Understanding Permanent Makeup: Eyebrows Aren't Forever

It is semi-permanent make-up, that is, the effect fades over time. Often PMU is also seen as a tattoo. There is a kernel of truth in this. The difference between “body tattoo” and “PMU tattoo” is in the ink type and the finer and shorter needle.   

For an average person, permanent makeup lasts about 2 years. This differs greatly per person and I will tell you more about it later.

• Average effect of microblading: 1-2 years

• Average effect of powder Brows 1-3 years

Different treatments possible

This is where most of the confusions come from. Semi permanent makeup has grown in popularity in recent years. As a result, each country or company uses its own names. This provides a laundry list of different titles. The most popular techniques are mircoblading and powder brows.

• Microblading

• Powder brows

• Microshading

Multiple treatments required

Often PMU eyebrows need a post-treatment. This is also called a touch up. During healing, the ink can come with the scabs and empty pieces are created. These are corrected with a touch up treatment.  

Even if you think your eyebrows are finished after the first treatment, we almost always recommend a touch up. This extra layer will ensure that you can enjoy the PMU eyebrows longer.

The treatment works better for some skin types

The number of touch ups and the duration of the effect depend a bit on your skin type. For example, I do not recommend the microblading treatment for people who have a combination / oily skin type. You decide to do it anyway. Then you have a good chance that the ink will remain little or not in the skin. However, there is a chance that scar tissue will remain in the form of hair strokes.

The powder brows (ombre brows) treatment is performed with an electrical device. The ink is gently pressed into the skin with a micro needle. This means that the needle does not have to penetrate your skin as deeply, which prevents scar tissue damage. This makes the treatment possible for all types of skin types.

The treatment can take a few hours

Before the treatment actually starts, everything is measured. This is also known as brow mapping. We look at your face shape and which eyebrows best suit you and your wishes.

The average time for a PMU eyebrow treatment is about 2 to 3 hours. You can come prepared by removing all your make-up, for example.