Women all over the world know the dreaded task of removing makeup when all you want to do is drop it on the pillow after a late night.
Or maybe you have to get up half an hour earlier every morning to do your makeup.
But now women want to remove this annoying barrier from everyday life by choosing to make their makeup permanent.
In what is the latest bizarre beauty craze, many are undergoing cosmetic procedures and treatments known as permanent makeup or cosmetic tattooing – where tattoo artists and beauticians apply colored serums to a patient’s face and use micro-needling to injecting dye into the skin.
You can make an appointment to have your face tattooed with foundation, concealer, blush, eyeliner, lipstick and even freckles.
The procedures, which cost anywhere from $200 to $1,400, can involve applying concealer under the eyes to conceal dark circles, rosy pink blush on the cheeks to contour, and dark dye on the lash line to accentuate the eyes.
Although the price tag is lower than traditional plastic surgeries and the procedures are more accessible, experts warn that undergoing such treatments carries serious complications, including permanent disfigurement.
A procedure known as BB Glow is described as semi-permanent foundation
In some cases, serums of different shades can be used to achieve the sculpted look that makeup provides
A before (left) and after (right) photo of a patient’s first BB Glow session from a BB Glow facial clinic in Toronto, Canada
Dr. Ashraf Badawi, professor of dermatology at the National Institute of Laser Sciences, told Such procedures could disrupt Harper’s Bazaar skin care in the future – burning and scarring the skin and even turning the original dye blue, which could result in “a deformity that is very difficult, if not impossible, to treat.”
A treatment known as BB Glow is described as semi-permanent foundation.
The controversial treatment, which gained popularity in South Korea — a country notorious for starting elaborate beauty trends — before spreading widely to Europe, is slowly making its way to the United States.
It aims to improve the texture and tone of your skin by combining micro-needling and semi-permanent makeup to give the effect of wearing a lightweight foundation.
During the procedure, the technician will apply a colored serum to the face and use a micro or nano needling device to implant the substance under the skin.
The process is repeated several times during a session and three to four sessions are recommended to achieve the desired look.
A rosy pink shade can be applied to the cheekbones for an instant – and semi-permanent – blush look.
Most people need at least three to five sessions to see the best results, with each session lasting about two hours.
No recovery time is required as it is a non-invasive procedure and results can last four to eight months.
Depending on the location and number of sessions needed, costs can start at $200 and range into the thousands.
A clinic in Florida offers a three-session package for $1,000.
Permanent concealer is a form of micropigmentation that first became popular in Brazil. This involves using a tattoo gun to implant pigment under the first layer of skin
Some people on TikTok claim to use it to mask acne scars and hyperpigmentation on their faces
In addition to permanent foundation and blush, some practitioners offer permanent concealer – which promises to cover dark circles around the eyes and give you a well-rested complexion.
Permanent concealer is a form of micropigmentation that first became popular in Brazil. This involves using a tattoo gun to implant pigment under the first layer of skin.
Just like hiding dark bags under the eyes, some people on TikTok also claim to use it to mask acne scars and hyperpigmentation on their faces.
Dr. However, Tomassian, a dermatologist from California, warned about the possibility of a color difference that could cause people to look mismatched for months. He also said that permanent facial makeup can lead to severe swelling and chronic skin allergy. WHY?
“Your foundation works great!” he added.
Permanent concealer typically costs $400, but can range from $350 to $800.
Also becoming increasingly popular on social media are freckle tattoos: small pigment spots speckled across a person’s face.
In most cases, the technician starts by drawing individual freckles with a makeup pencil. They will then draw on the permanent freckles by repeatedly pricking the same spot several times to add color to the skin.
The freckle tattoos take up to two weeks to heal and people leave their appointments with large red spots on their faces. However, once the treatment resolves, people will have natural-looking freckles for one to two years.
The cost for the tattoos varies widely depending on the location, the number of freckles you want and the type of technician performing the treatment. They can range from $80 to $450.
A woman who has freckles tattooed on her face. It takes several days for the mini tattoos to heal and look realistic
A few weeks after the procedure when the ‘freckles’ have healed
To achieve fuller, pinker, and more kissable lips, some estheticians recommend lip blush or tinting, which consists of applying a sheer, tinted color all over the lips and “tattooing” it into the skin.
This can help with lips that are uneven or discolored.
People often need several sessions to achieve the desired shade and results can last from one to five years.
Lip blush can cost $450 to $1,400 for an initial session, as well as several “touch-up” appointments afterward, and each session lasts about 90 minutes.
Experts say the treatments can be painful because the skin of the lips is very sensitive.
In addition, experts warn that allergic reactions to cosmetic tattoo procedures are common and the risk is greater with blush on the lips due to the red pigment in the dye used.
Dermatologist Dr Shilpi Khetarpal said: ‘Red is one of the most common allergenic tattoo colours. If your lips are pink or red, there is a risk of an allergic reaction if you apply that color.”
And if an allergic reaction does occur, there is no easy solution.
Dr. Ava Shamban, a Los Angeles dermatologist, shared To tempt: ‘If the red pigment is removed with a correction laser, it almost always turns black. Expertise, artistry, good care and advanced knowledge of the skin give the patient the lowest risk of complications.’
A photo of a woman’s lips after permanent lip contouring at a dermatology clinic in London
People who are not ready to undergo permanent beauty procedures can try an at-home treatment to achieve the coveted appearance of facial dimples.
The ‘dimple maker’ is a cherry-shaped, tweezer-like device with two small balls on the end of wires. It is placed on both sides of the face, where one ball will squeeze from the inside of the cheek and one from the outside.
The goal is to pinch between the inner and outer cheeks to create an indentation, in hopes of achieving the cute, dimpled appearance of dimples that some are lucky enough to be born with.
But the effects of the devices are temporary and can cause permanent damage to the face.
And MMedical experts are sounding the alarm about the strangeness TikTok trend.
Dr. Ari Hoschander, a board-certified plastic surgeon based in New York, previously told DailyMail.com that using dimple makers carries a “risk of skin necrosis (death) and subsequent scarring.”
For those who were born without dimples but want dimples, the indentations can also be achieved using a procedure called pitplasty, where a surgeon will alter the muscle on the inside of the cheek to create a dimple.
The operation is performed under general anesthesia and the inside of the cheek is closed with dissolvable stitches.
However, this comes with risks and complications, including bleeding, damage to the facial nerves, infections and scarring.