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In this episode of Tatter-a-Fact, Teryn Darling sits down with Carla Ricciardone of Sculpted Studios, global PMU educator, color-theory expert, and pioneer of dark lip neutralization for a powerful and unfiltered conversation about what truly matters in Permanent Makeup today.

Together they break down the science behind pigments, color theory, needle choice, and machine movements, while opening up about artist growth, education integrity, and creating healed results that speak louder than hype.

🎓 What You’ll Learn

• The science of dark lip neutralization — undertones, melanin response, and healed color
• Pigment chemistry: the real difference between iron oxides, organics, and hybrids
• How carriers, needles, and voltage impact implantation and retention
• Best practices for eyeliner tattooing and working on mature or sensitive skin
• How to rise above toxicity and build a grounded, professional PMU career

💡 Guest Spotlight – Carla Ricciardone, Sculpted Studios

Carla is an international PMU educator known for her science-driven teaching style and transparent approach to color theory and melanin-rich lips. Her focus on data, healed results, and ethical education has made her one of the industry’s most trusted voices.
Follow her on Instagram → @sculptedstudios

Explore all courses and products at GirlzInkTraining.com
and GirlzInk.com

⏱️ Episode Chapters

00:00 – Intro & why honesty matters in PMU
05:42 – Teaching with facts over trends
12:30 – Toxic Facebook groups & finding community
23:10 – Pigment science & color theory explained
34:00 – Dark Lip Neutralization: what every artist should know
53:25 – Pigment carriers and healed results
1:07:00 – Iron Oxides vs Organics vs Hybrids
1:14:45 – Integrity in PMU education
1:29:10 – Needles, machines & hand pressure
1:35:20 – Eyeliner tattoo tips
1:46:00 – Working on mature skin
1:58:00 – Drama-free growth & artist mindset
2:06:00 – Closing thoughts & Girlz Ink updates

Subscribe to Tatter-a-Fact for more real, educational, and empowering conversations designed to help you grow as a PMU artist.
Follow us on Instagram → @girlzinkstudio
| @tatgirlzink

At Girlz Ink, we stand for education, ethics, and healed results that last.

🎸 Composition and guitars - Russ Letizia
🥁 Drums and studio engineering - Mike Zerbe
🎼 Recorded at The Compound in Las Vegas, NV

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In TAF #116, Teryn breaks down one of the BIGGEST struggles in Permanent Makeup: oily skin — and why it affects stretch, grip, pigment implantation, numbing absorption, and ultimately… your healed results.

For 25 years, artists have been told to “just blot more,” “stretch harder,” or “work faster.” But none of that fixes the REAL issue: surface oil AND subsurface oil working against you during every procedure.

In this episode, Teryn reveals the science behind oily skin and explains how it sabotages brows and eyeliner results — even for highly skilled artists. She also shares the 2.5-year journey behind creating D’Oil™, the industry’s first solution formulated specifically for PMU artists to control oily skin safely, effectively, and professionally.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why oily skin causes patchy healed brows & uneven saturation
• The difference between surface oil vs. subsurface oil
• How oil dilutes pigment the second it enters the skin
• Why numbing doesn’t absorb well on oily clients
• How slippage affects stretch, depth, and needle control
• Why this issue does NOT mean you’re inexperienced
• The formulation & testing behind D’Oil™
• How D’Oil™ improves mapping, pigment implantation, numbing, and healed results

About D’Oil™ — OMG’s New PMU Innovation:

The first-ever PMU solution designed to:
✔ Remove surface + subsurface oil
✔ Improve pigment implantation
✔ Improve numbing absorption
✔ Reduce glove slippage
✔ Maintain hydrated, pliable skin
✔ Support better healed results
✔ Work in under 2 minutes
✔ Safe for brows + eyeliner (pH 6)

No oil. No slip. No problem.

Black Friday Sale

• D’Oil™ Intro Price: $16.50
Shop: GirlzInk.com

Stay Connected

Instagram: @girlzinkstudio | @teryndarling
Newsletter: Free PMU education & updates at GirlzInk.com

🎸 Composition and guitars - Russ Letizia
🥁 Drums and studio engineering - Mike Zerbe
🎼 Recorded at The Compound in Las Vegas, NV

Send us a text

In this episode, Teryn Darling sits down with industry veteran Robin Hays Velez, a PMU artist with over 32 years of experience, to talk about what it really takes to last in permanent makeup. From pigments and needle choices to burnout, ethics, and regulators… nothing is off the table.

If you’ve ever wondered what’s true, what’s hype, and what actually matters for long-term success in PMU, this one’s for you.

What You’ll Learn

• Pigment science: The real differences between iron oxide and organic/carbon pigments and when to use which.
• Eyeliner tattooing: Why Robin sometimes refuses carbon and how she works safely on mature or crepey lids.
• Needle mastery: Liners vs shaders, diameters, tapers and why one needle can’t do it all.
• Saturation levels: How to achieve low, medium, or high saturation results without over-traumatizing the skin.
• Industry ethics & longevity: Setting boundaries, avoiding burnout, and staying educated through the noise of social media.

🎓 Girlz Ink Online Academy:

• The Needle & The Prick
• Beyond the Epidermis: Color Theory
• Machine & Movements
• Li-FT® Saline Removal

🛍️ Shop PMU Supplies: www.girlzink.com

❤️ About Tatter-a-Fact®

Host: Teryn Darling — PMU artist, educator, and founder of Girlz Ink
Guest: Robin Hays Velez — 32 years in PMU, advocate for education, ethics & client care

The Tatter-a-Fact® PMU Podcast brings you real talk, proven techniques, and non-biased education for permanent makeup artists at every level.

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Amazon Music
and follow @GirlzInkStudio + @TatterAFactPodcast + @TatGirlzInk for more PMU education, inspiration & truth.

🎸 Composition and guitars - Russ Letizia
🥁 Drums and studio engineering - Mike Zerbe
🎼 Recorded at The Compound in Las Vegas, NV

Send us a text

In this episode, Teryn Darling sits down with Chantal Chadderton, founder of PMU Pros, a 4-day international PMU expo and conference in Durban, South Africa, bringing together top educators, artists, and brands from around the world.

They talk about what really makes a great PMU conference, quality education, supportive community, ethics, organization, and a whole lot of passion. Chantal shares how she’s building something special for artists ready to grow, connect, and elevate their craft.

✨ You’ll hear:
• Why attending a PMU conference can change your career
• How real-life community beats online competition
• What to expect from PMU Pros 2026—live demos, workshops, vendors & VIP perks
• Travel and ticket tips (and how to make it a tax-savvy trip!)
• Why investing in good education protects you and your clients

If you’ve ever dreamed of learning from the best, meeting like-minded artists, and reigniting your love for PMU, this episode will light that fire.

🎟️ Learn more:
PMU Pros Website → https://inspiredliveevents.com/
PMU Pros Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pmu.pros.event/
Girlz Ink Online Academy → https://www.girlzinktraining.com/

About Tatter-a-fact® PMU Podcast
Hosted by Teryn Darling, founder of Girlz Ink®, Tatter-a-fact dives deep into the art and science of permanent makeup—technique, skin, needles, pigments, business, and truth-talk.

Follow Girlz Ink:
Instagram → 

• GirlzInk: https://www.instagram.com/girlzinkstudio/
• Tatgirlzink: https://www.instagram.com/tatgirlzink/
• Tatter-a-fact: https://www.instagram.com/tatterafactpodcast/

Online Academy → [link]

🎸 Composition and guitars - Russ Letizia
🥁 Drums and studio engineering - Mike Zerbe
🎼 Recorded at The Compound in Las Vegas, NV

Send us a text

Think you know your pigments? Think again. In this episode of The Learning Curve Series, Teryn Darling dives deep into the pigment learning curve, breaking down the truth about iron oxides, organics, and hybrids so you can finally understand why your pigments behave the way they do.

Learn what really causes gray brows, migration, and fading, how particle size and carbon black impact healed results, and what adjustments to make when switching pigment types. Whether you’re an artist moving from iron oxides to organics (or the other way around), this episode will help you stop blaming your pigments and start perfecting your results.

✨ Ready to go deeper?
Explore Teryn’s online PMU courses: www.girlzinktraining.com

🎸 Composition and guitars - Russ Letizia
🥁 Drums and studio engineering - Mike Zerbe
🎼 Recorded at The Compound in Las Vegas, NV

Send us a text

Think one needle fits all? Think again. In Part 2 of The Learning Curve Series, Teryn breaks down the myths, the learning curve, and the freedom that comes with mastering liners, shaders, and mags. So you can achieve beautiful results on every skin type and every style (powder brows, lips, eyeliner, areola, and more).

What you’ll learn:

• Why one needle can’t meet every client request.
• How to adjust speed, pressure, stretch, passes, and angle when switching configs.
• Why larger groupings implant more pigment with fewer passes.
• The “dip” difference: small vs. large needles.
• Embracing the awkward phase of learning and coming out stronger.

✨ Want to go deeper? Check out Teryn’s online course The Needle & The Prick—the ultimate training in PMU needle theory. [Enroll here ➜ The Needle & The Prick Course]

Girlz Ink® resources: supplies, pigments, machines, aftercare, online trainings, and free PMU education because ethics, innovation, and education are who we are.

🎸 Composition and guitars - Russ Letizia
🥁 Drums and studio engineering - Mike Zerbe
🎼 Recorded at The Compound in Las Vegas, NV

Send us a text

Switching to a new PMU machine can feel like starting all over again. Suddenly your healed results look different, your depth feels off, and frustration sets in. But that’s not failure, it’s the learning curve.

In this episode, Teryn Darling walks you through what really happens when you pick up a new machine: the vibration feels strange, the stroke is different, the voltage doesn’t behave the same, and your muscle memory needs time to catch up. She shares her own big switches, from a cheap starter pen to a coil, and then to rotary machines and how patience, adjustments, and reps made all the difference.

💡 You’ll learn:

• Why every artist “sucks” at first with a new machine (and why that’s normal)
• How vibration, stroke, and voltage changes impact your work
• What adjustments to make with speed, pressure, and stretch
• Why documenting healed results is your best teacher
• How muscle memory, patience, and consistency build confidence

✨ This is Part 1 of the Learning Curve Series. Next up: needles and pigments.

If you’ve ever left a brand-new $800 machine sitting in a drawer, this episode will inspire you to pick it back up and push through the curve because greatness lives on the other side of frustration.

🎸 Composition and guitars - Russ Letizia
🥁 Drums and studio engineering - Mike Zerbe
🎼 Recorded at The Compound in Las Vegas, NV

Send us a text

If you want a long, thriving career in PMU, consistent healed results, confident color choices, and the ability to pivot on tough skin, this episode is your blueprint. Teryn breaks down the core fundamentals every permanent makeup artist must master (and keep revisiting): skin science, pigment theory, needles, machines, hand movements, stretch, depth, and saturation strategy. Whether you’re doing powder brows, nano brows, combination brows, eyeliner tattooing, or lips, this is the real talk that levels up your results and your reputation.

What you’ll learn:

• Skin: overtones/undertones, oily vs. dry vs. mature, reading & reacting to “misbehaving” skin
• Pigments: inorganic vs. organic, base tones, concentration, aging, when/why to modify (orange/yellow/red)
• Black carbon: when it’s risky, when it’s appropriate
• Needles: singles, liners, shaders, mags; diameter, texture, angles, and movement pairings
• Machines: stroke, speed, give; syncing your hand speed & depth control
• Saturation strategy: soft/airy vs. full saturation—how to get bold looks without overworking skin
• Signature trainings vs. true fundamentals—how to think critically, pivot, and deliver consistent healed results across all skin types
  
  

Who this is for: 

• Aspiring, beginner, and advanced PMU artists who want consistent healed results, confident pivots, & lifelong careers
• Artists offering powder/ombré brows, nano/combo brows, eyeliner, lips, and corrections
  
  🤩 Make sure to follow us on Instagram! 🤩
  💙 Teryn @tatgirlzink
  💜 Tatter-a-fact Podcast @tatterafactpodcast
  💖 Girlz Ink Studio @girlzinkstudio

🎸 Composition and guitars - Russ Letizia
🥁 Drums and studio engineering - Mike Zerbe
🎼 Recorded at The Compound in Las Vegas, NV

Send us a text

In this episode of the Tatter-a-Fact PMU Podcast, Teryn dives deep into the truth about topical anesthetics in permanent makeup, what works, what doesn’t, and what every artist needs to know to keep clients safe and results beautiful.

From melting and migrating formulas that ruin mapping and stretch… to the real facts on whether anesthetics affect pigment retention… to the rise in reported cases of pupil dilation during eyeliner tattooing, this episode is packed with education, safety protocols, and myth-busting.

You’ll learn:

• Why some anesthetics melt, drip, or migrate and how to prevent it
• How oily carriers interfere with mapping, stretch, and healed results
• What to do if your client experiences pupil dilation (step-by-step safety protocol)
• Why anesthetics don’t “ruin retention” when used correctly
• How to choose melt-free, eye-safe products and avoid dangerous knockoffs

At Girlz Ink, we’re raising the bar in PMU—through education, integrity, and real talk. Tune in and empower yourself with knowledge that protects your clients and your craft.

🎸 Composition and guitars - Russ Letizia
🥁 Drums and studio engineering - Mike Zerbe
🎼 Recorded at The Compound in Las Vegas, NV

Send us a text

In today’s episode of the Tatter-a-Fact PMU Podcast, we’re diving deep into a question every permanent makeup artist will face at some point:
“My client is allergic to nickel… should I still move forward with the procedure?”

With 25+ years in the industry and over 20,000 procedures under her belt, Teryn shares her real-world experience, breaks down the science behind nickel in PMU pigments and needles, and explains why she feels 100% confident tattooing even clients with known sensitivities, without the stress of patch testing or doctor’s notes.

Topics we cover:

• Do all PMU pigments contain nickel?
• Are patch tests reliable (and worth the wait)?
• What EU REACH regulations say about pigment safety
• Understanding OMG Needles and surgical-grade stainless steel
• How to use consent forms and addendums to legally protect yourself
• Why cheap pigments + low-quality needles are a big NO in our industry

Teryn also talks about her role in formulating the Loaded and OMG Pigment Lines, what makes pigments truly safe, and how you can confidently tattoo even your most sensitive clients when you know what’s in your products.

💡 Whether you're a new PMU artist or a seasoned pro, this episode is loaded (pun intended) with education, inspiration, and Girlz Ink truth bombs.

🛍️ Shop OMG Needles & Pigments → www.girlzink.com
🎓 Take Your PMU Skills to the Next Level → www.girlzinktraining.com
📍 Catch Teryn LIVE at PMU World in Miami | Sept 8–11 | Use code: GIRLZINK10

🎸 Composition and guitars - Russ Letizia
🥁 Drums and studio engineering - Mike Zerbe
🎼 Recorded at The Compound in Las Vegas, NV