A New Career in Permanent Cosmetic Makeup!

1.      What are some of the questions I need to ask myself to see if this career is for me?
If you are interested in a career in permanent cosmetic makeup, ask yourself these important questions.  Do you have-

        An eye for symmetry?
        A natural eye for color?
        A steady hand?
        Good eyesight (may be corrected with eyeglasses, contact or magnifying
      equipment)?
        Great eye-hand coordination?
        Good listening skill?
        The patience for detailed work?
        A desire to bring out the best in people?
        Good people skills?
        A GED or high school diploma or at least 18 years of age?

If your answer yes to all the above questions, then permanent makeup may be for you.

2.     Who is a good candidate?
This is a growing industry.  Individuals who are looking to get into the beauty or medical profession may be good candidates. Individuals such as electrologists, aestheticians, cosmetologist, nurses, can expand their business to include permanent cosmetics.

3.     What are my employment options?
This field is wide open to trained technicians.  There is employment readily available in salons, doctor offices, day spas or, why not open your own studio.  To become successful, you must be willing to be dedicated, work hard and develop good marketing skills.

4.    How do I choose a training facility?
Any facility that you choose should be licensed by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education.  When touring a facility ask to see their licensing or call the postsecondary board, 602-542-5709, for more information.

5.   How long is the training?
There are many options for training.  It is your responsibility to review these options closely.  Your success as a permanent makeup technician will be directly in correlation to the quality and amount of training you receive.   Basic training should include eyeliner, eyebrows and lip enhancements.  Some of the questions you should ask when touring a facility:

a.  How long have the instructors been in the industry
          - How many procedure has the trainer done?
          - Does the trainer have a portfolio showing before and after photos?
          - Have they attended any additional classes beyond basic training?
                      -  Ask to see their certificates
          -  What equipment will I be trained on?
                      -  Hand or machine method?
          -  Will I have training on live models?
          -  What is the student/teacher ratio?

 b.  Ask to see a curriculum.  The curriculum should include:
          -  sterilization, information on skin structure, skin disorders, health
             considerations, equipment information, color theory, clinical set-up,
             pre and post-procedure care, consent forms, client management,            
             business protocols and insurance information.

c.  Will I receive a certificate of hours?

d.  Can you come back to work with the trainer if you have a questions?  If so, for how long?
 

6.    How long is the course and what will it cost?
The guidelines for training varies upon the training facilities.  A basic course may be only 40 hours.  The most important aspect is that the facility is approved by The Arizona State Board of Private Postsecondary Education.  The tuition could range from $2,000 to $5,000 depending on the length of the training.

If you think this investment for basic training is expensive consider the possible income.  The following will give you an idea of what your investment may potentially gross.  These projections are based an average procedure costs for an eyeliner, eyebrow or lip enhancement.  This chart is calculated on a 50-week year with an average service time of approximately 1-1/2 hours.