Steps To Managing Clients That Are Unhappy With Previous SPMU Treatments

Our Columnist, Nez Hasan is a renowned semi-permanent makeup artist who has nearly 10 years' experience in the beauty industry. She has a passion for enhancing natural beauty and offers a range of treatments to an international client base.

There could be many reasons why clients are unhappy with the work of a previous SPMU treatment, but usually it’s because of badly shaped brows or pigment discolouration. Having a consultation for new SPMU work is crucial with the client to better understand  their concerns and desired outcome and if this will actually be achievable and realistic. 

Step 1: Lightening the existing pigment

It's best to reduce the colour depth of the pigment as much as possible before going over the brows. It is not always necessary to fully remove the old SPMU as you can use some of what is let as a base for a fuller look. I recommend fully removing the old SPMU if the shape is completely out of the natural brow shape and hairs.

I recommend starting with at least three sessions of a Pigment Wiper treatment or a similar treatment such as saline removal. If the pigment is light pink, orange or red, I would use the Redline Pigment Wiper which is more suitable. More information on the pigment wiper and redline is available on my website. 

By removing or reducing the colour of the pigment, it will help us to create a new natural desired shape, allowing for cleaner, more precise work and can prevent you from needing to create a bigger shape to cover the previous tattoo. Once you have completed the first 3 sessions, leave a gap of 4-6 weeks where you can can assess the brows and decide whether your client needs more sessions of Pigment Wiper or if it’s light enough to now go over the base and crate your new transformation. 

Another option would be laser removal. Some people do not mind laser removal whilst  some people have hesitations with lasers and prefer to use natural solutions to reduce/remove the SPMU. 

Step 2: Choosing the right technique

Once the pigment is lightened enough or fully removed, you can then move forward with SPMU. The technique you choose does differ depending on what their brows currently look like. 

Microblading: I recommend this option if the existing pigment colour looks acceptable, not too deep in colour, and the pigment is within the natural brow shape. 

Microshading: If there is still quite a-bit of visible pigment on the brows and it is red tones, then this technique is better to cover it up. The outcome will be the same but minus the red brows. 

If the pigment is too dark or deeply embedded, it will be harder to remove. In cases like this, I try to explain to my clients that while the removal process can be time-consuming, it's very important to get the best results possible. Regardless of how good the artist’s work is, if they try to go over pigment that’s too dark, discoloured or poorly shaped, it will only blend into the pigment that is already on there. Their work will not be able to show through and could affect their reputation as an artist.

Managing anxious clients

Clients who have had a bad experience before may feel nervous about doing the treatment again. In most cases, anxious clients will reach out a few times after seeing your work on social for example, and once they start to see your healed work, they start gaining your trust. Of course your reputation is very important. 

When I treat anxious clients, I usually go lighter on the first session. If we are doing Microblading, I will do less brow strokes so they do not worry and if I am adding shading, I will leave the work at 2 passes instead of the three to four. I will then assess how the brows have healed at the first top-up appointment which is 4-6 weeks after. 

As someone who gets many women walking through my door upset about their brows due to not properly researching who they are going to. I try to emphasise as much as possible how important it is to research artists thoroughly and always ask for photos of their healed work and read reviews from their clients. 

Maintaining high standards

To consistently deliver great results, it is essential to make sure you are using high-quality pigments, professional tools, and maintaining a clean work environment. It is important to continue learning new techniques and be constantly in the know of what new and improved products are coming out. It’s also important to listen carefully to clients while also keeping in mind that their suggestions may not always lead to the best outcome. It is always very important to be transparent and realistic to manage clients with high expectations.