Semi permanent make-up

Semi-permanent make-up (SPMU) is an innovative process which offers incredible benefits to a wide range of people. It involves a cosmetic tattooing procedure to apply pharmaceutical-grade pigment just below the top layer of skin, the effects of which usually last between one and two years.

This technique can be used not just to create long-lasting and perfect-looking make-up – it can deliver fantastic results to disguise or cover features which we don’t want or which upset us, such as scarring and alopecia. It is also an ideal process for women who have difficulty applying normal make-up, such as those with conditions including failing sight, Parkinson’s Disease, tremors or even MS.

For most of us, however, it is simply a great way of looking better, enhancing the features we do want, by improving over-plucked brows, sparse lashes and faded lip borders, for example, giving the appearance of perfectly applied make-up, day after day!

The process

The SPMU process is essentially the same whether you are having your eyebrows, eyes or lips enhanced. When you come for your first consultation, we will carry out a small skin patch test to make sure you’re not allergic to either the anaesthetic or the pigment. We’ll then discuss the process and ‘test’ create your perfect eyebrow shape, eyeliner or lip liner using normal cosmetic pencils so we know what you want the final effect to look like.

If the patch test shows no adverse results after 48 hours, and you’re happy to go ahead with the full treatment, we’ll arrange that for a few days later – the first treatment will take around two hours. The application is done in two treatments, the second taking place 4-6 weeks after the first as a top-up treatment, to strengthen the effect and to make any necessary adjustments. This takes about an hour. The pigment applied will fade during the first 7-10 days following application, and so it is customary to apply it slightly darker than the final desired colour, so that the finished effect will look natural and suit your own natural colouring.

The treatment is not painful, as an anaesthetic gel is applied to the skin prior to application (which some of my clients have called ‘magic gel’!). You may experience some slight swelling of the treated area for a couple of hours afterwards - this is perfectly normal and will go down quickly.

You can expect your semi-permanent make-up to last around 12 to 18 months before you will need a further application to maintain definition and strength of colour. The lifetime of an application differs from person to person, and can be affected by age, skin condition, medical conditions and general health. Some people’s skin may hold the pigment for two years or longer.