I’ve had cosmetic makeup procedures done in many parts of the world at many clinics and for many different reasons. All have been successful and I am delighted with the results; the ease of applying less makeup, waking up to beautiful brows and perfect eyeliner and softly colored lips. I also love going for a swim and coming out looking like I never got my face wet, at least there’s no runny eyebrow pencil, no black smudges of liner under my eyes and no dull. lifeless lips. That’s my experience, so naturally I’ve been recommending permanent makeup for a long time. But the truth is that tattooing any part of your face is a serious matter, and it’s definitely NOT for everyone!

My adventure with permanent makeup began in Asia, therefore I had some of the best cosmeticians attend me at a clinic in Hong Kong. Later in Taipei, I had my eyeliner retouched a few months before I was married, so my honeymoon on secluded beaches of Macau was free of makeup worries. However, throughout my travels as a cultural journalist, during almost 10 years in Asia, I also saw numerous ladies whose cosmetic tattoo eyebrows were a total disaster, mostly because the shape and the arch of the brow was overly pronounced, or because the tattoo had been done on an area above the natural brow, or so unnatural looking due to having the brow line tattooed in a solid inky stain on the skin and not a natural feathery application within some existing hair.

This seemed to have been the result of women getting eyebrow tattoos after having totally removed their natural brow hair, either through electrolysis or some other hair removal system. Most of these “not very flattering” eyebrow results were on women who lived in smaller villages and isolated regions where newer tattooing techniques had not yet began to be applied, and where black Chinese ink that was used to create dragons on the shoulders and backs of men was also used on lady’s brows. But the newest methods, which are used in international clinics, allow for a vast choice of pigments, including blending colors to get very natural shades that match even fair hair colors.

But who should get cosmetic tattoos and who shouldn’t? The truth is that if a lady has no brows due to an illness that has contributed to hair loss, a tattoo is an excellent solution, especially if the feathering techniques is used. What this means is that tiny strokes of pigment are applied to the brow region to look like hair, not a solid line. Women who have very sparse brow hair should also consider adding a bit of dimension with this same technique, and in this case, the technician will follow the natural brow. Women who should not consider these procedures are those who have poor natural healing abilities, who bleed profusely, who scar easily or have extremely sensitive skin.

If you’re unsure about getting eyebrows tattooed, since this procedure alters the look of the eye in a very noticeable way, then start with something smaller like a bit of eyeliner. Have your technician tattoo a fine outline in the lash line and see how your skin reacts to the pigment. If all is well, go ahead with the brows.