What is Permanent Eyeliner?

Also known as an eyeliner tattoo, permanent eyeliner is a treatment you can receive that replaces the need to wear eyeliner each day. Permanent eyeliner involves using a tattooing technique to apply pigment along the lashline to create the appearance of eyeliner. (This pigment is permanent, but has to be touched up every 2-5 years.) Eyeliner tattoos can be applied in a variety of styles, from extremely thin and natural-looking liner, to thicker lines, and even winged eyeliner.

The benefits of receiving permanent eyeliner range from not needing to wear eyeliner anymore (if you frequently wear it as part of your beauty routine), to enhancing your eye shape. The treatment also lasts between two and five years before you'll need a touch-up, which is fairly long-lasting as far as beauty treatments go. Finally, you don't need to have eyelashes to get this procedure, so it's a popular treatment for those with sparse lashes, hair loss, and/or alopecia to enhance the eye area.

Like all cosmetic procedures, there are risks and complications associated with permanent eyeliner. However, when performed by a licensed and experienced professional, the procedure is generally considered safe.

Prior to your actual treatment, stop using any sensitizing skincare products (like retinol or glycolic acid) around the eye area for a full week before your appointment to avoid irritation. You'll want to come to your appointment with clean skin that's completely free of makeup. Please avoid coffee (or any caffeine for that matter) on the day of your treatment to help you relax and avoid twitching.

The procedure typically takes around 1-2 hours to complete, depending on the amount of eyeliner being applied.

The technique of permanent eyeliner has been perfected over the years, and (despite what you may have heard) has become a comfortable treatment. The service can last anywhere from 45 minutes to one hour, and the area is numbed before application. You will feel a slight buzzing along the lashes where the needle is applying the pigment—the skin is slightly broken during the first pass of the needle, but you won't experience bleeding or discomfort if you are properly numbed.

Permanent eyeliner can last for several years, but touch-up appointments may be needed to maintain the desired look.