As a permanent makeup artist, knowing your tools and products inside out is crucial for creating stunning, long-lasting results for your clients. A big part of this expertise involves understanding the pigments you use, especially their ingredients and how they’re formulated.
Understanding what goes into your pigments and how these components behave in the skin over time is key to selecting the right pigments for each client and treatment.
In this blog, we’ll dive into the differences between organic and inorganic pigments, and why it’s so important to know these distinctions when choosing your permanent makeup pigments.
What Are Organic and Inorganic Pigments?
Organic pigments are primarily made of carbon-hydrogen bonds, while inorganic pigments include ingredients derived from natural minerals like iron oxide or titanium dioxide. Scientifically, organic pigments have smaller particles and reflect more light, making them appear brighter. In contrast, inorganic pigments have larger particles, which tend to result in more muted tones.
Both types of pigments are safe for cosmetic tattooing and are widely used in the industry. However, it might not be immediately clear whether a pigment brand is organic, inorganic, or a hybrid of both, making it essential to educate yourself to fully understand what you’re tattooing into the skin.
How Do They Differ in PMU Procedures?
During the application process, organic pigments are generally easier to implant into the skin and tend to appear brighter or more vivid. This means that fewer passes might be needed to achieve the desired saturation when using organic pigments.
Inorganic pigments, on the other hand, may require more passes to reach the necessary level of saturation and often appear more muted or earthy in tone. It’s also important to consider your client’s skin type—whether it’s mature, dehydrated, thick, oily, or stubborn—as these factors can influence how both organic and inorganic pigments are implanted.
How Do They Heal in the Skin?
One significant difference between organic and inorganic pigments is how they heal and age in the skin. Organic pigments usually heal with a rich, vivid color and a more saturated appearance, while inorganic pigments tend to heal softer, more sheer, and earthier in tone.
Over time, organic pigments generally retain their color better and fade more slowly, though they can cool down, resulting in a shift toward cooler tones. Inorganic pigments, however, tend to fade and soften more quickly, often requiring more frequent touch-ups to maintain the desired look.
Which Is Better: Organic or Inorganic?
Both types of pigments have their pros and cons, and the best choice often depends on your client’s preferences and the results they’re looking for.
Organic pigments offer a longer-lasting, more vivid look, making them a great choice for clients who prefer less frequent touch-ups and a bolder, more dramatic brow style. On the flip side, inorganic pigments, with their softer results and quicker fading, might be better for clients who aren’t ready to commit to a long-term brow look or who want a natural, understated enhancement.
For beginners in permanent makeup, inorganic pigments may be the safer option, as they leave more room for adjustment as you gain experience. Organic pigments, while vibrant, don’t offer much margin for error and can be easier to over-saturate if you’re still honing your technique. Additionally, organic pigments are more prone to fading to cooler tones like blue or gray over time, while the iron oxides in inorganic pigments can cause brows to fade to warmer, red tones.
When choosing the right pigment for your work, consider both your experience level and what your client wants from their treatment. If they’re ready for a bold, long-lasting look, organic pigments are the way to go. If they prefer something softer and less permanent, inorganic pigments might be the better choice.
What Are Hybrid Pigments?
Hybrid pigments are blends that include both organic and inorganic components. These hybrids aim to offer the best of both worlds, encouraging more stable, neutral fading over time, avoiding the cool tones often associated with organic pigments or the warm tones typical of inorganics.
In fact, most pigments on the market today are hybrid blends. For example, Perma Blend pigments are often considered organic, but most of their shades are actually hybrids with a higher proportion of organic ingredients, making them behave more like organic pigments in the skin.
Conclusion
The ratios of organic and inorganic ingredients vary depending on what the pigments are designed to achieve. For instance, lip pigments, which are typically bright and vivid, usually contain more organic components but also include inorganic ingredients like titanium dioxide to make them opaque and help them bond to the skin.
Over time, you’ll develop your own preferences and gain a deeper understanding of which pigments work best for you and your clients.
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