Permanent makeup application provides a clean, consistent look for makeup that doesn’t fade. It makes it so that a woman can wake up every day with a flawlessly done face. The procedure is the same as a tattoo permanently inking the skin. This involves small needle punctures to insert the ink. Since this can be painful, a numbing cream is often used to make the procedure more comfortable. The best permanent makeup numbing cream is BLT cream, which is a powerful combination of three anesthetic ingredients in one formulation.

Why Does a Permanent Makeup Procedure Need Numbing Cream?

A permanent makeup procedure is actually a kind of tattooing so it has a similar type of pain. A more accurate term than permanent makeup is “cosmetic tattooing.” Small needles are used to insert ink into the dermis of the skin, which is what makes the ink last so long. This can be painful and uncomfortable, making the procedure difficult for patients to sit through the entire session. A patient’s discomfort can also make the procedure difficult for the practitioner. A numbing cream with multiple anesthetic ingredients can both make the procedure less painful and improve outcomes.

What is BLT Cream?

BLT Cream is a combination of benzocaine, lidocaine, and tetracaine in one cream that is applied before the permanent makeup procedure. There are multiple formulation options available but the most common strengths are benzocaine 20%, lidocaine 6%, and tetracaine 4%. BLT cream is used for a variety of minimally invasive skin procedures including microneedling, microblading, and laser resurfacing.  BLT cream is strong enough to numb the skin quickly and it lasts longer than over-the-counter numbing products.

Over-the-Counter Permanent Makeup Numbing Creams

Common over-the-counter numbing creams that are available online without a prescription have much lower strengths of anesthetics. These creams will be less effective at making the treatment painless. Examples of OTC numbing creams include a benzocaine 5%, lidocaine 2%, tetracaine 2% cream (Numit) and a lidocaine 4%, tetracaine 2%, epinephrine 0.02% cream (Magic Topical Anesthetic). Numit has only ¼ of the benzocaine of prescription BLT cream along with 1/3 of the lidocaine and ½ of the tetracaine.

How is Permanent Makeup Numbing Cream Applied?

BLT cream is applied about 15 minutes before the permanent makeup procedure. Once it is allowed to sit for 15 minutes, the cream is wiped off. Only a small area should be numbed at a time. If a larger area needs to be numbed, it should be done in sections instead of all at once. This limits toxicity of the numbing ingredients and ensures that the skin stays numbed throughout the treatment. If a large area is numbed, by the time the practitioner gets to the end of the area the anesthetic may have worn off. Once the anesthetic takes effect it lasts about 20-30 minutes.

How Can You Get Permanent Makeup Numbing Cream?

BLT cream for permanent makeup sessions can be obtained from our compounding pharmacy with a prescription. Since the strengths are higher, a healthcare practitioner needs to prescribe a cream with benzocaine 20%, lidocaine 6%, and tetracaine 4% before the appointment. The cream can then be shipped directly to the practitioner’s office. BLT cream should only be applied by a trained professional and never applied at home.