We quiz permanent make-up expert and founder of KB Pro KAREN BETTS about how to correct another technician’s work and when you should steer clear

Why are we seeing so many examples of bad permanent brows lately?

“The main reason is because of inadequate training. The very short courses are just not sufficient. It’s important to ensure students are confident performing the treatments as well as delivering excellent results; and after a couple of days you may gain a certificate but you’ve got no confidence. A lot of people are also doing online training via tutorials.

“Properly qualified and experienced semi-permanent make-up artists (SPMUs) should be encouraging clients to ask technicians about their work and where they’ve trained. That due diligence can eliminate a lot of bad brows.”

When should SPMUs turn away correction work?

“If you decide to correct someone else’s work, you have to think about two things: when did the client have the treatment done and is it work you can actually correct? If the client has just had the treatment, I would always advise referring them back to the person who did that work. Don’t get yourself tangled up in difficulties in terms of who’s responsible for which bit of work on that client – let that other artist do their second procedure and give them the opportunity to tweak the shape or colour and hopefully deliver what the client wanted in the first place.”

Don’t get yourself tangled up in difficulties in terms of who’s responsible for which bit of work on the client

How would you approach a brow correction?

“If a client comes to you at least 12 months since their treatment with another artist, analyse whether the brow shape is one you can tattoo over and whether it suits the client’s face. If the shape is asymmetrical in length or thickness, or if the bulbs have been made too close together, it can be difficult to correct. You have to be realistic with the client and explain that you can add more strokes and length but you can’t make drastic changes as you’re confined to covering someone else’s work instead of creating a complete bespoke brow.”

Which colours should be avoided?

“Colour theory and knowing your pigments is absolutely paramount because you’re working on a base colour that’s already been tattooed, rather than on the skin. I wouldn’t recommend trying to correct anything too grey or blue because these are dense colours that aren’t easily workable.”

“Warmer orangey tones will take a minimum of three sessions to correct, and regular maintenance is vital; the client should revisit you every six to nine months for a colour boost. For this reason, I sometimes recommend correction clients have laser removal on the area first so we can start afresh. Thin brows that have gone salmony in colour would be ideal to correct.”