Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:02 Welcome Insync Insurance podcast. I'm your host on Cross and today we'll be discussing working in semi-permanent makeup with award-winning Toy Robbins. If you enjoy a podcast, make sure to leave a rating on your favorite podcast directory.
Speaker 0 00:00:18 Brilliant.
Speaker 1 00:00:19 So, uh, could you introduce yourself for me and what you get up to?
Speaker 2 00:00:24 Okay. Yes. So my name's Tori Vairo and I'm a tattooist and PI makeup artist from Liverpool. Um, I do training and I have my appointments for booth ticking and permanent meco, and I'm the creator of the UK's first tattoo training course.
Speaker 1 00:00:46 Wow, amazing. So wanted to get a bit more background. So how did you get started in the industry? Like what kind of led you to doing what you're doing now?
Speaker 2 00:00:55 So, I was at uni and I'll be honest, I just didn't have a job. So, um, I did prosthetics at uni and there was obviously, even now there's like no jobs in it at all. So I, um, wanted to do tavan, but I didn't feel like I was creative enough. Um, so I ended up going into a studio and then obviously becoming a tattoo artist with them. I then wanted to kind of branch out to permanent makeup, but again, didn't really know any training providers cuz I think back in like 2017 I couldn't, there wasn't many, um, great permanent makeup artists that were training Mm mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So I ended up doing two microblading courses and honestly like, I felt like I couldn't microblade. Yeah. Like even to today I still feel like microblading just isn't my thing. Um, and then obviously I then branched off into the lift tattoo in and then eventually the powder browse. Um, but lip tattoo has always been kind of like, like my favorite treatment to do. Um, I think cuz I do like the clef lip and stuff, it's just, it can be quite rewarding and I feel like I've perfected my technique over the years. Um, but definitely like, I wouldn't consider changing careers cuz I, I feel like it's such a lovely, um, industry to be a part of as well.
Speaker 1 00:02:17 Oh, definitely. It sounds like you've really found your growth in it.
Speaker 2 00:02:20 Yeah, no, definitely. Yeah. Um, it's a hard industry but I, I feel like when you're, you know, you network with other artists and, and you know, you do different master classes and you really wanna like, you know, progress your work. Like you can definitely find your little niches in the industry of course.
Speaker 1 00:02:39 So, uh, what kind of, why did you kind of get into semipermanent makeup? Was it kind of drawn on from experiences or did you just kind of get intrigued about, uh, doing it?
Speaker 2 00:02:52 Um, I think, to be honest, it's probably just cuz I was like obsessed with like, um, makeup and, and applying makeup myself. Um, and the thought of like actually tattooing some of these maple pond, I dunno. It just really excited me. Um, so I'd say, yeah, I think that's kind of why I got into it as well. Um, and again, no one was really like, there was people doing it, but like, again, it wasn't like a, a big thing and like a huge thing is what it is now. Mm-hmm. Um, so I think that kind of excited me as well.
Speaker 1 00:03:23 That's awesome. So you said, uh, you've got like a favorite treatment, which is kind of doing like CLA lips. Could you tell me a bit more about that?
Speaker 2 00:03:31 Yeah, of course. So, um, with Claf Lip and stuff like it, it's, it's, it's quite special actually because there's actually a lot of people that have pleth lift that in, you know, don't, don't want to kind of walk around without any lipstick on or anything. They feel quite self-conscious. So to me to be able to do like a, like a, a life rewarding treatment for somebody is like really special. And again, not everybody wants it done, but again, the, the way that I can do that for somebody just makes me feel really good as well as get them feeling good, if that makes sense. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, eh, but again, like you, you just adapt your techniques to be able to do that for somebody and I feel like there's no limits with permanent makeup as to how far you actually can go.
Speaker 1 00:04:17 Do you reckon you'll go into kind of other reconstructive techniques or is it that kind of like your specialism that's what you're gonna go with?
Speaker 2 00:04:26 I feel like for me, I, I feel like I have a focus on the fl that's as far as it'll go for me for now. Yeah. But again, I still feel like ariola, um, tattooing is of an in interest to me because it's like creating like realistic nipples. So again, with like my tattooing background, I feel like that would aid me to be able to do that, but not at this moment in time. I don't think I'm gonna go down that route, but it'd still be something that I would be interested in in the future.
Speaker 1 00:04:57 That sounds amazing. It's really great how you get enjoyment out of it, you know, if, especially with any job, you know, if you don't enjoy it, you're not gonna produce your best kind of work really.
Speaker 2 00:05:08 Of course. Yeah. It's like if, if you're not passionate about something you're never, you're never gonna like it and you know, this day and age you don't like your job like, you know, it can be hard to be like productive as well. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So it's, I think it's good if you absolutely love what you do, which I do
Speaker 1 00:05:25 <laugh>. That's awesome. So I wanted to kind of circle back to what you said in the beginning. You said you developed a training course, uh, around tattooing. Could you tell me a bit more about that?
Speaker 2 00:05:37 Yeah, so I've been tattooing for years now. Um, and fine line, it was, is massive in America and obviously there's a lot of training in America for, in the UK there was nothing. And at the time I was talking to the client and the client was like, you know, you should train this, you know, and I was like, oh no, you, you have to upand for apprenticeship or go on like a larger training program. I couldn't just, you know, train anybody. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. So I started kind of looking into stuff and you know, regulations and things like that and going through like tattoo safe and just kind of seeing what I could actually do to open this kind of like this industry that's quite to build. So, um, I spoke to my accreditation company instead, is this something that we can do like together? Can we, can we create like a fine line training course both for permanent makeup artists, something that's never ever been done before.
Speaker 2 00:06:29 And I remember saying to her last July it was, and she was like, yeah, of course we can like, you know, we'll go through what everything that you need to do and then hopefully we'll have you something, you know, accredited. So honestly it was such a lengthy process, but I'm kind of, I look back and I'm grateful of that, that it wasn't rushed. Um, so yeah, so I've developed that training cost for payment make was, and, and I I was the first in the UK and, and still I'm the first accredited training course in the uk. However, I traveled to Ireland and Scotland's now. So I'm also the first in that, um, in then countries as well, which is amazing. Um, and I get so much enjoyment out of training this particular course because it's, it's such, it's such an exciting industry to, to be a part of. It's very creative and like if you, if you are kind of wanting to get into like the fine line and stuff, like it's definitely a really interesting course as well. Um, cuz learn a lot about like the history of tattooing as well. So yeah, I'm really kind of grateful that I came up with that idea and kind of put that out there on the market and I'm just glad we did it.
Speaker 1 00:07:42 It's amazing as well because you are not only got your passion in your work, but you're passing it on to like new students as well.
Speaker 2 00:07:49 <unk> I think that's what I'm, I'm really passionate about as well is like giving them everything that I've done, seen them absolutely smash their businesses and them have kind of that passion as well and that fire in their belly to continue. So I get a lot of, um, I kind of buzz outta that as well and it's really, really nice to see, you know, someone you've trained and they're absolutely just smashing it and the work, the producing is amazing. So, um, yeah, honestly it's, it's a really good feeling.
Speaker 1 00:08:17 No, that sounds absolutely amazing. Um, my next question for you is, what would you tell those or what advice could you give to those looking into going into semi-permanent makeup?
Speaker 2 00:08:28 So I would, um, research the artists that they're kind of wanting to train with. So I don't mean just kind of like looking at a few pictures, like really get to know them before you commit to the course. Mm. And I wouldn't base it on price as well cuz I see a lot of the time like there's a lot of like very, very unregulated training courses and you know, in five days you can, you know, create lips, eyeline, air browse and god knows what else and like they come outta the training and they feel like they can't, they can't even pick up on machine or a micro blade. So I wouldn't base it on price, I would base it more on the experience and the artists that you want to go into, just research the hell out to them, reach out to them, talk to them, you know, cuz you want to go to someone reputable with experience and I feel like that is the best way you can get into the semi-permanent makeup industry and do well with it as well.
Speaker 1 00:09:24 That's okay. What about any techniques they can do in the buildup? I guess what's hopefully gaining an apprenticeship.
Speaker 2 00:09:31 So, um, I actually have an online training platform that's actually coming out for, um, stu like people that just don't know what route to take. So this kind of involves like sort of like a taster into the industry. So like you have a lot of like procreate tips on there. Um, they have interviews on there so it can really get a feel for like what to expect when you get into it. Even down to like, how would you set up your business because in school we don't tell you anything like that. Some courses don't even tell yourself again. Like, I feel like that's a good starting point for anybody who wants to do it. Just get a little subscription, try it out, and then invest in a course. I feel like that's how you're gonna get the best value as well.
Speaker 1 00:10:16 Well definitely. Do you have a date that, uh, it's gonna be coming out? Is it's still in the works
Speaker 2 00:10:22 Still in the weeks, however, we are hoping it's gonna be the next few weeks and it'll launch. Um, again, this is the first in in the tattoo and permanent makeup industry, so that's again something that I've done that I thought would aid, um, you know, everyone from different backgrounds. Like you don't even have to be, you know, a tattooist like you could own, you know, a construction company or you could own like a cake business. Like it just really, really helps you to like get into like the business side of things as well. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, and yeah, that's again, something I'm passionate about delivering, kind of like what I've done wrong in the past and what you can do. Right. If that makes sense.
Speaker 1 00:11:01 Yeah, definitely. Well when it's nice and ready and available, we'll put a link in the description of this episode as well. Cause I think that'd be such a key resource for anyone who's listening.
Speaker 2 00:11:11 Oh, amazing. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 00:11:13 It's all right. So, um, I guess before we wrap up, is there anything you'd like to add? Any kind of last bits of advice or, um, anything you wanna cheekly plug, you know, wherever it's your fancy, um,
Speaker 2 00:11:28 Oh, that's a hard one.
Speaker 1 00:11:30 <laugh>, <laugh>,
Speaker 2 00:11:31 Like, I dunno. Uh, I would, um, I would probably say like about different techniques as well. Um, what you can learn, I, I'm gonna say the online training. So, um, it doesn't kind of stuff where it's not just permanent makeup, like some of the techniques that you're learning in permanent makeup, like on the online, like you get, like if you go for, we have a standard package and a mentoring package with the mentoring one, which is the highest one, you can request custom videos. So if there's a particular technique such as, um, what a lot of people ask me for is the full freckles. So if there's a particular technique that you're interested in learning, I can make custom videos to send to you as well. Um, which I think is a really good resource for people who kind of just wanna learn different little tips and tricks that can help. Um, so yeah, I'd say that's probably what I would add in. Maybe.
Speaker 1 00:12:27 That sounds brilliant. I guess. And also they should probably practice on a piece of fruit or maybe like some fake skin rather than just going straight into the, uh, straight onto a person <laugh>.
Speaker 2 00:12:38 Oh yeah, a hundred percent. I'd say. I'd say definitely like the best thing you can get is um, fold of real skin and you can get that from um, killer beauty.com. They're really, really good for all I use supplies and stuff, so
Speaker 1 00:12:51 Yeah. Cool. That's amazing. Well, thank you so much for taking time at your day to speak with me.
Speaker 2 00:12:56 Oh no. Thank you so much for asking me. Thank you.
Speaker 1 00:13:01 Thank you to my guest today, Tori Robbins for speaking with me on our experience as a fine line tattooist and semipermanent makeup artist. If you're interested in learning more about her work or her course, please visit www.toritattoo.co.uk. I have been your host on Cross in Chin next week for another episode. Inin is one of the UK's fastest growing insurance providers offering comprehensive cover for ESS and self-employed across the uk. Our expert team can tailor your insurance to meet your individual business needs and compare prices from our Lloyds of London approved partners. We offer a five star service and live in FIFA platinum trusted winners for years in a row.
