Sacha Walters, Staff Reporter

Flo Neil, permanent make-up technician, had her eyebrows feathered, lips lined and eyes lined five years ago and she's still pleased with the results

Waking up for years with your make-up intact may not be for the commitment phobic.

But if you have a particular flaw that you want to be altered permanently, it can be done with permanent cosmetics.

It allows a woman to have her eyebrows permanently filled in, her eyes lined and her lips accentuated.

"It's much more comfortable than tattoos," said Flo Neil, aesthetician and permanent make-up technician, about the procedure which is similar to tattooing.

Topical anaesthetics

Neil, who has been using the Softap method for six years at her shop, Flo's, said topical anaesthetics are used during the procedure to reduce the pain. While minimal bleeding may occur when doing the lips, it's not common.

"You are not going down that deep into the skin, so there isn't much bleeding," she said.

The procedure can refresh eyebrows that have been over-plucked, restore brow hairs which have turned grey, or help disguise a scar. You can choose between a natural or a more filled-in look.

For the lips, they can be lined to look fuller or thinner. They can also be coloured completely to combat lip discoloration.

The eyes can also be lined to give the same effect of using an eyeliner.

Each procedure takes approximately an hour and a half to complete and can be done in the same day. The recovery time is minimal.

Side effects

For some people, swelling may occur, especially around the lips, but usually, individuals can go back to work the same day.

Neil is not only a technician but she has had the procedure done herself. She had sections of her eyebrows filled out, her lips lined and her eyes lined. Five years after the procedure, she still has a natural look.

The procedure should only be carried out by trained personnel.

The technician has a variety of colours to choose from to get the best match for every skin tone. - Photo by Sacha Walters