By LISA STARK
Photojournalist
It may be “Hollywood’s Hottest Secret,” but it’s happening right here in Apollo Beach. Permanent makeup, or cosmetic tattooing, is a fast-growing part of the health-and-beauty industry. And thanks to Bliss Cosmetic Studio on Flamingo Drive, you can have the same option as the Hollywood stars.
Administered by Sandra Caballero, permanent makeup can enhance your natural beauty in a subtle way.
“Most of my clients are here for eyebrow enhancement,” said Caballero, explaining that many clients have faint eyebrows, no eyebrows, or partial eyebrows. Filling the brow in with feathery, hairlike strokes, Caballero is able to produce a pleasing, permanent result.
“It’s not painful at all,” said Pat Taft, who drove from Lakeland to Apollo Beach specifically to have Caballero perform her eyebrow procedure. “Sandra has an excellent reputation, and I wanted to make sure I had the best,” Taft said. “We both had to agree on the color, shape and position before we started. This is her work, her reputation at stake.”
Candidates for permanent makeup, or “micropigmentation,” include women who don’t want to be bothered with the daily hassle of makeup application; women with poor eyesight, unsteady hands or other handicaps that make it difficult or impossible to apply makeup properly.
“Imagine being able to swim, hike, dance or exercise without reapplying your makeup,” said Caballero. “This makeup won’t smear, smudge or wear off.”
Some patients go though chemotherapy and lose lashes and brows as a result. Caballero helps to restore not only their appearance but their confidence and self-image as well.
Permanent makeup can camouflage scars from accidents, burns or surgery by restoring the natural skin coloring.
It’s also perfect for people with limited vision or dexterity, and for patients with alopecia (hair loss) or vitiligo (loss of skin color).
As for other enhancements such as lip and eye lining, there are benefits as well. Some ophthalmologists recommend permanent makeup procedures for those who are allergic to conventional makeup and for those who wear contact lenses or glasses.
Most permanent makeup procedures are done after applying an anesthetic to the skin. Caballero schedules a follow-up “touchup” session approximately 4-6 weeks after the initial procedure.
In the hands of a skilled person, the procedures are generally safe. But state regulatory agencies haven’t kept pace with the growth of the permanent makeup industry, and there are lots of unqualified people out there wielding needles. Before you rush to the Yellow Pages to find a practitioner, experts advise doing your homework.
“It’s not something you want to decide based on the cheapest price or easiest location,” said Pat Taft. Sandra Cabellero agrees. “This is your face, this is permanent.”
She advises customers to carefully research their practitioner’s background, looking at before-and-after photos, and getting feedback from former patients.
An honors graduate from New York University College of Dentistry, Caballero began her career as a dental hygienist, producing detailed skills that have transferred to her present practice.
Caballero has also attended the Esthetic Skin Institute in Fort Lauderdale, and the prestigious Nouveau Contour, taking advanced courses in medical micropigmentation to keep up with the latest techniques in the industry. She is Board-certified through the American Academy of Micropigmentation; CPR certified; and follows all OSHA regulations and CDC infection-control guidelines.
Her credentials aside, it’s also clear that Caballero has a special empathy and compassion for her patients. Each October, as part of Breast Cancer Awareness month, she sponsors a free day of procedures for four cancer survivors who have been cancer-free for one year.
For more information, visit www.BlissPermanentCosmetics.com or call 813-523-0435.