BEFORE & AFTER CARE

BEFORE

Cease using any skin/blood thinners (Vitamin A, glycolic acids, exfoliation) on the brow area 2 weeks prior to your appointment.

Cosmetic botox or fillers should be done 2 weeks prior or 2 weeks after your appointment.

DO NOT consume alcohol, caffeine or take any blood thinners (aspirin, ibuprofen, Niacin 48 hours before your procedure, this may cause excess bleeding and may affect your results) caffeine should be had no sooner than at least 5 hours before your appointment.

You may come in with how you normally draw in your brows/bring samples of brow shapes you like to the appointment.

You may experience hypersensitivity and more pain around or during your menstrual cycle.

We will not be able to tattoo over any blemishes, sores, and moles in or around the brow area.

CARING FOR YOUR NEW TATTOO

Congratulations on your new tattoo! Now you can sit back, relax - and do nothing…. Seriously!
Our clients get the best healed results using the 'do nothing' healing method. This involves keeping your brows dry from water contact for the first 3 days, not applying any cosmetics to your new tattoo until they are fully healed (10-14 days), keeping the area clean and letting it breathe, and only applying healing balm/moisturizer when it is needed.

Do not expect your brow tattoos to heal perfectly after the first session. This is a minimum 2 step, and sometimes multiple step process.

Be patient during your 2 week healing process your brows will change and appear different from day to day.

Around days 4-7 you will experience flaking and your brows may look dry. Do NOT pick your brows, let them fall off naturally.

Your brow tattoo will take up to 6-8 weeks to fully heal. When the flaking comes off the hair strokes may seem faint, this is because a fresh layer of skin has healed over the brow tattoo. Give your brows a few weeks and the hair strokes will become clearer.

Not everyones hairstoke brows can heal clean and crisp. Hairstrokes for oilier skin types tend to heal more solid and powdery while drier skin types tend to heal more crisp and defined. Also for those who bleed more may tend to need more touchups as the blood pushes the pigment out while we tattoo.

Immediately following your procedure, the tattooed area will appear to be darker and bolder in color and more sharply defined. This will happen for the 2-3 days after your appointment. Swelling and redness is minimal with most clients and generally does not last longer than the first 1-2 days but will not prevent working or socializing. The treated area may feel a bit like sunburn afterwards but there should be minimal discomfort.

You may shower or bathe normally, but avoid using any soaps or cleansers on the treated area for the first day as they can be detrimental to the bonding process that must take place for the pigment to stabilise in the dermis. Ensure you keep away your brows for the first THREE days.

The complete healing process takes about 6-8 weeks, at which time the true color of the tattoo is evident. During this process, your tattoo will soften and lighten. Be patient, even if you think too much color has been lost, as your skin is still regenerating and naturally exfoliating. Wait at least 6 weeks to see the true color, as it seems to take on new strength, and it is only after 6 weeks that your touch-up/adjustment can be done. Keep in mind that feathered brows healed up to 30% softer than the initial color.

DURING THE HEALING PROCESS, PLEASE AVOID THE FOLLOWING

Application of any brow makeup for 2 weeks.

Touching the tattooed area with you hands.

Scratching/picking or removal of scabs, dry skin/flakiness.

Direct water on the brow tattoo and the use of cleansers, soaps and heavy creams. Wash around the areas using a cleaning cloth or oil-free makeup wipe.

Vaseline, Neosporin and any other petroleum based products.

Activities that will cause sweating for 10 days.

Swimming pools, hot tubs or other bodies of water for 14 days.

UV exposure (including tanning booths).

Laser light therapy, as it can darken/lighten or distort the pigment.

Exfoliants, retinol acids or AHA’s on the area for 30 days after the appointment (causes premature fading).

Massages, facials or skin treatments.

LONG TERM CARE

Brow tattoos normally last 1-5 years depending on lifestyle, skin type and aftercare.

Exposure to the sun and tanning beds can cause fading and discolouration of the pigment. Once completely healed, always apply sunscreen (50 SPF or greater) on brow area.

Avoid using chemical exfoliants on the brows, as it will cause fading.

Do not do laser your brow area (IPL). Some lasers may change the colour of the ink.

Additional brow makeup application may still be required post tattoo to achieve your desired look.

Yearly touchups with Inez Eye Design are recommended to maintain your results.

Do's & Dont's

● Avoid direct sun exposure on the treated area for the first 2 weeks.

● Exposure to the sun over time can cause fading and may cause the colour to change. If you are going out into the sun apply sunscreen to protect the area or wear a hat. When swimming in chlorine water you can cover your Cosmetic Tattoo with vaseline to prevent bleaching.

● No make-up is to be applied on the treated area for at least 5 days. This can lead to infection and the colour to change. For Eyeliner Tattoo it is particularly important to avoid mascara.

● No soap or cleansers for the first week.

● Do NOT scrub the tattooed area, crusting will fall off naturally please don’t force it.

● Avoid using teeth whitening tooth paste if you had a Lip Tattoo. Chemicals of any kind can interfere with the healing process and the colour.

● Avoid exercise or any activity that can make you sweat for one week after the treatment. Don’t sit in a heated spa, sauna or steam room for 2 weeks. Steam and sweat will open the pores of your skin and this may lead the colour to bleed out.

● Do not wax, pluck or bleach the hair for at least 10 days after the treatment. If you are having laser hair removal or resurfacing, it may result in adverse changes to your Cosmetic Tattoo.

● Do not use products like Retin-A or Roaccutane for at least 2 weeks prior to treatment and 4 weeks after the treatment. Skin topicals that contain acids or retinol may lighten the colour prematurely.

● No fillers or anti-wrinkle injections such as Restylane or Botox on or near the treated areas 2 weeks before or after treatment.

Other Questions

How long does it take?

Allow up to 3 hours on your first session,
up to 1.5 hours on your Touch Up (second) session and
up to 2 hours for your Colour Maintenance

Does it hurt?

Pain threshold varies on subjects. For some people it can be a little stingy or uncomfortable in some spots, other peple can find it even relaxing.

Anyhow, a strong topical numbing cream is used on the treated area before and douring the procedure to give as much relief as possibile.

How long does it last?

If maintained, Cosmetic Tattoos can last for several years.

A Make-up Tattoo can last a shorter or longer period depending on your skin type, skin colour, and the colour of the pigment used, lifestyle, and how aggressive your immune system is in metabolising the pigment. Sun exposure, sweating, Retin-A skin creams and lotions, exfoliating treatments, and many other factors may speed up the natural fading process of your Cosmetic Tattoo.