I was walking down Yonge Street last week, only half-glancing at
the signs and stores, when something interesting etched into
a hair salon's front window caught my eye: "permanent makeup."
I
did a double-take. Yes, among the more usual hair salon services (hair,
makeup, nails), this and other places offer a more permanent kind of
cosmetics tantamount to having what looks like makeup tattooed onto
your face. Many websites (see the reference section below) offer
different varieties, including permanent eyeliner, eyebrow tinting,
lipstick and various other procedures.
In essence, ink is
injected between the dermis and the epidermis, creating the
appearance of makeup without requiring the wearer to apply cosmetics on
a daily basis. Some sites explain that this might be helpful to people
who don't have the time to put makeup on every morning or who suffer from arthritis or other ailment that makes applying makeup difficult.
Depending on the
procedure, local anesthetic is often used. Each can cost up to
several hundred dollars. Some websites claim that
the results look more natural than regular makeup. Others maintain
that each of their clients regrets not having the procedure done sooner.
Despite
the name, the finished product is generally expected to last from five
to six years and generally grows lighter over time. Other factors,
including exposure to the sun and whether or not one smokes may also
impact how long the results last. As is the case with all forms of
tattooing, there are also potential side effects including swelling,
scars and infections, notwithstanding what can happen if the
equipment has not been sterilized.
BrevityQuest07
References:
http://www.featheringtouch.com/
http://www.permanentmakeup1.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_makeup
http://www.permanentmakeupinc.com/