Semi-permanent makeup continues to grow in popularity due to the treatment’s exceptional reputation, long-lasting results, and minimal side effects. Whether you opt for our semi-permanent, eyebrows, eyeliner, or lips, you are guaranteed to achieve fantastic, natural results. Do away with your daily routine of colouring your brows or applying lipstick and wake up ready to face the day.
Although the quality of the consultation, treatment and top-up appointments are dictated by the expertise of your chosen semi-permanent makeup artist, it is the client’s responsibility to ensure that adequate aftercare is carried out. Caring for the treatment area is imperative in guaranteeing maximum results.
As an award-winning beauty clinic in Milton Keynes specialising in semi-permanent makeup, we’re aware of proven ways to assist the healing process and minimise side effects. As such, we’ve devised a comprehensive guide on semi-permanent makeup aftercare tips.
Semi-Permanent Makeup Aftercare For Long Lasting Results
There are different approaches to applying semi-permanent makeup, especially eyebrows, with microblading being a popular alternative. Microblading involves tattooing ‘hair strokes’ onto the brow, which means the skin is cut quite significantly. The Powder Brow technique used by Bianco Beauty adopts a lighter touch, implanting the pigment into the skin as opposed to cutting it. This makes the healing process considerably shorter. During the procedure, it is normal for there to be a small amount of bleeding due to the needle penetrating the skin, which means the treatment area is likely to experience slight redness, and scabbing, and will feel tender to the touch.
To ensure that you have the best results possible, our article will cover the following:
- Semi-Permanent Eyebrow Aftercare
- Semi-Permanent Eyeliner Aftercare
- Semi-Permanent Lip Blush Aftercare
- General Aftercare Advice
Semi-Permanent Eyebrow Aftercare
Semi-permanent eyebrows are one of our most popular beauty treatments, enhancing our clients’ natural beauty by defining and shaping the brow to frame their faces. As the pigment will be placed around hair follicles, it is important to note that you may expect some itching around the area as new hairs try to push through the surface.
The biggest piece of semi-permanent eyebrow aftercare advice that we can give is to make sure that you do not pick the scabs. Picking the scabs will remove the pigment from the treated area, and it can also affect hair growth. To avoid large patches of baldness on the eyebrow, we highly recommend leaving the area as much as possible, meaning not to pick the scabs, get the area wet or apply makeup while healing.
In addition to this main advice, we also recommend that you take a look at our general aftercare advice on how to avoid infections and help with the healing process.
Semi-Permanent Eyebrows Healing Stages
Total healing time: 3-4 weeks
Days 1-3: Tenderness, swelling, redness and bruising. The pigment colour is dark.
Days 3-12: Eyebrows will flake off, and the pigment will change in appearance.
Days 12 onwards: The true colour of your semi-permanent eyebrows will be revealed.
Semi-Permanent Eyeliner Aftercare
The application of semi-permanent eyeliner requires special attention. Whereas the skin on your eyebrows is quite thick, on your eyelids, it’s at its thinnest, most sensitive, and can be easily irritated. The skilled and professional team at Bianco Beauty, offering semi-permanent makeup in Milton Keynes, will always take extra precautions when applying semi-permanent eyeliner to avoid additional discomfort or complications.
One of the most common side effects of this treatment is that it can cause the eyelids to become hot and slightly sensitive. For this reason, our best semi-permanent eyeliner aftercare advice is to apply a cold compress onto the eyes, such as a gel mask that can be placed in the fridge. This will help to reduce any swelling, redness, heat, and discomfort. We advise that you clean the mask after every use, and when popping it back in the fridge, put it into a box or bag to avoid contact with anything else. This will help to reduce the risk of bacterial infections in the healing area.
Semi-Permanent Eyeliner Healing Stages
Total healing time: 6 weeks
Days 1-2: Soreness, irritation and swelling. The eyeliner will look dark and bold.
Days 3-10: Skin will start to flake, and the liner will look faded.
Days 10 onwards: The liner’s colour will return, and your skin will continue to heal.
Semi-Permanent Lip Blush Aftercare
In recent years, semi-permanent lip makeup, also known as lip blushing, has become extremely popular with our clients. You can choose from a selection of vibrant or subtle colours, and our professional team can even colour match your favourite lipstick!
When it comes to semi-permanent lip blush aftercare, you will most likely need to take extra precautions compared to if you were to have semi-permanent eyebrows or eyeliner. The reason for this is that the lips are easy to pick, and you will need to take precautions when eating or drinking. Try to avoid hot drinks for the first couple of days, as the heat can cause the already sensitive area to become damaged. We would recommend drinking through a straw, and where possible, try eating foods that require a knife and fork so that you are less likely to come into contact with your lips.
In addition to this advice, you must also avoid using lip balm as many products have chemicals that dry out the lips, and it can increase the chances of spreading bacteria. You may also experience a slight swelling of the lips, which will give the illusion of lip fillers, but this should subside in a few days. To help the swelling, apply a clean, cold compress onto the area, and try your best to not touch your lips.
Lip Blush Healing Stages
Total healing time: 10 days
Days 1-2: Tenderness and swelling. The colour will be very intense.
Days 3-4: Lips will feel dry, and skin will start to flake off.
Days 5 onwards: The skin will finish flaking off, and the true lip colour will settle in.
General Aftercare Advice
Whether you have semi-permanent lips, eyeliner, or eyebrows, you will experience similar side effects after the treatment, which usually involve slight swelling, redness, and scabbing. For lips, this may last for three to five days, for eyeliner, this could be up to one week, and with eyebrows, you can expect to experience side effects for up to two weeks. Though this is entirely normal, you should contact your doctor if they persist for longer than the timescales mentioned. You should also look out for signs of infection or allergic reaction. Regardless of the type of semi-permanent makeup procedure, the general aftercare advice that we provide our clients with is the same. Here are our top 9 aftercare tips:
1. Ease Swelling With A Cold Pack
While applying a cold pack to the treatment area will not entirely prevent side effects, it will help to ease swelling and effectively provide comfort. Always aim to use a cold refrigerator pack and avoid those that must be placed in the freezer. Your treatment area will already be feeling somewhat delicate and applying freezing temperatures to the skin risks complications due to frost damage.
We suggest purchasing HypaCool instant cold packs from FirstAid.co.uk as they can be activated with a quick squeeze. Instantly achieving the perfect cooling temperature, there’s no need to place them in the fridge or freezer. HypaCool packs are single-use, which means that you will not risk spreading bacteria to the treatment area.
2. Do Not Pick, Peel or Scratch
If you take only one piece of advice, then it should be never to pick, peel or scratch the treatment area. Scabbing and itching are normal; it shows that your body is naturally healing itself, so allow your skin to work its magic. While it may not look appealing, leave the skin to shed of its own accord.
Disturbing the healing process through picking scabs, itching or peeling dead skin will not only create an uneven pigment but also dramatically increase the risk of infection. If you allow the skin to heal naturally, then you will experience no scarring.
3. Avoid Sun Exposure
It is strongly recommended to keep the treated area protected from sun exposure until the healing process is complete; this includes both natural sunlight and the use of sunbeds. As mentioned previously, the treatment area will already be tender and delicate, so exposure to the sun will only intensify this and increase the likelihood of complications. We recommend taking the same aftercare precautions for our cosmetic tattoo removal in Milton Keynes.
If you have opted for semi-permanent eyebrows or eyeliner, wearing large sunglasses when in direct sunlight will provide adequate protection. Lips are somewhat harder to protect; an oversized brimmed hat may be able to shade the face, but you should avoid the use of sunbeds altogether.
4. Keep The Treatment Area Dry
While it may prove somewhat tricky, try to keep the area as dry as possible during the healing process. When showering or bathing, do not splash your face with water or use your standard face wash. Instead, apply a small amount of a gentle face cleanser to a cotton pad and clean your face. Avoid any cleaners that contain alcohol, acids or strong chemicals as it risks burning the treatment area. Simple Skincare has a wide range of ‘kind to skin’ face cleansers, ideal to use during the healing process.
If you do accidentally get the treatment area wet, not to worry; simply pat the area dry very gently using a clean tissue or cotton pad. Again, we recommend taking similar precautions after our laser tattoo removal in Milton Keynes.
5. Avoid Heavy Exercise
To maximise your results, aim to avoid any form of heavy exercise for five to ten days after your treatment; this differs depending on the individual and the speed of their healing process. Light exercise, such as walking, is permitted as long as you do not sweat. Sweat is filled with salt, which can fade the pigment in the semi-permanent makeup. Salt is an ingredient that is used to remove cosmetic tattoos, so allow the skin to heal before you start working out again.
6. Sleep On A Clean Pillowcase
The more preventative measures you implement to stop bacteria from reaching the treatment area and the cleaner you keep your skin, the quicker the healing process. With this in mind, we suggest, for the first week or so, sleeping on a clean pillowcase every night. If you feel as if you may not have the time to wash your pillowcase each day, instead opt for covering your pillow in a clean towel before going to sleep.
Pillowcases are one of the biggest culprits for harbouring bacteria. Instead of repelling dirt, pillowcases grab onto all of the oil, dead skin and bacteria from your skin and hair. The accumulation of dirt on your pillowcase creates a grubby surface that you lay on every night. Regardless of whether you’ve recently had semi-permanent makeup in Milton Keynes or not, you should wash your pillowcase at least once a week or purchase a silk pillowcase. Silk pillowcases come with a host of benefits, from keeping your skin clean to making your hair extensions last longer! Your skin and hair will most definitely thank you for it!
7. Avoid Cosmetic Products
During the healing process, do not apply any cosmetic products to the treatment area; this includes both makeup and skincare. Applying makeup, moisturisers, serums, or any form of product to the skin risks a reaction against the pigment, ultimately causing a nasty infection.
Every individual heals at a different rate which means that there is not an exact number of days before clients can begin wearing makeup and using skincare products again. We usually recommend allowing a seven to ten-day period to allow the skin to heal naturally. Do not attempt to apply any products on or around the treatment area if there is still swelling, tenderness or scabbing. Always wait until the skin is back to normal.
8. Pin Back Your Hair
For the first week after your treatment, aim to keep all hair tied back and out of your face, especially when you sleep. If you have a fringe, ensure that the hair is always pinned back. Hair is capable of irritating the treatment area and spreading oil or bacteria, therefore, increasing the risk of infection.
If you’re stuck for inspiration on stylish ways to keep your hair out of your face during the healing process, take a look at these ten great 5-minute hairstyles featured on Brit + Co!
9. Limit Hot Showers and Baths
If you are happy to avoid hot showers and baths altogether during the healing process, then that would be ideal, but if not, limit the duration as much as possible. When spending a long period in a hot bath or shower, the steam will start to affect the treatment area. As mentioned previously, you must keep the skin as dry as possible. Steam will cause excess moisture to build up on the surface and also cause sweating, both of which prolong the healing process and increase the risk of infection.
Maximise Results With Our Aftercare Advice!
The success of aftercare is all down to you. It is absolutely guaranteed that if you follow the recommended advice, care for your skin and allow the treatment area to heal disruption-free, you will experience no scarring, infections or irritation. The skin is the largest organ in the human body, meaning that it is incredibly clever in utilising every resource available to heal itself naturally. Keeping the area clean, free from products and training yourself to fight the urge to scratch or pick will maximise results and enable the skin to repair of its own accord.
Whether you would like to book in for semi-permanent makeup or discuss our other treatments such as our laser hair removal in Milton Keynes, and the surrounding areas, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with our team! In the meantime, check out our previous article for a guide to the best makeup products that won’t break the bank to use between now and your semi-permanent makeup appointment.
