It’s possible to get any modification to your appearance now. Not born with freckles? Tattoo them on! All the time thought your brow was a bit too big? Get reduction surgery! A fan of the snatched filter look? Show a health care provider your digital avatar and allow them to work their magic!

The increasing accessibility of surgery and modification means our bodies are in constant flux alongside ever-changing beauty trends. What was once limited to celebrities and socialites is now accessible to – and increasingly expected of – almost everyone, with cosmetic surgery rising by 102 per cent between 2021 and 2022 within the UK, the very best annual increase in 18 years. And it’s not only surgical or injectable modifications – one approach to ensure you might be at all times adhering to beauty standards is by getting everlasting make-up, from microblading your eyebrows to be fluffier, to undereye concealer being tattooed into the skin.

Nevertheless, we’re seeing a rising trend of reversal emerging. Last yr, people flocked to take a position whether Kim and Khloe Kardashian had had their BBLs removed. Courteney Cox expressed regret about getting overly injection-happy up to now, and Kylie Jenner recently said she wished she had never had her boob job. Meanwhile, the recognition of the “clean girl” aesthetic has seen minimal make-up prized over full-face glam, because the “natural” look (often aided by lots of pricey skincare, facials and injectables) becomes essentially the most covetable.  

So what does this mean for many who have had everlasting treatments done? With the make-up trend cycle speeding up, what happens to the individuals who committed to at least one specific look? Unsurprisingly, everlasting make-up removal is on the rise.

Briony Garbett, CEO of NAAMA Studios, a tattoo and make-up removal studio in central London, says that everlasting make-up removal is their fastest-growing service. “The variety of clients wishing to remove everlasting make-up has greater than doubled over the past 12 months,” she says. “Most of the time, the need to remove is coupled with a desire for a more ‘natural’ look that reflects personal evolution and the evolution of wider beauty trends.”

The removal process for everlasting make-up goes like this: a laser is used to interrupt up the pigment, which then gets absorbed by the skin. Clients go into the studio for a procedure every two to a few weeks, with appointments lasting between 15-Half-hour. Often, everlasting make-up removal takes fewer sessions to remove than a tattoo. “Unwanted side effects of everlasting make-up removal are generally very mild, but you would possibly temporarily see some slight redness or have frosting,” explains Garbett. “Frosting is a natural response and causes the treated area to look white or barely frosted.”

The dearth of regulation within the everlasting make-up industry signifies that there are plenty of unlicensed practitioners on the market, which might often result in botched results. Everlasting make-up also sometimes leaves a shadow, though it’s purported to fade with time, which may result in a mandatory removal. As someone who got microblading done on my eyebrows when the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow reigned, I’m now glad they faded over time. 

For Shan, who had eight sessions with NAAMA, getting her brow tattoos removed was a step towards rekindling her relationship together with her natural look. “About 10 years ago, I got my eyebrow tattooed on,” she says. “My brother used to make fun of them and my niece would ask ‘what did you do to your eyebrows?!’ I realised then it was time to remove them. I also wanted to return to a more natural-looking face. In spite of everything, beauty trends change. If I could have my natural brows back, then I can adjust my brows nevertheless I need to whatever trend is in on the time.”

For California-based studio Inkstant Beauty, this dilemma is precisely why they take an anti-trend approach. “We don’t follow trends, since trends come and go,” says a representative. “Should you’re one to follow trends then I’d recommend you stray away from everlasting make-up. Although some techniques equivalent to ombre powder last roughly one to a few years, these are everlasting make-up procedures and must be treated as such.”

In our digital world, social media trends influence almost every part, from what we eat for breakfast to the books we read and the best way we style ourselves. Collaborating in beauty trends generally is a source of solace and community for a lot of, however the short-term trend cycle often goes against the everlasting nature of cosmetic procedures. TikToker Cina, for instance, has previously spoken about her regret in not having the ability to take part in the “clean girl” trend, as her everlasting eyeliner meant she couldn’t recreate the no-make-up look.

@cina Replying to @libee4445 yes and no. Here’s why. What do you guys take into consideration everlasting makeup? #permanentmakeup #tattooeyeliner #permanenteyeliner ♬ Aesthetic – Tollan Kim

Mikai Mcdermott, a licensed trichologist, beauty theorist, and creator, believes that the rise in “natural” beauty trends and quiet luxury are chargeable for the rising rates of removal. But in fact, these “natural” beauty trends are not any different from the full-glam looks we saw up to now. “These newly trending beauty looks are usually not natural, they cost an exorbitant amount and require constant upkeep,” explains Mcdermott. “Celebrities are spending hundreds to look perfect as in the event that they’ve had no work done. The five-minute face doesn’t reveal the facials and aesthetic treatments happening behind the scenes to enable the person in front of the camera to start out with a flawless, poreless, and free-of-wrinkle base.”

Nevertheless it’s not only the ever-changing trends which might be causing the rise in popularity. For some people, everlasting make-up removal coincides with personal growth. For Farah, who lost all of her hair when 15 because of Alopecia, the journey has shaped her experiences of make-up application and confidence. “I used to be 16 once I first had my brows tattooed, however at about 24. I discovered it really hard to do my brow make-up so tattooing was the one other option I had really. I used to be never completely satisfied with the outcomes though. They were never the proper color or shape, in addition they faded so fast.”

She began her brow removal process this summer, a process which is able to take roughly five sessions. It has, she says, helped her embrace her hair loss on days when she desires to go natural, while she opts for temporary options on other days. “I now make temporary eyebrow tattoos. It would sound dramatic but they’ve been life-changing.” As Farah has discovered, there may be beauty within the temporary. Nothing lasts endlessly and alter is inevitable, so possibly we could all profit from living by the concept of impermanence – it’s easier than always having to switch our bodies for unachievable beauty ideals.

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