Erika Torres Cosmetics

CANCELLATION:

If you need to cancel your appointment for any reason, the booking fee will NOT be refunded. No exceptions.If you would like to reschedule an appointment, you must reach out to me 48 hours/2 Days before scheduled appointment, in order for booking fee to be credited towards new appointment. Clients may only reschedule ONCE with initial booking fee.

APPOINTMENTS:

A NON-REFUNDABLE BOOKING FEE IS REQUIRED TO SECURE ALL APPOINTMENTS. THE BOOKING FEE WILL BE 50% OF THE TOTAL COST OF SERVICE.

PAYMENTS:

REMAINING BALANCE DUE IN CASH OR ZELLE ONLY! Afterpay is accepted (please reach out to me) tIPS ARE ACCEPTED AND HIGHLY APPRECIATED.

LATER ARRIVALS:

A TEN MINUTE GRACE PERIOD WILL BE GIVEN TO EACH CLIENT. AFTER 10 MINUTES LATE A $20 LATE FEE WILL BE ADDED TO THE REMAINING BALACE FOR THE APPOINTMENT. AFTER 15 MINUTES, YOUR APPOINTMENT IS CONSIDERED CANCELLED (WITH NO ADDITIONAL CHARGES) AND THE DEPOSIT WILL NOT BE REFUNDED. PLEASE TRY TO ARRIVE EARLIER IF POSSIBLE TO ENSURE YOU MAKE YOUR SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT TIME. BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT AT LEAST 2 HOURS BEFORE.

Permanent Makeup is NOT suitable for clients who are/have:

Pregnant or nursing
Undergoing Chemotherapy in present time (Consult with you doctor) - Must be off Chemotherapy for 6 months prior to cosmetic tattooing
Viral infections (diseases)
Had Botox/Filler within a 4 week period of appointment
Sick with a cold or flu-like virus
Used Accutane in the past 6 months
Prone to Keloids/Hypertrophic scarring
Are currently on steroids
Are currently on antibiotics (must be off antibiotics for two weeks prior to your appointment)
Active acne in the brow/lip area
Active rashes in the brow/lip/eye area
Active rosacea in the brow/lip/eye area

Preparing for your appointment:

Stop using any “skin thinners” (Retinol, Retin-A, Vitamin A & E (ingestible as well), Glycolic acids, Lactic acids, AHAs/BHAs, any exfoliation (essentially anything that says “anti-aging” “resurfacing”, etc) two weeks prior to your appointment. If you have any questions about your skincare ingredients, please feel free to email me directly- I would be more that happy to assist.
Any waxing or brow shaping should be done at least one week before your service. I can absolutely do shaping at your initial session.
If you tint your brows, tint it at least one week prior to the procedure.
Cosmetic botox or fillers should be done 2 weeks prior/2 weeks after.
DO NOT consume alcohol, or caffeine 16 hours before appointment.
Do NOT take any blood thinners/pain relievers (aspirin, ibuprofen, Niacin, Fish Oil, 48 hours before your procedure, this will cause excess bleeding and may affect your healed results). Please consult a doctor before stopping blood thinners. I will turn you away and reschedule if you have taken any blood thinners within in 48 hours.
I will NOT be able to tattoo over rashes, abrasions, rosacea moles, acne, etc. If there is active acne in the brow area, we will have to reschedule.
ANY major surgery, minor surgery or other service that needs healing - NEEDS a doctors note. Please contact me if you have questions about this.

The following conditions/concerns WILL NEED a doctor's note for permanent makeup:

Diabetes
Hemophilia
Any recent cancer/chemotherapy
Thyroid issues/concerns
Auto Immune Diseases
Eczema
Psoriasis
Dermatitis
Epilepsy/Seizures

If you do not provide a doctor's note, you will be turned away. I would suggest receiving doctor's clearance before booking your session if you have any of the above.

The following do not prevent you from receiving PMU, but may be something you would like to consider before booking your appointment:

Scar Tissue - Scar tissue normally does not hold pigment. We can absolutely tattoo around/over the scar tissue, but keep in mind, the area may remain lighter in color than the rest of the brow.
Raised Moles in the Brow Area - I cannot tattoo over raised moles. That may cause gaps in PMU.
Frequent Tanning/Sun damaged skin: Tanning/Sun damage can change the color of the PMU over time.
Cigarette Smoking: Smoking can change the color of the PMU over time.
Coarse Brow hair - Especially when booking a Microblading appointment, the microblading strokes may be much thinner than your natural hair which will cause gaps in the finished brow. I will advise against Microblading with this hair type.

For lips specifically:
If you have a history of cold sores you'll need to start taking an anti-viral prescription (Valacyclovir, Denavir (penciclovir), Valtrex or acyclovir (Zovirax)), at least a week BEFORE your service. Cold sore outbreaks are often triggered by stress or trauma to the lips and skin. Therefore if you are a carrier, lip blush will likely cause an outbreak if you do not take an anti-viral medication prior. Your appointment WILL be cancelled if you have had a history of cold sores and do not follow this instruction. This is because cold sores will effect the healing/results and can even lead to scarring. So please do not skip this step, you will be happy you didn't and have better results.
Apply lip balm multiple times a day three days before your appointment to ensure your lips are moisturized for your session.
Exfoliate lips 1-2 times a day three days before your appointment to ensure your lips are smooth for your session. You can use sugar and honey to exfoliate.

brows by Erika Torres is NOT responsible for failure to read this preparation section. Booking an appointment means you have read, understood, and agree to the preparation section.

What should I do before my makeup appointment?

Exfoliate and moisturize your skin the night before appointment.
Arrive with clean face to help ensure a flawless base application.
Keep your lips hydrated.
Please remove all excess facial hair (unwanted brow hair, unwanted peach fuzz, etc.) as it can interfere with the makeup application. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

What should I do before my brow appointment?

It's important not to tweeze or wax your eyebrows for at least three weeks before your brow lamination appointment. Brow lamination involves reshaping and setting the brows in a certain position, thus the brow artist needs as much hair as possible to work with!
The more hair you can grow out beforehand. the better results we can achieve!
Avoid using Retinol, any acne skincare, acutane, tretinoin, benzoyl peroxide, adapalene, alpha hydroxy acids, salycilic acid and the list can go on! Using these products can make the skin more SENSITIVE and cause Skin lifting.
Please refrain from booking a wax appointment until you are off those products.

note: if you are currently pregnant or breastfeeding It is not advised to undergo the eyebrow lamination.

Brow Aftercare

• You cannot get your brows wet for two weeks. We will provide you with shower visors to use in the shower. No pools, no saunas, no jacuzzis. When you wash your face, you will need to wash your face outside of the shower to avoid the brow region. A lot of clients use makeup wipes/micellar water on the forehead area during this time.
• No makeup on the brow area for two weeks, during peeling and scabbing time. You can wear face makeup, but have to be careful not to touch the brow area with it for two weeks, as well as be careful when removing the facial makeup.
• No working out for two weeks. No strenuous activity. The salt in your sweat will breakdown the pigment.
• Too much lymph fluid, water, sweat & oil will result in scabs instead of a film. Scabs will result in patchy brows. We do have you wash your brows throughout healing for a cleaner healing process.
• No direct sunlight on the brow area for two weeks. If you're going to be in direct sunlight, you need to protect your brows will a big hat or big sunglasses.
• We will send you home with a little jar of ointment & a bottle of soap and give you instructions on how/when to use.

Lip Blush Aftercare

• You will go through many stages throughout your healing process.We will give you an aftercare card at your first session, that explains the stages that you can take home.
• Keep your lips clean and dry, but moisturized with the ointment we give you, for the first 7-10 days. Ensure that your lips do NOT get dry.
• Too much lymph fluid, water, sweat & oil will result in scabs instead of a film. Scabs will result in patchy lips.
• Use a straw whist drinking for the first 3-5 days.
• Avoid very salty food, and spicy food for seven days.
• No kissing for seven days.

WHAT IS LIP BLUSHING?

Lip Blushing is a semi-permanent makeup process that creates a subtle and natural-looking tint on your lips. Our expert artists use high-quality pigments combined with our innovative techniques to give you the perfect lip blush. 

​WHAT IF MY LIPS ARE DARK OR UNEVEN?

If your lips are dark, in order to achieve the desired result, you may need to first neutralize your lips. To neutralize your lips it may require multiple sessions. If you think you may need neutralization prior to Lip Blushing, feel free to send us a picture of your lips with no makeup, including gloss. 

​DO I HAVE TO BOOK A CONSULTATION BEFORE HAVING MY PROCEDURE? 

No, it is not necessary to book a consultation prior to booking your Lip Blush procedure. We do a full consultation on the day of your appointment to go over color, concerns, and any questions you may have. A consultation is only required if you have previous Lip Tattoo or think you may need a Neutralized session first. 

​​WHAT IF I JUST HAD LIP FILLER DONE?

Lip Fillers must be done at least 3 months prior to your scheduled appointment.

​DO I NEED TO TAKE AN ANTIVIRAIL PRIOR THE SERVICE?

Whether you are prone to Cold sores or not, you MUST  start an anti-viral vitamin such as L-Lysine 1000mg (sold over the counter) or if you regularly get prescribed for your cold sores like Valtrex please start your meds 5 days prior to your scheduled appointment.  If you are able to get a prescription from your doctor, that is best. 

​CAN I GET LIP BLUSHING IF I HAVE CHAPPED LIPS?

It's best to exfoliate and moisturize your lips starting 3 days prior to your scheduled appointment.  If you come to our appointment with chapped flaky lips you will cause trauma to your lips and the color retention will be poor.  If your lips are too dry or chapped, we will reschedule your appointment. 

​ARE TOUCH UPS NECESSARY OR REQUIRED?

YES and YES.  It is very important that you understand that all permanent makeup appointments require a follow up session 6 -8 weeks post initial session.  Every client heals differently and it is impossible to accurately predict how your body will absorb pigment and heal. Therefore the required touch-up is done 6 weeks after the first appointment.  During the touch-up appointment, we will analyze how the skin received the pigment and will make any necessary corrections to color, and shape.  The touch-up session is often referred to as the Perfecting session because it is just that. Although rare, in some cases you may either not need a touch up at all or need an additional session to achieve desired results and will be charged accordingly.  

​WILL I STILL HAVE TO USE MAKEUP AFTER I GET MY LIPS DONE?

We strive to give you the best results possible.  However, depending on how your body heals and your desired look, it may be necessary to use makeup to achieve that result.  Sometimes our bodies will reject the pigment, which can then effect the overall result, in addition the use of  skincare, skin care treatments, skin type and lifestyle all play a role in the overall result.  Remember Permanent Makeup is a LOW Maintenance treatment, NOT a NO maintenance one. :)

​HOW LONG DOES LIP BLUSH LAST?

There are a lot of factors to keep in mind when it comes to retention.  Skin types (normal, oily, dry) , Skincare routines, medications, sun exposure,  and certain lifestyles also affect the lasting effect of the pigment.  Glycolic, and Retinoids are types of resurfacing regimens which cause faster fading.  Each individual's color retention within the skin will vary. That being said, this is what we know to be the average retention times. Lip Blushing can last about 18 months.  To maintain your permanent makeup, refreshers are highly suggested every 12-24 months.  

​IS PERMANENT MAKEUP PAINFUL?

Our goal is to have clients as comfortable as possible.  That being said, before the procedure takes place, we numb the area with a highly effective, topical anesthetic cream.  To ensure continued comfort during the procedure we apply a gel anesthetic only when needed.  Keep in mind, pain levels vary from person to person and every effort is made to ensure you are comfortable for the entirety of the procedure. Most of our clients report little or no pain and have sometimes fallen asleep during the procedure.  

​CAN I GET PERMANENT MAKEUP IF I'M PREGNANT OR NURSING?

As a precaution, we do not perform any permanent make up services during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. 

​HOW OLD DO I HAVE TO BE TO GET PERMANENT MAKEUP?

You must be 18 years or older to have this service performed.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR PERMANENT MAKEUP TO HEAL?

It takes approximately 7-14 days for lips to heal over, and about 30 days for the color to fully set in. Your lips will go through several phases during the healing cycle. The pigment will appear natural immediately after the procedure and will appear much darker the following day. During the skins regeneration, after peeling (about 7-12 days) lips may appear lighter than original state with a light opaque mask over the treated areas.  The final look of your lips will be apparent approximately 6 weeks after your procedure.  Healed results vary depending on each client and in some cases a gloss or lip color may be required to achieve desired results.

​HOW WILL I LOOK AFTER MY TREATMENT?  WILL I BE ABLE TO RETURN TO WORK?

There is no downtime and you may return to work the same day.  When you leave the studio, the treated area will begin to oxidize - meaning your body will begin to heal itself and will start to look darker or brighter in the hours following. The following day will be the most exaggerated days as the treated area may look bolder/darker for about 3 days.  As your skin heals, the color will lighten.  

​CAN I STILL GIVE OR DONATE BLOOD?

Yes

 WILL I SEE THE SHAPE BEFORE YOU START THE TREATMENT? 

The day of your appointment we discuss your Lip goals, your beauty preferences and overall look you desire. Once we agree on the shape and overall look, I will start the treatment. 

​WHAT IF I DON'T LIKE THE RESULT?  

Due to the nature of our business and chemistry of our bodies, there are no guarantees and no refunds. We highly recommend clients do their research, understand the procedure and compare different artists' work before making a decision to book. We strive to always do our best to shape and style the eyebrows to the clients satisfaction prior to the procedure and always get the approval prior to starting.  We never proceed without the client's approval.  Healed results vary depending on each client and in some cases a pencil or powder may still be required to achieve desired results.  Additional appointments may be necessary to achieve desired results and will be charged accordingly.  Prices are subject to change at any time. 

What is Ombre Powder Brows?

Ombre Powder Brows is semi permanent makeup. It gives the look of having your brows filled in with makeup pencil or powder. With ombre, you get the dark to light effect creating dimension in your brows

How long will it last?

The expected longevity is 2-3years depending on your skin type, lifestyle, and how you care for it. Increased exposure to sunlight especially without sunscreen is one example that will speed fading. Over time, the color will fade and become light.

Does it hurt?

A topical anesthetic will be used before and throughout the procedure. The pain level is tolerable and comparable to plucking. However, it does vary person to person and every effort will be made to ensure you remain comfortable. If you are on your menstrual cycle, you will be more sensitive.

Am I a good candidate for Ombre Powder Brows?

Ombre powder brows is good for all skin types such as dry, normal, oily, or sensitive. You may not be a good candidate for Ombre Powder Brows if you have certain health conditions or take certain medications.
Semi permanent makeup is NOT recommended for clients who are or have:
Under the age of 18
Pregnant or breastfeeding
Chemotherapy/radiation
Skin conditions such as keloids, skin irritations or rashes near the site
Viral infections or diseases, cold or flu
Botox within the last 1 month
Autoimmune disease
Used accutane in the past year
Diabetes, epilepsy
Please inform your artist if you have any allergies, medical conditions, or take any medications.

How long does it take to heal?

The healing process should take 10-14 days.
At day 2, your brows will appear darker but do not be alarmed this is expected. The color will lighten 20-30% when healed and will continue to fade over time.
At day 3-5, you can expect your brows to start flaking. During the flaking period, your brows will appear light and patchy but give it 2-4 weeks the color will even out and resurface.
Once your brows are done flaking or after 14 days, you may resume normal activities such as applying makeup, working out, etc. (EXCEPT certain activities listed in the aftercare) To prolong the longevity of your brows, avoid aggressive washing and exfoliating of the brow and wear sunscreen when exposed to sunlight.

What is the process for Ombre Powder Brows?

Once you have read through the FAQ and signed consent, we will first draw your brows with an eyebrow pencil according to how you like it. I will ONLY start the semi permanent tattoo process once you have approved the shape and color of choice that is fit for you. Once you have finalized your decision, we will begin the semi permanent tattoo process. You will be numbed before and during the procedure with topical anesthetic to make sure you are comfortable the whole time. Expect a booking time of 3 hours.