Permanent Makeup Prep & Aftercare: The Do’s and Don’ts Before and After Your Appointment
Beautiful permanent makeup starts long before the pigment touches the skin.
Whether you are booking Nano Brows, Ombre Brows, Combination Brows, Permanent Eyeliner, Lip Blush, or Hairline Pigmentation, proper preparation and aftercare can make a significant difference in comfort, healing, pigment retention, and your final result.
At Saint de L’esthetique, every treatment is approached with precision, hygiene, artistry, and long-term results in mind. Consider this your complete guide to arriving prepared and protecting your investment after your procedure.
Why Pre-Care Matters
Permanent makeup involves depositing pigment into the upper layers of the skin. The calmer and healthier your skin is before your appointment, the easier it is to work with and the more predictable the healing process can be.
In the days leading up to your appointment, the goal is simple: avoid unnecessary irritation, inflammation, dehydration, and anything that may increase sensitivity or bleeding.
Always disclose relevant medications, allergies, skin conditions, previous cosmetic procedures, and medical concerns during your consultation.
BROW PROCEDURES
For Nano Brows, Ombre Brows & Combination Brows
Brows frame the entire face, so giving the skin the right preparation helps your artist create cleaner, more refined results.
Before Your Brow Appointment
DO:
Keep the brow area clean and moisturized in the days before your appointment.
Allow your natural brow hairs to grow where possible so your artist can assess your natural shape.
Arrive with clean skin or light makeup that can easily be removed.
Inform your artist of any previous brow tattooing, microblading, laser removal, or pigment work.
Bring reference photos if you have a preferred brow shape or style.
DON’T:
Do not wax, thread, tint, laminate, or aggressively tweeze the brows for approximately 5–7 days before your appointment.
Avoid strong exfoliants, retinol, AHAs, BHAs, or resurfacing products around the brows for several days beforehand.
Avoid chemical peels, aggressive facials, lasers, or skin-resurfacing procedures near the area shortly before your appointment.
Avoid excessive sun exposure or arriving with sunburned or irritated skin.
Avoid alcohol and excessive caffeine immediately before your appointment if they make you more sensitive or prone to bleeding.
If you take medication that affects bleeding or clotting, do not stop prescribed medication without speaking to your physician first.
BROW AFTERCARE
During the first several days, your brows may appear darker, sharper, warmer, or more intense than the final healed result. This is normal.
As healing progresses, pigment may soften considerably before settling.
DO:
Follow the cleansing and aftercare instructions provided by your artist.
Keep the area clean using gentle techniques.
Apply only the recommended aftercare product, and only in the amount instructed.
Sleep on a clean pillowcase.
Allow flakes or light scabbing to fall away naturally.
Protect healed brows from excessive sun exposure.
DON’T:
Do not scratch, peel, pick, rub, or remove flaking skin.
Avoid heavy sweating, swimming, saunas, and steam rooms during the initial healing period.
Avoid soaking the brows in water for prolonged periods.
Avoid applying makeup, skincare actives, foundation, or exfoliating products directly over the healing area.
Avoid facials, lasers, peels, or brow treatments until the skin has properly healed.
Your brows may go through a temporary “too dark → flaky → too light → softly restored” healing cycle. Patience is part of the process.
PERMANENT EYELINER
Permanent eyeliner creates definition along the lash line without the daily effort of applying traditional eyeliner.
Because the eye area is delicate, preparation is particularly important.
Before Your Eyeliner Appointment
DO:
Arrive without eye makeup whenever possible.
Remove contact lenses before the procedure and bring glasses if needed afterward.
Inform your artist of any eye sensitivity, previous eye surgery, allergies, recurring eye irritation, or chronic eye conditions.
Make sure the eye area is free from active infection or irritation.
DON’T:
Avoid lash extensions before your appointment. Your artist may require them to be professionally removed beforehand.
Avoid lash lifts, lash tinting, and aggressive eye-area treatments shortly before your procedure.
Avoid waterproof mascara or difficult-to-remove eye makeup on the day of treatment.
Avoid retinol, strong exfoliants, or irritating skincare close to the eyelids.
Do not proceed with treatment if you currently have conjunctivitis, a stye, significant irritation, or another active eye-area infection.
EYELINER AFTERCARE
Mild swelling or tenderness around the eyes can occur immediately after treatment.
DO:
Keep the area clean and dry according to your artist’s instructions.
Use a clean cool compress if recommended.
Sleep slightly elevated during the first night if you are prone to swelling.
Allow the treated lash line to heal naturally.
DON’T:
Avoid mascara, eyeliner, eye shadow, false lashes, and lash extensions during the initial healing period.
Do not rub or scratch the eyelids.
Avoid swimming, saunas, steam, and excessive sweating while the skin is healing.
Avoid using active skincare ingredients directly around the treated area.
Avoid contact lenses immediately afterward if your eyes feel sensitive; follow your artist’s instructions.
Seek medical attention if you experience severe pain, worsening redness, unusual discharge, vision changes, or symptoms that appear inconsistent with normal healing.
LIP BLUSH
Lip blush enhances the natural tone, definition, and symmetry of the lips while maintaining a soft, polished appearance.
Because lips are highly vascular and constantly exposed to food, drinks, moisture, and movement, aftercare matters enormously.
Before Your Lip Blush Appointment
DO:
Keep your lips well hydrated during the week before your appointment.
Use a gentle lip balm regularly.
Lightly exfoliate dry skin only if advised by your artist and if your lips are not irritated.
Drink plenty of water.
Inform your artist if you have ever experienced cold sores, fever blisters, or herpes simplex around the lips.
Clients with a history of cold sores should speak with a qualified healthcare professional before treatment because lip procedures may trigger a recurrence. Preventive antiviral medication may sometimes be recommended by a physician.
DON’T:
Do not arrive with cracked, bleeding, severely chapped, sunburned, or actively irritated lips.
Avoid lip filler immediately before lip blush. Your artist may recommend separating the procedures by several weeks.
Avoid aggressive lip exfoliation right before treatment.
Avoid strong acids, retinoids, or irritating skincare around the mouth before your appointment.
Do not pick existing dry skin.
LIP BLUSH AFTERCARE
Your lips will usually appear brighter, darker, or more saturated immediately after treatment.
The color typically softens significantly as healing progresses.
DO:
Keep the lips clean.
Apply the recommended aftercare balm using clean hands or a clean applicator.
Drink through a straw during the earliest healing stage if advised.
Choose gentle foods for the first day or two.
Keep hydrated.
Allow dry or flaky skin to shed naturally.
DON’T:
Do not peel, bite, or pull loose skin.
Avoid very spicy, acidic, salty, or extremely hot foods immediately after treatment if they cause irritation.
Avoid kissing or excessive friction while the lips are freshly healing.
Avoid lipstick, gloss, or unapproved lip products during the initial healing period.
Avoid swimming, saunas, excessive sweating, and prolonged sun exposure while healing.
The healed result is typically much softer and more natural than the color seen immediately after your appointment.
HAIRLINE & SCALP PIGMENTATION
Hairline pigmentation can visually enhance density, soften sparse areas, and improve the appearance of the frontal hairline.
Before Your Appointment
DO:
Arrive with a clean scalp.
Wash your hair the evening before or morning of your treatment if instructed.
Inform your artist of any scalp conditions, allergies, hair-loss treatments, medications, previous transplants, or pigmentation procedures.
Keep the scalp well hydrated and free from irritation.
DON’T:
Avoid heavy hair oils, styling waxes, sprays, or scalp products on the day of treatment.
Avoid excessive sun exposure before the procedure.
Avoid aggressive scalp exfoliation immediately beforehand.
Do not proceed if the scalp has active dermatitis, infection, severe irritation, open wounds, or significant sunburn.
HAIRLINE & SCALP AFTERCARE
DO:
Keep the treated area clean according to your technician’s instructions.
Protect the scalp from excessive sun exposure once healed.
Sleep on a clean pillowcase.
Allow pigment and skin to settle naturally.
DON’T:
Avoid vigorous exercise and heavy sweating during the early healing period.
Avoid swimming, saunas, steam rooms, and prolonged water exposure.
Do not scratch, rub, or exfoliate the scalp.
Avoid applying styling products directly over freshly treated areas until cleared by your technician.
GENERAL PMU DO’S
No matter which procedure you book:
Follow the personalized instructions given by your artist.
Tell your artist about allergies, medications, previous cosmetic work, and medical conditions.
Arrive well-rested, hydrated, and properly nourished.
Protect healed permanent makeup from excessive UV exposure.
Attend your perfecting session if one is recommended.
Understand that permanent makeup is a process — not simply a one-day result.
Pigment retention varies based on skin type, lifestyle, sun exposure, skincare, metabolism, technique, and individual healing.
GENERAL PMU DON’TS
During the healing period:
Do not pick.
Do not scratch.
Do not exfoliate.
Do not soak the area.
Do not apply unapproved skincare or makeup directly over the treatment area.
Do not expose freshly treated skin to excessive sun, sweat, steam, or contaminated water.
Do not panic if the pigment changes during healing.
Permanent makeup often looks most dramatic immediately after the procedure and gradually softens as the skin heals.
HOW LONG DOES PERMANENT MAKEUP TAKE TO HEAL?
Surface healing commonly takes approximately 7–14 days, depending on the procedure and the individual.
However, the skin and pigment can continue settling beneath the surface for several weeks.
Your final healed result should therefore be assessed only after the full healing period recommended by your artist.
A perfecting or touch-up session is commonly performed several weeks after the initial appointment when required.
WHEN SHOULD YOU CONTACT YOUR ARTIST?
Some temporary redness, swelling, tenderness, dryness, flaking, or color changes may be expected depending on the treatment.
Contact your artist if you are uncertain about your healing.
Seek appropriate medical attention for symptoms such as:
Increasing or severe pain
Significant worsening redness or swelling
Pus or unusual discharge
Fever
Spreading warmth or inflammation
Severe allergic-type reactions
Eye pain or vision changes following an eye-area procedure
BEAUTIFUL RESULTS BEGIN WITH BEAUTIFUL HEALING
Permanent makeup should never feel rushed.
The most refined results come from the combination of good technique, quality pigments, careful preparation, responsible aftercare, and realistic expectations.
At Saint de L’esthetique, our goal is not simply to create beautiful permanent makeup on the day of your appointment. It is to create work designed to heal beautifully, soften elegantly, and complement your features long after you leave our studio.
Thinking of booking your permanent makeup appointment?
Explore our signature brow, eyeliner, lip blush, and hairline treatments and discover a more effortless version of your everyday beauty.
Saint de L’esthetique
Advanced Permanent Makeup & Aesthetics
London | Paris | Philippines
