Do you know why our slogan for Beauty INKlusivity is to be exceptional, not the exception? It’s because at Perma Blend, we believe that diversity isn’t just a “box to check.” With many cosmetic and fashion brands finally recognizing the importance of creating range that represents everyone, we want to remind people that black and brown visibility isn't going anywhere any time soon.

But We Know How Some Folks Like to Tussle...

We’re living, breathing treasures who love to flaunt and sometimes enhance our beauty as we deservingly see fit, including popping in for a PMU touch-up. But unfortunately, some clients with melanin-rich skin tones experience difficulties when trying to receive procedures like micropigmentation. Either misinformation led them to believe that they were not a candidate, or worse, they experienced a procedure gone wrong because of a miseducated technician. Haven’t experienced this? You’re lucky! For other artists or PMU-curious clients, scary images of PMU related irritations like keloid scarring or personal experiences can lead to the wrong conclusions about getting PMU.

Not only does our brand provide products to render the best results for every client, we’re on the circuit to educate artists around the world, including joining forces with conventions like PMU Con and the Women of Color Conference to share our knowledge as the leading brand in the PMU community. Plus, we’re collabing with PMU greats like Natalie Della-Verde to bring transformative and the most in depth education for how to perform PMU for melanin-rich skin tones. Register for her e-course here!

Here are some key things to remember when working with melanin-rich skin tones:

1. Choosing The Right Brow Pigments

In the PMU industry, artists often use the Fitzpatrick Scale, a system that classifies human skin tones based on their response to sun exposure in categories 1-6, to select the right pigments for their clients. Even though black and brown skin tones often fall in categories 5 and 6, there are far more significant factors that determine the right pigment you should use.

There are two types of melanin that make up skin pigmentation: pheomelanin and eumelanin. Pheomelanin (yellow and red) is found in lips, areolas and other pinkish parts, which are more present in lighter skin types. Eumelanin (black and brown), which is abundant in black and brown skin, also makes up things like dark, brown, and blonde hair.

Eumelanin-rich skin tones can have various undertones, ranging from warm to cool. Simply finding a client’s skin category between two tonal selections is just no longer sufficient.

When choosing pigments to cosmetically tattoo brows, PMU artists should carefully assess the individual's undertones to select pigments that complement and enhance the natural color of their brows. If your client has cool undertones, select pigments with warmer colors like red or orange. If your client has warm undertones, select pigments less red, and more cool for harmonious results.

Fortunately, CEO of The Brow and Lash Studio, Amina Sadiq has collaborated with Perma Blend to create LUXE Chocolate Collection, a six ink brow set developed to create the perfect match for melanin-rich skin tones. And when we say match? All you need is just one.

2. Thick vs... Ash?

You should never be penalized for having thick skin. Adjusting for the thickness and strength of the dermis (the inner layer of the skin), particularly in melanin-rich skin, is crucial for PMU artists. Melanin-rich skin tends to have a thicker and firmer dermal layer and can potentially lead to “ashy” and less defined results if pigments are implanted too deeply. Understanding the variations in skin thickness in different areas, such as the tail versus the bulb of the brow, is vital.

For individuals with oilier skin, adjusting machine speed, hand speed, and needle choice becomes essential to ensure optimal pigment retention. Careful consideration of these factors is crucial when working with melanin-rich skin, emphasizing the importance of using the right tools and techniques. For a PMU artist, we should suggest seeking education, an expert-level artist/trainer to help them understand how to use their tools and the healed results that will come from those choices.

What does speed have to do with pigment retention? Learn why and how to match the right needles to the right skin type with Natalie Della-Verde in her upcoming e-course, where she shows you how to design brows on melanin-rich skin tones! Sign up for Perma Blend alerts, and you can access her course available soon!

3. Ask The Right Questions

No matter your client's background or ethnicity, artists consultations should be exceptionally thorough. One aspect is the potential impact of skin care products that are actually melanin inhibitors or lightening creams that can affect the healing process AND results. Clients must be made aware that these products, commonly used to address hyperpigmentation or even out skin tone, can influence how the PMU heals and retains pigment. Including questions about the use of such products in consultation forms becomes crucial, enabling PMU artists to tailor their approach based on the client's skincare routine. In Natalie Della-Verde's e-course, she breaks down just what you need to perform the perfect consultation, and even provides you with complementary consultation form! Check it out now. 

Individuals with melanin-rich skin considering getting PMU should be educated on proper pre and post-treatment care. Following the artist's recommendations for aftercare is crucial in achieving long-lasting results.

These are just a few ways to ensure that clients of all backgrounds receive the best results for permanent makeup.

Want more?

Natalie Della-Verde is gearing up to share more of her wealth of knowledge and expertise through her upcoming class focused on PMU brows for melanin-rich skin tones! In this course, you can follow her though human demonstrations and see how you can give the type of brow experience all clients deserve! Sign up here: 

BE EXCEPTIONAL. NOT THE EXCEPTION.

Beauty INKlusivity is an initiative to empower artists of all skill levels in the professional PMU beauty industry through scholarship, product development and education. We're in the business of eradicating the status quo by developing products that represent us all - and creating a better world beyond our imagination.

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