Creating facial definition
By Cristy Gylfphe
From the April 2006
Issue of Applaud Magazine

The idea of permanent makeup is fast growing in popularity. Basically, it consists of applying ink under the layers of skin via a needle, as in tattooing. The tattoos can color eyes, lips, eyebrows and even your cheeks. There are two ways you can go when deciding on having permanent makeup done. First, you can choose to see a tattoo artist who offers the service. As a general rule, tattoo artists are less expensive then aestheticians, but typically do not offer topical anesthetics prior to the procedure. In contrast, a professional aesthetician may be more costly, but he or she will use a topical for pain and you will be getting the services of a professional trained in makeup application. There is also a difference in the inks used. A tattoo artist usually buys the ink and bulk and mixes it themselves. An aesthetician uses ink prepared by a facial cosmetic manufacturer specifically designed for facial tattooing. Either way, it is advisable to perform a patch test with the ink to ensure there is no allergic reaction. Also, it is important in both cases to follow the aftercare instructions carefully. What kind of experience can you expect having permanent makeup done? Editor of Applaud Magazine, Susan Caldwell recently decided to undergo a procedure. She decided to see licensed and certified aesthetician Dani Podojsky of Extra Touch Inc., at 303 Amherst St. in Nashua, NH. Whether you use a tattoo artist or an aesthitician, Dani advises that you ask to see their portfolio and make sure that the photos are of their patients and not just purchased from someone else. Susan chose Dani to do the work because she was impressed with her professionalism and thoroughness. She stated, “Dani's office is immaculate and well organized. She explains everything as she is going along, so that you know what to expect. Another important piece for me was the fact that she has the experience to know what size and shape my brows should be. I don't usually do anything with them because I'm just clueless about what to do. Dani took a lot of time tweezing and cutting my brow hairs to be sure they would conform to the shape of the tattoo.” Dani was trained in Huntington Beach, California. Her practice specializes in women over 50. She started this new career at 54, after she had her eyebrows botched by a presumed professional. She turned that negative experience into a successful business that now benefits other women and their image. Dani believes in less rather than more. She would rather do less ink the first time and fill it in on the second visit than putting too much on initially because it is much more difficult to remove than apply. Dani always does a consult prior to any permanent makeup procedure. The consult is generally two hours long with a fee of $90, which is applied to the final cost once the procedure is done. Each procedure is unique to a person’s situation and skin type. Dani carefully analyzes each face, taking note of bone structure, skin tone, and overall proportions of the face. She actually measures the face by dividing it into three sections, carefully balancing the eyebrows with the outer edges of the lips, eyes and nose, and the outer contours of the face. The makeup application therefore naturally brings symmetry to your face. Susan decided to have her eyes and eyebrows done in the same day for the sake of the article. This is not usually recommended Dani applied a topical numbing agent, then began to use her special tattoo gun, which is smaller and more precise than the guns used for body tattoos. She worked in small patches, wiping away excess ink periodically. Did it hurt? Susan claims, “Dani is conscious in making sure I wasn't in too much pain and she made sure that I understood the aftercare that was required.” She describes the pain as being more of an aggravation from an area being poked and wiped repeatedly, rather than acute pain from the needle. The topical anesthetic helped to relieve most of the pain. She described the eyebrow area being painful as a “2” on a scale on 10. The continual wiping of the area was described as a “5” as the procedure went on. The procedure lasted approximately three hours. When finished, Susan was pleased to find that her skin was not too puffy or red. Dani used two colors on Susan, Softats by Alexis Lawson in Bashful Blond for her eyebrows, and Kolorsource by Dr. Linda Dickson in Burnt Toast for her eyes. The colors were dark initially, but faded and sloughed off about a week and a half. Two weeks later, Susan says she loves the results. Being a busy woman and never feeling quite comfortable without makeup on, Susan is thrilled with how good she looks when she rolls out of bed in the morning. Permanent makeup is a great choice for anyone who wants a polished appearance with little upkeep or maintenance. It saves time in the morning when you would normally be carefully applying makeup lines, and it does not smudge or wear off as you go through the day! The darkening of your eyes, brows and lips adds drama and dimension to your face, without taking away from the versatility of your look, as you can change eye shadow, blush and foundation colors. “I think everyone is nervous when they have something done on their face, but I have to say that I was quite comfortable having Dani perform these procedures and I think that is the most important requirement when someone has something like this done.”Susan concludes. Dani Podojsky has been a cosmetologist / aesthetician for 30 years and a permanent makeup specialist for 10years. She can be contacted at 603-883-3518, or e-mail at info@extratouchinc.com. The website for Extra Touch Inc.is www.extratouchinc.com and includes the a list of the cost of the Full Brows - $625 (includes two follow up visits), Eyeliner – $625 (includes two follow up visits), and Lips - $875(includes four follow up visits ). Dani is a Permanent Cosmetic Specialist, certified and licensed in NH.