Article by Lexi Kay | Owl Staff
For most of my life, I have struggled with feeling confident. I would gaze in the mirror for hours, desperately trying to find things I could change.
Growing up, I’ve always wanted freckles, and envied those in my family who were born with them. However, through cosmetic tattooing, I can have as many freckles as I want.
When someone says, “I tattooed my face,” the painful-sounding process turns heads. When they turn to look, though, all they see is beautifully done makeup, natural-looking freckles, or perfectly mastered brows. This is cosmetic tattooing.
“The art of microblading uses thin, hair-like razors to push the ink into the skin, creating eyebrows that look real, rather than harsh drawn-on lines.”
Freckle tattoos are particularly controversial. Many people who were born with freckles feel that it’s wrong to try and fake their unique look. Others want to get rid of their natural freckles and don’t understand why anyone would choose to have them.
A young woman from Philadelphia, who goes by the name of Qcknd on Youtube, documented her freckle tattooing experience in a vlog. She wanted to revive the freckles she had when she was a child that faded over the years.
Although I never had natural freckles, this video inspired me to take the leap and visit Birds of Prey Artistry & Wellness in Philadelphia and try it for myself.
The shop’s owner, Tara Lynn Baeza, has spent 15 years as a makeup artist and esthetician and broke into the cosmetic tattooing field two years ago. She is very adamant in the belief that cosmetic tattooing has the power to help people feel confident about the way they look.
Baeza says hair loss or thinning is one of the most common reasons individuals choose to pursue cosmetic tattooing. She places an emphasis on eyebrow work.
According to Baeza, microblading is the service that people ask for most often and is steadily gaining popularity in the world of beauty and cosmetics.
The art of microblading uses thin, hair-like razors to push the ink into the skin, creating eyebrows that look real, rather than harsh drawn-on lines.
“When I discovered microblading it just made sense to offer this service and it’s an amazing feeling to be able to give people eyebrows,” Baeza says.
She also says makeup tattooing is another service she performs frequently. Makeup is an art form that has been helping people look and feel their best for centuries, but not everyone has the time to put on a full face of makeup every morning.
I sometimes spend hours every week trying to figure out how to shape my brows to match my face, or struggle to get my winged eyeliner symmetrical, and I am not alone. Luckily, cosmetic tattooing can result in an easier and more natural look for those individuals who aren’t used to wearing a lot of makeup.
While they are still healing, my freckles are starting to look a lot more natural, and with the use of numbing cream, the tiny tattoos didn’t hurt at all. Now I can wake up in the morning and feel confident about what I see before I even touch a drop of makeup.