Permanent Makeup Aftercare in Coon Rapids
This permanent makeup aftercare guide covers nano, powder and hybrid brows, lip blush and upper eyeliner at Great Nails in Coon Rapids. It shows how to care for the area day by day, what healing looks like, and when to book your touch-up. As soon as you finish your health and consent form, we also email you the written instructions for the areas you booked, and Lora goes through them out loud before you leave. If you have a question after your visit, call us at (763) 433-8613.
These are the aftercare instructions we give every client, from Lora Pham, a licensed permanent makeup artist in Minnesota.
What is permanent makeup aftercare?
Permanent makeup aftercare is how you care for the treated skin while it heals, and it makes a big difference in how your final result turns out. The basics are the same for every area: keep it clean, protect it from sweat, water and sun, and never pick the flaking skin.
Each area heals a little differently, so the steps below are split into brows, lips and eyeliner. See the permanent brows page and the pages for nano brows, powder brows, hybrid brows, lip blush and upper eyeliner for prices and what happens at the appointment.
How long does permanent makeup healing take?
Brows and eyeliner need about 4 weeks before your touch-up window opens, and lips need about 8 weeks. The final result cannot be judged until after the touch-up.
| At a glance | Brows | Lips | Eyeliner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep these away | 7 days: sweat, sauna, steam, pools, sun, makeup | 7 to 10 days: spicy food, kissing, licking, lip products, sun | First week: contact lenses, eye makeup, swimming, sun |
| Flaking | Light flaking around day 3 to 5 | Flaking and peeling from the inside center outward | Mild swelling and light flaking are normal |
| How the color looks | Darker at first, then faded or patchy between day 8 and day 28 | Bold at first, can fade by half in 5 days, true shade in 4 to 6 weeks | Darker and thicker for the first few days, then softens |
| $50 touch-up window | 4 to 8 weeks after your first visit | 8 to 16 weeks after your first visit | 4 to 8 weeks after your first visit |
How do I take care of my brows after nano, powder or hybrid brows?
Keep your brows dry on day 1, then from day 2 to 7 cleanse twice a day with plain water or a mild, fragrance-free cleanser, pat dry and apply a rice-grain amount of the aftercare ointment. Do not pick, scratch or rub flaking skin, and let it shed on its own.
Day 1
- Keep the brow area dry for the rest of the day.
- If it needs cleaning in the evening, gently blot with a clean cotton pad and cool water, pat dry, then apply a rice-grain-sized amount of the ointment we gave you.
Day 2 to 7
- Cleanse your brows twice a day, morning and night, with a mild fragrance-free cleanser or plain water.
- Pat dry with a clean tissue. Do not rub.
- Apply a thin, rice-grain-sized layer of ointment after each cleanse. A thin layer is enough; too much slows healing.
For the first 7 days, please avoid
- Exercise or heavy sweating
- Sauna, steam room, hot tub or swimming
- Alcohol and smoking
- Direct sun exposure
- Makeup on the brow area
- Picking, scratching or rubbing the brows
- Exfoliants, retinol or chemical peels near the brows
Until fully healed
- Keep the area out of direct sun, or use sunscreen on it.
- No Botox, laser or peels near the brows.
What does the nano and powder brow healing process look like?
Brows look darker and more defined for the first few days, then flake lightly around day 3 to 5. Between about day 8 and day 28 the color can look faded, patchy or uneven, which is a normal stage and not the final result.
Lora's brow aftercare is the same for nano, powder and hybrid brows. The first session is not the final result, so we judge the final look after your touch-up.
How do I take care of my lips after lip blush?
Clean your lips gently on day 1, then twice a day with lukewarm water and a mild, unscented cleanser, and apply a thin layer of balm after each cleanse. For the first 7 to 10 days use a straw, skip spicy or very hot food, and do not lick, pick or peel your lips.
Day 1
- Gently clean your lips with sterile or distilled water several times during the day to remove any fluid and prevent heavy scabbing.
- Before bed, apply a thin layer of the balm we gave you.
Day 2 to 7
- Cleanse your lips twice a day, morning and night, with lukewarm water and a mild, unscented cleanser.
- Pat dry with a clean tissue. Do not rub.
- Apply a thin layer of balm after each cleanse, and any time your lips feel dry. Do not apply so much that your lips stay wet or shiny.
For the first 7 to 10 days, please avoid
- Spicy or very hot food and drinks
- Drinking straight from a cup or bottle; use a straw
- Kissing or close mouth contact
- Licking your lips
- Lip makeup, lip liner or lip gloss other than the balm we gave you
- Picking or peeling flaking skin; let it fall off on its own
- Sauna, steam room, hot tub, swimming pool or the ocean
- Direct sun exposure, heavy sweating and intense exercise
Until fully healed
- No exfoliants, retinol, glycolic or lactic acid on or near your lips.
- Once healed, use a lip balm with SPF in the sun.
Why Lora is strict about this, including what happened to one client who let food stick to her healing lips, is on the lip blush page.
What does lip blush healing look like?
Lips look bold right after your visit, with moderate swelling for the first 1 to 2 days, and the color can fade by as much as half within the first 5 days. The lips then flake and peel from the inside center outward, and the color underneath can look spotty.
The true healed shade can take 4 to 6 weeks to show, so judge your result then and not earlier. None of this means the color did not take. The day-by-day table is on the lip blush page.
How do I take care of my eyeliner after permanent upper eyeliner?
For the first 48 hours, keep the eye area dry and free of makeup, and use a cold compress if it swells, never putting ice directly on the eye. For the first week, do not wear contact lenses, do not rub or scratch your eyes, and do not pick at flakes.
First 48 hours
- Keep the eye area dry and free of makeup.
- If you have swelling, use a cold compress. Never put ice directly on the eye.
First week
- Do not wear contact lenses.
- Do not rub or scratch your eyes, and do not pick at flakes; let them fall off on their own.
- No eye makeup, mascara or lash curlers on the treated area.
- No swimming, sauna, steam room or hot tub, and avoid heavy sweating.
- Keep the area out of direct sun.
The line looks darker and thicker for the first few days, then softens as it heals. Mild swelling and light flaking are normal. If you have pain, discharge or swelling that gets worse, call us at (763) 433-8613.
When should I book my touch-up?
Book your $50 touch-up between 4 and 8 weeks after your first visit for brows and eyeliner, and between 8 and 16 weeks for lips. The $50 price is for clients whose first session was done at Great Nails; if it was done somewhere else, a touch-up costs the same as a new first visit.
Your final result cannot be judged until after the touch-up, so please do not book it too early. If you come back later than the window, the price depends on how the area looks at that point. Book your touch-up or call (763) 433-8613.
When should I call you after my appointment?
Call us at (763) 433-8613 if you have pain, discharge or swelling that gets worse. Call us too if you are not sure whether what you see is a normal part of healing.
Salon hours are Monday to Friday 10am to 7pm, Saturday 10am to 6pm and Sunday 11am to 5pm. See hours and directions.
Questions about your aftercare?
Call (763) 433-8613 or stop by 3450 124th Ave NW, Suite 102, Coon Rapids.
Thinking about permanent makeup? Book a free 15-minute consultation.