Permanent Makeup Cost and Financing

Did you know that the average American spends an estimated $1,754 on beauty products each year?¹ While most people enjoy the beauty-enhancing look of makeup, having to apply it daily can become tedious, time-consuming and costly in the long run.

Permanent makeup may be a great alternative for individuals who want to reduce or eliminate the daily routine of applying makeup. It may also be a solution for those who are sensitive or allergic to traditional makeup. Permanent cosmetic procedures can even help camouflage skin conditions such as alopecia or scars and reduce the need to continually reapply eyebrow, eye and lip products among others.²

Let's dive into the types and costs of permanent makeup and why they might be right for you.

What Is Permanent Makeup?

Permanent makeup, also known as cosmetic tattooing or PMU, is a process that uses micro pigmentation to enhance the color and shape of your facial features. Unlike traditional makeup, the results are long-lasting and don't require daily application of products to achieve a made-up look.²

While the term permanent makeup sounds like it will last forever, a better descriptor may be semipermanent makeup as the depth at which the pigment is placed, along with the regeneration of the tissue, can lead to variations in how long the results from permanent makeup can last.²

Where Can Permanent Makeup Be Used?

Permanent makeup can be used in the following areas:²

• Areola
• Beauty marks
• Eyebrows
• Eyeliner
• Freckles
• Lips
• Scalp
• Scars

How Does Permanent Makeup Work?

Similar to tattooing, permanent makeup involves the insertion of cosmetic pigments into the dermal layer of the skin to render definition and color to areas such as the eyebrows, eyelids and lips.³

Any permanent makeup procedure should start with a consultation where your preferences, desired results and medical history will be reviewed.³

During the permanent makeup procedure

During the permanent makeup procedure, the aesthetician may outline the area to check the position, shape and symmetry of the design. The aesthetician may also do a color test to ensure the pigment is a good fit with your skin tone and desired results.³

Then, your aesthetician will use a handheld device, a rotary machine or pen or a tattoo coil machine to apply the pigments to the area.² You may feel a stinging or scratching sensation while the pigment is applied.³

After the permanent makeup procedure

Once the pigment has been applied, the area will likely be red and swollen. Follow directions from your provider about how to treat and protect the treated area. After five to seven days, the area where the pigment was applied may begin to itch and peel. The healing process can take seven to 10 days, during which it may seem that the pigment is fading. The pigment should return as the healing process completes.³

Keep in mind that permanent makeup procedures usually require multiple appointments — a longer initial appointment and one or more shorter follow-up appointments to touch up the area. After each treatment, the skin will need to go through the healing process again before you’ll be able to see your final results. Yearly touch-ups may be recommended as well to maintain your desired look.³

What Conditions Does Permanent Makeup Treat?

Beyond cosmetic uses, permanent makeup can be used to address a wide variety of conditions:²

• Allergies or sensitive skin. People with sensitive skin or an allergy to traditional makeup products may benefit from having permanent makeup available as an alternative.
• Areola restoration. Permanent makeup can help to recreate the look of an areola and nipple after breast surgery.
• Dark under-eye circles. Permanent makeup can also be used to lighten under-eye circles.⁴
• Hair loss. This type of makeup may be a great option for those dealing with hair loss due to alopecia or cancer treatment to fill in sparse brows or hairlines.
• Scars. Permanent makeup can be used to camouflage the color and appearance of scars and stretch marks.
• Unsteady hands. Those with conditions like Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis or arthritis, who might not have a steady hand to apply makeup daily, may find that permanent makeup is a useful solution to this problem.⁵

How Long Does Permanent Makeup Last?

Permanent makeup can last from 12 months to 8 years depending on the area and type of pigment used. Permanent makeup treatments such as eyebrow, freckles and eyeliner can last the shortest amount of time while areola, scalp and lip tattoos can last longer.⁶

How Much Does Permanent Makeup Cost?

The national average cost* of permanent makeup varies widely from $303 to $1,106, depending on the area of the body and procedure used.⁷

Cost of permanent makeup by type

Below are the average costs* and cost ranges of common permanent makeup procedures.⁷

The overall cost of the procedure can also vary based on the type and quality of the pigment, the number of required sessions or touch-ups and the artist’s experience.⁷

Average cost of eyebrow permanent makeup by state/district

Geographic location can also impact the overall cost of permanent makeup. Below is the average cost* for eyebrow permanent makeup across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.⁷

Different Types of Permanent Makeup

There are several different types of permanent makeup, including:⁸

• Permanent eyebrows
• Permanent eyeliner
• Permanent lip liner
• Permanent lipstick
• Lip blushing
• Freckle tattoos, beauty marks and other types of permanent makeup

Permanent eyebrows

Microblading and microshading are two types of permanent makeup eyebrow techniques that give you the look of full, lush brows. Microblading provides the look of individual hairs, while microshading gives you a softer, more powdery and diffused look across the entire brow area.⁹

During a microblading appointment, an aesthetician uses a small blade to create hairlike strokes that give you the look of natural brow hairs and then fills them in with pigment. Microshading is less invasive because the aesthetician won't make any cuts into the skin, instead using a rotary pen to deposit pigment directly into the epidermis of the skin of the brows.⁹

Permanent eyeliner

Permanent eyeliner gives you the look of freshly applied liner and can be done along or above the top lash line, bottom lash line or both. Some permanent eyeliners give you more of a natural, enhanced look while others can give you a bold winged look.⁸

Thicker and bolder eyeliner looks may cost more than more natural ones. For an additional cost, some aestheticians will even add in some shadowing to give your eyes the look of eyeliner and eyeshadow.⁸

Permanent lip liner

Permanent lip liner is applied along the outer edges of your lips to give them a fuller, more defined look. Shades vary from more natural lighter shades to dark and bold ones.⁸

This procedure can be beneficial for those with very pale lips or those with uneven lip color or contour.⁸

Permanent lipstick

As the name implies, permanent lipstick gives you the look of lipstick that won't come off when you eat or touch your lips.⁸ Deciding on the color of permanent makeup lipstick will be an important decision since it will determine the color of your lips from morning to night, every day.

Lip blushing

Lip blushing enhances the natural shade of your lips and is usually done in subtle shades like nude or soft pink. This procedure is virtually the same as permanent lipstick but is usually done with a lighter shade and involves minimal discomfort and downtime.⁸

Other Permanent Makeup Types

To get the look of a freckled face, your technician can apply permanent makeup to the area around your nose and cheeks.⁸ Or, you might want to opt for a beauty mark on your cheek.²

Other types of permanent makeup available include:²

• Areola restoration
• Permanent concealer⁴
• Scalp or hairline enhancement⁶
• Scar or stretch mark camouflage

Does Insurance Cover Permanent Makeup?

Because permanent makeup is not considered a medically necessary procedure, it is typically not covered by insurance. However, things like areola restoration or nipple tattoos may be classified as medically necessary as a type of reconstructive surgery after procedures such as a mastectomy.¹⁰ Check with your healthcare plan to see if these types of reconstructive permanent makeup are covered.

How Can I Pay for Permanent Makeup?

If your permanent makeup is not covered by insurance, there may be several payment options you can consider:

• You can pay your aesthetician with cash or a debit card if you have the funds available.
• Your aesthetician may accept general-purpose credit cards.
• Many providers accept the CareCredit credit card, a health and wellness credit card. The CareCredit credit card may be a way for you to get the permanent makeup services you want while paying over time with convenient monthly payments, helping to fit the services you want into your budget.**

Financing Permanent Makeup With the CareCredit Credit Card

When getting permanent makeup or another cosmetic procedure, the CareCredit credit card can help you pay for costs not covered by insurance.** Use our Acceptance Locator to find a doctor or cosmetic specialist near you that accepts CareCredit. Continue your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your CareCredit account, find a provider on the go and easily access the Well U blog for more great articles, podcasts and videos.

In addition to cosmetic procedures, you can also use your CareCredit credit card for dentistry, pet care, vision, hearing, health systems, dermatology, pharmacy purchases, spa treatments and so much more within the CareCredit network. How will you invest in your health and wellness next?

Author Bio

Kate Bayless is a health and wellness freelance writer with 15 years of experience. Her work has appeared in Parents, Women's Health, Beachbody and OpenFit.