Permanent Eyeliner Pros and Cons - Should I Get an Eyeliner Tattoo? (2024)

With the on-point eyeliner look being such a huge trend in the past decade or so, makeup lovers naturally started seeking more permanent, less tiresome ways to achieve it.

So the popularity of permanent eyeliner has definitely surged and it seems to be on the increase.

However, getting a cosmetic tattoo on your face is not a decision that should be taken lightly, plus it’s not a small investment, with the average eyeliner tattoo price being around $550. So you should definitely consider all the benefits and downsides before you book an appointment.

To help you make the decision, PMUHub brings you a list of permanent eyeliner pros and cons.

Permanent Eyeliner Pros

1) It’s a Long-Lasting Solution

The biggest benefit of permanent makeup is that it recreates the look of wearing your favorite makeup product in its permanent version. Since the colors are injected into the skin and not applied to its surface, the results of PMU treatments don’t come off; they can’t get smudged and ruined, not even if you go swimming. Bye-bye panda eyes!

They do, however, gradually fade, but not for a long time after you get them.

Getting a permanent eyeliner tattoo absolves you from reapplying your eyeliner every day for up to 3 years. For most clients, PMU eyeliner lasts 18-24 months without the need for touch ups. There are cases of it lasting out even longer than that.

If you love your eyeliner tattoo so much you never want to let go of it, you can book a touch up appointment and refresh it every once in a while.

Image source: Instagram @sulesahsuvar

2) It Will Save You So Much Time

Anyone who’s ever drawn on their eyeliner knows the pains and hardships of the mornings when it simply refuses to cooperate.

If you get permanent eyeliner, you will never have to go through the trauma of drawing on the perfectly Instagrammable wing on one side, and a smudgy, misplaced, asymmetrical mess on the other. Even the most skilled MUAs sometimes have trouble getting both eyes even and the wings equally thick and long.

Just imagine how many extra times you could snooze your alarm if you woke up with on-point eyeliner. You don’t even need much additional eye makeup – a swipe of mascara and you’re set.

3) It Comes in Many Styles

The PMU eyeliner technique is very versatile and it can technically recreate whatever you usually do with regular makeup, with the exception of waterline tattoos – that shouldn’t be done.

The PMU eyeliner styles vary in effect.

Eyelash Enhancement

The most subtle permanent eyeliner style is called eyelash enhancement. It darkens your lash line and gives the illusion of thicker, darker lashes.

Image source: Instagram @marastudio_clt

Classic Eyeliner

Then, there’s a whole range of classic eyeliner styles, with a thin line starting at whatever point of the eyelid you want, and being dragged out into a subtle wing of customizable length and curve.

Image source: Instagram @zoy.brow.artist

Shaded Eyeliner

The queen of eyeliner looks. This style implies a winged eyeliner shaded and blended to resemble an eyeliner + eyeshadow combo. That’s why some artists call it permanent eyeshadow.

Image source: Instagram @olga.loginova_permanent

Lower Lid Eyeliner

You can even add permanent eyeliner along the lower lash line for an extra enhancement. Just make sure that upper and lower eyeliner are not connected.

Image source: Instagram @magnoliaartistry

4) It Will Fade Eventually

Okay, this may sound like one of permanent eyeliner cons at first glance.

But actually, the best part of permanent makeup is the fact that it fades over time. This allows you to modify the look, or just wait out for it to disappear if you get tired of it.

As we age, our skin changes. It loses elasticity and fine lines and wrinkles start to appear. Obviously, we adapt our makeup routine to these changes. You probably won’t like wearing the exact same style of makeup when you’re 20 and when you’re 50.

The fact that PMU eyeliner fades away after 2-3 years gives you the opportunity to switch up the look every once in a while as your skin and trends change.

Permanent Eyeliner Cons

1) Pigments Can Sometimes Migrate

Pigment migration is something that happens with permanent makeup. It even happens with regular small body art tattoos.

Sometimes, due to not so great technique and the properties of the skin such as large pores and oiliness, PMU pigments “leak out” of the original outline and blur the borders. With the skin of the eyelids being so thin, this tends to happen with PMU eyeliner more often than with other permanent makeup treatments.

It’s especially common on the spot where the upper and the lower eyelid meet in the outer corner of the eye. That’s why you should never connect the upper and the lower eyeliner tattoo.

2) The Treatment and Recovery Can Be Uncomfortable

Permanent eyeliner is done by using an electric cosmetic tattooing device to open up the skin and implement pigments into it. So, it’s basically tattooing your eyelid.

The treatment is done with a topical anesthetic that numbs the area, so you shouldn’t feel any actual pain.

But having a needle pierce the delicate eyelid skin over and over for up to an hour and a half entails some discomfort. You will feel pressure and prickling, and having somebody poke around your eyes for that long is uncomfortable even without any needles.

The discomfort doesn’t stop there, though. You’ll probably experience tenderness and swelling for the rest of the day, and you’ll have to go through an eyeliner tattoo healing period. This entails following an aftercare routine and going through a period of scabbing.

However, once everything settles, you’ll love your permanent eyeliner so much you’ll forget all about the discomfort.

3) It’s Not So Easy to Remove

Permanent eyeliner fades away after 2-3 years, but sometimes, you just don’t want to wait that long before getting rid of it.

If pigments migrate and your permanent eyeliner becomes smudged, you can get partial removal which is very effective and can be done relatively quickly.

But if you notice your PMU eyeliner has turned color (which sometimes happens in case of poor implementation technique and low-quality pigments), or the pigments aren’t fading (poor technique), you might have to get it removed.

PMU removal can’t be done quickly. Whatever option you choose – laser, saline, or glycolic acid removal – you will need up to 8 or 10 sessions for total removal, with 6 weeks of recovery between them. So it can drag out for months.

Image source: Instagram @lyttintin

4) Makeup Trends Change Quickly

The beauty world is very dynamic and trends change often. So if you get a more dramatic permanent eyeliner look that’s hot at the moment, it may go out of style within a couple of months. Your tattoo, however, remains.

So perhaps it’s best to go for a more subtle style you can build up with regular makeup if you feel like it, instead of a passing trend.

To Wrap Up Permanent Eyeliner Pros and Cons

So there you have it, a list of the biggest permanent eyeliner pros and cons. If you’re reluctant to get the procedure, we have one final tip for you – start thin and subtle. Get an eyelash enhancement or a thin classic eyeliner first. If you realize you want to go darker and more dramatic, you can always book a touch up appointment and get additional shading.

Cover image source: Pexels