Cosmetic tattooing is becoming just as routine in the beauty world as a mani-pedi. The business for microblading eyebrows has boomed in the past five years, tattooed eyeliner has become a Godsend for people with alopecia and permanent lip liner provides a fuller pout without filler.

Now, there's a new permanent makeup treatment on the menu and it's going to have dark circle sufferers jumping for joy: permanent under-eye concealer.

Oh yes, people are taking the tattoo gun to this stubborn area of shadow and the results are pretty impressive. Here's everything you need to know...


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What is permanent under eye concealer and how does it work?

As many of us know from years of testing eye creams and concealers, dark circles are difficult to budge. This is because they're largely caused by dark tissues and blood vessels under the skin, which is why topical treatments can only do so much.

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Under eye concealer tattooing is very similar to other permanent makeup treatments, in that pigment is inked into the skin via a cosmetic tattoo gun.

The pigment sits one layer under the skin to acts as a buffer between the source of underlying darkness and the surface of skin.


What does the procedure involve?

The procedure itself is being pioneered by Brazillian tattoo artist, Rodolpho Torres, who specialises in camouflaging skin ailments (he treats stretchmarks as well as dark circles) using skin tone pigments.

Speaking to Spa + Clinic Australia, Rodolpho explains that he uses a small handheld device to detect each client’s unique skin tone, to customise the ink and ensure it matches perfectly before beginning tattooing.

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Here's how the rest plays out (slight warning if you're squeamish)...


The difference between this and microblading, (aside from blanket coverage rather than hair-like strokes) is that the ink Rodolpho uses is permanent.

“It’s not micro pigmentation, it’s a tattoo,” he explains. “You can live a normal life and expose it to sunlight knowing that your skin will not become stained, because the tattoo pigments approved by Anvisa give us this security.”

What's the post-care like?

The post-care is similar to that of a tattoo or microblading. Use an ointment like Bepanthen to soothe the skin and promote healing, keep the area dry where possible and avoid applying makeup and active skincare for the first few days.

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How many sessions do you need?

If it's a permanent, camouflage tattoo like Rodolpho, only one session is needed.

However, we predict this treatment, if introduced in the UK, will be closer to microblading, in that the ink is only semi-permanent. Which would likely mean two sessions to start (often six weeks apart) and then top-ups every 2-3 years.


Can you get permanent under eye concealer in the UK?

As of the 6th February 2019, there is no clinic in the UK that offers this treatment.

Are there any downsides?

As this is a very new procedure, it's difficult to predict the long-term results. The eye area typically ages faster than the rest of the skin, so there is potential for the skin to sag and therefore move the positioning of the under eye pigment were it to be permanent.

Thinking of getting a tattoo of a different kind?