Cosmetic tattooing is known by a wide variety of names including permanent makeup, semi-permanent makeup, and micro-pigmentation; however, these all refer to the same thing – pigment being applied to the dermis layer of the skin to enhance your natural appearance.

The procedure is used to help define facial features, most commonly, eyes, eyebrows, and lips, and create a natural appearance that remains always looking like subtle enhancements or perfectly applied makeup.

Cosmetic tattoos, though a more permanent option than standard makeup, do fade over time for a variety of reasons, including lifestyle factors, skin types and conditions, as well as the process itself has been designed to do so over time.

It is a highly common practice in Australia and all over the world with many people experiencing the many benefits of cosmetic tattoos.

How long a cosmetic tattoo lasts is dependent on a variety of things including:

• The area being tattooed
• Skin condition
• Skin tones
• Pigment used
• Age of the person being tattooed
• Lifestyle choices
• How well you follow recovery instruction

Over time, colours will fade due to the above factors, however, tattoos can last anywhere from 18 months to 3 years, with clients generally requiring a touch up every 1-2 years.

Many areas of the face and body can be cosmetically tattooed.  Some of the common cosmetic tattoos people have include:

Lips:

Cosmetic lip tattooing is a procedure that helps to enhance and define lip shape and colour.  Tattooing your lips can also create a fuller and more youthful appearance, as our lips tend to become thin and even lose pigmentation as we age. The styles in which lips can be tattooed vary, from lip liners to lip blushing, or even a full cosmetic lipstick look. Your cosmetic tattoo specialist will be able to work closely with you to decide which style will work best for you.

Eyeliner:

Cosmetic eyeliner tattoos are commonly used to enhance the colour, shape and size of your eyes.  It is a popular choice for people with lighter coloured eyelashes, to enhance their lash line.  It is often completed to either help enhance and define the eye subtlety, or used as permanent eye makeup, saving you time and money in your makeup routine. You can choose to have your top and/or bottom lash line tattooed.

Eyebrows:

Cosmetic eyebrow tattoos are a common procedure whereby your natural brow shape is enhanced and with semi-permanent coloured pigment.  What makes the eyebrows a common choice to be cosmetically tattooed is that they frame and create symmetry for the face.  People choose to have their eyebrows tattooed for a variety of reasons, including:

• No hair or hair loss in the area (which could be due to alopecia)
• Over plucked eyebrows
• Light hair
• Sparse hair
• Gaps
• Uneven eyebrows
• To cover scars affecting hair growth

Eyebrow tattooing can be performed using a wide variety of techniques.

Freckles:

Cosmetic freckle tattoos are a popular choice for adding a little character to your face. The cosmetic tattoo procedure can help you achieve soft and natural looking freckles without exposure to the sun. Available in a wide variety of pigments, cosmetic freckles are usually applied to the face, and can be used to enhance facial features.

Scalp pigmentation:

This is a cosmetic tattoo procedure that involves replicating the look of a closely shaved head.  Often used to restore receded hairlines, it can also be used in instances of complete hair loss, medical loss of hair (alopecia), or to camouflage scarring. It involves the depositing of pigment into the scalp with microneedles and is similar to other cosmetic tattooing procedures in the way it is performed and how long it lasts.

There are many reasons people decide to get cosmetic tattoos – from wanting to save time and money to fixing something that has annoyed them for a long time. Some of the common reasons people decide to get permanent makeup include:

• Helps to streamline your daily routine
• The accuracy of makeup is consistent
• Allows you to spend less money on makeup in the long-run
• Helps you avoid annoying inconveniences with your makeup, such as bleeding lipstick, or smudged eyeliner.
• Helps to correct asymmetrical facial features
• Redefine facial features and reduce the appearance of scars after accidents
• Provides an alternative make up option for people who are allergic or sensitive to make up
• Look your best at all times
• An alternative solution for people who have experienced hair loss, thinning hair or suffer from alopecia
• Impaired or loss of vision affects their ability to put on make-up
• Physical and medical issues prevent their ability to apply makeup, such as arthritis, shaky hands, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease

The recovery period from a cosmetic tattoo procedure varies depending on the area and tattoo type. As a general rule of thumb, it can take up to 4 weeks for the area to completely heal after a procedure. Other factors will influence the recovery period such as age & your general health.

In most instances, for the first week after your procedure, the tattoo will appear darker than it will be once it has healed. This is completely normal.

Your cosmetic tattoo specialist will be able to provide you with detailed aftercare instructions to ensure that your new tattoo is properly looked after.

Cosmetic tattoos are different to standard tattoos in a number of ways.

To start, the method used for the tattooing procedures differs significantly. Normal tattoos are usually applied with a tattoo gun, and needles that are designed to create a vacuum to pull the ink into the pierced skin. A cosmetic tattoo uses a much finer needle in a machine that looks similar to a pen. This allows for greater accuracy and helps to reduce pain for the sensitive skin of the face and around the eyes.

The ink or pigment used in the tattoo process is another way in which standard tattoos and cosmetic tattoos differ. In standard tattoos, ink is used to create the tattoo, with inks usually being bolder and brighter in colour. The aim of a cosmetic tattoo is usually to enhance a natural feature, and softer colours are applied, so a pigment is used rather than ink. The pigments used in cosmetic tattooing is highly regulated and is actually degradable, which means that your body pushes and digests the pigment out over time, which causes it to fade.

The longevity of a cosmetic tattoo and a standard tattoo is also vastly different, and this is partially because of the ink and pigment used in the procedure – with tattoo ink being made to be longer lasting. This difference in how long they last are also based on the layer of skin the ink and pigment is applied to, with cosmetic tattoos being applied to the dermal (second) layer of skin, and standard tattoos being applied to the subcutaneous (third) layer of skin.

The process of cosmetic tattooing is somewhat of an art form that takes time and careful planning.

During your initial consultation, you will discuss with the cosmetic tattooist the look you are going for, and they will offer advice on colours, angles, sizes etc. Your aesthetician may replicate the tattoo design in makeup so you have an idea of how your cosmetic tattoo will look.

A patch test is usually performed during the consultation to check for allergies and reactions. The patch test can also help finalise pigment colour options as you will be able to see how the pigments react to your skin tone and type.

The consultation is a great time for you to have any of your questions answered, so make sure you ask them!

There are many different cosmetic tattooing techniques, methods and styles, each of which can provide different results.  We’ve broken down some of the common cosmetic tattoo techniques by the area the technique is performed on.

Lips:

Contourless / Lip Blush / Lip Blend:

This technique is a natural approach that works to enhance your lip colouring with a light pixel technique.  Almost undetectable, the tattoo creates a greater definition of the lips, as well as the appearance of fuller lips. In most instances, the colours used in this technique are close to your natural lip colour, however, you can opt for a soft colour of your choice. This is also a popular option for people whose lips may have a slightly uneven colouring or balancing.

Full Lip / Lip Fill / Full Coverage:

This technique involves blending the entire pigment colour of choice over the full lip.  There is usually no graduation of colour, however, you will be left with a bolder and fuller-looking lip.  This technique is particularly popular for reconstructive purposes, able to help define a natural lip shape and correct any asymmetry. Usually, the colours used in this technique are closer to your natural colouring, and it can remove the need to wear full-coverage lipstick.

Lipstick Look:

Similar in style to the full lip technique we mentioned above, a lipstick look involves a full lip coverage with a more saturated colour than a standard full lip tattoo.  This is a popular option for those who have a signature style and wear lipstick every day.

Ombre Lips / Lip Blend:

This style of lip tattooing is often used by people who are looking to reconstruct and/or define the shape of their lips and create the appearance of fuller lips. It involves using usually two shades of coloured pigment, where the darker shade is used to define the lip line and blended towards the inner lips, where it fades into the lighter colour. The colours used in this technique are usually very similar to your natural lip colour.

Lip Line and Blend:

This technique is similar to the lip blush/blend technique earlier, however, when combined with the lip line, it is usually used to altering the natural lip line to create the desired lip shape. The new lip line colouring is blended towards your natural lips to create the appearance of natural lips.

Lip Line:

This technique involves following the natural shape of your lips to help define the border and shape of your lips.  This can be a great option for people who have experience pigment loss around the edge of their lips.

Eyeliner:

Lash Line Enhancement:

Used to enhance your eyes and natural lashes, this style can add create a subtle definition and barely-there makeup look. Tiny dots are implanted/tattoos between the lashes to create the appearance of a full lash line. This style is suitable for those who don’t wear much makeup but would still like greater definition around their eyes.  It’s also a great option for people with light or minimal lashes. This can be performed on the top and/or bottom eyelashes.

Cosmetic / Winged / Designer / Makeup Eyeliner:

You can enhance your natural eye shape and colour, with cosmetic eyeliner tattoos. This style of cosmetic tattooing is usually chosen to replace the need for applying makeup.  You can avoid the hassle of applying the eyeliner yourself each day, as well as worrying about smudging it – this is a smudge and waterproof option!

This technique usually involves tattooing the lash line which helps to enhance your natural lash line, and then the eyeliner shape above this to create more depth and shape. You can choose a soft natural looking eyeliner design or go bold with a winged style, whatever your choice, you can work closely with your cosmetic tattooist to find the right shape, style and colour to suit your eyes.

This style of eyeliner tattoo is also suitable for both the top and bottom eyelids.

Eyebrows:

Microblading /Feathering / Feather Touch / Hairstrokes:

This style of tattoo enhances your eyebrows by creating fine strokes where the pigment is deposited to create a hair-like appearance.  This process is manual but provides a natural-looking result that replicates the appearance of hair. This technique is particularly popular for people who have good hair coverage and want to fill in some gaps.  It also works well for people who need to create a full eyebrow when little to no hair is present.

3D / Feather Touch Nano Brows:

Similar in style and technique to microblading, nano brows are created using a smaller, sharp blade that mimics the shape and size of real hair. This smaller blade allows for more feather strokes to be created, which provides a greater density in the brows. This creates a somewhat 3D effect which is why it is sometimes referred to as 3D brows.

Powder Brows:

This technique involves the application of tiny little dots into the skin with the use of a digital tattoo machine.  It is a gradual process that allows you to build up the desired colour and shape for the brows. This is also a full coverage option, that can create a bolder eyebrow.

Ombre Brows:

Ombre brows use the same technique as powder brows, where thousands of tiny pigment dots are applied to the skin with a digital tattoo machine. This technique differs in that the brows are softer and lighter towards the fronts near the bridge of the nose while being more defined through the tails.

Mist Brows:

Like ombre and powdered tattoos, the mist brow uses the same technique, where a digital tattoo machine applies pigment to the skin in tiny dots, where you can gradually build up the colour and concentration to the desired effect. Where mist brows differ is it is only a light dusting of colour, adding a soft shadow effect under the brows.

Combination Brows:

This style combines both the machine and manual feathering techniques.  It is great for adding fullness and texture to the brows. It can be performed in a variety of ways, including having your eyebrows “powdered” first, and then completing the feather strokes in another session, or by combining both techniques in one session.  This option is particularly good for those with little to no hair looking to replicate the look of natural full eyebrows.

On the day of your cosmetic tattoo application, a picture is usually taken prior to the treatment. From here a topical anesthetic numbing cream is applied to the area that is being tattooed. This anesthetic cream will be applied and reapplied throughout the duration of the treatment as required, to ensure you are comfortable.

A simulation of the desired effect/shape is usually drawn onto the procedure area, this gives not only the cosmetic tattooist a guide to follow while performing the tattoo, it also gives you the chance to approve what the final outcome will be.

Hypo-allergenic micro-pigments are then carefully implanted just above the dermal layer of the skin using a small tool, or a digital or rotary style tattoo machine. Throughout the procedure, you will be shown the progress of the tattoo to guarantee your satisfaction.

Depending on your desired effect, and the areas that the treatments are performed on, the process can take anywhere from 1.5 hours to 4 hours. Your cosmetic tattoo specialist will be able to provide you with more information after your consultation.

The cost of Cosmetic Tattoo’s in Australia can vary greatly depending on the location, size, technique used, pigment, the experience of your Cosmetic Tattooist, their certifications & more.

Getting one is a serious decision, so it’s important to place your trust in someone who can achieve your desired outcome, and this usually means being prepared to spend a little.

When paying in the upper price ranges, you are likely to get your treatment from a specialist that has international training.

Eyebrow/Eyeliner Tattoo:

Expect to pay anywhere from $300 up to $1000, depending on the above factors.

Lip Tattoo:

Expect to pay anywhere from $400 up to $1300, depending on the artist and size of the area you are covering.

As a rough indication, expect to pay $600 or above when working with a Cosmierge partner.

Upon completion of your cosmetic tattoo, there may be redness and/or slight swelling in the area. This usually subsides within 24-48 hours, and shouldn’t stop you from performing any of your day to day activities. Initially, the colour of your tattoo will appear darker than the final result, however, the colour will soften and lighten as the skin heals, which usually takes between 6-14 days. The final true colour of your cosmetic tattoo will be apparent around 3-4 weeks post your initial procedure.

The aftercare of your cosmetic tattoo is vital for your results to be of the highest standards. You will be given specific aftercare instructions by your cosmetic tattooist, and they will be able to help you with any questions you may have.

The treated area should be kept clean and in most instances, your aftercare will involve a cream treatment that should be applied to the specific area as directed.

It is recommended in most instances that around 4 – 6 weeks post your initial cosmetic tattoo treatment, a retouch or adjustment session is undertaken. This will allow your body time to heal from the initial tattoo procedure and allow for any imperfections to be corrected.