Permanent makeup is very similar to a tattoo. The permanent cosmetics professional implants color using a device much like a tattoo artist's gun onto different areas of the face. It is most commonly used for eyebrows, eyeliner above and below the eye, lip liner, full lip color, and even scar camouflage. The results are relatively permanent but may need some touch up over time.
The price of permanent cosmetics varies depending on geographic location, how much experience your artist/technician has, and the area you are having inked. Here are some general averages from reputable salons:
- Eyebrows, Eyeliner, Lipliner:$400-$600
- Full Lip Color:$600-$900
These prices generally include two applications, the initial one and a touch up.
Other, more advanced options such as areola pigmentation or scar camouflage do not generally have a set price but rather are 'by the hour.' The price for these procedures range from $200-$500 per hour.
Make sure to first seek out a qualified technician and don't choose based on price, but rather experience. Theresa Judd, owner of A Permanent Solution: Permanent Cosmetics by Theresa in Virginia, says, "A deal isn't a deal if in the end you are unhappy with the outcome. Just like any tattoo it is permanent and can not be easily removed. This is your face, it is out there for the world to see, so make sure that whomever you choose has the experience, and artistic ability to give you what you want. Someone who is cheaply priced usually means inexperience or inability. It is also important to make sure that your artist is Board Certified (D.A.A.M or F.A.A.M) and if possible has a secondary certification called a (C.P.C.P). This will give you the best possible chance of finding the most qualified technician/artist in your area."
Dr. Laura Reed of Artistic Cosmetic Solutions in Garden Grove, CA says, "The 'cheap' procedures are usually done in the back of hair or nail salons. I learned from a patient that an indoor swap meet offered permanent makeup! She said she saw a hair salon in an indoor swap meet advertising permanent makeup-and added 'The place looked so dirty, I wouldn't want to get my hair or nails done there much less permanent makeup!'"
