The History of PMU

If you’re new to permanent makeup, then it would be a good idea to learn all about its history. Here at Sensational Eyes, LLC, we’ve made it our duty to learn as much as we can about this centuries-old technique so that we can incorporate some of its traditions into our practices today.

If one were to look at history, one would find that permanent makeup and micro-pigmentation dates back thousands of years. One could go as far as 3300 BC and venture into ancient Egypt to see some of the first primitive uses of the technique, with the first notable person being Cleopatra, who had tattooed brows. However, the Japanese culture was one of the first to start using colored ink during their tattooing, mainly focused on blues and greens. In 1902, Sutherland MacDonald performed the first modern application of PMU by tattooing a pink complexion on the cheeks. His legacy continued with George Burchett being a trailblazer of this technique in the 1930s by tattooing brows, lips, and cheeks.

PMU also goes as far back as ancient Polynesia. When English sailors traveled to the Polynesian Islands and returned to England with ink on their skin, they referred to these designs as “tattoos.” From there, the word was added to the English vocabulary with a description that included the technical term “dermal pigmentation.” Essentially, tattoos are any procedure that injects ink or pigment underneath the skin but above the final layer of skin.

PMU became popular in America in the 1980s, under the name micro-pigmentation or intradermal pigmentation, being that tattoos were frowned upon at that time. It was wildly popular amongst celebrities and models. In terms of permanent cosmetics and PMU, the goal is to utilize the same tattooing techniques and create unique looks that mimic the effects of conventional makeup like brows, lipstick, eyeliner, and more. Additionally, permanent makeup has even been used to mimic the look of natural hairs to create thicker, fuller, and softer eyebrows or eyelashes. This unique process allows people to essentially customize the look of their face and natural features with pigment.

Fast forward to today, PMU has become a billion-dollar industry with new techniques and new ink colors where brows, cheeks, lips, and eyeliner will appear more natural than ever before.