I've tried and I've tried again but how do you apply eyeliner and not smudge it, not end up with a wonky line or make it look natural?! First of all I am rubbish at applying it then if I do succeed I end up with panda eyes pretty quickly. And then add in the dry eyes associated with menopausal hormone fluctuations and it all quickly becomes pretty disastrous! And I have very small eyes! I've never been able to wear eyeliner on my upper eyelids and I'm not great at the lower lids either. Latest blog: Reviewing Tropic Skincare vs Liz Earle There are so many options for permanent make up now - microblading for eyebrows, eyeliner, lashes, lip lining and even freckle tattoos! I had been thinking of trying out permanent eyeliner for a few years after a friend mentioned it to me. But I just didn't seem to have time or get around to it. But when I was visiting Sunrise Health & Beauty recently to have some anti-ageing facials I was able to find out more and decided to give it a try. Sunrise have a resident Permanent Makeup Artist - Natalie Stratford, who can help and advise you on microblading, eyeliner, eyelash enhancement and lip liner. And I must say here that Natalie is absolutely lovely, she really is a beautiful, kind and talented young lady and really made me feel at ease during my consultations and treatments. Above are my before and after photos. On the left is 'before' and on the right is 'after' one treatment top and bottom eyeliner. Now of course these were taken immediately after the treatment so my eyes are looking a bit puffy and it takes a few days for it all to heal and settle down. It looks much more subtle now. So before I talk about my final results ... Does it hurt? No, well not really! I have (I thought) quite sensitive eyes, they are small and I have never been able to tolerate anything too close to my eyes. I would love to try contact lenses but so far have failed to let the optician near me with them so have given up. I also don't like getting my eyes wet when swimming so always wear goggles and I can't be without sunglasses. But I coped and tolerated this procedure really well, in fact Natalie commented on how I didn't complain or blink or move too much at all. I wouldn't say it hurts, it is a bit uncomfortable but Natalie is very thorough in numbing the area first and will keep checking with you and top up with numbing cream as necessary. What does in feel like then? It's kind of a scratch, okay I know that is what the nurse says when you get a vaccine or blood taken but it is just a series of scratches as the tattoo is applied. Natalie stretched my skin and made sure I was comfortable and applied extra numbing cream if it was needed. She was very careful to make sure it didn't hurt. It does feel uncomfortable of course but not in a distressing way. I was okay with it, it was worth it! What happens then, what is the actual procedure? Well it is very similar to getting a tattoo as a needle is used to deposit ink into the skin. But it isn't quite the same as it only puts the pigment into the first layers of the skin. A tattoo is very definitely permanent whereas 'permanent' makeup is more semi-permanent, it will fade over time and need top ups. How long does it take to heal? My eyes felt a bit sore for the first two days after the treatment. I couldn't get my eyes wet for about a week after so I didn't apply any eye makeup as then i didn't need to wash it off! I thought not being able to wash my face/eyes properly would bother me but it was okay. I didn't apply mascara for the first few days after either - and then it is necessary to buy a new mascara to avoid any infection and of course you can't actually use eye makeup remover so best to avoid all eye makeup if you can. I didn't feel it was a problem not being able to wear my makeup as normal. The eyeliner was quite distinctive in that first week so I didn't feel naked! So how long will it last then? If you look at my before and after photos above it does look very distinctive when it is first applied but this is because there is some swelling but over the course of the first few days, couple of weeks, as it healed it has become much more subtle and gentle. I chose to have a thinner line but you can have less or more to suit your personal requirements. I had three appointments and top-ups to get to where I wanted my eyeliner to look. Unfortunately after one appointment I appeared to lose a lot more than I expected and chatting to Natalie after we agreed it was probably because I had been unwell and my body rejected it. There are no guarantees with any beauty procedure but Natalie was very patient and reassuring and I got to my desired end result. I am expecting I will need to go back in a year to eighteen months to have a top-up and I will need to keep doing this for as long as I want to keep this permanent eyeliner. And what about my results? I love the results I have achieved. My eyelashes look longer but more importantly I don't get that smudged eye makeup problem, It's great not to have to apply eyeliner at all. And I have never been able to apply it to my top lid anyway so this is a whole new experience, having eyeliner on top! I just add some eye shadow and my mascara and I am good to go! My eyes look more defined and seem to 'pop' more and I feel less exposed on no makeup days (full transparency here though - I never go without makeup completely, when I say no makeup I mean much less)! Style notes, my blouse was purchased pre-loved from My Boudoir in Marlow, it is J Crew, I am wearing it with new black leather look leggings from Sosandar and the red earrings and fur scarf above is from Toria Lee Accessories here.
Let me know what you think, have you tried permanent eyeliner? Or are you good at applying liquid eyeliner and getting good results? I know microblading is really popular now for brows, my brows are hanging in there for now, but maybe sometime I will consider it. Love from Michelle xx My permanent eyeliner was done by Natalie Stratford at Sunrise Health & Beauty in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. I was gifted this treatment but was under no obligation to blog about it or share my results. Other blogs you may have missed and find useful: Review of anti-ageing treatments Anti-ageing facial | final results An anti-ageing facial with COMCIT at Sunrise Health & Beauty, Marlow Get an instant facelift with eyebrow shape and tint or microblading
12 Comments
23/10/2019 09:56:22 pm
Hi Michelle, you look amazing! No I don't wear eyeliner, I just add some eye shadow or liner on the bottom edge about a quarter of the way in, but it does always smudge and look awful. Maybe I should try this technique out! I'm having my lashes done again at the end of November and can't wait. Thanks for sharing Hun. xx
Reply
Michelle Green
24/10/2019 03:12:18 pm
I never did get on with adding eye shadow! I do think having lashes gives an eyeliner effect too though but my lashes are quite long so I have never needed to add anything! Michelle x
Reply
Tina
7/5/2021 06:03:41 pm
Hi michelle, i had my upper lids done last week,had already had lower done a while ago,so pleased with it as i suffer with eyes and cant wear make up on them, so all in all a great result
Reply
Michelle Green
7/5/2021 06:55:25 pm
Thats good Tina, mine have lasted so well!! Michelle xx
Michelle Green
24/10/2019 03:13:31 pm
I keep my eyebrows topped up usually every other month or so, it makes such a difference! Michelle xx
Reply
Lisa
26/10/2019 11:12:48 am
Didn’t even know this was something you could have done! Very interesting. I’m not good at putting eyeliner on but I like the effect. The fact this is not truly permanent actually makes it more appealing.
Reply
Michelle Green
31/10/2019 11:10:53 am
Neither did I Lisa, it's great isn't it x
Reply
Lynne Beckett
1/10/2020 12:37:40 pm
So please to read, had my eyebrows done a month ago and very pleasantly pleased on the overall result and going tomorrow for the eyeliner.
Reply
Michelle Green
2/10/2020 09:49:57 am
Hi Lynne, that is good to hear, glad you are pleased! I would like to get my eyeliner topped up again, maybe a new year treat! Michelle xx
Reply
Kathie
16/3/2021 11:26:15 pm
Yours look so beautiful! Where I went they had a sale, and mine was so painful! My eyelids and my lips and she was telling me that the eyebrows are less sensitive but that was the worst pain!
Reply
Michelle Green
7/5/2021 06:54:42 pm
Thank you! Definitely keep it real! Mine has lasted so well, but I may get them done again soon, when we are going out again! Michelle x
Reply
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Michelle ...Welcome to Fifty & Fab – a lifestyle blog to inspire and empower women over 50. I’m passionate about sharing insights on health, menopause, fitness, beauty, and style, tailored just for you! Categories
All
Subscribe below to receive regular updates by email:
![]() Hi, I’m Michelle and my blog Fifty & Fab is all about my journey into and through my 50s. I started this blog in 2016 with the purpose of helping other women at this stage of life. I’m delighted that my blog has grown to over 13k visitors per month. Visit my Work with Me page and request my Media Kit for details of product reviews, blogging services and social media content creation.
Join my mailing list (above) for regular updates and don’t forget to look at my social media pages too.. Archives
February 2025
|