How Much Does Permanent Makeup Cost?

The average cost of permanent makeup can vary widely, depending on the locality of the particular salon or clinic, and on the qualifications of the technician.

A conservative estimate would be anywhere from $350 to $600 and up, depending on a number of factors.

Location: Everything costs more in Palm Beach, New York City, Beverly Hills and other such places with a higher cost of living. Technicians practicing in these areas will, of course, charge much higher prices than a technician who may be practicing somewhere like perhaps in Pittsburgh.

Prices in upscale locales such as New York City, Palm Beach and Beverly Hills can range from $1100 for permanent eyeliner to $1800 for full lip color and in some cases even higher.

Medical Facilities: Technicians working in the offices of Dermatologists or Plastic Surgeons will also be charging much higher prices. Many people are willing to pay a higher price, knowing that a technician who is working in a Doctor’s office would have to meet certain standards to be approved by the Doctor to work with him and his patients in his practice.

Technician Qualifications: Technicians who have completed more extensive training and who are performing advanced techniques as well as paramedical procedures in addition to the basic permanent cosmetic applications, will also charge higher prices.

This, of course, is due to the fact that they have achieved a higher level of education in their profession and therefore have more wisdom, more expertise and much more experience than someone whose practice is limited to the application of permanent cosmetics alone.

The cost of the procedure, however, should never be the most important issue when seeking out a permanent makeup technician. Since what you are considering will be a permanent application, the most important factors to consider are the training, competence, skill and artistic ability of the technician.

Always insist on seeing pictures of work done for previous clients. Check to see that the clients’ eyebrows, eyeliner, lipliner and/or full lip color have been applied evenly.

There should be a picture taken before as well as after the procedure. Check to see that the brows and/or eyeliner in the after picture are the same length, width and shape as they were in the before picture. You don’t want a technician who does not have the ability to apply your permanent makeup exactly as you wanted it.

It is also important to select a technician who is meticulous in making sure your permanent makeup is applied correctly the first time. You don’t want to find yourself in a position of having to search for someone who is skilled at making corrections to bad work done by less qualified technicians. Corrections normally cost much more than the initial cost of the procedure, due to the fact it is more complicated and more time is involved.

In my practice, I frequently see clients who have had their permanent cosmetics applied by someone who did not apply it evenly, used sub-standard pigments, or made a bad color selection. If it is something I feel I can correct I, of course, will do whatever I can to try to help these people. It often times takes more than one visit and winds up costing the client twice as much as if she had come to me to have it done correctly in the first place.

It is much wiser to pay a little more for the initial procedure, having the confidence in knowing your permanent cosmetic work is being done by an accomplished technician. Someone who is conscientious and who has the expertise to apply your permanent makeup correctly. After all, you have chosen to get permanent makeup to enhance your natural beauty.. not detract from it.