The questions everyone has.

Permanent makeup, also called cosmetic tattooing or micropigmentation, places fine deposits of pigment into the upper layer of the skin to softly define your brows, lips or lash line. It is designed to look like beautifully applied makeup that is simply already there when you wake up.

Most people find it very manageable. A medical-grade numbing cream is applied before and during your appointment, and most clients describe the feeling as light scratching or pressure, often comparing it to having their brows tweezed. Everyone's sensitivity is a little different, and we go at your pace.

The visible healing takes about seven to fourteen days, with the skin fully settling over four to six weeks.

• Days 1 to 3. Bolder and darker than your final result. Some tenderness and light swelling.
• Days 4 to 7. Light flaking and peeling. Please do not pick or scratch; it pulls pigment out.
• Days 8 to 14. The colour looks faded, sometimes as though it has vanished. This is normal. The pigment is still there under fresh skin.
• Weeks 2 to 6. The colour blooms back and settles, roughly 30 to 50 percent softer than day one.

The touch-up is the second half of the procedure, not a correction. It refines the shape and perfects the colour once your skin has healed. Brows and eyeliner are ready for it at four to six weeks; lips at six to eight. We book it together on the day of your first appointment, and it is included in the price.

Machine work, which is what powder brows, lip blushing and eyeliner are, typically lasts one to three years. How long is personal: oily skin, sun exposure and active skincare such as retinols all fade pigment faster. Most clients come back for a colour refresh every one to three years.

Yes, and nothing begins until you are happy. Your shape is mapped and drawn on first, measured to your own bone structure and symmetry, and you approve it before any pigment is used. Colour is chosen for your skin's undertone so it stays true as it heals rather than turning ashy.

This is a cosmetic tattoo, so it is an invasive procedure and worth understanding properly. Normal short-term effects are swelling, redness, mild tenderness and flaking. Less common but real risks include infection, and allergic reaction to pigments, which can occasionally appear long after the procedure. Certain conditions and medications mean we would need to wait or get clearance from your doctor first. We go through all of this at your consultation, and it is covered in the consent form you sign before we begin.

We cannot proceed if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have used Accutane or isotretinoin in the last six months, have an active infection or skin condition on the area, or are currently having chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Please tell us at the consultation if you have diabetes, an autoimmune condition, a bleeding or clotting disorder, a history of keloid scarring, glaucoma (for eyeliner), or if you take blood thinners; some of these need a note from your doctor first. If you get cold sores and want lip blushing, mention it, as there is a simple precaution to take beforehand. You must be 18 or over.

Avoid alcohol, caffeine and blood-thinning pain relief such as aspirin or ibuprofen for 24 hours before, stay out of the sun and skip retinols and exfoliants on the area for a week, and arrive with clean skin and no makeup on the area. Full instructions come with your booking confirmation.