Universal Cartridges are considered the safest choice for cosmetic tattoo procedures since they carry a membrane which prevents fluids back flow. It is very important to choose safe disposable single use universal cartridges since cross contamination is extremely dangerous and a huge liability for all of us.
Being a permanent makeup artist for over 26 years and attending so many different trainings, conferences and trendy workshops made me realize that practice, mostly trial and error, will make you an expert in this industry.
Every client is unique: genetics, age, sun exposure, skin type. Every person comes to us with a different combination of factors that will interfere in our final results. There is no such thing like “one size fits all” when we talk about micropigmentation on skin! Techniques, hand weight, depth and speed also play a big role.
Nowadays we need to think not just about 2-3 months post procedure but also how our work will “age” on someone else’s face! Keep in mind: our clients are walking billboards out there and they are the ones constantly bringing you more clients over the years!
So, let’s learn a little bit about needles cartridges, shall we?
What does all those numbers and letters mean?
Some brands may use different sequences, but every reliable manufacturer shall stamp lot number, manufacturing and expiration date, quantity, taper size and cartridge configuration.
Needles are combined inside the cartridges in order to provide the result we are looking for. Some technicians feel better working with liners, others like shaders and flats, bold ones will try the magnum kind. There are cartridges for all kinds of effects and levels of saturation and it is up to us to choose the best fit accordingly.
Cartridge Models/Types AKA Configuration
Cartridges are ready-to-use modules that do not require any kind of set-up or sterilization on the part of the permanent makeup artist. You simply need to break open the cover and install the cartridge in the permanent makeup machine.
1. Round Needles Cartridge
If the needles create a circular pattern and needles are positioned as a circle (tips together are identified as liners, circular shallow round shape are identified as shaders) they are called round needles.
Multiple needles are connected to the central shaft for creating the round pattern. Round needles can be used as liners or can also be used to do shading depending on needle placement.
If round needles are packed closely, they are called Round Liners (RL). They are used for detailing and technical work. If the needles are stacked loosely, they create thick, bold outlines. They are good for shading and color filling as well. Loosely stacked needles are called Round Shaders (RS).
For example, 7RL means seven round liner needles and 5RS means five round shader needles. Both of them can provide similar results, but round needles since they are stacked together can offer a less invasive touch and work smoother on mature skin.
2. Flat Tattoo Needles
When the needles are stacked in a straight line, they are called flat needles. They are perfect for outlining and they deliver clearer, more defined lines in a single stroke. You can use flat needles to fill in color as well.
Flat tattoo needles are coded as FL (Flat Liner) and FS (Flat Shader). The product coding is similar to round needles. For example, 5FL means 5 flat liner tattoo needles.
3. Magnum Needles
Ideal for shading or coloring an area, the magnum needles (or mags) have needles points grouped in two rows. The taper length of magnum needles is longer than round shader needles and so, they carry more ink.
We will know more about them when we get to the tapers variations. As the artist can finish coloring or shading an eyebrow area with minimal strokes of magnum needles, it is becoming a very popular choice in the permanent cosmetic industry.
Let’s take a look at the different types of magnum needles.
a. Weaved Magnum Needles
Weaved magnum needles are not packed tightly and they create a loosely stacked “half pyramid” shape. There is space in between the needle points which allows you to hold more ink.
They are ideal for medical tattooing (areolas, vitiligo, scar camouflage…) as well as blending and shading. Weaved magnum tattoo needles are identified as M1. For example, 9M1 means 9 weaved magnum needles stacked on triangle shape.
b. Stacked Magnum Needles
Stacked magnum needles are stacked closely in two rows and they are identified by M2. These types of needles are also called dual stacked tattoo needles. A set of stacked magnum needles will allow you to blend, shade and fill in a larger area effortlessly. They ensure faster completion of work than weaved magnum needles.
A needle marked as 9M2, it means it is a group of 9 stacked magnum needles.
c. Round/Curved Magnum Needles:
Round magnum needles or curved magnum needles are a relatively new type of needles. In this type of needle set, the magnum needles are arranged in such manner that the tip creates an arch in the center. The rounded edge of the needle pattern gives it the unique name.
It is believed that the curved edges of the needle grouping cause less damage to the skin and allow for better ink penetration. Round magnum needles can be recognized by RM (Rounded Magnum) or MC (Magnum Curved) in the product coding.
Make sure your PMU machine is compatible with the needle cartridge that you are buying. I highly recommend getting a machine compatible with Universal Cartridges since there are plenty of manufacturers producing safe ones with membrane on the back part.
Diameter of the Needles and Tapers Sizes on Universal Cartridges
The diameter of tattoo needle types can be found by looking at the first two numbers of the packaging. If you look at your cartridge needle packaging, you will notice it will say something like 1207RL. The two numbers, 12, indicate the diameter.
The 4 most common diameters are #14, #12, #10 and #8. #14 is the largest size diameter at 0.40mm.
#12 is a diameter of 0.35mm.
#10 is a diameter of 0.30mm.
#8 is a diameter of 0.25mm.
#12, 0.35mm diameter is the most common diameter for most needles and #10, 0.30mm is the most common diameter for ones used for powder brows outlines, classic eyeliner procedure, blush lips and machine strokes on eyebrows.
Tapering has 4 different variations depending on the length from the beginning of the taper to the tip of the needle.
1. Short taper
2. Medium taper
3. Long taper
4. Extra long taper
.07” = 2.0mm .14” = 3.5mm .23” = 6.5mm
.31” = 8.0mm
Looking at the image above is the easiest way to imagine this is in proportions. The short tapered needle is sharpened at a big angle on the length of 1/10th of the 3⁄4” needle’s full length and it kind of looks like a bullet tip.
The medium tapered needles are sharpened close from 1/5th of the total length, the long tapered is about 1/3rd, and the extra-long taper is almost halfway up, as you can see on the above image.
Why is this so important?
Because all tapers have different properties to store and carry the ink into the skin. The different taper length gives us different possibilities to group the needles into different configurations. The longer the taper, the closer you can group the needles to create very tight configurations.
This is an important and crucial feature for manufacturing great quality liner needles suitable for several delicate and precise jobs in the PMU industry. Most artists will work mostly with longer tapers since the implantation of pigments get to be more effective.
Keep in mind: Longer taper > higher depth
Lower diameter > sharper needles
When working on mature skin it is important to choose the right cartridge to avoid excess trauma, so thicker needles with not too long taper might be a conservative and recommended approach to deliver a good looking result.
Once all the numbers and codes are explained, it is time to go a little deeper on how to choose the right cartridge for your client:
Aside from the actual configuration difference and how the needles line up, a round liner and a magnum also give different effects when performing permanent makeup.
Pendulum motion technique, same machine speed comparing single needle and a magnum cartridge: single needle looks “pixalated” while magnum looks a lot more like powder effect… yes, you can try both on latex and you will see that both of them will look nice if work is done mostly at the surface and not too deep into the skin.
Liner needles are typically grouped in a circle and the needles are soldered tight together. When used for a pixel technique they can give a textured effect especially a 3 round liner for example, which can be also used for eyeliner and blush lips as well.
A single needle can give texture, however depending on the technique used, you can also get an airbrushed effect similar to a magnum from a single needle if your pendulum motion is fast (it just takes time to build up the color).
Liners give you the opportunity to leave untouched skin space where there’s no to minimal color deposited in the skin creating the volume effect to add texture to an almost no existent eyebrow. Adding texture helps when the brows are patchy and go from hair to no hair.
The texture helps disguise the missing hair.
Magnum needles are made up of 2 rows of needles that are spaced apart. Magnums, because of their configuration with several needles depositing a lot of color at once, will give an airbrushed effect and do a great job when you are trying to achieve a smooth look and want full coverage (powdery look brow).
Magnums can achieve a pixel look if the needles are spread enough and you work with a slower machine speed. It takes a little while to get familiar with all those amazing effects, but believe me it is worth the try. I practice on latex every day, I am hungry for new breakthroughs and I dream about becoming the Martha Steward of PMU… yes, I might be far from that but a girl can always dream right?
I choose magnums when I want fuller color coverage and a smooth even background shadow. They also can fill an area quite quickly.
I enjoy using these needles alone during a procedure and also together (liners, shaders and magnums). For example, I might lay in a background basic color with a magnum for a smooth finish, then in a darker color use a single needle to give some “pixalated” texture over the top of the smooth color or I might use the liner needle for more of a precision brow with strokes where I need to make sure my design edges are perfect.
Hope you guys liked this article and enjoyed the writing! It is always a pleasure to put my knowledge on screen and share my experiences with people willing to put some love into this wonderful industry!
You are very welcome to also share your experiences, ask questions and email me at smarttouchskinsolutions@gmail.com regarding your concerns! I am always here for you, no matter what!
Namastê
Bea Robinson from Smart Touch Skin Solutions