More permanent brows

I really wish I had "before" pictures (because the difference is quite dramatic) but they didn't turn out. Maybe you will be able to see that this client had thin brows and really had no tail whatsoever. She was very uncomfortable with her thin and partly missing brows before, and concerned that she did not pencil them in very well. She has been so happy with these results. A great feeling for me, when a client is so very pleased!

We spent quite some time drawing brows on and discussing what the final result would be. My client was very nervous that she would look "permanently surprised or angry" and I totally understood her fears! Permanent makeup is a big decision!

The end result is exactly the arch shape/thickness that she chose. Now that I have a few photos on this blog you will see that each brow is different. That is because each face is different and each person has different desires regarding the finished look. Template or stencil brows are okay for cartoon characters, not real people.

They liked them . . .

And didn't the bride look lovely.

'Tis the Season . . .

. . . to be married, here in Arizona. The photo is just a small sample of escort cards, I wrote 172 of them over the last few days.

For another couple I addressed/named 121 wedding invitations, outer and inner envelopes (those are not photographed) during the past week. Kind of busy!

More Twisted Wire

Okay, I am starting to think this is a seriously twisted and dangerous thing to do . . this time I poked my thumb and drew blood!:-)

Twisted Wire Necklace

I have been wanting to try my hand at a twisted wire necklace for sometime. I had a lazy Sunday afternoon so decided to pull out my beads. This necklace is "inspired by" (that's a nice way of saying it is a knockoff) of some of the necklaces on http://www.karensugarmandesigns.com/ although of course, my necklace is a pale shadow of the beautiful, exquisite, lovely and high-end designs of the talented Karen Sugarman. For a first attempt, however, I do have to say I am quite pleased, and my teen daughter likes her new necklace. I think I will attempt to make more, and perhaps I will try and make one that is even more "viney" and twisty. I'm going to wait until my thumb and forefinger have recovered somewhat, mind you!

Calligraphy

I hope the Bride & Groom will be happy with these.

Calligraphy is time consuming. I think of it as a labour of love and that seems an especially fitting term when it is for a wedding. It is something I greatly enjoy doing, and I also feel it is an honor to be included in the preparations for such a special day, even if I am only included a very small way.

Semi Permanent Lashes

Before . . . . . . and another "Before" . . .

After . . .

This is just the kind of work I like, close up, small scale, "fiddly" and visual. Each little false lash is adhered individually to the base of a real lash, but not quite touching the eyelid. The trick is to make sure that each false lash curls up and outwards, doesn't veer off to the side, and most importantly that two (or more, yikes) lashes don't stick together. THAT looks goopy, blobby globby and AWFUL. I have to apply them slooooowly and carefully . . .and thank heaven for magnifying lamps and glasses!

I also did this clients brows (permanent makeup) a few months ago, but I don't have any before shots. Suffice to say she didn't really have a "tail" and because of that had a hard time creating an arch. She wanted/needed a more full and natural brow shape to work with the brow she had naturally and her overall look.

About time for a permanent make-up update

This is a photo of upper eyeliner (taken directly after the second procedure so the line is still a little harsh and swollen) that I have shared previously. I am sharing it again as my client has been very pleased with the results, and decided to come back to get her brows done. This particular photo is the best before shot of her brows, as it turns out. As you can see her brows were pale and sparse, there is really no tail or arch to speak of, so having them tinted regularly (as she does her lashes) wasn't even an option. Not a lot there to tint.

Photo just for fun . . . lots of discussion and measuring, wiping and tweaking (with delightful red lipliner and magenta marker) goes on before needle and pigment ever hit the skin.

Close up immediately after the first procedure. I didn't even have to mix pigments as is generally the case, it just so happend that "camel" is a wonderful color that compliments her skin tone, eye and hair color.

Upper eyeliner (softened and more natural now) and new brows. I was THRILLED that she came back for her brows (not only because I now think of her as a friend and always enjoy seeing her) but as I really think she is THE PERFECT candidate for permanent makeup for a number of reasons. I am the first to say permanent makeup really isn't for everyone, but for some, especially those of us who are no longer in the first flush of youth and for those with thin and/or pale lashes or brows, it can do absolute wonders. This client certainly has pale skin and hair, and over the years her brows and lashes have thinned and faded, as brows and lashes tend to do. She did bring me in a photo of when she was younger with fuller brows that helped enormously in determining the shape. While she is obviously a pretty lady, she had lost a good deal of definition to the eye area. That just plain ages a person. Now she no longer has to worry about her pencil/powder rubbing off when she works out (she is a very, very fit and active woman, inspirational to me, yet another reason she is a great candidate for permanent makeup. Conventional makeup and working out/sweating just don't go hand in hand, I don't care what claims some cosmetic companies make about how long lasting their products are) and now she never has to feel like she looks "old" when she first looks in the mirror of a morning before painting her brows and liner on.

I love helping people to feel good about themselves. Pigments, needles, topical aneasthetic, my time, not enormously expensive, although of course there is a monetary cost. But the smile on her face that I captured here (or half captured :-) her eyes are smiling) when she first sat up and looked in the mirror, priceless.

Permanent Brows

This is the BEFORE picture, how my client (and friend - thank you for allowing me to share photos friend) pencilled her brows in. She wanted them a little more arched and after measuring it was apparent they needed to be wider, both longer at the tail and the inner edge needed to be a tad closer to the nose.



Please note this is IMMEDIATELY after so there is a little bit of swelling, the brows are slicked with A & D ointment (healing and occlusive) and also my friend/client needs to pluck and wax her natural brows after she has healed, as there are now hairs outside the parameters of the tattoo. She has a template or guideline to follow now, so it will be easy for her to maintain a nice shape.



She is happy, as before her brows were barely visible behind her glasses. They were a little thin and a little low.

I mixed three different colors of pigment to achieve a soft shade that compliments her hair and skin tone. It is actually softer than the pencil color she used as a rule. Her brows are going to fade somewhat, that is always the case, so my friend/client will return in 4 to 6 weeks for a color boost. After the 2nd procedure color retention will be much greater. I'll also add a few little hair strokes at the inner edge and perfect the shape if need be. Please note that the left (or her right) brow looks thicker, the tattoo isn't thicker, it is only that the natural hairs are a little more unruly on that side, hence a good shaping is in order once her brows are healed.

Now onto my 2nd blog post of the day! Roses. Brows and roses might seem unrelated, but not to me . .they are both pretty and offer a chance to play with color . . .

Roses

My roses are doing well this year.

Henna Tattoo

Roxi at Blossom is offering this quick, fun service for the summer months. A Henna tattoo does look pretty and artsy winding around a foot and ankle when thong sandals are worn. I just may have to get one of those at some point. A henna tattoo should last approximately 10 - 14 days, although it may not last so long on me, as my hands are frequently in and out of water, lotions and potions. It will be interesting to see how long it does last. By the way, I do have a thumb!

TCA Peel Update

Ahh, that feels better, with hair and makeup I feel and look more like "me" . .although I know I am cheating somewhat. With makeup on you will have to take my word for the results.


The peel was on a Friday.

Friday: Very red immediately after the peel, but that calmed down to a slight blotchiness within 30 minutes. No discomfort once the peel was removed from my face.

Saturday: Shiny, taut skin. Only slightly red, no pain, just the slight discomfort created by the feeling of tightness.

Sunday: Lots of big dry flakes. Broke out (normal purging) on my chin and cheeks.

Monday: Most of the big flakes had flaked off leaving lots of very small flakes and even tighter skin, more red than the day of the peel.

Tuesday: More redness, few flakes. Someone who did not know I had a peel asked what happened, he thought my face looked "swollen" . . . I couldn't see any swelling myself, I think it was just the shine and the redness that gave him the impression of swelling.

Wednesday: All of a sudden my face looked so much better, not red, much less flaking.

Thursday: Normal color, tiny amount of flaking. Wore makeup again! Felt so much better!:-)

Now it is a week and a half later. The last vestiges of the small red blotches caused by the breakouts on my chin and cheeks have gone. My pores are definitely smaller and cleaner, very pleased about that. My face feels incredibly smooth and makeup goes on like a dream. Can't say I see any improvement in the lines beneath my eyes, but this was an esthetician strength peel, not a melt your face off/down-time Dr strength peel, so having a series of peels in order to see maximum results is to be expected.

TCA Peel (trichloroacetic acid)

Why oh why I decide that this should be the only photo of myself on the blog thus far I do not know. Not very attractive! The photo was taken earlier today, a couple of hours after I had a TCA peel at Blossom Day Spa. The initial redness had already gone down quite a bit. I haven't started to peel yet, that should happen day after tomorrow. The yellow stuff that looks like flaking is a retinol (derivative of Vitamin A) treatment that I will leave on overnight. I actually look worse in real life, if you can believe! I have even more yellow gooey "bits" all over my face than you can see in the photo! I'd like to say I had the peel as part of the learning process only, and that I truly don't need such a treatment, but alas, that is not so. I'm looking forward to smaller pores, wrinkles vanquished, a more even complexion and all in all perhaps a couple of decades erased like magic. Okay, so maybe all that isn't a reasonable expection, but smaller pores, softening of lines and more even tone is to be expected.

I did have the peel in part to learn, mind you. How can I confidently administer such a peel if I don't truly know what it feels like? It is one thing to know by instruction and second hand accounts that it is perfectly normal to experience a sensation like emanating heat on the skin. Quite another to actually feel it yourself. Also, when the neutalizer is being applied, should a client look up at me and say in a small, worried voice, as I said to Kiera (the spa owner) today, that her face feels oddly numb AND like it is being pricked all over (a sensation very much like pins and needles, very strange, when felt on the face) I will be able to say with sincerity that it is totally normal. A sincerity I might not be able to muster had I not felt it for myself.

Now on to my aftercare, that is just as important as the peel itself (maybe more important) if I want to experience pleasing results. Number one is to protect my skin from the sun even more carefully than usual. Additionally, using the following Rhonda Allison products over the next few days will greatly aid in the healing process.

Calming skin gel has 1% hydrocortisone, and for short term use after a peel will help soothe the feeling of itching and irritation. I'll use the post balm lubricationg ointment until I actually start to peel (probably only 24 hrs or so) and then I'll apply the Growth Factor Serum to aid in skin renewal. I can also mix a little of the growth factor and the lubricating ointment together, to help dry, flaking skin feel more comfy.

In case you are wondering, yes, those are crumbs on the plate. I was just sitting here at my computer eating peanut butter on toast. Peanut butter is safe now, right?? Give me a face peel anyday, but iffy peanut butter? No thank you.

More Stuff I Like

This time I am not coveting. The swing and tree are in the corner of my own backyard. The perfect place to sit with a magazine, or to just sit and be. Last year we had a visitor who also seemed to appreciate the ficus tree . . .

Soldered Charms Again

I made a few more. This time they are neither charms nor Christmas Tree ornaments, they are Valentine gift tags. One side has a teeny dictionary definition, or written sentiment . . .
The reverse sides are all hand written . . .

Whilst on the subject of soldered charms, I thought I'd share the inspiration for the Blossom Christmas Tree ornaments I blogged about previously. This is the reception area in Blossom Day Spa. It is hand painted, no stencils were used. Isn't it pretty! As much as anything I like the sepia toned and watercolory mountains and winding lane in the background, that allude to just a hint of something beyond the tree . . .

And aren't these "Blossom Boxes" (for want of a better description) a clever idea. One is posted outside each massage and esthetics room . . .

Permanent Upper eyeliner

Before . . . .

Please note the following photo is immediately after, so there is some swelling, although pleasingly not a horrible amount. Also, the color is much more harsh than the healed result will be. My client is returning in four weeks for a follow up procedure. Permanent makeup is always a two step procedure, sometimes more for lips. A second procedure will allow me to implant more pigment (for a more long lasting result and better color retention, keeping in mind that the deep color you see in the photo is going to be less intense once healed). Additionally, once the swelling has gone down (and there is some) and the contour of the eye is back to the natural shape, I will more clearly be able to see if there are any tiny imperfections or adjustments that I need to make. I won't be happy unless it is perfect, hence a touch up prodedure four to six weeks after the first procedure, is included in the price.

As for the color, my client initially requested black, but after we discussed it she agreed that a very dark brown with a little black pigment added would be warmer and less harsh than a true black. She has very fair skin and blonde hair.

She was considering having permanent lower eyeliner also, but was very hesitant. Not the case with the upper liner, my client KNEW she wanted that. I would never attempt to "talk a client into" a permanent procedure! Better to be safe than sorry, I suggested she think on the lower eyeliner and be sure. It just depends on the "the look" that is desired. Sometimes both lower & upper eyeliner completes the eye very nicely. Other times, depending on the eye shape, upper eyeliner only seemingly "lifts" the eye, bringing emphasis to the upper eye area, and detracting from any fine lines or puffiness beneath the eye.

Know of anyone getting married?

Writing calligraphy is very relaxing to me.

Oprah has her Favourite Things

And I have . . . Stuff I Like.

This is from West Elm. Isn't it gorgeous. It isn't so frequent nowadays that I see something, an object (i.e STUFF) that I just adore, but this, this is WONDERFUL.

It is also a pretty penny. Am I a lunatic to think that perhaps there is a way to create something like it, with a branch and some chrome spray paint? That's assuming I can find a branch that looks delicate enough but is sturdy enough to hold candles, and sits "just so" on a table top! There has to be one out there. What would you use for the little candle holders themselves?

Believe & Blossom - Soldered Christmas Tree Ornaments

I recently made a few of these soldered pendants for the ladies of Blossom Day Spa. This time they are not actually pendants, but rather, Christmas Tree ornaments. I attached a silky brown ribbon and a hangy thingy before gifting them. One side says Believe . . .

The other side says Blossom . . .

I pulled the little silk blossoms off a "bunch" of flowers from the craft store. I don't know if you can see the tiny crystal gem I stuck in the middle of the blossom very well. They have a sticky back (perfect) as they came in a little pack of scrapbooking supplies.

Soldered Pendants

I didn't dry the tiny rose bud, you can purchase little bags of them in Michael's.

Wooden Flowers.

The wood flowers have a natural and textural feeling (two design elements that I am fond of) but were purchased from the slightly less than "natural" store, by the name of Walmart. As were the little stone beads and chips also incorporated in the necklace. It always makes me happy, to find stuff I really like, for a great price.

Soldered Pendants

The images were photocopied from a Bible and a dictionary. I think next time I'll copy on creamy paper, or tea stain the paper, for a more "aged" or timeworn appearance. I cut the heart out from craft/scrapbooking paper.