Permanent makeup is ideal for some and puzzling for others. Here’s a list of 8 pros and cons of permanent eyeliner that will help you choose a side!
What is permanent eyeliner?
In short, permanent eyeliner is an eyeliner tattoo.
For decades, people have been applying the same makeup day after day so as technology improved, someone thought, “why not make it permanent?”.
The process works as with any other tattoo. You design your desired look, and the eyeliner artist tattoos it onto your face.
It differs from other tattoos in that it will fade after two to three years so touch-ups are necessary for maintenance.
Permanent eyeliner can be tattooed in different styles and colors. It can even be removed as with other tattoos though this process can be long and even painful.
The pros and cons of permanent eyeliner
Let’s explore the pros of permanent eyeliner so you know the most important aspects to consider when deciding if it’s right for you:
Pros
1. You’ll always have perfect eyeliner
Drawing the perfect wing is easier on some days than on others. Inevitably, there are those mornings – often when you’re in a rush – when your eyeliner simply will not do what you wish it to do.
With the right aftercare, permanent eyeliner solves this issue. Every day you will wake up and go to sleep with a flawless line.
Not only will this save you many stressful moments, but it will also save far more time than you may realize.
You save both the application and removal time, which depending on your routine, can be significant.
2. No need for waterproof makeup
The raccoon eyes are one look every eyeliner wearer knows too well.
Maybe you forget your umbrella and are caught in a downpour. Or perhaps, you spontaneously jump in the pool at a pool party.
Unless that eyeliner is waterproof, dark eyes are unavoidable. On the other hand, waterproof makeup can be incredibly difficult and time-consuming to remove.
Permanent eyeliner solves this conundrum. You can spend all day at the beach going in and out of the ocean while maintaining a perfect cat-eye.
And you can avoid the uncomfortable process of scrubbing off waterproof makeup after your water-filled day.
3. Permanent eyeliner can be done in various styles
The right eyeliner differs greatly person-to-person.
On some faces, a thin line looks best while on others, the bigger and bolder the line, the better. Permanent eyeliner artists are well aware of this fact, so they offer ample options.
When you go in for your first appointment for permanent makeup, you will design your look with the artist.
This could be anything from a thin line right behind your lashes to shaded eyeliner that blends into your lid to look like an eye shadow.
You can select the perfect thickness and length of the line as well as the direction and style of the wing.
When deciding which is best for you, consider some of the following styles:
- Cat-eye
- Eyelash enhancer
- Almond eye
- Classic bar
- Thick flick
- Wide flick
- Sixties mod
- Glamorous
- Double flick
- No liner liner
- Panda smudge
- Soft smoke
- Winehouse
There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all makeup look when it comes to permanent eyeliner. The customizability of the procedure makes it easy to find the right design for you.
4. Permanent means semi-permanent
Because of the nature of the dye used in permanent eyeliner and its location on your eyelid, it’s not permanent in that it will last forever.
How long it lasts depends on several factors such as the place you have it done and the quality of the dye impact on how long it will stay intact.
However, this is also influenced by your skin, how frequently and rigorously you wash your eyes, and the products you use on the tattooed area.
On average, permanent eyeliner will last anywhere from two to three years.
Though depending on the aforementioned factors, you may notice your liner starting to fade earlier, it may begin to look smudged or even change colors slightly.
For this reason, any artist will recommend touching up their work every two years or less if you are unsatisfied with how the eyeliner is changing.
This point can be looked at as both a pro and a con.
If you love your permanent makeup and want to keep it forever, then you may see this one as a disadvantage as you have to continue paying for the touch-ups year after year.
However, if your preferences change after a while, or if styles evolve over the years, or perhaps if the skin around your eyes ages, then this semi-permanence may be ideal.
After roughly three years, you will be able to let the liner fade away or change styles as you please.
5. If you love your eyeliner, it will always be there
Eyeliner is a staple for many people. Thus, the idea that it can be made permanent is highly attractive.
Consider the following situations where having permanent eyeliner is extremely convenient:
- You work long shifts and have to re-apply throughout the day.
- You sleep over at your partner’s place and have to bring along your makeup and makeup remover each time.
- You’re going to a pool or beach party and want to look great but also want to swim.
- You have an overnight flight.
- You wear the same eyeliner look every single day.
These are just to name of few of the moments when permanent eyeliner makes life a lot easier.
Cons
When deciding whether or not to delve into the permanent makeup world, it’s important to evaluate both sides.
So, let’s explore some of the obvious cons involved:
1. Price
It’s no surprise that permanent makeup isn’t cheap.
The price is largely dependent upon the place you have the procedure done. On average, however, a permanent eyeliner appointment will cost you around $600 to $1000.
This price will vary according to the line you have done. For instance, a thick, winged line will cost more than a thin, simple eyelash enhancing one.
Though this is a fair sum of money, it does save costs in terms of other makeup and skin products.
For instance, if your permanent eyeliner removes the need for you to purchase eyeliner, mascara, and eye makeup remover every few months then it may add up to somewhere around the cost of the procedure after a few years.
2. Permanence
Makeup styles tend to change with the times.
Think back to eyeliner in the ‘60s where the bigger your line was, the better. Then flash forward to the ‘90s when undereye liner came into fashion.
In this sense, the permanence of permanent eyeliner has its drawbacks.
Though, as mentioned, permanent in this case means approximately three years, that is still three years of commitment to a certain style.
Of course, you can change the style of your permanent liner by simply adding to it with other temporary makeup.
Or you can also stop going in for touch-ups if you would like your permanent liner to fade with time.
However, it is still a tattoo and while you can add to what is there, you can’t take it off.
Thus, we recommend keeping your permanent line foundational.
If you go for a big bold wing, then there may come moments in the future where trends change, and you aren’t as crazy about that look.
If you keep your permanent liner more on the basic liner side, then it’s easy to add to if you want a bolder look but you’re not committed to that bold look for three years.
The following styles are more reserved:
- No liner liner
- Classic bar
- Thin flick
- Dropped flick
However, if you know that a thick dark line is your go-to and it’s unlikely to ever change then it makes sense to have it done permanently.
3. It can be an uncomfortable process
Our final con is that the process can be uncomfortable. This shouldn’t be a surprise considering how sensitive the area around our eyes is.
The good news is, they will always apply a numbing cream which makes the process painless.
Though, it can feel slightly uncomfortable nonetheless and can hurt after the numbing cream has worn off.
If you have extremely sensitive skin or very low pain tolerance, then we recommend mentioning these things to the eyeliner artist beforehand as they will have suggestions for the best remedies.
Final thoughts
Now you know the pros and cons of permanent eyeliner so you can reasonably evaluate if it’s the right solution for you.
References
https://www.permanentmakeupbyphoebe.com/what-is-permanent-cosmetics