As I look back on my PMU journey, I truly feel blessed. I grew up in the tattoo industry, so the humming of a coil machine is actually a calming sound to me. Over my 62 years, I’ve watched this industry evolve in ways I never could have imagined.

The Early Days of PMU

When I trained in permanent makeup in 2011, the industry was a very different place. Conferences were rare, and when they happened, it was a big deal. Meeting industry pioneers—people we admired from afar—was an event in itself. These experts would maybe speak once a year, and the information they shared was highly valued and respected.

I still remember meeting Val Glover, a true PMU legend. In a private conversation, she introduced me to pointillism, and it completely changed my understanding of PMU techniques. Then there was Margie Grimm, a fierce and talented artist I deeply admired. Years later, not only did we become great friends, but she also helped me develop SBI (Skinful Beauty Ink)—a product line I’m incredibly proud of.

The first wave of PMU artists were true pioneers. They experimented on themselves and each other, testing colors, products, and numbing techniques in hotel rooms at conferences. The industry was brand new—there were no rules, no standards, just a fearless group of artists paving the way.

The Next Generation of PMU Artists

Then came the next wave—artists like Teryn Darling, Daria Chupry, Tina Davies, and Mary Richardson. These artists were trained by, worked with, or learned from the original pioneers, pushing the industry forward even further.

I was in awe, sitting through class after class, soaking up every bit of knowledge I could. Online training didn’t exist back then. Everything was hands-on and in-person—and honestly, I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. 

I want to offer special thanks to Kay HoltzOpens a new window and Carla RicciardoneOpens a new window for allowing me to train alongside this new wave of PMU masters.

I remember when hair strokes were first taught. Back then, they looked like fence posts—but we thought it was revolutionary! Now, our hair strokes are true works of art, sculpted with incredible precision and skill.

Because I had access to top tattoo artists through Tattoo Lou’s (my father’s shops), I was in a unique position. I picked their brains, learning tricks and trade secrets that helped shape my approach to PMU. Looking back, I wish I had taken even more advantage of those opportunities.

PMU Today: Innovation, Education & Evolution

The artistic expectations in PMU have skyrocketed over the years. The work we create today is far beyond what we could have imagined in 2011.

For the past eight years, I have stepped away from tattooing to focus on Perma Blend. I worked with chemists, distributors, and artists worldwide, dissecting ink formulations to make them safer, more predictable, and easier to use. But all that time, I missed the art of tattooing itself.

So, a year and a half ago, I made the decision to re-educate myself. I went back to in-person training, and to my surprise, the trainers I chose were the very artists who had helped shape this industry into what it is today. What I quickly realized is that while techniques evolve, the fundamentals remain the same:

• Color theory

• Skin undertones

• Depth and needle selection

These core elements haven’t changed, but our understanding and application of them (as well as our ability to teach them) have changed.

I can honestly say that my original training in 2011 was terrible. That’s why I spent six years taking master classes, investing heavily to catch up from poor foundational education.

Now, as I return to tattooing, my focus is on artistic styles and advanced techniques because, at the end of the day, the basics are the basics. They don’t change.

The Future of PMU: Protecting Our Industry

One thing I’ve noticed is that new artists often don’t understand where this industry came from. They don’t know how much work went into shaping PMU into what it is today.

Worse, poor training programs are still out there. Some trainers falsely promise that you can take a three-to-five-day course and start making six figures—and that’s absurd. Becoming an expert takes time. You wouldn’t expect to master any other career in a matter of days, so why should PMU be any different?

If you’re serious about building a successful PMU career, do it the right way:

✔ Find a trainer who understands that real education takes time.

✔ Seek mentorship and ongoing support beyond just a certification.

✔ Respect the craft. The fast-track approach only hurts the industry—and, ultimately, the clients who trust us with their faces.

If we don’t raise our industry standards, we’ll continue to see poor work, frustrated clients, and long-term damage to PMU’s reputation. It’s up to us—the artists, trainers, and industry leaders—to protect what we’ve built and ensure that the next generation of PMU artists learns the right way.

I hope that everyone who loves this industry as much as I do will help change the trajectory of where we’re heading and work together to keep the bar high for PMU education, artistry, and professionalism.