My name is Kim Daalder, and I’ve been working as a permanent makeup specialist since I was18. That’s 22 years now—more than half my life! I’ve won numerous awards, have a beautiful practice, and for the past two years, I’ve also run a permanent makeup academy. A lot has changed in the world of permanent makeup over the years. The work back then really doesn’t deserve any beauty awards. Techniques are more refined, colors are more beautiful, and the knowledge is very extensive.
After a conversation about pigments, the ladies at Amavi asked me if I would like to share my knowledge with their clients in a blog. No sooner said than done. Because you’re never too old, too good, or too specialized to learn—I, too, am still learning every day. What a wonderful profession we have, dear colleagues! Keep specializing and dare to listen to other colleagues. Don’t see it as a competition, but help each other where needed. I hope everyone enjoys learning from my blog.
Warm regards, Kim.
I’d love to tell you more about the pigments that each of you works with. Perhaps you’re already familiar with this theoretical knowledge. Still, it’s always good to give your knowledge a little refresh so you’re well-informed about what you work with every day: PIGMENTS.
Pigment Theory:
The word “pigment” originally refers to a coloring agent. In other words, an inorganic or organic, colored or achromatic dye that is practically insoluble. Achromatic colors are all black, gray, and white; everything else is colorful.
A distinction is made between organic and inorganic color pigments. Organic pigments are based on carbon chains and carbon rings. Inorganic pigments are chemical compounds that are not carbon-based; they are usually metal salts obtained from solutions. With their larger molecular surface area, organic pigments have much higher color strength. With a few exceptions, inorganic pigments have higher stability than organic pigments.
Inorganic pigments were originally extracted from minerals. These pigments usually consist of metal oxides. Well-known examples of inorganic pigments extracted from minerals include umber,yellow ochre,red ochre, andraw sienna. Another pigment iscadmium sulfide, also known ascadmium yellow, which is part of thecadmium pigment family, with colors ranging from yellow, orange, and red to chestnut brown. Of course, there are many other examples of inorganic pigments—such as those used in eyeliner—but listing them all would make this story a bit too long.
Organic pigments contain carbon compounds and were originally derived from animals or plants. Since the rise of the chemical industry, they have been produced synthetically. Well-known examples of organic pigments includesepia(animal-based) andmadder lake(a plant-based pigment made from madder).
Permanent makeup uses both inorganic pigments (earth minerals) and organic pigments. Organic pigments are used more frequently and are more colorful compared to inorganic pigments, which are less allergenic but remain vibrant in the skin for longer.
Combinations of these are called hybrid pigments.
Read more about the color wheel in the next blog post.
Love, Kim
