OH HONEY!

Honey is something that is probably in everyone's kitchen and probably used by most people, right? You probably add it to your coffee, tea or oatmeal in the morning... but did you know that honey has amazing benefits for health & beauty? Did you know that it will never spoil? It was believed that Cleopatra bathed in it,  the Ancient Greeks considered its value to be that of currency and believed that consuming honey could extend your life, and the Chinese have regarded it as a disease-buster since the 1300s! Even the Ancient Egyptians treated their wounds with honey. 

Honey has been around for thousands of years and it seems that, as of lately, there are a slew of new products and spa treatments that contain honey. Honey is mostly made up of sugar, however, the remaining percent of honey contains minerals and iron, amino acids, vitamins calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. 

Honey has some wonderful beauty and health benefits that you can even try at home! Do you have a sore throat? Try a spoonful of honey; it's thick and gooey consistency will help coat your throat, and can even help relieve a cough.  Honey is a natural antibacterial. Therefore, it’s great for treating and preventing acne. It is full of antioxidants, which are wonderful for slowing down the effects of aging. 

Honey is even a natural moisturizer! Using it as an ingredient in face creams and serums helps keep your skin hydrated. Consider using it in in the tub! Because it's hydrating and because of its natural antioxidants, mixing two heaping tablespoons of raw honey with warm water until it dissolves, then adding it to your bath water can help repair skin, hydrate and moisturize!

Whether you use it in your baking, your morning latte or in your relaxing bathtub, remember that you are using something that is incredibly powerful in more ways than one.

To learn more about Athena Karsant, click here. 

To learn more about permanent makeup, cosmetic tattooing 

or any of the other services that Athena Karsant provides, click here. 

To schedule a Complimentary Consultation, click here or call 415.412.9700.

LOVE IS PERMANENT makeup! - Valentine's Day Special

With the arrival of Valentine's Day, hopefully you are prepared! You may already have something, or at least have something in mind, for your loved one... but perhaps you should consider the gift of permanent makeup or cosmetic tattooing! Most women love having perfectly shaped sexy lips all the time, and in turn men love that their gorgeous gal's lipstick will not smudge smear or rub off. After the initial appointment with me you will look at her and say "KISS ME, BABY!" After a few touch up appointments, her lips will look perfect morning, noon and night. Who wouldn't want to Wake Up with Makeup? It's no secret that women have to constantly apply and reapply their lipstick all day long... even the long wearing lipsticks don't last through every meeting meal drink or smooch! 

Did you know that while many women have benefited from having their lips tattooed there are tons of men who love having their lips done too? All types of men working non-working high profile and stay at home dads enjoy the benefits of cosmetic tattooing. For one thing, it gives the appearance of younger looking lips which all together takes years off one's appearance! 

This Valentine's Day, surprise your honey with something extra special... LIPS! 

For the first two weeks in February, every single new lip procedure will be 25% off. 

Don't worry if you can't make it in those first two weeks, just call our office to coordinate schedules and purchase the lip procedure during those two weeks to set up your appointment! 
TO SEE BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS OF LIPS, CLICK HERE.

As we age, the color in our lips fade and our lips even lose their shape. It's really just another thing to worry about as we get older... add it to the list along with gray hair and gravity. No need to worry about pain; I only use the best topical anesthetics. I customize each color to compliment your undertones, hair and skin tone. What most clients experience and enjoy is the subtle plumping which is a side benefit of the procedure and the ability to leave their lipstick at home because clients enjoy the perfect lips 24/7. It's as if you've turned back the hands of time to a perfectly shaped mouth a blush of color and plumping all in one. 

It's amazing how our body can reheal itself. The tattooing process can stimulate blood flow back into the lips. Also, if you desire a more pouty lip, tattooing even a millimeter outside of your natural lip line/shape can make a BIG difference in your lips and look. 

                                             TO SEE BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS OF LIPS, CLICK HERE.

Here are the benefits of tattooing your lips with a blush of color:

1.  On a day to day basis, you don’t have to apply lip color, lipsticks, lip stains, etc. that can dry out your lips.

2.  You will always have an even lip-shape, lip-line, etc.

3.  You can always add lipstick on over the permanent makeup to give your lips a fun or more dramatic color, even though there is no need to do so on a daily basis.

4.  As we age, the color in our lips fade, and our lips lose their shape. Tattooing your lips can make any man or woman look younger!

5.  The tattooing process can stimulate blood flow back into the lips.

6.  If you desire a more pouty lip, tattooing even a millimeter outside of your natural lip line/shape can make a BIG difference in your lips and look.

7.  If you have a cleft palate/cleft palate surgery scar, cosmetic tattooing can be used to reshape your lips. 

                          TO SEE BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS OF LIPS, CLICK HERE.

To learn more about Athena Karsant, click here. 

To learn more about permanent makeup, cosmetic tattooing 

or any of the other services that Athena Karsant provides, click here. 

To schedule a Complimentary Consultation, click here or call 415.412.9700.

Favorites Fridays: Invisibobble Hair Ring

Happy Friday! "Friday" means FAVORITE in my world, so today I bring you a new favorite of mine. This is one of those beauty items where you think, "Why didn't I think of this?" and "It's just so simple!" Get ready to love the amazing Invisibobble Traceless Hair Ring! This little spiral is just what everyone needs to keep with them at all times. It looks so simple but it really is amazing at holding your hair up in a bun or pony-tail, without that awful looking crease that a normal hair tie leaves behind. They don't pull your hair, leave a crease or get stuck in your hair. They come in a handful of different colors including, blue, black, white, clear ... and a few more.

The real trick to the Invisibobble comes from the shape... reminds you of a telephone cord (if you are under 20 you might not know what that is) or those spiral key chains that you wear as a bracelet. 

Taken from their Amazon account: 
"The magic trick to Invisibobble's traceless outcome lies in its peculiar telephone cord shape. Comes in pack of 3. What it does: When this hair ring is wrapped around the hair, it places uneven pressure around the circumference of the ponytail; standard hair rings put even pressure on the hair, leaving an obvious mark. The uneven pressure produced by the Invisibobble allows for the hair to be held strongly in the ponytail without being too tight. This gives individual hairs more space within the ponytail than they would have when wearing a normal hair band."

To learn more about Inivisibobble, visit their website... most of it is NOT in English, but check out the other colors that this amazing hair ring comes and follow them on social media! To purchase these wonderful hair rings, visit Amazon!

My other favorite "hair tie" is Emi-Jay... check out my blog about it.

To learn more about Athena Karsant, click here. 

To learn more about permanent makeup, cosmetic tattooing 

or any of the other services that Athena Karsant provides, click here. 

To schedule a Complimentary Consultation, click here or call 415.412.9700.

I'M MOVING... But.. not that far!

As some of you may know, we are closing our Beverly Hills office on January 31st, 2015. We have
had some WONDERFUL years at that office, met some wonderful clients, and have really enjoyed being in this neighborhood. Our office is moving south, and we have a brand new location at Fashion Island in Newport Beach!

I have been at 450 N. Bedford for about about a decade! We are looking for a new office space in the area and will notify everyone if we find something in the 90210 area. However, for now, you are all welcome to my new office in Newport Beach. I have partnered with Leur Lab, a premiere Medical Aesthetic Spa, to bring my services to the Orange County area.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being wonderful, loyal clients at the Beverly Hills office, and I sincerely look forward to seeing you in Newport Beach! Please schedule your next appointments soon, as our schedule is filling up quite fast for the end of the month.

World Renowned Permanent Makeup Artist & Top Orange County MedSpa Announce Partnership

To learn more about Athena Karsant, click here. 

To learn more about permanent makeup, cosmetic tattooing 

or any of the other services that Athena Karsant provides, click here. 

To schedule a Complimentary Consultation, click here or call 415.412.9700.

Favorites Fridays: UNITE's GO365 Hairspray

How many times do you reach for the hairspray and over spray your hair to the point it feels extra crunchy? Say goodbye to that dreaded crunchy hair and say HELLO to the best hairspray I have seen in a long time. I am pretty sure I have never been this excited about hairspray. Let’s face it, hairspray is hairspray, perhaps some have a better smell, and some are light or extra hold. This my friend is something that does it all. It may not have the most fragrant smell, but honey - it’s three hairsprays in one can! 

You heard me… 3-in-one hairspray from Unite Hair Products! "How can that be?” you ask. Just turn the nozzle to the desired strength: soft, medium, strong! It’s as easy as 1 - 2 - 3! Don’t worry about buying more than one hairspray any more! 

I just think this is too fabulous not to share with all of you. To be honest, I don’t use a ton of hairspray because of the smell... it just makes me cough and cough. Usually when I use it, I open all of the windows just so I don’t have a coughing attack. However, with the “soft” setting, I don’t have to worry about it as much because I can get just enough to hold my curls when I use one of last year’s favorites! 

To purchase this fabulous hairspray, check out Amazon.com or visit UNITE's website and use their store locator to find which salon's carry their products! 

Happy 2015 - I hope you enjoyed the very first Favorites Friday post of 2015. 

To learn more about Athena Karsant, click here. 

To learn more about permanent makeup, cosmetic tattooing 

or any of the other services that Athena Karsant provides, click here. 

To schedule a Complimentary Consultation, click here or call 415.412.9700.

Is There Any Downtime?

There are many Frequently Asked Questions when it comes to permanent makeup and cosmetic tattooing. However, one question I get asked a lot is, "Is there any downtime after a permanent makeup procedure?" The answer to that question is no. I am a firm believer in building out a procedure (eyebrows, eyeliner or lips) gradually. One thing that sets me apart from other artists is the way that I work, offering complimentary consultations and working with each client over the course of an entire year. Part of the reason why there is no downtime after my procedures is because I prefer to not work 'heavy handed' so that there is minimal to no bruising and minimal to no scabbing. 

Another reason why there is no downtime is because I think it is important to build out each procedure gradually. When a client comes into my office requesting eyebrows and they have no hair and are starting with a blank slate, it can be pretty scary or feel strange to see full eyebrows tattooed on when they are used to seeing nothing there! Building out an eyebrow gradually and naturally is the best way to make sure that my client can get used to seeing themselves with brows everyday. It's kinda like having really long hair and then the immediate shock when it gets cut short. If you were to cut it gradually there wouldn't be the initial shock because the change would be subtle. But don't worry - when you come in you will leave with eyebrows! 

The only real "downtime” (if you can even really call it that) is a short list of things you want to avoid after each appointment. Since your skin will be opened, it is important to keep the area clean and free from any possible exposure to bacteria. I recommend that my clients skip the gym (with all the sweat and germs around the gym, that's the last place that you want to bring your brand new eyebrows), skip the jacuzzi and pool, and avoid touching your eyebrows/desired procedures at all costs.  It is also imperative to refrain from using your mascara, dirty makeup brushes (you should be washing them at least 1-2 times per week anyway) and be careful with your sponges and liquid makeups. You do not need to throw any of it away but for the first few days until your eyeliner and eyebrows heal. Until then, use a new mascara or resharpen your eyeliner pencils so that no bacteria gets into the open skin.

You will look healed and think you are totally and completely healed after 2-3 days. While you will look healed to other people, you should know that it can take 28-30 days or so for the pigment to encapsulate under the skin. Some clients experience minor swelling and/or minor bruising - neither of which last long, especially because we use ice to calm your skin afterwards. Most clients do not experience bruising or swelling for any procedure, however it depends on the age of the client, the skin, supplements that a client is taking and many other variables.

So I guess if you call "avoiding the gym or pool" having downtime after your procedure then, sure, there is downtime! However, no one will know you did any kind of procedure, and it won't look like you were beat up or bruised. The goal isn't to have someone say, "My, what beautiful tattooed eyebrows you have!" Because, remember- the best permanent makeup artist is one that enhances  your natural features rather than replaces them! When my clients leave my office after a procedure, I want them to have their friends simply say, “My, what beautiful eyebrows you have!” They’ll have no idea that you had them tattooed!

To learn more about Athena Karsant, click here. 

To learn more about permanent makeup, cosmetic tattooing 

or any of the other services that Athena Karsant provides, click here. 

To schedule a Complimentary Consultation, click here or call 415.412.9700.

Happy New Year: 2015 - Have No "Ragrets"

Happy New Year! Have no "ragrets" when choosing the right permanent makeup artist. Make sure you check out their testimonials, before and after pictures, see if they have doctor endorsements, and don't forget about their credentials and certifications. 

Permanent Makeup is a multi-session process and procedures (such as eyeliner, eyebrows, lips etc) cannot be completed in one appointment. This is why the way I work is different that 99% of the other permanent makeup technicians/ artists out there. When you schedule a procedure with me, we work together over the course of a year to perfect your procedure (whether permanent makeup or medical/cosmetic tattooing or areola repigmentation) so that we can work on the entire process together. Pigments can change, and even fade, after the first procedure because your body immediately fights the deposit of pigment into the skin. Over the course of our time together over the year, I will teach you how to protect and take care of your permanent makeup so that it can last years and years. 

Do you have questions regarding permanent makeup? Please set up a complimentary consultation and click on the link below, or call 415.412.9700 to schedule an appointment/consultation for either the San Francisco, Beverly Hills or Newport Beach office. 

REQUEST COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION