Permanent Makeup - Eyebrows

You may not be a good candidate for permanent makeup if…

Permanent makeup is a tattoo and creates an open wound in the skin. Certain medical conditions, medications, skin conditions and treatments can affect bleeding, healing or your risk of complications. Please disclose all medical conditions and medications on your medical forms. When necessary, we may require medical clearance before proceeding.

Please DO NOT book if:

• You are pregnant or breastfeeding. As a studio policy, we require clients to wait 6 months after they have finished breastfeeding.
• You have a history of keloid scarring.
• You are currently sick with a cold, flu, viral infection or other active illness. Please rest and reschedule!
• You currently have a sunburn, significant tan, rash, infection, irritation or compromised skin in the treatment area.
• You have uncontrolled high blood pressure.

Please contact us BEFORE booking if any of the following apply to you:

• Diabetes
• Autoimmune disease or a condition/medication that affects your immune system
• Recent chemotherapy, radiation or other cancer treatment
• Hepatitis B or C
• Epilepsy
• Pacemaker or other implanted medical device
• Heart condition
• Blood-thinning or anticoagulant medication
• History of hypertrophic scarring
• Psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema, vitiligo, keratosis pilaris, chronic acne, rosacea, broken capillaries or another skin condition affecting or surrounding the brow area
• Current or recent isotretinoin (Accutane) use
• Prescription retinoids, retinol, AHAs or other active/exfoliating skincare products
• Any other medical condition, medication or treatment that may affect your skin, bleeding, immune system or ability to heal
• You have EVER had microblading or permanent makeup performed by another artist — even if it has faded or undergone tattoo removal.

Some of the above may simply require an adjustment to timing or skincare, while others may require written clearance from your treating healthcare professional before we can safely proceed.

Never discontinue or alter a prescribed medication for a permanent makeup appointment unless your prescribing healthcare professional has specifically instructed you to do so.

If you’re unsure whether something applies to you, please contact us at info@larajadebeauty.com or 647-905-6300 before booking. We would always rather review your individual circumstances first and make sure permanent makeup is appropriate for you.

What is the difference between microblading, powder brows and nano brows?

All three techniques involve depositing pigment into the skin and are therefore forms of cosmetic tattooing. The difference is how the pigment is implanted and the aesthetic result each technique creates.

Powder Brows are created using a tattoo machine to deposit tiny pixels of pigment, creating a soft, shaded effect. They can range from extremely sheer and subtle to more defined depending on your preference and are suitable for all skin types, including oily, thick and mature skin.

Nano Brows create individual hair-like strokes using a tattoo machine and a very fine needle. Because the strokes are created with a machine rather than a blade, nano brows cause significantly less trauma to the skin than traditional microblading.

Nano brows are best suited to clients who have very little or no natural brow hair, or whose existing hair is sparse and evenly distributed. They are generally not suitable for clients with a lot of natural brow hair, as the existing hair makes it difficult to clearly see the skin and precisely place individual tattooed strokes while working.

It is also important to understand that nano brows require negative space. There must be visible space between each hairstroke in order for the individual strokes to remain distinguishable and heal well. If your goal is to fill in the brow and eliminate visible gaps or create a fuller, more uniform appearance, nano brows may not be the right technique for you.

Microblading also creates hair-like strokes, but uses a manual handheld blade rather than a tattoo machine. It is only suitable for certain skin types, typically younger, dry, taut skin without visible capillaries. While microblading can look very natural when performed on the right candidate, repeated procedures can create more trauma and scar tissue in the skin over time. For this reason, Lara no longer performs traditional microblading and has replaced it with nano brows for clients who are good candidates for a hairstroke technique.

Clients often assume that nano or microbladed hairstrokes will automatically look more natural because they resemble individual hairs. The most natural result, however, comes from choosing the right technique for the right client. A beautifully executed, subtle powder brow can look even more natural than hairstrokes when it is the better choice for the client’s skin, natural hair pattern and desired result.

For most clients, Lara recommends powder brows for the best long-term results. They are suitable for a much wider range of skin types, heal beautifully, age predictably and can be made extremely soft and natural.

It can be found under "IMPORTANT PRE CARE" and should be read prior to booking an appointment to ensure everything can be followed.

Please see  "What to expect after my appointment".

In summary (TL;DR):
It depends on your age, skin characteristics, and lifestyle habits. On average, clients refresh their brows around 12–24 months, but there is no guaranteed timeline. Some may benefit from a touch-up as early as 6–8 months, while others can go several years between touch-ups. Although often called “semi-permanent,” PMU is a tattoo and should be considered permanent — some pigment may remain indefinitely, and there is no guarantee it will ever completely disappear.

The explanation:
Permanent makeup is a tattoo and should always be considered permanent. Although the pigment is designed to gradually soften and fade over time, there is no guarantee it will ever disappear completely. Some clients may retain visible pigment indefinitely, so permanent makeup should never be approached as something you can simply “try out” with the expectation that it will eventually go away.

How quickly pigment fades varies significantly from person to person and is affected by many factors, including skin type and thickness, age, skin cell turnover, sun exposure, lifestyle, skincare products and treatments, and individual pigment retention. For example, clients with thinner or more mature skin often have slower skin cell turnover and may retain pigment for several years.

Our approach is intentionally soft and conservative. We want your pigment to gradually fade between touch-ups — in fact, the more the previous pigment has softened and faded before we add more, the better. Pigment can shift in tone as it ages, and repeatedly layering fresh pigment over older pigment can eventually create brows that look overly saturated, opaque or grey.

We would always rather allow older pigment to fade as much as possible and then refresh it with fresh colour as needed than continually layer pigment on top of pigment. This is how we keep your brows looking natural not only today, but for years to come.

Clients whose initial brow procedure was performed by Lara always receive loyalty pricing for their touch-ups. When you feel your brows have faded and may be ready for a refresh, simply send a current photo of your brows to info@larajadebeauty.com. We’ll assess the remaining pigment and send you the appropriate touch-up booking link.

Surprisingly, no! It feels like scratching for a few minutes, then a topical anesthetic is applied and it’s so painless you may even fall asleep. Most people report the tweezing is worse than the actual tattooing - who would have thought?!

Numbing gel is not initially used because it changes the texture of the skin.   Imagine you are asked to draw a straight line on a cardboard box. One box is dry and the other has been soaking in water for 30 minutes. Which box would have the nicer line?

In summary (TL;DR):
Plan for approximately 1–2 hours for your initial appointment. We will map and design your brows, choose your colour together, and get your approval before any tattooing begins. Brow procedures are a two-step process, with a perfecting appointment typically 4–8 weeks later.

The process:
Every appointment is customized to you, so treatment times can vary.

1. Mapping & Design
We begin by carefully mapping, measuring and drawing your brows based on your natural brow growth, facial anatomy, features and proportions. You’ll see the complete shape drawn in pencil and have the opportunity to make adjustments and approve it before any tattooing begins.

2. Colour Selection
Next, we select a pigment colour based on your natural brow hair, skin tone and desired result. Both the shape and colour are discussed and approved with you before we begin.

3. Tattooing
Once you’re happy with the plan, we begin the procedure. We use professional PMU pigments and sterile, single-use cartridges and supplies, following strict hygiene and safety standards.

4. Perfecting Appointment
Brow treatments are completed as a two-step process. Your second appointment is typically scheduled 4–8 weeks after your initial procedure, once the brows have healed and we can assess pigment retention. This allows us to perfect areas that may have healed lighter or need additional definition.

Perfecting appointments are usually much shorter than the initial procedure and can range from approximately 15 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how your brows have healed and what needs to be done.

Lara typically does not work over permanent makeup performed by another artist. In most cases, tattoo removal will be recommended before she can work on them.

However, if your previous permanent makeup or microblading is very faded, or you have completed laser tattoo removal, please send a clear, makeup-free photo of your brows to info@larajadebeauty.com or text 647-905-6300 for assessment.

If you have EVER had your brows tattooed by another artist — even if the pigment appears completely faded or you have completed tattoo removal — you must receive approval from our team before booking an appointment.

Please note that work originally performed by another artist is always considered a new initial procedure, not a touch-up, regardless of how faded it is. Working with previous permanent makeup is often more complex and requires additional planning and work. Loyalty touch-up pricing is reserved for existing clients whose original brow procedure was performed by Lara.

In most cases, no. Everything is discussed via phone or email prior to booking. An in-person consultation is done during your initial brow appointment. However, if you have had previous microblading or permanent makeup, skin issues, scar tissues, or medical issues requiring discussion, a separate consultation may be needed. Please contact me directly with any questions.  If you would like to come in on a separate day prior to your appointment for me to roughly draw the shape and discuss any other concerns, there is a $50 charge which will be applied to the procedure.

Skin must not be damaged in any way (e.g. sunburn, eczema, dermatitis, acne in the eyebrow area). If any of these concerns arise, please contact me to reschedule.

Do not book an appointment before a vacation or anytime you will be getting wet, sweating excessively, or in the sun. You cannot get your brows wet for 1 week after and cannot swim for 2 weeks after. You can not wear makeup for 7 days post procedure so please consider the timing of upcoming events when choosing a date. Specifically eyeshadow, foundation and powder (anything that can get into the brows and cause an infection).

Women experience more sensitivity to pain during their period, so avoid that time too!

Not if they’re done properly! Brows can turn red for a couple of reasons—usually from using iron oxide-based pigments, which tend to fade warmer over time, or from poor color theory (aka, the artist choosing the wrong pigment for your skin tone).

At our studio, we use a hybrid of iron oxide and carbon-based pigments that are carefully selected for long-term color stability. We also customize every color based on your unique undertone, so your brows fade gracefully—not red, orange, or ashy.

If you’ve had brows turn red in the past, don’t stress—we can usually correct that too. Just reach out and we’ll chat options!

While this is a new vaccine and there is still a lot we do not yet know, there have been reports of customers experiencing anaphylaxis when getting permanent makeup (PMU) procedures. Therefore, if you have received the COVID-19 vaccine, you should wait to get any PMU for at least 15 days after. This is to prevent the chance of any reactions developing. Please notify us if you have received the vaccine or have a date booked.