Permanent makeup and eyebrow specialist, Vania Bailey has added to her skills and is now offering lip tattoo. Photo / Fiona Tomlinson
Hawke's Bay's permanent makeup and eyebrow specialist Vania Bailey has been offshore learning a new skill to add to her talented portfolio.
Now Bailey can offer permanent makeup for brows, eyeliner and lips. She tells Linda Hall about the procedure of lip tattooing and says it's perfect for women after a subtle approach to fuller lips.
Vania Bailey has added another bow to her string.
The permanent makeup and eyebrow specialist is now trained in lip tattoo. One of the most influential and sought after permanent makeup and eyebrow specialists in Hawke's Bay, Bailey started out as a makeup artist.
She soon found herself infatuated with geometry and the symmetry of eyebrows and was intrigued by their delicate form and precise lines.
Today her unique approach to creating the perfect brow has seen her reputation go from strength to strength.
"My purpose is to help women feel good about themselves, to give them the confidence they need to step out into this world and be the best version of themselves," Bailey said. "Properly groomed eyebrows hold more power and visual impact on overall facial appearance than any other singular feature.
"My job is to discover the potential in your existing shape and create the ideal brows you were always meant to have."
Bailey uses fine hair-like strokes and machine shading to create a very natural looking brow.
"It's common to see eyebrows that just don't grow any more. Years of over plucking and health related illnesses contribute to this. Having a good set of eyebrows makes you look and feel younger. Permanent makeup can give you that definition that we need as we age."
Bailey is constantly upskilling her craft, going offshore to learn new procedures - lip tattoo is perfect for women who want a subtle approach to a fuller lip using naturally toned pigments to blend and shade within or outside the natural lip line. Bailey will tailor your lip shade, and only uses natural colours - no reds allowed.
This procedure is perfect for women who want to get up in the morning and not fuss with lipstick. All you need is a bit of gloss. It is also good for women with scarring or uneven lip lines.
An anaesthetic is applied to the lips before the procedure.
However, Bailey says it is not for the faint-hearted so there is the option of visiting the dentist and having a dental block if you are concerned about the pain.
"As the tattoo is healing the pigment will deepen in colour so it is best to plan your tattoo around any important events or business meetings," Bailey says.
"Like all permanent makeup the pigment is most dramatic 24 to 48 hours after the initial treatment. Refraining from touching the area with fingertips and applying nourishing antiseptic cream three times daily is most important."
A retouch appointment is recommended within six to eight weeks. Amazingly the lip tattoo lasts anywhere from three to 10 years along with the permanent eyeliner Bailey offers.
For eyebrows she recommends colour top-ups every 12-18 months. "This is to ensure the brow strokes stay looking defined rather than a wash of blurred colour. Blurring does happen due to exposure to the elements and use of skincare products. Oilier skin types have been known to require a six to nine month refresh time as the pigment will fade at a much faster rate.