Tattoo artist offers permanent eye, lip makeup

VIRGINIA (AP) -- Ann Prince has always enjoyed expressing herself artistically.

But after eight years of styling hair, she wanted to do something that would allow her a little more freedom.

So Prince put aside her clippers and picked up a tattoo gun.

In addition to running a tattoo parlor out of her Virginia home, Prince operates "Wake Up With Makeup," using the tattoo needle to apply permanent eyeliner, eyeshadow, lip liner and lip color.

"This will be wonderful," she said, "though it's new in its time."

Prince attended schools in Texas and Detroit, Mich., to gain the necessary certification to apply permanent makeup.

Prince has had her own eyeliner, shadow and lip color tattooed on, and she says she loves it.

"I didn't like standing in front of a mirror every morning," she said. "Now, I put on a little mascara, some blush, and I'm done. It saves time."

Prince recalls one client who had been applying eyebrow liner all her life -- and was thrilled with the results of Prince's work.

"She doesn't have to draw her eyebrows on anymore," Prince said.

Most of her clients are in their 30s and 40s, Prince said, perhaps because younger women enjoy playing around with makeup colors and styles more.

Permanent makeup may interest those who swim regularly, or exercise -- and sweat -- a lot, Prince said.

"There's no makeup running down your face" with permanent makeup, she said.

Applying permanent makeup is quite similar to getting a tattoo, Prince said.

After a client's lips or eye area have been numbed with a topical anesthesia -- much like the initial anesthesia used by dentists -- Prince begins tattooing the desired shade.