Permanent Makeup in Coon Rapids
Great Nails offers permanent makeup in Coon Rapids: powder brows, nano hairstroke brows, hybrid brows, upper eyeliner, lip blush and lip liner blush, all done by Lora, a licensed permanent makeup artist. Every price is posted below, there is no deposit, and we take appointments seven days a week at 3450 124th Ave NW, Suite 102.
What is permanent makeup?
Permanent makeup is cosmetic tattooing: pigment is placed in the skin to shape your brows, define your eyes or add color to your lips. You may also hear it called semi permanent makeup or a cosmetic tattoo, and it fades slowly over the years instead of washing off.
Because it is a tattoo, we go one step at a time and you approve each decision before we move on. It is done at the same neighborhood salon that has served Coon Rapids for more than 29 years. If you are here for nails, you can also see our nail services.
What permanent makeup services do you offer, and what do they cost?
We offer powder (ombre) brows for $250, nano hairstroke brows for $350, hybrid brows for $350, upper eyeliner for $200, lip blush for $350 and lip liner blush for $200. The first touch-up is $50 for every service when you book it inside the window shown in the table.
Powder brows are the same service some studios call ombre brows. Outside the touch-up window, and for any touch-up after the first one, the price depends on how your brows, eyeliner or lips look at that point. Read more about nano, powder and hybrid brows, lip blush or upper eyeliner.
What is permanent upper eyeliner?
Permanent upper eyeliner places pigment along the upper lash line only, to define your eyes and make your lashes look fuller. It can take the place of the eyeliner you apply yourself every day.
It is $200, the visit takes about 90 minutes, and the first touch-up is $50 when you come back at least 4 weeks and no more than 8 weeks later. Lora uses a fine needle and pigment made for the eye area. After your visit, use a cold compress if you have swelling, never put ice directly on the eye, keep the area dry and makeup-free for 48 hours, and skip contact lenses for the first week.
See more of our work in the permanent makeup gallery.
What happens at my first permanent makeup appointment?
You start with a consultation about shape and color, then we apply numbing cream for about 15 to 20 minutes. Nothing begins until you approve the shape we have drawn.
- Consultation: we look at your face shape, skin type and what you want, and agree on a shape and color.
- Numbing: we cleanse the area and apply numbing cream for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Mapping: we outline the shape, and you approve it before we start.
- Pigment: for brows we build soft shading or draw fine strokes, for eyeliner we work along the upper lash line, and for lips we work the border and the body of the lips.
- Soothing balm: we clean the area and apply a balm.
- Aftercare: we go through the instructions out loud and schedule your touch-up.
Lora uses sterile, single-use needles for every client. Before we start, you also fill out a short health and consent form.
Who should talk to us before getting permanent makeup?
Tell us before you book if you are pregnant or nursing, take blood-thinning medication, or have a history of cold sores, keloid scarring, diabetes or heart problems. Our health form asks about these so Lora can decide with you whether and when to go ahead.
If you have ever had a cold sore, you will need a prescription antiviral before any lip procedure to help prevent an outbreak. You must be 18 or older. The form also asks about allergies, other medications, eye problems and whether you wear contact lenses.
How long does permanent makeup last?
Permanent makeup lasts about 2 to 3 years, and sometimes longer depending on your skin type. It then fades gradually, and a touch-up refreshes it.
Your first touch-up is $50 when you come back at least 4 weeks and no more than 8 weeks after your first visit for brows and eyeliner. For lips, the window is at least 8 weeks and no more than 16 weeks. The first session is not the final result, so we judge the final look after that touch-up.
What does healing look like?
Brows look darker and more defined for the first few days, then flake lightly around day 3 to 5. Lips look bold at first and can fade by as much as half in the first 5 days.
- Brows: keep the area dry for the first day or two, and do not pick the flaking. Between about day 8 and day 28 the color can look patchy or uneven, which is a normal stage and not the final result.
- Lips: expect some swelling for the first 1 to 2 days. The lips peel from the center outward, and the true healed shade shows at about 4 to 6 weeks.
- Eyeliner: use a cold compress if you have swelling, never ice directly on the eye, and keep the area dry. Skip contact lenses for the first week.
As soon as you finish your health and consent form, we email you the written aftercare instructions, and we go through them out loud before you leave.
Nano hairstroke or powder brows: which is right for me?
Choose nano hairstroke if you want the most natural brow, especially if you still have some of your own brow hair. Choose powder brows if you want soft, makeup-like shading, which also works well on oily skin.
Here is a real example from Lora's chair. One client came in unsure of the difference between nano hairstroke and powder brows. She was leaning toward powder brows because she wanted the most natural look possible. She still had her own brow hair, just sparse, so Lora explained that nano hairstrokes would blend with the hair she already had. After that consultation she switched to nano hairstroke, and she loves how natural it looks.
Still not sure? Hybrid brows combine nano hairstrokes with powder shading. We will talk it through at your consultation.
Do you do microblading?
No, we do not offer microblading. Lora does nano hairstroke instead.
She chose it for three reasons: it is a newer technique, in her experience it is gentler on the skin, and the color holds longer. Lora holds an advanced Nano Hairstroke certification from a training center in Vietnam.
Is there a deposit or a cancellation fee?
No. There is no deposit and no cancellation fee for permanent makeup.
If your plans change, please call us at (763) 433-8613 so we can offer your time to someone else.
When can I book permanent makeup in Coon Rapids?
We take permanent makeup appointments seven days a week, during any hour the salon is open, at 3450 124th Ave NW, Suite 102, Coon Rapids, MN 55433. Book online or call (763) 433-8613 to choose your day and time.
Salon hours are Monday to Friday 10am to 7pm, Saturday 10am to 6pm and Sunday 11am to 5pm. Parking is free, right outside the salon. See hours and directions.
Who will do my permanent makeup?
Lora Pham, the owner of Great Nails, is a licensed permanent makeup artist in Minnesota with five years of experience. She has served hundreds of clients.
Brows are her signature work, and she also does eyeliner and lips. Meet Lora and the team.
Ready to talk about your brows, eyes or lips?
Call (763) 433-8613 or stop by 3450 124th Ave NW, Suite 102, Coon Rapids.