Frequently Asked Questions

Permanent makeup is a cosmetic tattooing procedure in which permanent pigments are applied to the skin to enhance features such as eyebrows, eyeliner, and lips.

 Most clients report little to no pain throughout their procedure. While pain tolerance varies between clients, a topical Lidocaine is used throughout the procedure to make sure you’re comfortable. 

2 WEEKS BEFORE:

• BOTOX: If you regularly get Botox or Dysport, it must be done at least 14 days prior to your appointment. It takes at least that long to settle in the skin. Receiving it withing 14 days of your appointment will result in being sent home and asked to reschedule.
• WAXING/THREADING: I recommend coming to your appointment with your brows grown out, no need to have them cleaned up before! I prefer to see how they grow naturally, and will clean them up for you at your appointment. If you need to clean them up beforehand, please do so at least 2 weeks before your appointment. If you tint your brows, please do so at least 7 days prior.
• RETIN-A: Please refrain from using any retin-a products in the brow area for 2 weeks leading up to your appointment.

24 HOURS BEFORE:

• To minimize bleeding during the procedure, please avoid any alcohol and excessive caffeine. Blood thinning medications such as Ibuprofen and Advil should also be avoided unless prescribed by a doctor. 

DAY OF YOUR APPOINTMENT:

• Wash your hair! You won’t be able to get your brows wet for the next 10-14 days, so wash your hair beforehand to give yourself a few extra days before your next wash!
• Avoid exercise. Exercising increases blood flow and will cause excessive bleeding, leading to poor healed results.
• Makeup: You are welcome to come to your appointment with or without makeup on. We will be taking lots of photos, so come however you are most comfortable. If you regularly fill in your brows, coming with at least your brows filled in helps me see your regular shape. 
• Bring your brow makeup. If you have a specific product you love, bring it along! 
• RELAX! Feeling nervous is normal. We are going to work together to create your dream brows!

 Permanent makeup is designed to fade over time. Factors such as skin type, lifestyle, age, metabolism, medications, and pigment color affect the longevity of the tattoo.  The sun and some types of lighting (tanning beds) can affect the rate at which the pigment in your skin is broken down.  Following the given aftercare instructions is critical to getting your best healed results. Touch-up your brows every 12-24 months (as needed). Touch-ups are normal and expected for permanent cosmetics.

*Please note that final results vary and CANNOT be guaranteed due to the nature of skin as it heals. A follow-up appointment is recommended 6-10 weeks after your initial session where we can assess your pigment retention and perfect your permanent makeup!

• Oily Skin: Increased oil production can cause hair strokes to blur and fade very quickly, or not stick at all. If you have combination or oily skin, you are a candidate for a combination or powder brows, but not for microblading.
• Sun Exposure: Increased exposure to the sun will cause premature fading. I recommend all my clients purchase Cannasmack Ink Guard on Amazon to protect their healed brows from the sun.
• Excessive Bleeding: Excessive bleeding during your procedure will greatly affect how your body retains pigment. Pinpoint bleeding throughout the procedure is normal, but excessive bleeding causes pigment to fade very quickly and heal ashy. While bleeding is not entirely in our control, it is important that you follow before care instructions to help minimize bleeding. This includes avoiding blood thinning medications for 7 days prior to your treatment, and alcohol and caffeine for 24 hours before your procedure.

Improper Aftercare: Not following the given aftercare instructions will greatly diminish your healed results. Follow all aftercare instructions exactly for the best results!

Immediately after getting your brows done, you may experience minor redness or swelling around the treated area, which typically goes away within 24 hours. Over the next few hours, the pigment in the skin will oxidize, making the brows look darker and warmer (red) than they were initially. This is normal and expected. Pigment typically fades anywhere from 20-40% once fully healed.

Around day 7-9, you may notice light scabbing and flaking on the treated area. This is normal! Please refrain from picking at the brows. Doing so will result in loss of pigment in those areas and can cause scarring. Brows may appear spotty or patchy until the entire brow has finished healing. Once all the flaking is complete (usually around day 10-14), the brows will appear much lighter. The pigment will darken over the next 4-6 weeks and the pigment will return to the skin in its healed color. 

At 4-6 weeks, your brows will be fully healed. Whatever pigment that does not return will be addressed at your touch up appointment. At this appointment, we will assess your retention, touch up the spots that didn’t stick, and can adjust the pigment color to give you perfect brows! Once the brows have healed from your touch up appointment, you will have beautiful, full brows for 12-36 months!

 Following the given aftercare is crucial to obtain the best results! All clients are expected to follow the following instructions exactly to get the best healed results! All products needed for your aftercare will be provided to you at your appointment.

o   Keep your new brows dry until ALL flaking has stopped. This means keeping them dry in the shower, and avoiding sweating, saunas, and steam for the next 10-14 days. No working out until all flaking has finished.

o   Cleanse morning and night for 10 days with the provided cleanser.

o   Apply a thin layer of aftercare balm to the brows 2-3x a day for 10 days.

o   No makeup can go on or around the brows for 14 days. You may wear makeup around the brows, but leave at least one inch around them at all times to prevent infection.

o   Avoid direct sun exposure for 2 weeks. Please plan vacations and outings accordingly to avoid as much sun as possible.

o   Do not touch, pick, rub, or scratch the brows. Do not pick the scabs or flakes as they come off, this will remove the pigment and lead to patchiness and scarring. 

o   No anti-aging or acne products on the brows ever (anything with Retinol, Glycolic Acid, Salicylic Acid, etc.)

 Yes! PMU is a two-step process, and a touch up is strongly recommended to get the best results. Also known as the “perfecting session”, a touch up is done 6-10 weeks after your initial session, and is where we assess your retention, perfect the shape and color, and add more dimension. Touch ups are very important and add to the overall results and longevity of your PMU. It is strongly encouraged to book your touch up appointment at the same time as you book your initial session. Setting up both appointments in advance ensures you will get in on time for your touch up and get the best results! 

 After your initial session and 6-12 week touch-up are completed, most clients are able to go 2-3 years between refreshers! The longevity of your PMU will depend on your skin type, lifestyle, and how well you take care of them. Things like excessive sun exposure and some skin care products can shorten the life of your PMU and cause them to fade into unnatural colors.

Before booking an annual refresher, it’s important to let your brows fade at least 50-60%. Letting the previous ink fade allows us to keep that ink fresh in the skin! If the ink in your skin from previous appointments isn’t faded enough, adding more ink can cause the entire brow to look blotchy and uneven. Let them fade! If you’re ever unsure if you are ready for a touch up or not, please reach out to me!

 At this time, I do not offer in person consult appointments. If you have a specific question or concern, or if you are unsure of what service is right for you please email/text me pictures of your brows prior to booking an appointment. I book extra time for each appointment to make sure we go over all your questions and concerns beforehand. 

If you are in need of correction work or have had your brows tattooed elsewhere, please email me current photos before booking.

 I require that anyone who has had their brows done previously by another artist text me a picture before booking an appointment.

I typically only go over other artists work if it’s at least 75-90% faded, and all new clients to me are considered initial sessions.

I want to give my clients the very best, and help create their dream brows. If I don’t think we can achieve what you’re wanting with your existing work, I will give recommendations on how to help the ink fade more quickly or recommend a removal artist.

Please email current photos of your brows, along with your goal photo to Fallon@skininkstudio.com before booking to make sure I am comfortable working over the existing work.

 Initial sessions take 2-3 hours. 

Touch up appointments take 1-2 hours.

48 hours notice is required to make any changes to your appointment. 

Any cancellations after that and No-shows will result in a loss of your $100 deposit.

All deposits are nonrefundable. If you reschedule at least 48 hours in advance, the deposit will be applied to the new appointment. Cancelling the appointment or rescheduling within 48 hours of your appointment results in losing your $100 deposit and being required to pay a new one for the next appointment!

Skin Ink prides themselves in offering exceptional services at a reasonable rate. 

Average cost for permanent makeup services in Tampa range from $500-900.

INITAL SESSIONS - $475-$550

6-12 WEEK TOUCH UPS - $50

COLOR BOOST/REFRESHERS - $275

A $100 deposit is taken for each service at the time of booking, and goes towards the total cost of the service. 

After the initial session and touch up, most clients are able to go 2-3 years between touch up appointments! 

A nonrefundable $100 deposit is required for all appointment requests. The remaining balance is due at your appointment.

 Payment at your appointment may be made using a debit or credit card, cash, Zelle or Venmo.

Tipping at Skin Ink is completely optional. It is always appreciated, but never expected!

*All clients are required to be 18+ years of age, with or without parents consent