The History of Permanent Makeup

The search for everlasting beauty is as old as time itself.  From Ponce de Leon’s fountain of youth to modern day deep plane facelifts, it is a quest that all of us have been on at some point in our lives.

As many of you know, the first recorded cosmetic tattoo was in London, in 1902.  Sutherland McDonald was the first person to offer tattoo services in London.  He was also the first person to perform documented permanent makeup in his tattoo studio.

This beauty trend saw a rise in the 1920s and 1930s.  With advertisements for complexion treatments that combated aging by providing rosy cheeks and lips that lasted a lifetime.  Beauty salons would inject vegetable dyes into the face, enhancing facial features such as cheeks, lips, and eyebrows. They did so by using an “electric needle.” 

Of course, eye brows of the time were typically a single line, and not as detailed and natural looking as the talent we see today.

The electric needle was invented by New York tattoo artist Samuel Reilly in 1891.  Reilly adapted Thomas Edison's design for an electric pen with a reciprocating motor.  By powering a needle with a reciprocating motor, the work would be completed faster, and be less painful.  He went on to also make sure that the device was portable, as tattoo artists of the time traveled for their work.  These electric needles would come as a kit and contained needles of variable size, a small bottle of tattoo ink, and hydrogen peroxide.  Yikes!

One of these devices is currently at the Smithsonian Art Museum, but not on display.  The outer box of this machine is marked as “Eletrical Tattooing” (Smithsonian, n.d.), and yes, it was spelled incorrectly.

Permanent makeup is known by several names today including micropigmentation, cosmetic tattooing, dermapigmentation, permanent cosmetics, paramedical tattoo, and more.

However, I would beg to differ that it all started in London on that fateful day in 1902.  I am not the only one either.  Some have argued that permanent makeup has been around for more than 5,000, or even 6,000 years BCE.  WorldHistory.org does acknowledge that tattoo tools were identified as far back as 3,000 BCE. Inks of the time were limited to black, blue, and green.

“One of the earliest (and possibly the oldest) pattern of tattoos in the world was discovered on the frozen remains of the man known as Otzi the Iceman who was buried in a glacier on the Austrian-Italian border c. 3250 BCE and discovered in 1991 CE. Otzi's body has 61 tattoos covering him from his lower legs to his upper back, torso, and left wrist. These tattoos have been interpreted as therapeutic in nature, alleviating some condition he may have had, but certainly could also have served other purposes.” (WorldHistory.org, 2022)

However, archeological finds of permanent makeup support back as far as 2,000 years BCE.

Ancient Egyptians were enthralled with beautification.  Makeup served many purposes, including religion and protection.  Permanent makeup has been found in Egyptian and Nubian mummies dating back to 2,000 BCE. The Egyptians were the first to make note of the eyebrows as an important facial feature as this not only drew attention to the eyes, but also expressed someone's emotions. It has been rumored that Cleopatra was a recipient of permanent makeup.

This trend was later seen in Greece and Rome.  Long before Sutherland McDonald’s documented work in London.  It is also reported that permanent makeup has been seen in Asia dating back approximately 2,000 years.  However, scientific literature is lacking to confirm or deny these claims.  However, it is plausible.

In more recent years, we can thank the “Mother of Permanent Makeup,” Pati Pavlik.  Who was at the forefront of permanent makeup.  Starting in 1979.  By 1985 approximately 2/3 of her tattoo work was permanent makeup. Thereby taking the first true steps in creating the permanent makeup industry.

References

Mark, J. J. (2022, December 31). Tattoos in ancient Egypt. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 2, 2023, from https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1000/tattoos-in-ancient-egypt/

Smithsonian. (n.d.). Eletrical tattooing. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved January 2, 2023, from https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/eletrical-tattooing-34519