If you take showers rather than baths, ensure the room is well ventilated and limit your shower to 5 minutes.  This is to ensure there is not too much steam or heat.  If you need to wash your hair, this should be done in the bath.

Avoid excessive rinsing and heat in the treated area.

After your scabs have fallen off, you will need to protect the pigment from fading by using an SPF 50 in your brows every day.

Additional Reminders and information

• Avoid sleeping on your face for the first 10 days
• Use a fresh pillowcase
• Keep fringe away from your forehead to help prevent infection or creating any excess oil.
• Avoid any exercise that causes you to get hot or sweat
• Avoid any swimming, hot tubs, jacuzzi's, sauna's, and steamy showers for the first 10 days
• Avoid any sweating or overheating for the first 10 days
• Avoid any topical makeup and sunscreen for the first 10 days.  Wear a hat when outdoors.
• Avoid direct sun exposure or tanning for 4 weeks after procedure.  Wear a hat when outdoors.
• Let any scabbing or dry skin naturally exfoliate away. Picking can cause scarring or loss of pigment.
• DO NOT rub, pick or scratch the treated area.
• Do not wax, tint, or thread your brows while they are healing
• No facials, botox, chemical treatments or microdermabrasion for 4 weeks

The body's natural defences will form a scab to act as a barrier against infection while the area is healing.  After a few days, the scab will come away.  DO NOT pick at the scab as this will result in pigment loss or even scarring.

You may experience a small amount of redness, inflammation or swelling after the treatment. This will subside within a few days of your procedure.  Slight itching or sensitivity is normal but if you experience burning, throbbing, increasing redness or there is a yellow, cloudy discharge with an unpleasant smell, contact me immediately and seek medical advice. 

It is normal in the first couple of days for the colour to appear very dark,  It will then appear much lighter or you may not be able to see the colour at all.  The colour will reappear within four weeks.

If your colour maintains the darkness after 2 or 3 weeks, please let me know as this could be the result of hyper-pigmentation.

Eyeliner

The aftercare for eyeliner is completely different.  Your eyes will appear slightly puffy and red, with possible minimal bruising for first 24 hours. Allow area to DRY HEAL.  There will be a little swelling, but you can apply a cold compress to reduce this.  DO NOT apply a frozen cold compress like ice, it must be refrigerator temperature.  I like to use damp cotton pads that I placed in the fridge the night before.  

• DO NOT touch or apply make up on procedure area until scabbing has come off completely, as this will cause infection.
• Avoid anything that causes excessive sweating, including workouts, saunas, steam room.
• Avoid sun beds and sun until area is completely healed, then protect with SPF 50 sunblock at all times.
• Keep hair away from area.
• Keep hairspray and perfumes away from area.
• DO NOT pick, peel or scratch scab that forms on the area.
• Avoid smoking until area is completely healed
• Avoid alcohol after the procedure.
• It is normal for the colour to appear darker over the first couple of days, they will fade as the scabbing comes off,  they will look patchy, the colour will sneak back between 4-6 weeks, and finally it will be time for your top up.
• Colour will fade by 20-50% during the healing process and will not be fully healed before 4-6 weeks.

Lips

• After a lip procedure, your lips WILL be swollen and sore for first couple of days.
• Avoid hot drinks for first 24 hours and, if possible, drink through a straw.
• Avoid salty and spicy foods for first few days.
• KEEP LIPS LUBRICATED with aftercare cream. DO NOT let them dry out.  The more they are lubricated, the less they will peel.  I recommend applying the aftercare cream every 30 minutes for the first 3 days.
• DO NOT touch or apply make up on procedure area until scabbing has come off completely, as this will cause infection.
• Avoid anything that causes excessive sweating, including workouts, saunas, steam room.
• Avoid sun beds and sun until area is completely healed, then protect with SPF 50 sunblock at all times.
• Keep hair away from area.
• Keep hairspray and perfumes away from area.
• DO NOT pick, peel or scratch scab that forms on the area.
• Avoid smoking until area is completely healed
• Avoid alcohol after the procedure.
• It is normal for the colour to appear darker over the first couple of days, they will fade as the scabbing comes off,  they will look patchy, the colour will sneak back between 4-6 weeks, and finally it will be time for your top up.
• Colour will fade by 20-50% during the healing process and will not be fully healed before 4-6 weeks.

When the irritation subsides, will I see the final colour?

You may actually find that some of your lines don't appear at all.  Once the healing process is underway, and the scabs have shed, new skin cells will veil the colour so that it appears lighter than anticipated.  The true colours will be visible after approximately 4-6 weeks.

When will the scabs leave?

Most scabs shed within the first week, but some stubborn ones can take longer (up to 2 weeks).  Everyone's healing process is a little different.  It is important to remember not to interfere (pick) the scabs - no matter how bad they look.  If the scab is removed prematurely it will also remove some pigment.

How should I treat my tattoo now that it has healed?

You will need to use sun block in order to protect the implanted pigment from premature discolouration due to sun exposure.  Pigment will change colour with direct exposure to sunlight and this will result in premature fading or discolouration.
It is important to put moisturiser in the treated area in order to keep the colour vivid, prevent dehydration, and skin peeling as this will reduce the life span of your tattoo or may cause premature ageing of your tattoo with colour changes.

Are there any products that I should avoid using?

Do not use bleaching creams, chemicals or other exfoliating products containing retinol, fruit acids or other exfoliating and whitening substances as they will adversely affect the colour and could result in premature ageing of your procedure appearance.

When can I have an infill treatment?

We will discuss your colour maintenance programme following your initial procedure.  We will schedule a top up appointment 4-6 weeks after your initial treatment.

How long will my tattoo last?

Each individual is unique and for this reason cannot guarantee or predict the exact duration of the tattoo.  It depends on 3 factors: how oily your skin is, how large your pores are on the treatment area and whether the correct aftercare has been followed.  Generally speaking it could last anywhere from 6 months to 3 years.

When should I renew my tattoo?

When the overall picture of your tattoo is not as visible but instead the image begins to blur looking like it's shaded.  If you would like to refresh it, you must book your annual refresher before the contours and shape completely disappear.  After this time, it will be considered a new tattoo because I will have to do all of the measurements and shaping from the beginning.