HOW TO HIRE · BEAUTY & GROOMING

How to hire a permanent make-up artist in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

Permanent make-up is licensed by the council in every UK nation. Here is how to check the studio, what to ask, and what to do if it goes wrong.

  • Search and compare — no account needed
  • Nearest to you first
  • One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews

THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a permanent make-up artist in five steps

  1. Find the licenceCouncil registration or licence on display; in Wales, the artist's own.
  2. Patch test the pigmentThe actual pigment, ahead of the day.
  3. See healed resultsNot just fresh photos.
  4. Mention cold soresBefore lip work — the artist may advise you to speak to a pharmacist first.
  5. Price the top-upAnd later colour boosts.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

Council licence or registration

In England, where the council has adopted the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, both the permanent make-up artist and the premises must be registered for tattooing and semi-permanent skin-colouring; in Greater London (not the City of London) the borough issues a Special Treatments Licence instead. In Northern Ireland, councils that have brought in Article 14 of the 1985 Order register the same work.

Look for the registration certificate and the council's byelaws on the wall of the permanent make-up artist's studio, or ask the council's licensing team. gov.uk →

Special procedure licence (Wales)

Since 29 November 2024 anyone doing tattooing and semi-permanent skin-colouring in Wales needs a personal special procedure licence from the local authority under the Public Health (Wales) Act 2017, and the premises or vehicle needs an approval certificate. A permanent make-up artist licensed elsewhere in the UK still needs the Welsh licence.

Search the permanent make-up artist on the national special procedures register, and look for the licence displayed or worn on a lanyard. specialprocedures.co.uk →

Skin piercing and tattooing licence (Scotland)

A business offering skin piercing or tattooing in Scotland needs a council licence (the 2006 Order under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982), whether the permanent make-up artist works alone or in a studio.

Ask the permanent make-up artist to show the council licence, or ask the council's licensing team to confirm it. legislation.gov.uk →

Under-18s and the Tattooing of Minors Act 1969

If the pigment is designed to leave a permanent mark, a permanent make-up counts as a tattoo under the Tattooing of Minors Act 1969, and tattooing anyone under 18 is an offence in England, Wales and Scotland unless a doctor does it for medical reasons.

Expect the permanent make-up artist to ask for photo ID; one who does not is taking a risk with the law. legislation.gov.uk →

VAT

Permanent make-up of brows, lips or eyeliner is a cosmetic service taxed at 20%, top-up and correction work included. A permanent make-up artist with turnover past £90,000 must register and show VAT apart on the receipt.

Ask for the studio's VAT number and for VAT shown apart on each invoice. gov.uk →

“Is your studio registered or licensed for permanent make-up?”

A good answer: Yes, with the certificate displayed; in Wales the artist's licence too.

“Will you patch test the permanent make-up pigment?”

A good answer: Yes, ahead of treatment.

“Can I see healed permanent make-up you have done?”

A good answer: Photos months on.

“Machine or hand tool, and why?”

A good answer: A reason based on the area and your skin.

“Is the top-up included in the permanent make-up price?”

A good answer: Yes or no, with a date.

“Are needles single-use?”

A good answer: Yes, opened in front of you.

“Do you correct other artists' work?”

A good answer: An honest answer, and a separate price.

Getting the quote right

  • The area and technique
  • Patch test and top-up, included or extra
  • Correction work priced separately
  • Deposit and cancellation terms
  • Who actually attends: the permanent make-up artist whose healed results you saw, and whether they are employed by the studio or subcontracted
  • The studio's VAT number, with VAT apart from the treatment, the top-up and any correction

Walk away if

  • No council registration or licence
  • No patch test
  • No healed work to show
  • No questions about cold sores before lip work
LOW
£200
TYPICAL
£350
HIGH
£650

What a permanent make-up artist costs: £200–£650 per treatment

Permanent make-up artists price per treatment by area, with top-ups and corrections priced separately. Permanent Makeup price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Permanent make-up artists near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. Consultation and patch testHealth, colour and a pigment test ahead.
  2. DesignThe shape drawn on and agreed.
  3. Clean set-upGloves and new needles.
  4. Pigment applicationBy digital machine or hand tool.
  5. Aftercare and top-upWritten aftercare and a follow-up date from the permanent make-up artist.

Powder brows
Soft shaded brows like brow powder.
Lip blush
A tint of colour on the lips.
Lash line enhancement
Pigment between the lashes.
Top-up
A follow-up session to perfect the result.
Colour boost
A later session to refresh faded colour.
Correction
Fixing faded or discoloured older work.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the recordPigment, area and date.
Follow the aftercareBalm and no picking.
Book the top-upOn the date given.
Leave the reviewRate the permanent make-up from your Locufy booking once it is finished. If the permanent make-up is not right, use the make-it-right step first so the permanent make-up artist can put it right before the review goes up.

STEP 1Tell the permanent make-up artist, in writingSay what is wrong with the permanent make-up and whether you want it redone or money back. A trader owes you reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, so a permanent make-up that falls short can be put right or partly refunded.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyGive the permanent make-up under four stars and we ask whether to send it to the permanent make-up artist first; we follow it through with them, and then you review.
STEP 3Hygiene or an unlicensed studio — the councilThe council that registers or licenses a permanent make-up artist is who to tell about an unregistered studio, a permanent make-up done without a licence or poor hygiene; in Wales it also runs the special procedure licence. For a money dispute, Trading Standards is reached through the Citizens Advice consumer helpline, Advice Direct Scotland or Consumerline.
STEP 4Small claims, if it comes to moneyIf the permanent make-up artist will not refund or redo the permanent make-up, you can claim without a solicitor: up to £10,000 on the small claims track in England and Wales, up to £5,000 under simple procedure in Scotland, and up to £5,000 in the small claims court in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a permanent make-up artist: questions people ask

Yes, in every UK nation: council registration in England where the 1982 Act is adopted (a Special Treatments Licence in Greater London), a special procedure licence in Wales, a council licence in Scotland and council registration in Northern Ireland where Article 14 applies.

If the pigment is designed to leave a permanent mark it counts as a tattoo under the Tattooing of Minors Act 1969, an offence on anyone under 18 in England, Wales and Scotland.

£200–£650 per treatment, typically around £350. The area, the artist's skill and the studio's location matter most; corrections cost more. Check the permanent makeup price guide for the full picture, then search your town above for permanent make-up artists close by.

Ask the artist: pigment fades and may need colour boosts.

Often by laser, at extra cost; ask before you commit.

Tell the artist in writing. Work not done with reasonable care and skill can be corrected or the price reduced; hygiene concerns go to the council.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in beauty & grooming

How to hire: Tattoo ArtistHow to hire: Cosmetic TattooHow to hire: Eyebrow MicrobladingHow to hire: PiercingHow to hire: HD BrowsHow to hire: Eyebrow TintingHow to hire: Henna & Mehndi ArtistHow to hire: Acrylic NailsAll 701 hiring guides →

Permanent make-up artists near you

Permanent make-up artists in LondonPermanent make-up artists in ManchesterPermanent make-up artists in BirminghamPermanent make-up artists in GlasgowPermanent make-up artists in BelfastAll permanent make-up artists on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. gov.uk — tattoo, piercing and electrolysis licence (England and Wales), with London's Special Treatments Licence
  2. Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, Part VIII
  3. gov.wales — licensing scheme for special procedures
  4. Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Skin Piercing and Tattooing) Order 2006, article 2
  5. Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, Part V
  6. Tattooing of Minors Act 1969
  7. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  8. nidirect — small claims process (Northern Ireland)
  9. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  10. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register