Beauty

Beauty Marks Out, Tattooed Freckles… In?

2012
Recent beauty trends have been all about reclaiming features that were once the source of pre-pubescent embarrassment: Bushy, wild eyebrows; voluptuous, full lips; and now-- freckles.

You may have already spotted the faux freckles trend on Instagram, where countless beauty gurus can be seen using some iteration of the Anastasia Brow Pomade and a bobby pin to delicately speckle their checks with discoloured dots. The results are surprisingly realistic and adorable.

But alas, the beauty fanatics of the world are never satisfied. They are always pushing the boundaries, always seeking new and innovative ways to achieve their #beautygoals-- sort of like NASA, but for our faces. And after what we can only assume was trillions of dollars in top-secret government funding, their latest beauty breakthrough has been unveiled: tattooed freckles.

The process is also referred to as "freckling" and has been a highly sought after service these past winter months. In an interview with New Beauty, Montreal-based tattoo artist Gabrielle Rainbow (my dream name) explains that freckling is perfect for "those who naturally will get [freckles] in the summertime with sun exposure, but want them year-long.”

Rainbow began freckling after noticing her friends growing tired of painting them on every day. Now, it's become a mainstay of her cosmetic tattoo services. Each session typically runs for an hour and prices start at around 250$ dollars.

There is some minor down-time following each of the sessions. "“In terms of the freckles, when they are ‘freshly done,’ they will appear swollen almost like bee stings." However, Rainbow assures us that the swelling goes down within a couple of hours, and you are left with "cute, fresh freckles." Like all semi-permanent ink, the freckles will fade over time; clients can either embrace the more subdued effect or follow up to get the colour boosted.

Sounds harmless right? It is!...For the most part. No tattoo, even semi-permanent ones, are entirely without risk. "Because this is your face, it's important that you do your research and find artists who aren't afraid to show their portfolio and healed work. Even if this is ‘semipermanent,’ there are risks, such as technicians who will go too deep or not use the proper inks," warns Rainbow.

However, so long as you do your homework beforehand, freckling can be a relatively painless way to enjoy this latest beauty trend without adding another 5 precious minutes to your daily routine. So go forth my freckle-faced hopefuls! Flaunt those Raggedy Ann cheeks for all to see.

by Imaiya Ravichandran

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