At Port City Brows, every detail matters — from the preparation to the final healed results.
This page is designed to help you understand each service, what to expect, and how to prepare for your appointment.
Cosmetic Tattoo Services
Please take a few minutes to read through these FAQs BEFORE booking. Being informed ensures you’re a great candidate and helps us achieve the most flawless, lasting results possible.
- Are currently using or have used Accutane within the last 12 months
- Have a fresh tan or sunburn on the face
- Have glaucoma (lash line service only)
- Have deep wrinkles around the lips (lip blush service only)
- Have an active infection, rosacea, or visible skin condition (eczema, psoriasis, moles) in the treatment area
- Have artificial heart valves or heart conditions (doctor’s note required)
- Have uncontrolled diabetes or uncontrolled autoimmune disease
- Are taking blood-thinning medications
- Are currently undergoing or have had chemotherapy or radiation within the last 12 months (doctor’s note required)
- Are under 18 years old (no exceptions)
- Have dry eye (lash line service only)
Are you a good candidate for cosmetic tattooing?
While cosmetic tattooing is a beautiful enhancement for many, it’s not suitable for everyone. My goal is always to ensure each client achieves the best, safest results possible.
Please review the list below before booking. In some cases, a doctor’s note may be required. If you’re unsure, feel free to email portcitybrows@gmail.com with any questions.
Nano Brows
Created with a machine and ultra-fine needle to mimic natural hair strokes. This method gives a soft, realistic look and is suitable for all skin types.
Powder Brows
A soft-shaded look that replicates the effect of makeup, ranging from a subtle tint to a defined, bold finish. Suitable for all skin types.
Combo Brows
A blend of nano strokes in the front and powder shading throughout the rest of the brow — the perfect balance of natural and defined.
Lip Blush
Enhances your natural lip color and shape for a soft, youthful tint. We’ll create a custom color and shape that complements your skin tone and personal style.
Most clients notice slightly fuller-looking lips (around 1–2mm) and often find they rely less on fillers. We can achieve a sheer wash of color or a fuller, more defined finish — including ombré styles for extra contour and depth.
For clients with deeper pigmentation, neutralization may be recommended to brighten dark tones before adding the target shade. This process can take multiple sessions (2–4) depending on your goals, which we’ll discuss during your consultation.
Lash Line Enhancement
Defines the eyes by filling in between the lashes, giving the appearance of a thicker, fuller lash line — similar to a soft “tight-line” effect.
Using a fine needle and precision technique, pigment is placed delicately along the upper lash line only, enhancing your natural eye shape without harsh lines.
We’ll select the best shade (black or brown-black) to complement your features for a timeless, effortless look.
Pre
Care
Pre-Care
At Port City Brows, your health and safety come before everything else. Every cosmetic tattoo service is designed with precision, care, and integrity — ensuring beautiful results that honor your skin and overall well-being.
Before booking, please review the information below to make sure cosmetic tattooing is right for you.
- YOU CANNOT BE PREGNANT OR BREAST FEEDING
- AVOID USING RETINOL, HARSH ACIDS, AND EYEBROW GROWTH SERUMS THREE WEEKS PRIOR TO YOUR APPOINTMENT
- FOR CHEMICAL PEELS AND LASER TREATMENTS, YOU MUST WAIT SIX WEEKS FOLLOWING THE TREATMENT BEFORE HAVING YOUR BROWS DONE
- NO CAFFEINE 36 HOURS BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
- NO BLOOD THINNERS 36 HOURS BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
- NO ALCOHOL 36 HOURS BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
- NO TANNING ONE WEEK BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
- NO BOTOX (ON FOREHEAD) FOUR WEEKS BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
- NO ANTIBIOTICS TWO WEEKS BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
Avoid heavy exercise and caffeine the morning of your appointment. Exercising and caffeine increases blood flow and will cause excessive bleeding, leading to poor healed results.
You are welcome to come to your appointment with or without makeup on. We will be taking photos, so come however you are most comfortable. If you regularly fill in your brows, coming with at least your brows filled in helps me to see how you normally style your brows.
You will be sent home with aftercare instructions for all PMU services. Brows take 10-14 days to completely heal. You must avoid sun, sweat, water, makeup, & skin care products, so please plan accordingly.
VIEW BROWS AFTER CARE >
Brows Pre-Care
- YOU CANNOT BE PREGNANT OR BREAST FEEDING
- LIGHTLY EXFOLIATE YOUR LIPS FOR THREE DAYS PRIOR TO YOUR APPOINTMENT
- FOR CHEMICAL PEELS AND LASER TREATMENTS, YOU MUST WAIT SIX WEEKS FOLLOWING THE TREATMENT BEFORE HAVING YOUR LIPS DONE
- NO CAFFEINE 36 HOURS PRIOR TO YOUR APPOINTMENT
- NO BLOOD THINNERS 36 HOURS PRIOR TO YOUR APPOINTMENT
- NO ALCOHOL 36 HOURS PRIOR TO YOUR APPOINTMENT
- NO BOTOX/FILLERS(AROUND LIPS) FOUR WEEKS BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
- NO TANNING ONE WEEK PRIOR TO YOUR APPOINTMENT
- NO ANTIBIOTICS TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO YOUR APPOINTMENT
VIEW LIPS AFTER CARE >
Lip Blush Pre-Care
- YOU CANNOT BE PREGNANT OR BREAST FEEDING
- LASH EXTENSIONS MUST BE REMOVED BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
- Lash Serums: Discontinue use 1–2 months prior to your appointment.
- Contacts: Do not wear them during the procedure.
- Medical Conditions: Includes rosacea, glaucoma (EXTREMELY IMPORTANT), high blood pressure, keloid-prone skin, and cancer/chemotherapy within the last 6 months.
- FOR CHEMICAL PEELS AND LASER TREATMENTS, YOU MUST WAIT SIX WEEKS FOLLOWING THE TREATMENT BEFORE HAVING YOUR LASH LINE DONE
- NO CAFFEINE 36 HOURS PRIOR TO YOUR APPOINTMENT
- NO BLOOD THINNERS 36 HOURS PRIOR TO YOUR APPOINTMENT
- NO ALCOHOL 36 HOURS PRIOR TO YOUR APPOINTMENT
- NO BOTOX/FILLERS (AROUND EYES) FOUR WEEKS BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
- NO TANNING ONE WEEK PRIOR TO YOUR APPOINTMENT
- NO ANTIBIOTICS TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO YOUR APPOINTMENT
VIEW LASH LINE AFTER CARE >
Lash Line Pre-Care
Post
Care
Post Care
Beautiful results start with proper care.
Full instructions and a custom aftercare kit are provided at your appointment.
After Care - Brows
- Clean & Moisturize: Wipe gently morning & night, apply tiny balm 3x daily.
- Avoid: Water, sweat, saunas, pools, makeup, active skincare, picking, rubbing.
- Healing Notes: Redness/swelling fades in 24 hrs; flaking is normal.
10-14 Days
After Care - Lips
- Clean & Moisturize: Wipe and apply balm; keep lips moist all day.
- Avoid: touching/licking, kissing, smoking, spicy foods, makeup, water (except gentle cleansing), sun exposure.
- Healing Notes: Redness/swelling/bruising is normal; do not peel dry/flaking areas.
5-10-Days
After Care - Lash Line
- Clean: Wipe gently within 1–2 hrs and next morning; avoid rubbing.
- Avoid: Eye makeup, creams, skincare near lash line, water, sweat, saunas, sun.
- Healing Notes: Redness/swelling/lash shedding is normal; let heal naturally.
10-14 Days
frequently asked questions
Immediately after your treatment, your brows, lips, or lash line may show slight redness or swelling — this is completely normal and should settle within 24 hours. You may also notice the pigment appears darker or warmer at first; this is part of the natural healing process.
Around days 3–4, gentle flaking or light scabbing may appear. Please avoid picking at the area to ensure the pigment heals evenly and beautifully. During this time, your brows, lips, or lash line may look a little spotty or patchy — this is completely normal and temporary. By about day 10, flaking will have finished, and the pigment will look lighter. Over the next 4–6 weeks, the final healed color will gradually emerge.
At your 6-week touch-up, we’ll review retention, fill in any areas that need it, and refine the color to give you your perfect brows or lips. Once fully healed from your touch-up, your results will last beautifully for 12–36 months, giving you effortless, polished results every day.
- Oily Skin: Increased oil production can cause hair strokes to blur and fade very quickly, or not stick at all. If you have really oily skin and/or large pores, you are a better candidate for a Powder Brow.
- Sun Exposure: Increased exposure to the sun will cause premature fading. I recommend all my clients purchase a tattoo safe spa to protect their healed brows and lips from the sun. You can purchase this at the studio!
- Smoking: Smoking negatively impacts your cosmetic tattoo causing the pigments to fade faster and deprives the skin of oxygen during the healing process, leading to a less vibrate or even appearance. Smoking can also affect the entire process including anesthetics/pain, wound healing, and lip discoloration.
- Excessive Bleeding: Excessive bleeding during your procedure will greatly affect how your body retains pigment. Pinpoint bleeding throughout the procedure is normal, but excessive bleeding causes pigment to fade very quickly and heal ashy. While bleeding is not entirely in our control, it is important that you follow before care instructions to help minimize bleeding. This includes avoiding blood thinning medications and alcohol 24 hours before your procedure.
- Improper Pre and Post Care: Not following the given pre and post care instructions will greatly diminish your healed results. Follow all instructions exactly for the best results! I can only control what happens inside my studio, so please come prepared beforehand and follow all instructions exactly afterwards for the best results.
A consultation is not required. If you would like a consultation, I am happy to set up a phone/video call to go over any questions you may have.
I do a consult at your initial appointment before getting started to talk about expectations & goals and determine the best option for you.
Port City Aesthetics does not do corrections/cover-ups from another artist at this time. If you have a previous cosmetic tattoo and you think it is 90% faded away, you must email/text clear photos for approval before booking!
A cosmetic tattoo is designed to fade over time, but is still considered a tattoo. Factors such as skin type, lifestyle, age, metabolism, medications, and pigment color affect the longevity of the tattoo. The sun and some kinds of lighting (tanning beds) can affect the rate at which these pigments are broken down. Following the given aftercare instructions is critical to getting your best healed results, and touch-up your cosmetic tattoo every 12-36+ months (as needed). Touch-ups are normal and expected for permanent cosmetics. Picking the proper service for your skin type and following the proper aftercare will lead to beautiful results for years to come!
*Please note that final results vary and CANNOT be guaranteed due to the nature of skin as it heals. A touch up appointment is recommended 6-12 weeks after your initial session where we can assess your pigment retention and perfect your cosmetic tattoo!
While cosmetic tattoos are amazing for defining the lips & eyes or shaping the brows, when enhancing a client’s natural features, it’s important to have realistic expectations about what it can and cannot do. Permanent makeup is a cosmetic tattoo, meaning it is going in your skin. Makeup sits on top of your skin. Therefore, some of things you can achieve with makeup will not look the same of give the same effect as a PMU tattoo. Because the tattoo we are creating is relatively permanent and is going in your skin, it’s very important where we place and shape the brow! Going too far away from where the hair naturally grows will look unnatural and won’t blend with the natural hair that you have. Because the ink is being implanted under the skin, it’s also important to note that the healed results will always differ from fresh ones as the skin heals over it. Permanent makeup/cosmetic tattoo is not magic, and it’s important that we stay close to what your brows are naturally doing to maintain beautiful results. I strive for natural results that will look amazing for years to come!
Remember a cosmetic tattoo is LOW maintenance, not NO maintenance!
I do not take new clients with previous work (from another artist) at this time. Anyone who has had their brows/lips/liner done previously by another artist, must email photos to see if we will be able to work over the existing pigment. I typically only go over other artists work if it’s at least 90%+ faded, and all new clients to us are considered initial sessions. No matter how long ago or how faded you think the pigment is, please email photos for approval before booking. I want to give our clients the very best, and help create their dream brows! If I don’t think we can achieve what you’re wanting with your existing work, I recommend 1-3+ sessions of laser removal before doing your brows. The best & fastest removal option is Laser.
I highly recommend VivaLux Med Spa in Jacksonville, NC or Pure Cosmetics in Wilmington, NC. Laser removal is usually $100-$150/session depending on how much ink is in your skin. If you choose to do laser removal, please contact one of the Med Spas for more information.
Yes! A cosmetic tattoo is a two-step process, and a touch up is strongly recommended to get the best results. Also known as the “perfecting session”, a touch up is ideally done 6-12 weeks after your initial session, and is where we assess your retention, perfect the shape and color, and add more dimension. Touch ups are very important and add to the overall results and longevity of your cosmetic tattoo. On occasion, a 3rd touch up can be needed to achieve desired results.
Initial sessions are scheduled for 3 hours
Touch up appointments are scheduled for 1.5 hours
Maintenance appointments are scheduled for 2 hours.
Keep in mind, during the mapping and tattooing you will be lying completely flat on your back.
Most clients report little to no pain throughout their procedure. While pain tolerance varies between clients, a topical Lidocaine/Epinephrine cream is used throughout the procedure to make sure you’re comfortable.
Following the given aftercare is crucial to obtain the best results! All clients are expected to follow the instructions exactly to get the best healed results! All products needed & instructions for your aftercare will be provided to you at your initial appointment & will last you for the touch up as well.
If you need another aftercare kit, you can purchase one at your touch up for $10.
*Please refer to our “aftercare” page for more detailed instructions.
Please review the list below before booking. In some cases, a doctor’s note may be required. If you’re unsure, feel free to email portcitybrows@gmail.com with any questions.
You are not a candidate if you are:
- Are currently using or have used Accutane within the last 12 months
- Have a fresh tan or sunburn on the face
- Have glaucoma (lash line service only)
- Have deep wrinkles around the lips (lip blush service only)
- Have an active infection, rosacea, or visible skin condition (eczema, psoriasis, moles) in the treatment area
- Have artificial heart valves or heart conditions (doctor’s note required)
- Have uncontrolled diabetes or uncontrolled autoimmune disease
- Are taking blood-thinning medications
- Are currently undergoing or have had chemotherapy or radiation within the last 12 months (doctor’s note required)
- Are under 18 years old (no exceptions)