The Top 4 Most Popular Permanent Makeup Pigment Colors for Eyebrows in 2023

When it comes to permanent makeup, choosing the right permanent makeup pigments is crucial for achieving beautiful and natural-looking results. To avoid a style that looks dated, the shape and permanent makeup ink color for their brows should reflect current trends or timeless classic styles. As a professional in the field, it is essential to understand how to navigate the world of permanent makeup pigment colors and guide your clients in selecting the perfect shades for their eyebrows. In this article, we will explore the top four most popular permanent makeup pigment colors for eyebrows and delve into the factors to consider when choosing colors for different skin tones.

What Is the Fitzpatrick Scale?

The Fitzpatrick Scale is a numerical classification system that categorizes human skin tones based on their response to sun exposure. It ranges from Type I (very fair skin that always burns and never tans) to Type VI (deeply pigmented dark brown to black skin). While skin tones can vary and not everyone will fit into one category, The Fitzpatrick Scale presents a good starting point from which to choose colors.

A Breakdown of the Fitzpatrick Scale

Fitzpatrick Skin Type I

Features: Very fair skin, often freckled, always burns, and never tans.

Description: Skin is extremely sensitive to sunlight, tends to burn easily, and has a minimal ability to produce melanin, the pigment responsible for tanning. People with Type I skin often have light-colored or red hair and light-colored eyes.

Fitzpatrick Skin Type II

Features: Fair skin, usually burns easily, and tans minimally.

Description: Skin is still quite sensitive to sun exposure and tends to burn rather than tan. People with Type II skin may have light-colored hair and light to medium eye color.

Fitzpatrick Skin Type III

Features: Light to medium skin tone, sometimes burns, and gradually tans.Description: Skin has a moderate ability to tan but can still experience sunburn. People with Type III skin typically have a mix of fair and medium skin tones and may have darker hair and eye color.

Fitzpatrick Skin Type IV

Features: Medium to olive skin tone, rarely burns, and tans easily.

Description: Skin has a good ability to tan and rarely burns. Their skin tone ranges from light olive to moderate brown. People with Type IV skin usually have brown, dark brown, or black hair.

Fitzpatrick Skin Type V

Features: Dark brown skin, rarely burns, and tans easily.

Description: Skin has a high level of melanin and rarely burns. People with Type V skin have a naturally dark complexion and dark brown to black hair.

Fitzpatrick Skin Type VI

Features: Deeply pigmented dark brown to black skin, never burns.

Description: Skin has the highest level of melanin and is highly resistant to sunburn. People with Type VI skin have a richly pigmented complexion and black hair.

Why Does the Fitzpatrick Scale Matter When Choosing Eyebrow Pigments?

The Fitzpatrick Scale matters because it helps determine which eyebrow permanent color will work best for each individual. As you can see above, the natural hair color of people with each Fitzpatrick skin type becomes darker as the Fitzpatrick Type becomes higher. Taking your client’s natural skin tone and natural hair color into consideration when choosing a color is vital for a natural, flattering result.

What are Warm, Cool, and Neutral Skin Tones?

Understanding the warm, cool, and neutral undertones of your client’s skin is crucial when selecting the right permanent makeup pigment colors for eyebrows. Because permanent makeup pigments sit in the skin, the color you choose will be affected by the client’s natural skin tone. Choosing the wrong color can lead to unintended results that do not look natural on your client.

Which PMU Undertones Work Best With Warm, Cool, and Neutral Skin Tones?

Warm Undertones: People with warm undertones have skin that leans toward yellow, peach, or golden tones. For warm skin tones, brown pigments with warm reddish or caramel undertones work best, as they complement the natural warmth of the skin.

Cool Undertones: Cool undertones have pink, blue, or red undertones. Clients with cool skin tones should opt for eyebrow pigments with ashy or taupe undertones. These cooler shades will balance the natural coolness of the skin.

Neutral Undertones: Individuals with neutral undertones have a combination of warm and cool tones in their skin. Neutral skin tones are versatile and can work well with a range of pigment colors. They can consider both warm and cool shades depending on personal preference and desired outcome.

The Most Popular PMU Colors for Eyebrow

Now that you know how to choose colors for your client based on skin tone, let’s explore some of the most popular EU REACH Compliant permanent makeup pigment colors for eyebrows: Witherspoon: Witherspoon is an ash-based brown permanent makeup ink formulated for clients with warm skin undertones. It is perfect for clients with blonde to dirty blonde hair colors who are Fitzpatrick Types I & II. It is also the perfect choice to neutralize pink or orange eyebrows from previous permanent eyebrow makeup.

Mendes: Mendes is a deep brown with cool undertones. It is the perfect solution for clients who are Fitzpatrick Types I and II, with red hair and cool undertones. It can still be used on clients with warm undertones by adding a little Witherspoon or Jackman. It also serves as an excellent color corrector for clients who come to you to correct brows that have turned blue, green, or gray.

Jolie: Another versatile eyebrow pigment color is Jolie. It is a rich chocolate brown permanent makeup pigment color for eyebrows and an excellent choice for a variety of clients with warm skin tones. Use it on clients who are Fitzpatrick Type III, IV & V. It can also be used as permanent eyeliner on clients with the same skin tones. Longoria: One of our most versatile eyebrow pigment colors, Longoria is a warm to neutral color perfect for a variety of medium to dark skin tones, including Fitzpatrick Types III, IV, V & VI. Longoria also makes an outstanding eyeliner pigment.Just because these colors are popular, doesn’t mean they are the perfect color for every client. 

We suggest using these colors as a starting point and exploring our color charts to create a custom blend of Quantum PMU Colors that match your client’s unique coloring. Starting with a customizable color set is the perfect way to select a palette of colors you can blend to create the perfect shade. If color correction is needed to achieve the perfect shade for your client, check out our Platinum Label EU REACH Compliant color correctors.

Putting It All Together

When it comes to permanent makeup pigment colors for eyebrows, understanding the Fitzpatrick Scale, skin undertones, and popular color choices is essential.

By considering these factors, you can guide your clients in selecting the perfect shades to enhance and complement their unique beauty. If you are looking for the perfect permanent lip color or lip color corrector to compliment your client’s new eyebrow color, check out this guide about Choosing Permanent Lip Pigments. 

Our FAQ section is also a great place to find answers to all your PMU questions.