I was apprehensive about publishing this particular post, because of its relation to other bloggers. For the sake of educating others, I did. Just a few points:
1) This was not intended to be an open lashing of any specific blogger. A blog war would never happen; I'm sure everyone involved has more important things to tend to. This is merely supplemental reading to an advertisement that did not have enough information; something I felt was irresponsible. It's up to you to conduct your own research and come to a conclusion, as with any product or service in question.
2) The purpose of this entry was to agitate readers and force you to think and do your own research. Feel manipulated much? I am not the authority on any of this, but I am imploring you to do the work before you buy into anything. Obviously, I've stirred strong feelings both ways, whether or not it had anything to do with makeup tattoos, but it's opened the topic up for discussion and gives bloggers a chance to make things clear.
3) This was in no way a method of garnering more "hits." I don't get paid for this so I get nothing from blogging (and all that has to do with this blog) except the ability to curb my boredom. Google Adsense? I have earned money from page impressions, but have not and will not be accepting payments. (I don't need the money, but wanted to see how much I'd draw in.) Nor have I mentioned names of specific products or persons relating to any blog or blogger such that you would be able to find this post in the future if you were to do a websearch. I wanted nothing to do with that. Unless it were Tyra Banks, in which case... Welcome? There will be associations for now, because this is a new post and I cannot help if anyone decides to link it.
4) Seeing as how the procedure is related to a specific boutique, I'll direct this post to the readers who are not able to see for themselves but are still interested in getting a tattoo done where they reside. Derma-Aesthetics is so far only available in that part of the world. I would love for them to come, because if it's truly what they sell themselves to be, then it would be a makeup marvel wouldn't it? Of course, everything complying to U.S. standards and with the condition that they become certified and licensed tattooists. Standards and regulations are different in different places: Verika Seddick was trained in Europe, which might explain why she broke so many rules; however, it's inexusable since she's operating in New York.
Do not take offense, dear advertiser. If you do in fact believe in your product, I meant no ill will.
I still stand by my argument as it is surrounding the poor choice in diction, "semi-permanent," because it alludes to the idea that you can control how long a tattoo will last. All tattoos fade, so suggesting that there is anything remarkable about "semi" methods is blasphemous and insulting to hardcore tattoo fans. Things like sun tanning and not using sunblock, glycolic peels, Alpha-hydroxide & retin-a products, smoking, and dry skin can also speed up the length of time it takes for a tattoo to fade. So it varies quite a bit from person to person. Permanent tattoos are capable of looking natural without fading into a blue or green tone. Salons should not be using traditional tattoo pigments and the technician should be trained in color theory. It's more complicated than just saying, "I want permanent makeup." Getting it done right will mean less grief later.
Take note: "Semi-permanent" is not mentioned anywhere by the FDA (more: 1, 2, 3) and the only form of accepted "temporary tattoos" are those applied topically (henna and those sticker-type tattoos).
Merely comparing before and after photos is not enough research. Even the weightloss industry fools the best of us in their diet supplement advertisements. Companies hire fitness experts to participate in their campaign. They are asked to gain weight and lose it all for so-called before and after shots. Don't be lazy. There's no healthy shortcut for weightloss and there's no way everyone who has undergone shoddy makeup tattoo work will come out of this unscathed and without having to touch things up.
Feel free to refute my words and the words of the few professionals that I have included in this post. Everything is up for dissection and I am open to the idea of an intelligent debate as long as it is well-structured, well-researched, and comes from someone whose spelling and syntax isn't an affront to the English language (otherwise I cannot take you seriously). Make sure you've read all I've written correctly, because I do not like to repeat myself and I can't help if you lack the mental capacity to understand what I write. I take no offense to those who do not agree with me--that's your perogative.
In light of some recent "semi-permanent" makeup publicity, I thought I'd shed some light on things and make you girls think before you run off looking for such rubbish.
There's no such thing as a semi-permanent tattoo. At least not unless you're talking about pigments, like Freedom-2, that make it possible for you to remove the tattoo in just one laser session. A true semi-permanent makeup is the 8-hour lipgloss you can find at CVS. There are also 24-hour eyeliners available on online stores. Why doesn't "semi-permanent" makeup tattooing exist? Because you can't guarantee that it will fade in 1 or 2 years and most "semi-permanent" tattoos last for many more years than that. 8 hours is fine, but how about living with nasty, faded eyeliner forever? Or scarred skin from retouching multiple times?
There was a Tyra Banks episode that demonstrated this new technique:
Tyra Banks Show - April 21, 2008 - Beauty Tips from Around the World PART 3 -
I was completely horrified with the entire thing. Okay, most people probably already feel like Tyra's a big fat fake anyway, but this segment is terribly inaccurate and probably had a lot of women rushing to find a salon that provides this procedure. Any reputable clinic will tell you that there's no such thing as a non-permanent tattoo. A tattoo can fade, but not always completely. Go to a regular tattoo parlour and they'll tell you the same thing. In fact, any tat shop worth its salt should REFUSE to help you with your hunt for a semi-permanent tattoo.
Don't get me started on how unhygienic that demonstration was. The lady didn't even clean her client's lashline before applying the numbing agent. She didn't grip her lower lid. Where's the barrier film and the sleeve for the tool she's using? All of this was not in accordance to OSHA. I doubt that she was properly trained in tattoo makeup artistry.
But wait! According to Ms. Seddick:
"I want to make sure also to make a distinction between the tattooing. This is not tattooing." Are you using a needle? Are you breaking skin? "I will use a needle," she says. Lady, it's a damn tattoo. Permanent makeup procedure requires the use of a small needle because, according to Wake Up With Makeup, "the skin is broken in order for the tattoo / implant of pigment to occur."
The vegetable/mineral dye bit is bullshit. She probably meant organic, which has nothing to do with vegetables and everything to do with O-chem, but she's too damn stupid to know that. (Verika Seddick worked for White Tea Spa in N.Y., by the way. Feel free to avoid them like the plague.)
Vegetable & mineral dyes: "There is no such thing used by properly trained technicians in our industry. Those products are banned from use in our industry. If truly "organic" that would mean they contained animal or plant matter. If a "dye" that would constitute coloring used in the food industry or for things like paint etc.- all harmful if put into the body or at the very least would set a person up for an extreme allergic reaction. In the permanent makeup industry, all properly trained practitioners use Iron Oxide and sometimes Titanium Dioxide based pigments. This is a mineral that is inert and has no reactionary properties. It is a powder (the same minerals used in mineral makeup such as Bare Essentials, Jane Airedale etc.) It is then mixed with distilled water, isopropyl alcohol and glycerin to create a liquid based color that can be "injected" by a needle into the dermal layer of the skin."
- Debbie Miller, owner of Newport Permanent Makeup
But, Fei, I or someone I know have had this done and it faded as promised! Plus, I can always go back to retouch it!
Well, good for you, but everyone is different and no two technicians will apply the same technique such that it guarantees that your tattoo will fade in a year's time. Anyone advertising the ability to provide you with "semi-permanent" tattoos or makeup is just an ill trained tattooist.
"There are no documented findings to suggest cosmetically tattooed skin can be reverted to its previous unaltered state within a specified timeframe stated by the technician or any other person."
"Using the name semi-permanent is a crutch for less than favorable results and may also be considered an excuse for not properly explaining the nature of tattooing to a client."
"Permanent Cosmetics, Permanent Makeup, and Cosmetic Tattooing are all terms used to correctly identify the process of implanting pigments (inks) into the skin for cosmetic purposes. The term “semi-permanent” is reserved for long-wear topically applied makeup and is misleading to be associated with the tattoo industry. It implies mechanical control of the length of time a pigment may remain in the skin."
"It is also common knowledge that many tattoo pigment colors are highly resistant or impossible to remove even with the most advanced laser techniques, so not only permanent, but also some may be non-removable as well. (FDA Science Forum, 2006, Body Marking: Tattoos, Permanent Make-up and Laser Removal.)"
- The Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals (SPCP)
Improper application or faulty equipment affect how long a tattoo will last. All tattoos fade to a degree, depending on how much sun exposure you get, the quality of the pigments used, and how well the tech applied the ink. A properly trained tattooist will give you results that will last long. Retouching means breaking your skin again, and again, and again, which can result in further scarring. A trained makeup tattooist will make sure you will need few touch ups, which means less damage for your skin and your wallet. Some techs of so called "semi-permanent" tattoos promise to be able to remove the tat, if you are not satisfied, by employing the use of glycolic peels. Tell me, how on earth are you going to apply a glycolic peel to your EYELIDS. Laser procedures are expensive, painful, and will probably require more than one session.
"IN ALL MY EXPERIENCE I HAVE NEVER SEEN EITHER A WELL EXECUTED PIECE OF SEMI-PERMANENT WORK OR EVEN A SEMI-PERMANENT TATTOO!!!!!!!!!
Over the past few years I've had to re-work, re-colour or cover up so called semi-permanent work. It really is the biggest con around - extortionate prices for terrible work that REALLY ISN'T GOING TO FADE AFTER A GIVEN NUMBER OF YEARS!!!!!!!!"
- Gray Silva, Rampant Ink
And when they do fade, it looks like SHIT.
Discarding the word "tattoo" and masking it with terms like "semi-permanent" is ludicrous and leads to false advertising. I know there are boutiques in Asia, such as Derma-Aesthetics and BrowHaus, that probably aren't as stringent about regulating this sort of thing and are very sketchy about the way they talk about their procedures. They dodge the word "tattoo," because of the negative feelings surrounding its permanency. Instead, they use "micropen" instead of "needle" and "embroidery" instead of "tattoo." What the fuck do you think they use to embroider clothing? NEEDLES. Do they "implant" their pigments? No. They merely "scratch" the surface of your skin! Their testimonials? They mean nothing to me if there isn't solid evidence that they can deliver what they promise. Don't give me your god damn before and after photos! That says NOTHING about the lifespan of your tattooed makeup. Is it a year? Or YEARS. The 2 to 5 years stated on Derma-Aesthetics' website contradicts information on other webpages. I don't know about you, but I'm nobody's guinea pig:
"Please feel free to consult any of the beauty parlours in the area and ask them about the disclaimer they insist you sign before they start their work. It will state that they cannot be held responsible if the tattoo doesn't fade in the specified time, or if it fades to such a poor degree that you are completely embarrassed by it. If it was going to work why would you need to sign this? Any professional tattooist wouldn't dream of asking someone to sign any such document because we are so confident in our permanent finished product."
- Gray Silva, Rampant Ink
Like any tattoo, makeup tats should be treated as permanent markings. If you're so unsure about getting it done, it probably isn't right for you. I wholeheartedly ENCOURAGE you to do the research if you are considering permanent makeup application. Don't read testimonials on forums made by a bunch of girls who've just gotten their "semi-permanent" makeup done. They have no idea how it'll turn out years from now. Even so, I don't think the first thing they'll do is to tell everyone of their mistake on the Internets. FIND a technician who is certified, either by the SPCP or other reputable board, and take a good look at it. Look at things, like... How many hours has she clocked in to get that certification? Nothing replaces good old fashioned knowledge and experience!
I hope this post was informative and helpful. I also hope you realize that, despite there being so many bloggers reviewing products and services, nothing beats doing your own research, especially when it comes to something as drastic as this. Some amongst us are not knowledgeable enough to be shilling what is being reviewed. Not even TyTy herself.
