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How Often Should You Get Your Brow Tattoo Touched Up?

How Often Should You Get Your Brow Tattoo Touched Up?

 

How Often Should You Get Your Brow Tattoo Touched Up?

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this question. However, when booking your initial appointment, it’s important to review the artist’s policies. Some artists require touch-ups every 12 months and may charge for a full session if that schedule isn’t maintained. 

Personally, I offer a variety of touch-up options and am flexible — I don’t mind if I don’t see my clients for nearly two years.

Let’s start from the beginning. After you get your brows done, they’ll look amazing, then soften as they heal. Sometimes, a few hair strokes may need a minor touch-up, and that’s completely normal! Between 6-12 weeks, I offer what I call a "Perfection Appointment" for those who want small tweaks. My tattoo style is designed to be natural and realistic; I aim for subtle enhancements that complement your face. Not every client needs a perfection appointment, but the option is there.

 

Pre-Care & Post-Care Matter

I provide all my clients with a comprehensive pre-care guide, which is just as crucial as post-care. Following both carefully will help extend the life of your tattoo.

Maintenance Is Key

Once healed, it’s important to remember that a cosmetic tattoo is low maintenance, not NO maintenance. One common mistake I see is clients coming in too soon for touch-ups. Right after your brows are done, they’ll be cleaned up and the pigment will tint your natural brow hairs. After healing, it’s easy to forget to keep up with basic brow maintenance.

To maintain your brows between appointments, you can pluck stray hairs at home and use a tint (easily found on Amazon) to keep the colour vibrant. Alternatively, you can book an appointment with a professional for waxing and tinting. This will refresh your brows, especially if they begin to fade to an ashy tone.

You can also reach for that brow pencil when needed. I personally fill my brows in a bit bolder and darker when I am wearing a full face of makeup. If you are filling them in almost daily AND maintaining a wax and tint schedule, it is time to consider getting a touch up. 

When to Book a Touch-Up

I tell my clients that when waxing and tinting no longer gives them the results they want, it’s time to consider a colour boost with a touch-up. However, it’s important not to over-saturate the brows with too much tattooing. Some clients metabolize pigment faster, especially those with oily skin, and may need a touch-up around the one-year mark. Others can go more than two years. Ideally, you want your brows to fade by at least 50% before booking a touch-up. If they haven’t faded enough, I may ask you to wait, as adding too much pigment can result in a blocky, grey look.

Colour Boosting and Neutralizing

When performing a colour boost, I always warm up the brows using an orange pigment to neutralize any old, ashy tones. Machine brows rarely turn red, but if they do, I use a green pigment to neutralize. This step ensures that the new tattoo heals true to the desired colour. Since multiple layers of pigment are added at each appointment, we want as much of the old pigment to fade as possible before proceeding.

Tattoo Removal Before a Fresh Set

It’s becoming more common for brow artists to recommend tattoo removal before a fresh set. Don’t panic if this happens! There are several reasons for this:  

1. You want to adjust the shape, but it’s not possible with your current tattoo.  

2. The pigment has oxidized too much, and the artist cannot colour correct without risking skin trauma.  

3. You may have started with a powder brow but now want hair strokes. Sometimes, shading needs to be lightened for the hair strokes to blend with your natural brows.

4. Sometimes it is nice to remove all the old pigment and start fresh! 

Quick Questions to Consider:

- Am I filling in my brows more often than not?  

- Have I had a brow maintenance appointment but still reach for my brow pencil?  

- Am I unhappy with the shape and want to adjust it?  

- Has it been over 12+ months since my last brow tattoo?

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