Let’s talk about permanent brows—done right.
Nothing’s worse than spending hours creating beautiful brows, only for them to heal ashy, gray, or just… off. If you’ve been there, you’re not alone. It happens. But here’s the thing—it doesn’t have to.
Carla RicciardoneOpens a new window is a legend in the industry. While she’s known as a master of PMU lips, she specializes in a broad range of PMU styles and techniques. Her gorgeous brow work featured below is a wonderful example of brows that have lasted over four years without ashing out. With the right practices and techniques in your toolkit, brow ashiness becomes far less intimidating. Everyone wants to know how to replicate her success, so let’s get into it!
Is the Pigment the Problem?
While it’s true that carbon-based pigments have a greater chance of healing cool if not properly used, and inorganics appear to heal warmer (a discussion for another time), there are many variables that we can control.
We’re here to break down why brows heal ashy, how to stop it before it starts, and what to do if it happens anyway. No fluff, no fancy jargon—just real, straight-to-the-point advice from artists who’ve been there.
First Things First: Why can Brows Heal Ashy?
When brows heal “ashy,” there are a few variables to consider.
Wrong pigment choice – The client’s skin undertone can affect how their brows heal. In fact, most clients tend to heal on the cooler side. Understanding how to determine skin undertones can be tricky, but if you begin to train your eyes to see color, you will be surprised that you cannot unsee undertones! One tried and true way to see the undertone is to look at your clients’ veins.
- If your client shows blue/purple veins, they’re considered cool.
- If your client shows blue/green veins, they’re considered neutral.
- If your client shows olive/green veins, they’re considered warm.
This is why it’s important to know what pigment you are using. Does your pigment choice have a cool, neutral, or warm base? If you want to take it even further, the CI (color index) numbers of each pigment can give you even more insight.
For instance, Red 238 (CI# 173995) is a very cool or blue-red color, while Red 254 (CI# 56110) is a warm red color. Your choice of pigment will make a difference in how it heals in the skin.
Understanding Inks
The more you understand your ink, the better of an artist you'll become (and the better your results will be). Remember, ink is a tool, just like your machine and needles. Take the time to learn. Watch our Science Behind the Ink classOpens a new window to gain a better understanding of ink and its ingredients. In the meantime, here are a few general rules of thumb for avoiding ashiness:
Too deep = too cool – If you implant pigment too deep, it mixes with the body’s natural cool tones and heals ashy. Knowing the proper implantation level is crucial. Take notice while you’re tattooing and take notes after each procedure to keep a log of how colors react under the skin. For every procedure I do, I ask myself, “What have I learned from this?”
Over-saturation – Packing in too much pigment can create pigment buildup, which often leads to a dull, grayish tone. Now, many clients want a more natural brow or less of a pigment load. This means that we have the opportunity to play with needle configurations for a more pixelated look or play with shading solutions to diminish the pigment load.
Poor aftercare – If a client’s brows are too dry, too oily, or healing too fast, it can affect how the pigment settles. I have found that clients think they cannot get their brows wet or cleanse them. If clients don’t follow proper aftercare routines, the risk of unsatisfactory results skyrockets. When you understand these factors, it’s much easier to keep ashy brows at bay.
How to Keep Brows from Healing Ashy
Choose the Right Pigment for Their Skin Tone
Pigment selection is where a lot of artists get tripped up. One shade does not fit all. If you pick a neutral or cool brown for someone who already has cool undertones, those brows will heal even cooler—and that’s when you get the ashy effect.
Here are a few general rules about shade selection to keep in mind:
|
Skin Undertone |
Best Pigments |
What to Avoid |
|
Cool (pink, fair, mature skin) |
Warm-based browns, neutral browns with a warm modifier |
Ashy or cool-toned browns |
|
Neutral (beige, olive undertones) |
Neutral browns, slightly warm browns |
Overly cool browns |
|
Warm (golden, deep skin tones) |
Cooler brown or neutral brown |
Reds or overly warm shades |
Keep in mind that these are just general guidelines. Always evaluate your client’s unique needs and situation before performing any procedure.
Implant Pigment at the Right Depth
Depth matters. If you go too deep, your pigment mixes with the body’s natural undertones—which are almost always cool. The deeper you go, the cooler the pigment will heal.
How to know you’re at the right depth:
- Tiny pinpoint bleeding is okay. Excessive bleeding? Too deep.
- If the skin turns too red or purple while working, lighten up.
- Needles should glide—not drag or bounce.
Keep it in the upper layers of the dermis and you’re golden.
Avoid Over-Saturation
Layering too much pigment = pigment overload = ashy results over time. Instead, work light and build color gradually.
✔ Go slow. Let the first session heal before deciding if they need more color.
✔ Think layers, not packing. Build up pigment instead of forcing it all in at once.
✔ Use proper speed and pressure. Heavy-handed strokes = deeper pigment = ashy brows.
Guide Clients Through Aftercare
Even the best brows can heal poorly if clients don’t follow a proper aftercare routine.
Make sure they:
- Avoid sweating, saunas, and sun exposure for at least 10 days.
- Apply a thin layer of aftercare balm (too much can suffocate the pigment).
- Don’t pick, peel, or scrub the brows. (You know they’ll try.)
- Assess the client’s skin and make recommendations based on observations.
What If Brows Heal Ashy Anyway?
So, you did everything right, but the brows still healed too cool? It happens. Here’s how to fix it:
- Use a warm color corrector.
- Go over the brows with a warmer pigment at the touch-up appointment.
- Make sure you’re implanting at the right depth—if the pigment still heals cool, you may be going too deep.
- Educate your client—aftercare plays a big role in color retention.
Final Thoughts: Ashy Brows? Not on Your Watch
Creating perfect, natural-looking brows is all about balance—the right pigment, the right depth, and the right technique on your unique client. Every client is different, and you need to be able to access as an artist what tools and techniques best fit this client. To learn even more about brow basics, check out this blog or all your brow mapping basicsOpens a new window!
Here’s a Quick Recap:
- Pick a pigment based on the client’s undertones (warm for cool skin, cool for warm skin).
- Implant at the correct depth—not too shallow, not too deep.
- Avoid over-saturation—work in layers, not heavy-handed strokes.
- Guide your clients through aftercare so the pigment heals true to color.
Like all aspects of PMU, pigments have evolved—and so have we. Over the years, we've deepened our understanding of how opacity and transparency play essential roles in achieving the best results. Some procedures call for higher opacity using ingredients like titanium dioxide or iron oxides, while others benefit from a more translucent approach.
As our expertise has grown, so have our pigment combinations. Today, we carefully balance elements like titanium dioxide, carbon black, and inorganics to create formulas that offer both beautiful color and long-lasting performance.
Like a fine wine, our formulations have matured with time—refined through experience, innovation, and a passion for helping artists create their best work.
You’ve got this. Master these best practices and you’ll never have to stress about ashy brows again.
