July 23, 2019

What to expect when you visit us.

Like any experience, your first time having a permanent makeup procedure can seem daunting. We want to make sure you are relaxed, fully-informed and best-prepared for your first appointment at Tina Davies Studio. Below, we have broken down every step of the permanent makeup process. Keep reading to find out what you should expect along the way - from booking to follow-ups and everything in between…

Research:

So - you’re considering a permanent makeup procedure. Maybe you have seen the amazing ‘before and after’ transformations on our Instagram. Or maybe a friend or family member has had a procedure done with us before? Maybe you heard about ‘microblading’ on the radio, or on television and want to find out more. If you want to learn more, check out our blog posts or email studio@tinadavies.com with any questions. We’re happy to help!

Consultation:

Still not 100% sure about booking a procedure? We got you! Book a consultation with either of our professional artists so that you can meet in person and chat about any questions or concerns you may have. Our artists will use cosmetic pencils to draw a proposed eyebrow or eyeliner shape on you so that you can see what your permanent makeup might look like without any commitment. We will work together to help find a look that suits you, your skin type, and your lifestyle. We will try as many looks as necessary to make sure you are feeling happy and confident with the chosen colour, shape and design symmetry. When you are ready, you can choose to book the procedure appointment and we will keep your preferences on file.

Click here to book a consultation with Tina or Kim.

Booking an Appointment:

When you are ready to book your procedure, you may book an appointment online, by email (studio@tinadavies.com) or by phone (416-291-4188). You can pick your preferred artist, service, date and time. For any appointment booking, we require a deposit of $200 plus tax (with the exception of a Consultation - which requires payment in full upon booking). Please note, if you do need to cancel or reschedule your appointment we can refund your deposit with 72 hours notice. Keep in mind, on the day of your appointment, we will need you to arrive 30 minutes early for paperwork and numbing cream so factor this into your chosen appointment time.

Before your Appointment:

You will receive a series of reminders from us leading up to your appointment, including reminder emails, texts and a phone-call. We want to make sure you are fully-aware of your appointment time, location, directions and more. There are a couple of things to note in advance of your appointment:

Any treatments to your face, such as botox injections, fillers or micro-needling facials, should take place at least two weeks before or two weeks after your permanent makeup appointment. We want to make sure your skin is healthy enough for a procedure so please plan accordingly.
You will need to cease any use of hair growth serums in the area you are having your procedure done (either eyebrows or eyeliner) at least six months prior to your appointment. The reason for this is that hair growth serums encourage blood to rush to the surface of your skin to stimulate hair follicles. While this is great for hair growth, it may compromise your permanent makeup results due to excessive bleeding during your procedure. You may resume use of your hair growth serums once your brows or eyeliner have healed.
Try to avoid caffeine and alcohol for 24 hours before your appointment. The reason for this is that caffeine and alcohol are blood thinners. During your permanent makeup appointment, your artist will use needles to make a series of small incisions in your skin and any excess blood could compromise the healed eyebrows/eyeliner.
As well as caffeine and alcohol, please avoid any medication that includes blood thinners (such as Aspirin) for 24 hours prior to your appointment. If you need to take painkillers, we recommend consulting with your doctor on an alternative that will not thin your blood. Lots of our customers use Advil or Tylenol as an alternative to Aspirin.
We ask that you arrive 30 minutes before your appointment time for paperwork and numbing, so please take this into consideration for your travel plans. We encourage you to check Google Maps and input your location and desired arrival time to see what time you will need to leave your home based on live traffic updates. We want to make sure you have plenty of time when you arrive for proficient numbing, and to ensure you can take your time reading through our consent form before signing.

Directions to our studio:

Driving: Our office is located at 3080 Yonge Street (at the North West corner of Yonge & Lawrence. See map for directions.

The building entrance is beside Tim Horton’s on the left-hand side
Take the elevator to the 3rd floor and make a right, walk down to the end of the very end of the hallway. The last door on your left-hand side will be unit # 3020

Parking: There is underground paid parking - the entrance is on the West side of Yonge Street, just North of Lawrence see map for directions. Within the underground parking, you can take the stairs to the third floor or take the elevator to the first floor, then switch elevators to go to the third floor. You can also walk through the grocery store out onto the street and enter via the ground floor. You will need to pay for parking within the car park or have it validated by the grocery store if you spend over $20 in there.

Subway: If taking the subway, the building is right beside Lawrence Station on the Northwest corner of Yonge and Lawrence. When you exit the subway, turn left on the platform and walk up the steps towards the exit. After you walk through the turnstiles, take the exit on the right-hand side. This will bring you directly onto Yonge Street. Our building is on the left when you leave the subway station exit/entrance.

When you Arrive:

First, you will be greeted by our studio coordinator who will take some photographs of you for our files. FYI, these photographs will not be used anywhere without your consent - they are for our files so that we can see the difference before and after your procedure with us. We will even send you a collage of your ‘Before and After’ pictures to show your friends and family!

After you have your photographs taken, our studio co-ordinator will encourage you to take a seat and make yourself at home. We will provide you with a consent form to read and fill out while you wait. If you are having an eyebrow procedure we will apply numbing cream to your eyebrows so they are nice and numb before your appointment begins. If you are having an eyeliner procedure done, we will bring you into one of our relaxing waiting rooms and have you lie down on a comfortable bed so that we can apply numbing cream to your eyes. Please note, you will need to keep your eyes closed for 20-30 minutes - so feel free to relax or have a nap! We will come and get you when our artist is ready to begin your appointment.

During your Appointment:

Your artist will first read through your consent form and answer any questions you may have. Then, they will begin your consultation by discussing your preferred style, shape and colour. She will assist you in choosing a colour and shape that’s right for you, your style and your skin type. Then, your artist will use a cosmetic pencil to draw on the proposed eyebrow or eyeliner shape. Once you are happy, they will have you lie down on a bed and get comfortable. Now we start the procedure!

Many people experience a light ‘scratchy’ feeling but no pain - more of an annoying, dull feeling. We use numbing cream throughout the procedure so it will get easier as it goes.

Aftercare

When Tina or Kim are finishing up with you, they will discuss aftercare instructions in detail and even provide you with a take-home aftercare package. The aftercare package includes everything you will need to look after your permanent makeup as it heals, right down to a fragrance-free soap! When your procedure is complete, we will take your ‘After’ photos, and, if necessary, we will book you in for your complimentary follow-up appointment (more about this later).

After your Appointment:

The following week, we will check in on you to see how you are doing with healing. If you have any questions or concerns in the meantime, you can contact us by phone or email. We’re here to help! We will email your ‘Before and After’ images to you so you can show your friends and family your amazing transformation. Feel free to share this on social media too - we would love for you to tag us @tinadaviesstudio!

Healing Process

Here's what to expect over the next few weeks:

Day 1-4: Colour appearing darker than anticipated with some redness or swelling.
Day 5-8: Colour appearing much lighter than before. The skin is starting to heal so colour may look patchy.
Day 9-14: Colour will be starting to even out and look natural, but the skin is still repairing.
Day 30: Colour is just right. Healing is complete.

Click here to read more about the healing process.

Follow-Up: 2-4 Months Later

Between two and four months after your procedure, we encourage you to return

for a complimentary ‘follow-up’ appointment. Here, your artist can make any

desired adjustments to the colour and shape of your healed permanent makeup. This is to ensure you are 100% happy with your healed results. We just want you to feel beautiful!

1-3 Years Later

We ask that you return for a touch-up appointment within three years of your first procedure. This is to ensure we maintain your shape, colour and texture for optimal results. The cost of a touch-up appointment with Tina is $500, or with Kim is $350.

It’s completely up to you how frequently you return - we just want you to have beautiful brows forever!

By now, we hope you are feeling informed and ready to book an appointment with one of our wonderful artists. If you have any questions - don’t hesitate to get in touch!

We can’t wait to meet you.

Tina Davies Studio