In-Line Studios

Her lips were already beautiful. We just gave them a little oomph 🤎

I followed her natural shape and added a richer wash of colour for a bit more definition. This is the fresh result, so the colour will soften as it heals.

Sometimes a little is all you need.

She came in wearing a softly applied dark brown pencil. It suited her, but I didn’t want to copy that colour directly into her skin.

Makeup sits on top of the skin and washes off. Tattoo pigment heals within the skin and changes over time. Even applied softly, a dark brown pigment could eventually read cooler and greyer than the pencil she loves.

So I chose a lighter, warmer colour for her brows. I also gave them a defined border. Her skin is thicker, and I expect some softening as they heal, so that little bit of extra structure helps the shape hold its own.

The goal was to understand what she liked about her makeup, then create a brow that makes sense as a tattoo 🤎

These are fresh and will soften as they heal.

Let the brow hairs do the heavy lifting 🤎

When choosing a colour for permanent brows, I am not trying to match the darkest brow hairs.

The natural hairs already add darkness, texture and dimension. The pigment underneath only needs to create a soft background and fill the gaps.

By choosing a softer brown and leaving negative space between the pixels, the finished brow can still look beautifully defined without implanting an unnecessarily dark or ashy colour.

Less reliance on black pigment also gives the colour a better chance of remaining brown for longer as it ages.

The tattoo should support the brow, not overpower it.

Welcoming Ashlee Burgess from Ashlee Burgess | Advanced Cosmetic Tattoo Artist & Ashlee | Scar + Stretchmark Camouflage | Manawatu NZ to In-Line Studios Education 🖤

Ashlee will soon be joining me for Advanced PMU Laser Removal Training, where we’ll dive deeper into pigment behaviour, wavelength selection, tissue response and making safer, more informed treatment decisions.

I’m so excited to welcome you, Ashlee, and to be part of the next step in your laser journey!

A little more colour, without losing the softness. 🤎

Lip blush can look quite bold immediately after treatment, but it will heal considerably softer and lighter, especially with my light, airy technique.

The goal here was to enhance her natural lip tone, improve definition and create a soft, wearable result rather than a heavy lipstick effect.

Swipe through to see the natural lip, outline, inspiration and fresh result.

Same healed brows. Different lighting. 🤎

One captured under a ring light, the other in regular room lighting.

Lighting can completely change how colour, softness and saturation appear on camera, which is why I think it’s important to show healed work in more than one environment.

Soft, subtle and sitting beautifully in the skin. Exactly how I want mature brows to heal.

Mature brows are very much my niche 🤎

Mature NZ skin often comes with a combination of sun exposure, redness, textural changes and a more delicate barrier, which means it simply cannot be tattooed the same way as younger skin.

Technique has to change. Pressure has to change. Saturation has to change. And colour choice matters too.

With mature skin, the amount of warmth that is lost during healing can vary hugely. In many cases, brows can ash out quite intensely with very little warmth left behind. For that reason, I prefer to tattoo with a little bit of “insurance” in the colour choice rather than risk them healing too cool.

If they heal warmer than expected, I can always adjust them slightly ashier at the touch-up. It gives me much more control over the final healed result.

My aim is always to give enough definition to restore the brow, while keeping the result soft, flattering and appropriate for the face.

Fresh powder brows ✨