by Joyce Cirasuola, CDT,FAAM

Well, folks, here we are in a new year and I have no idea where 2003 went. It seems the older we get, the faster the time goes. Go figure.  

Many things have changed in the world of Permanent Makeup and we are starting off the new year with wonderful new pigments, new power units (that run all pen machines!) and more needles being invented to make doing PMU easier and less tiring.  

One of the trends I see is that even though techs love their coil machines because that's what they learned on... they are having to go to a lighter weight machine because of the carpal tunnel syndrome. It is very painful and can stop you from doing PMU. Some techs have had to have the tendons in their hands operated on. For some who love to do PMU this is very upsetting and for those whose total income is dependant on PMU it is devastating. If your doing all your procedures with the coil, I would highly recommend turning to a light weight pen machine. Do some of your procedures with a pen and some with the coil and nip the carpal tunnel in the bud. I guarantee, if this hasn't happened to you yet, it will. I know from the many phone calls I have received. This is a serious epidemic.  

We have wonderful pen machines and a new digital power unit that run them at a precisioned power so that your pen machine works at optimal speed. It runs very smoothly. We carry the KP 96 , the Midas , the Infinity and they work on our wonderful Mini Digital Power Unit . Get an extra transformer and run your coil on the same power unit. You will think you've gotten new machines when you run them on this new Mini Digital Power Unit.  

We also have some new Velvet Needles that I really love. We have the 430LT Flat that is so great for hair strokes. The LT stands for long taper, so you have the precision of a fine needle that carries a lot of pigment to the skin.  

We are making the wonderful lips with the Velvet 533 LT Round Needle that goes through lip tissue very smoothly.  

If you love Flats then we have the 533 LT Flat needle as well. The 330 LT Flat is wonderful as well for hairstrokes and eyeliner.  

My favorite top eyeliner is the 4 Square. It does not make a square line, but it makes a round liner. It is very smooth for doing your eyeliner. You'll want to try this one.  

We used Velvet Needles at Boot Camp in Hawaii this past January. A few of the techs didn't use the Velvet Needles (don't know why), and the rest did use the Velvets. We were able to compare those who had their procedure (brows, eyes & lips) done using the non-Velvet needles with the procedures done with the Velvet Needles. Clients who had Velvets used on them suffered no pain... no swelling... no trauma. Those who had non-Velvet Needles on their procedures suffered with pain, discomfort and swelling that day and the discomfort was even more painful in the following days. Nothing seemed to help in the after care ointments and they just hurt. I was amazed at just how much discomfort they had.  

I always use the Velvet Needles and my clients tell me how fast they heal, never complaining about any discomfort. Dry lips are the most discomfort that is mentioned. My own lips were Peeled & Healed in 7 days with NO adverse effects. Now that we have the long taper which is for those who like really fine needles, there is just no reason to put your clients through the pain of non-Velvet Needles. If you're one who hasn't yet tried Velvet needles, then by all means try them and see for yourself the wonderful ease that these needles put pigment into the skin.  

So about Bootcamp Hawaii . Well it is just a paradise over there. I just love the wonderful fabrics and colorful ways people decorate their houses.... I want to just redorate my whole house in Hawaiian colors and bamboo and palm trees. It is so beautiful everyday there. I went over early because we were having a 2 day class with Japanese students. Dr.Dixon , Liza Lawrence & I taught the 10 beautiful Japanese gals who already had about one year of training. This just added another dimension to their training and they proved to be eager students. We had 2 interpreters and got along wonderfully with them. They had procedures done also and were very adamant about the lip color they wanted....beigey pink or very light natural lips. Well that was a shock to me, as I thought they would go for magentas or burgundys or some browns,... but all wanted beige. Well, let me tell you, we got out our pigments ( Kolorsource Pigments from Dr. Dixon) and started to mix up some wonderful colors. I used Red Pepper and Salmon Pate in one set of lips and Hawaiian Flesh and Surfer Girl on another. Kiss Me and Hawaiian Flesh as another mix. Some of the other mixtures were Nude Lips with Ginger and some Salmon Pate.....these Kolorsource pigments mix so well together. There are just no hidden undertones, what you see is what you get. Lip colors are vibrant when they go into the lip and then heal into a pleasing color. Some of my favorites are Girl's Night Out ... Hula Girl ... Red Pepper .... Kiss Me ... Salmon Pate (to bump these colors up and add more opacity use the Nude Lip Mix ... just fabulous).  

At Boca Ta-2 we are doing trade-ins of any brand pigment that you are not using (unused or nearly full bottles. Please, no empties or 1/2 fulls thanks). Just call or fax your list of pigments and then mail them to us (please, clean them up first) and we will give you $10 credit on all Kolorsource Pigments .   This trade-in offer will enable you to start fresh with new bottles of Kolorsource pigment. Then, watch how your procedures will go faster because the pigments flow so easily. We recommend you use the Pigment Shaker as the colors need to be thoroughly shaken. Of course when you mix 2 or more colors together you'll want to use the mini mixer which comes free with purchase of a Pigment Shaker. We enjoy working with, and encourage you to try, the Kolorsource Pigments. Fabulous, natural colors that go into the skin so easily!  

SPCP's “Diamonds in the Desert” Convention is March 20 - 22 , and promises to be a festive convention in Las Vegas at the Alexis Park Resort. Go to the SPCP web page & register (or call me and I will send the info). I will be taking the trade-ins for Kolorsource Pigments at the convention and will conduct a 9 AM class on Saturday. Every attendee will recieve a free bottle of Kolorsource Pigment. Topics will cover the new Kolorsource pigments, mixing colors, Velvet needles and the new Mini Power Unit. Be there! It will be a fun weekend!  

For those wanting to take the AAM Certification Test , the AAM convention in October will be in Orlando , FL. This event is always a joy to me, because I can just pack the car up and go. We always have a great turnout for this event. Make sure you register to take the test.....call Dick Schramm @ 800-441-2515 and get your study book. Prepare to pass the test... the sooner you get the book, the more you can study.  

This summer I plan have Boot Camp Florida . Get a group of experienced techs together for brain-storming & information sharing. There is so much we can learn from each other! Everyone who needs their PMU touched up can get it done it then. There is so much talent in Florida and each of use different methods, different equipment, and new types of procedures. Dimensional eyeliner and shadow... Areola info... Lips, lips, and more lips... Numbing techniques... Dimensional brow design... using multiple colors with hair strokes... the new tri-colored brow... There is so much to learn and this is an opportunity to see the best techs at work and learn wonderful new techniques to bring to your clients. Permanent Makeup is growing very fast and we are no longer invisible. Competition is keen, so we all want the cutting edge to set us above our competition! You'll find the cutting edge at Boot Camp Florida . I am looking at the first week in August as a possible target date. Let me know what you think and bring your Knapsacks and we will have a great time, I promise that.  

Quotes:  

Here's to a great year ahead and may we all strive to do our best. “You did what you knew how to do....When you knew better, you did better”

and another quote of wisdom we can all need is “ The most needed, wanted, and powerful activity in which you can engage on or off the job is to authentically recognize, acknowledge and appreciate others.” Just think about that one for a while.  

My last quote is “ MAY YOU HAVE THE COURAGE TO TAKE A CHANCE AND MAY YOU NEVER FIND FROGS IN YOUR UNDERPANTS”

Love to all, Joyce Cirasuola