Let's define the difference between the two concepts:
PIGMENT (dye) is generally a solid, dry, powdered chemical substance used to impart color to paint.
PAINT - a mixture of pigment(s) with a relatively colorless base that acts as a binding agent. Paint is already a finished product that we work with.
To create a specific paint color, it may require from one to ten different pigments.
Each PIGMENT has its own unique chemical structure and, as a result, individual properties inherent only to it.
To understand the properties of the PAINT (especially how it will behave over time), we need to know and understand the properties of each individual PIGMENT in its composition.
KEY PROPERTIES OF PIGMENTS
STABILITY — by stability, one should understand UNCHANGEABILITY
of color tone (color tone gives the name of the color: red, blue, yellow...)
color saturation/brightness
The change in color tone (inversion) is characteristic only of a few pigments/dyes, while the change in color saturation/brightness occurs with almost all pigments/dyes, some more, some less.
So, when a specific pigment in the paint composition loses its saturation/brightness, becomes lighter or duller, it significantly affects the color of the entire paint.
DURALABILITY — by duralability, one should understand the duration of the presence of pigments/paint in the skin, even in a changed form.
For example, we did PMU eyebrows with brown dye, and the color remains brown for approximately 6 months, but then it turns gray and fades specifically into a gray color. That is, the stability of the paint (color) lasted approximately 6 months, but the paint is still durable(still remains in the skin).
The concept of stability and durability of pigments in PM is quite relative. As a rule, these characteristics of pigments are determined in relation to each other.
INORGANIC AND ORGANIC
All pigments are generally divided into two major groups: inorganic and organic.
Pigments received this classification based solely on their chemical origin.
Organic pigments do not mean natural (like, say, organic vegetables). They are called organic because their chemical structures include carbon atoms, which classifies them as organic compounds (remembering the school course on organic and inorganic chemistry).
Similarly, inorganic pigments are not minerals of natural origin (as many believe), because all modern paints are artificially created (simply put, they are synthesized/synthetic). The name "inorganic" indicates their chemical composition, which does not contain organic (carbon) structures.
Paints for PM, in turn, can consist exclusively of inorganic pigments, exclusively of organic pigments, or combine pigments of organic and inorganic origin in their composition (so-called hybrids).
HOW TO DISTINGUISH ORGANIC AND INORGANIC PIGMENTS ON PAINT LABELS
It's not difficult to recognize inorganic paints on the label of a bottle by the color index (CI) - they all start with the digits 77... There is a very wide variety of organic pigments (especially orange, yellow, and red colors), and their color indices can start with any digits. Here, just go from the opposite: everything that doesn't start with the digits 77 belongs to organic dyes.
Pay attention to the difference in saturation/brightness of the colors of organic and inorganic pigments.
BLACK PIGMENTS
In PM paints, 2 black pigments are used.
Iron oxide black CI 77499 - inorganic pigment. Relatively stable and relatively resilient.
Gradually fades (loses its saturation) in its tone. Depending on the concentration in the dye/application density, it can last on the eyebrows on average from 2 to 5 years, and on the eyelids for about 10 years.
Inorganic black pigment is combined only with other inorganic pigments.
There is an opinion that black oxide can change to red, however, it is incorrect. Redness inorganic eyebrow dye does sometimes occur, but for a different reason (which we will discuss in detail later).
STABILITY AND DURALABILITY OF INORGANIC PIGMENTS
Stability of black inorganic oxide
a bit shorter compared to red oxide,
and a bit longer compared to the yellow one.
With a high-quality composition, inorganic brow paints remain relatively stable, and discoloration mainly occurs in shades of brown. If the gray tint predominates in the residue, it looks quite natural, not too cold, and appears after a long time.
So, paints with an inorganic composition, in most cases, are not the cause of the cold gray residue on the skin!
Carbon black CI 77266 (technical carbon). There are constant debates about determining its chemical origin (organic or inorganic).
But for us, as PM masters, its chemical origin does not matter, but its special properties do.
It's very stable and very duralability. Depending on the concentration in the dye/application density, it can last on the eyebrows from 2 to 5 years, and even a lifetime on the eyelids.
Its distinctive feature is high dispersibility (the particles of carbon black pigment are tens of times smaller than those of any other pigments), which ensures exceptional coating density.
Traditionally (but not exclusively), carbon black is combined with organic pigments.
STABILITY AND DURALABILITY OF ORGANIC PIGMENTS
Organic pigments, which are mainly azo dyes, are not stable.Almost immediately after penetrating the skin, they begin to lose their saturation and brightness (although they remain in the skin for quite a long time).
The combination of unstable organic azo dyes with stable carbon black leads to its dominance. No later than a year (and often even earlier), we observe the same undesirable cold gray shade of the eyebrows.
In so-called hybrid paints, the main components remain carbon black and organic azo dyes, but such paint can be supplemented with white inorganic titanium dioxide or a small amount of inorganic oxides. Hybrids will gray almost as quickly as organic paints, as the amount of inorganic oxide particles in the paint mixture is too small to affect the color. Inorganic pigments are added to such paint primarily for density, not for changing the tone.
It is important to note that it is not the carbon black itself that causes the graying problem, but its combination with a mixture of less stable pigments.
! CONCLUSION NO. 1
The combination of carbon black with organic pigments (even in the presence of inorganic pigments in the mixture) WILL ALWAYS RESULT IN A COLD GRAY COLOR!
YOU ARE NOT WORKING DEEPLY, as pigment sellers might assure you! The skin doesn't matter! The equipment and needle do not affect the result!
Gray eyebrows, unfortunately, appear even in the most highly skilled masters with extensive experience. And, say, deep paint penetration into the skin or an incorrectly chosen color can only make this situation even worse.
AESTHETIC AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF PAINT
In the quest for the best paint for his work, the master PM faces a truly difficult dilemma, as paints differ not only in color properties but also in physical ones.
inorganic oxides have beautiful shades, are not prone to greying, but very often have difficulties penetrating the skin,
while organic or hybrid pigments, despite their tendency to gray, penetrate and adhere to the skin more easily and quickly, making them more attractive to artists.
Let's examine the difference in the physical properties of pigments in more detail.
Let's recall the popular test known among permanent makeup artists. It is often demonstrated in training as a way to distinguish organic pigments from inorganic ones.
The essence of the test is to dissolve a drop of paint in a glass of water: if the water is evenly colored, it is considered that the pigments are organic. If the pigment settles to the bottom and does not color the water, it is a sign of an inorganic substance.
However, it is important to understand that this experiment does not actually confirm the chemical nature of the pigment, but rather demonstrates two types of paint:
Hydrophilic (from Greek "hydro" — water and "philos" — loving) which have the ability to interact with water (dissolve, distribute evenly).
Hydrophobic (from Greek "hydro" and "phobos" — fearful) settle at the bottom, unable to interact with water.
The molecular structures of organic pigments can interact well with water, giving the paint hydrophilic properties, while the strong crystalline structures of inorganic pigments are hydrophobic by nature.
WAYS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF EYEBROW FADING
It seems that under such conditions, the most correct decision from the perspective of pigmentology is:
use of only inorganic iron oxides (black, red, yellow) for brow dyes
or iron oxides combined with carbon black (to prevent paint reddening)
However, is it possible to give inorganic paints good penetrating properties similar to organic or hybrid ones?
It turned out that it is possible, although quite difficult!
Firstly, the pigment requires grinding and reshaping,
and secondly - the addition of special coatings and modifiers that change their surface energy,
and special binding agents already provide hydrophilic properties to the paint.
Such binding agents are already widely used in cosmetology, medicine, the pharmaceutical industry, and now also in the modern production of PM paints.
What binding agents can do:
For example, Surfactants (abbreviated as SA) reduce the surface tension between components that do not dissolve in each other (literally "bind" water with glycerin, alcohol, pigment particles, and other paint components). Surfactants contribute to the even distribution of permanent pigment not only in the liquid but also in the skin, attracting the pigment to water in the cell and intercellular space.
Another popular polymer, PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone), is used as a thickener, stabilizer, and dispersing agent. It ensures the adhesion of various paint components to each other, forming a stable solution. Thanks to PVP's ability to improve solubility while simultaneously binding different substances and retaining moisture, this component plays a key role in the creation of high-quality paints.
So, the problem of poor solubility and penetration of inorganic pigments, which at first glance seems to lie in the very nature of the pigments, can be solved by manufacturers through the improvement of technological processes.
Currently, the market for permanent makeup pigments is saturated, but at the same time, it has a very limited supply of hydrophilic inorganic pigments. I'm sure that most of you continue to use organic, hybrid, or traditional inorganic hydrophobic paints, even without suspecting the existence of alternatives.
PIGMENTS by WizArt
WizArt is one of those companies that always prioritizes cutting-edge technologies and has already created 2 palettes of innovative hydrophilic pigments based on inorganic pigments.
One of WizArt's key achievements was the creation of the new MAIN pigment palette, where it was possible to combine black carbon black with inorganic pigments (yellow and red iron oxides) without the use of organic azo dyes.
The natural colors of inorganic pigments combined with carbon black create excellent composite mixtures. Black carbon in moderate concentration provides the necessary saturation, while inorganic pigments ensure longer-lasting color stability. This formula prevents unwanted graying and reddening over time, while simultaneously ensuring even paint penetration and an excellent residue after PM healing.
NEUTRALIZATION of gray color
Traditional organic correctors are unable to neutralize the gray residue or prevent its occurrence, even if added in significant quantities, because, as we already know, they quickly lose their brightness. At the same time, it is important to note a significant drawback of organic pigments - they are very difficult to remove, both with lasers and various removers.
That is, although they have lost their brightness compared to carbon black and no longer significantly affect the final color on the skin, when removing the unwanted gray color on the eyebrows with a laser, black carbon disappears immediately after the first session, while red, orange, yellow, green, and blue organic pigments remain and are almost impossible to remove.
Therefore, WizArt has developed inorganic hydrophilic correctors that can be used with any other organic, inorganic, or hybrid pigments. This not only allows masters to neutralize unwanted colors for a longer period, but also prevents the appearance of an undesirable shade during laser removal, as such inorganic pigments are removed very quickly to zero without color inversion.
TERRACOTTA - effectively warms up cool colors and neutralizes unwanted gray residues for a long time.
MIXING (yellow) - a universal corrector suitable for mixing with any eyebrow pigment — both dark and light. Allows for an even, natural nutty shade after healing.
CONCLUSION №2
To avoid the graying of PM eyebrows, it is advisable to prefer high-quality inorganic dyes. And if you want not only a good color for PM but also a quick and easy job, choose an inorganic paint with hydrophilic properties.
So how to recognize inorganic hydrophilic paint? This table presents commonly used organic and inorganic pigments.
To divide in practice.
In an ideal world, we should be able to get all the necessary information from the paint label, but unfortunately, it often provides incomplete information regarding the content of pigments/dyes and the list of other paint components.
The best practical way to distinguish organic paint from inorganic paint is to treat it with a laser (just apply it to paper or the surface of the skin). The ready organic/hybrid paint, conditionally gray-brown in color, will turn red/orange/yellow after laser treatment, sometimes even green. Each of these organic colors, whether separately or in a mixture, will be very difficult and time-consuming to remove.
In the example in the video, they are removing various organic dyes and the orange corrector, which, as you can see, hardly reacts to the laser.
As for inorganic eyebrow dye (or any iron oxide separately) - it will either be removed immediately or turn into a barely noticeable grayish color (there are no yellow, red, or orange residues in inorganic dyes after removal).
In the video example, inorganic WizArt paints (including correction fluid) are removed, which, unlike organic ones, are removed immediately and without inversions to an undesirable color.
The properties of hydrophilicity can, as we already know, be tested in water. But now you know that paint that dissolves in a glass of water is not necessarily organic. It can be hybrid, or it can be inorganic. But the paint that did not dissolve in water and settled is definitely inorganic and hydrophobic.
In the example in the video, once again, the inorganic WizArt paint, which, as you can see, dissolves in water—meaning it is hydrophilic.
CONCLUSIONS
Carefully study the properties of pigments — this will help predict their behavior during work, after healing, and over time.
Choose pigments with a balanced composition to ensure color stability and avoid unwanted shades in the future.
Always buy from a reliable seller — make sure that the information on the label matches the actual composition of the product. Request the supporting documents - MSDS and REACH.
Regularly keep an eye on market updates — technologies and formulas are constantly improving, so it's important to stay informed about new solutions for better work quality.
Rely on the real experience of the masters, not on advertising promises. Young producers may not have enough data on how their products behave over time, which can lead to unforeseen results.
Remember the main goal — to ensure the long-lasting aesthetic appearance of permanent makeup. The problem of graying eyebrows not only creates extra work for you but can also disappoint a client who expects a lasting result.
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