There are two decisions that I've made this year that were the absolute BEST choices of all times! The first - to get my eyeliner tattooed on. Last summer I moved from Southeast Massachusetts to Washington, DC and was invited to return again this summer. My first thought was, "I am not going to survive another 100plus degree heat and my beautiful black eyeliner running constantly!!" I sport a punky 80's look, and my eyeliner is a crucial component to my person. What I also did not know, was that I would be embarking on a particularly emotional and mind-blowing time of encountering past and present losers, family drama, etc. which would result in much crying and flushing out the eyes (and now that's ALL done). And through it ALL - my eyes and makeup continue to look PERFECT!!! Lemme tell you, that certainly gave me alot of street cred when everyone else looked a mess : ) The second BEST decision I made - was to go to Nikki Leitao for my eyeliner tattoo!!! I found Nikki when I began researching the field, and was looking through a professional licensure/organization website for cosmetic tattooing. After looking through her VERY detailed website, I also discovered that she is responsible for making it possible to perform this service in Salem, Massachusetts. I figured if she helped to write and push this licensing legislature through, then she was the absolute best - and I was not disappointed. The price was right (I had saved and budgeted) and I got a little discount for being a first time customer. Don't be fooled by the tattoo shop where Nikki works - she has her own room in the back - with privacy and relaxing music. I appreciated how much time Nikki took with me to make certain that every detail was discussed and confirmed by me. She is an outstanding makeup artist (look at her webpage) and I trusted her completely. Nikki was also REALLY patient with me....I talk alot....I ask alot of questions....I need to externally process everything going on...this woman was AMAZING with me. After the 4plus hour appointment (yes, she works HARD) I was armed with my takehome kit and directions to make a 6 week "touch up" appointment. This is when Nikki looks to see if there are any spots that have faded, etc. Unfortunately, circumstances caused me to have to move to DC sooner than I thought - so I won't be able to make my appointment until I return in August...but my eyes STILL look amazing. I am sick with allergies and the flu, so I'll post a photo when I look more human. The first two days after the procedure, I wore my glasses and no contact lenses...and remained mostly indoors. I used the healing ointment in my take-home kit sparingly...and I used the mini freezer pods to sooth the swelling. I've got tattoos and so was ready for the pain...but it really just felt like I had conjunctivitis...and I couldn't pick the crust away. The result? I look gorgeous. Thank you, thank you Nikki! Now I'm going to save up to have her outline my lips a little and balance out the color. Oh yes, and this saves me SO much time and money!! read more

I can always count on Nikki to make me "Brow Beautiful!" OK, so I'm one of those girls that feels the shape of the eyebrow makes the shape of the eye. I have "Brow Envy" every time I see a perfect brow on another girl...until Nikki creates them... ON ME. She truly knows how to frame your eyes with your brows to create the best shape. Go to Nikki to get the "Brow Envy" of your Besties! read more

I am so happy that I made this decision to get permanent eyeliner (top)! Not only will this save me valuable time in the morning, it will also save wear and tear on that delicate eye area over time. By nature I am lazy, so this works out in many ways! Ladies, do not delay, do this for yourself, you will not regret it. Nikki is extremely professional and her work area is clean. I was a little surprised to find myself at an apartment building and not a storefront, but as soon as I walked in, I was immediately put at ease. Street parking is free and readily available. For anyone wondering if this is a painful procedure, I assure you that it is NOT! Nikki takes great care to numb the area thoroughly and safely. Then, the sensation of the tattoo being applied is similar to having your eyelashes gently tugged. She has steady and firm hand, and her skill is evident. She will take the time to make sure that it is done right, exactly the way you want it. Tip: if you sleep on your tummy, avoid sleeping in a bed for at least 2 nights afterwards. I slept in a recliner for the first night, but the second night in bed had some color come off onto my pillow where my face had mooshed into it. I should have spent 2 nights in the recliner, if not 3 to be absolutely certain that I would not mess it up. Nikki fixed everything at my follow-up visit, but I'd rather have avoided this. Added bonus: Super Sub is 5 minutes away, for those who like to follow their beauty sessions with a cheese steak sub. read more

My visit with Nikki was for a correction of upper eyeliner. I was more than impressed with the cleanliness of her room. All of her supplies were individually wrapped. I lost count of how many times she washed her hands. I am a nurse, so seeing someone practicing proper hand washing and sterile technique is reassuring. The whole experience was great!!! (Alot better than my first experience) The numbing gel Nikki uses does the job. The final results of my eyeliner end up being just what I was looking for. I also love her 6-8 week follow up policy. This makes sure that both the customer and Nikki are satisfied with her GREAT work!!! I have and will continue to refer people to her, Thanks Nikki!!! read more

Unfortunately, I did not have a positive experience with Nikki when I went for my eyebrows. Even before the day of the actual appointment, both Nikki and her assistant were very unprofessional and odd during our brief phone calls to schedule the appointment. They were very forgetful and kept me on hold for long periods of time saying that the computer wasnt working. I decided to go to the appointment anyway, since the reviews for Nikki were so good. When I arrived for my appointment I had to wait an hour and a half. This was frustrating, as I had the appointment booked for weeks and she did not apologize for making me wait. Thankfully, my fiance drove me to the appointment, as I do not drive, so I had someone to keep me company. When it was finally my turn, instead of asking me about what I wanted or discussing my concerns, she complained that she liked my eyebrows and that she wasnt sure why I was there. I immediately felt like I should just leave, as I am paying her for a service and it was rude and unprofessional for her to make these comments. On top of that, throughout the entire procedure she just kept asking why my fiance was with me. She would not give it up, even after I explained that he drove me and we do not live close by. She told us bizarre stories throughout the entire procedure and kept forgetting what she was saying which honestly made me think she was on drugs. She made the entire experience very uncomfortable for me and because of that I would not recommend going to Nikki. As far as the results, I do not really notice any difference in my eyebrows. I am still drawing them on every day. This is frustrating because the procedure is expensive. My advice: go somewhere else, the results are not worth the headache you will get from dealing with Nikki. read more

BEWARE!! This is an inexperienced non professional. She gives a discount for cash so that you have no recourse for bad service. She did a horrible and incomplete job on my eyebrows. Told me to return in 3 weeks to redo. When I got there she said she was tired and wouldn't see me, even though I drove an hour to get there. She wouldn't make another appt when I could make it. Save your$ and go to a reputable person. Not someone who does this in her livingroom in a no business zone area. read more

After seeing a friend with permanent makeup on her eyes and eyebrows done, I wanted to try it. My friend went to an expensive salon way out of my price range! She found one of Nikki's specials online for me. I can tell you it's one of the best gifts I gave myself! I had my eyes done and can't wait to have my eyebrows done. Nikki is a very professional makeup artist....An awesome makeup artist! Thanks Nikki!! read more

Nikki is quite an artist. She's very serious about her profession and works hard to be perfect - and it shows! I had eyeliner done (top and bottom) with her two years ago and was impressed by how natural she made it look. She recommended just the right color for me and it was great. After a recent touch-up about a month ago, my eyes look *better than ever*. I've gotten complements on how "fresh" I look without people being able to detect that my eyeliner is done. Even when I tell friends I've had it done they think it just looks natural and my eyes look bigger! Thanks to Nikki I've saved a LOT of time putting makeup on in the mornings and touching-up constantly throughout the day. A little mascara is all I need, and don't have to worry about racoon eyes anymore! If you're on the fence about permanent makeup, take the plunge with Nikki! You won't regret it! read more

Donna M - 6/26/2012 All Nikki Leitao's five-star reviews are spot on! I read them all before I made an appointment with her and, even though I live an hour's drive away from Salem, I was persuaded by them to have her do a touch-up on my brows and eyeliner too. It was well worth the drive to receive her care and expertise! She really listens and is willing to acknowledge the client's ideas and then to improve on them as she carefully does the work. It is a treat to be given her kind of respect and consideration, which was far beyond what I received at my initial appointments with other practitioners. Nikki takes the time to do the job right! Her pleasant personality made the time pass and I was surprised to find that three hours had gone by during my appointment. It was great not to be rushed because others were in line waiting for her attentions. Her techniques include strict observance of all sanitary measures. Several times she changed gloves, each time washing her hands before resuming her work. Several people have told me that I look just great lately, and, aside from this review, I have just smiled and said thank you without telling them about Nikki's artistry. Here I am telling you and highly recommending that you see Nikki and begin to receive the same type of compliments! Three cheers for Nikki and a sincere thank you too! read more

Nikki did it again. Went to have lip liner and a reboost on my eyebrows. My lips look perfect. Exactly the color I was wanting. Very subtle , but totally defined. I had no doubt I would love it! Nikki is amazing at what is does. She has a complete eye for the stuff and knows how to take ideas and make them a reality! You will never be disappointed. You may have found your new best friend!!!!!! read more

I initially made an appointment with Nikki for eyeliner - upper and lower. Make-up of any type, brand, or application process does not stay put on my skin. Within an hour it looks like a 3 yr. old applied my make-up. My primary concern with permanent makeup was that the color would be too dark. An evening look at 10:00 am was not appealing. More often than not photos I see on the internet depict results that are polar opposite of my taste and style. I explained my fears to Nikki - several times. The procedure took 3-4 hours. The most discomfort was the wet feeling of the numbing cream. I thought it was going to run into my eyes. It did not. Instinctively I wanted to close my eyes tightly. Towards the end of the procedure, I could not wait for it to be over. After the procedure I looked in the mirror. Nikki said it would appear dark but would fade over the next several weeks. The color was darker than I expected and the slight swelling made it more pronounced. I applied a cold compress the rest of the day, wore glasses the following day and applied after care cream on a regular basis. The color faded as promised to the exact shade/look I was hoping for. I don't remember any discomfort now. All I see is liner applied perfectly to define my eyes and give me a more "awake" look - and it lasts all day! I made an appointment 2 weeks later to have my eyebrows done and my lips lined with a blend - both excellent decisions. I had very thin almost non-existent eyebrows. Over the years my lips had lost their youthful coloring and appeared almost pale. I constantly applied lip color. There was very little discomfort during both of these procedures. I had a better understanding of what to expect. Again, be ready to sit in the chair for a long time. Results - Amazing! Eyebrows should not be underrated. I never realized how eyebrows would complement the rest of my face. My lips are defined and once again have beautiful color. Nikki also made my lips appear more symmetrical - a bonus I did not expect. Similar to the eyeliner procedure, the color on my eyebrows and lips appeared dark. The color faded over the next several weeks to the shade I wanted. At the 6 week follow-up, a little more definition was achieved. I actually requested my brows be made darker. I have never worn a lot of make-up. A little goes a long way with my fair complexion. The colors Nikki chose worked perfectly with my skin tone. What can I say about Nikki? She is super nice and a truly unique personality. She goes about her work effortlessly, mixing, matching, applying etc. She showed incredible patience with me and obviously listened to my concerns. She accommodated my hectic schedule and booked appointment times that were convenient for me. When I look in the mirror now, I see a face brought back to life. It makes me smile every time. Thank you, Nikki. read more

Nikki is an incredible artist. I've had my lips done with her (lipliner with blend) because I have thin lips without much color and wanted them to be visible--even when (after the usual ten minutes) my lipstick wears off. Couldn't be happier with my decision: I LOVE the result. Please, ladies, anyone considering getting lip injections, try this first. Your own lips with permanent color will look fuller--and no risk of the awful duck lip. Anyway, as to the color: she got it spot on--not even sure how. I had an idea of what I'd wanted, but the result is better than I imagined: sort of a soft raspberry, which perfectly complements my skin. This is where her background as an artist comes in; she seems to know what will look good. The shape is also perfect: exactly what I asked for. She is fastidious--super clean and neat and methodical, and highly focused the whole time. For those wondering about the space, she is now in a tattoo parlor (but a nice one, as tattoo parlors go) with her own private room inside. Really can't recommend Nikki--or having permanent makeup generally--enough. read more

Spent a lot of time researching the best place to get my eyebrows done, came across Nikki and decided to take that chance. She explained the whole process, was gentle and almost fell asleep that's how relaxing it was. Fell in love with the final product, can't wait for my 4 week follow up appointment. read more

So, I really really wanted to like nikki and her work. I gave her a ton of credit initially and ranted and raved about how good her work was. I had several referrals lined up for her waiting to see what my touchup would look like, but I'm apparently bat sh%t out of luck. I initially loved the work - Then my tattoo faded, and the glory wore off. I got eyeliner, and eyebrow and paid a fair sum. I was promised a touch up, which never happened. The day before the touch up appointment I get two text messages that are non returnable meaning you cannot text them, it is an automated machine. I try to call because I am in the hospital with pneumonia. BOTH contact phone numbers are completely shut off. I try to email through the website, I get a "this contact does not exist" email back. a week later, I try again. I figured she forgot to pay the bill or something, but to my disdain again no phone connection. i try again every week, until two weeks ago when I call and leave not one but three voice mails (phone is finally turned on) so far, no response. As far as the service goes, she was very nice. her house was pleasant and borderline psychotic clean. it didn't hurt, and she gave me stuff to take care of it after. However, the eyeliner is not fully attached to my lash if you will, leaving a gap that is a bit noticeable. I do model and this is a huge problem for me. my eyebrows are also not the exact shape I asked for which is also another huge problem for me. she promised to " do more" during the touch up. I paid about 700 in cash for this, which was more than we agreed to previously (she kept changing the price) I feel like I should be able to get a touch up. I'm not sure whether or not I can suggest going to Nikki. for that price you can get the same service elsewhere and you don't have to listen to the same outdated rockabilly songs over and over again or hear about how much her baby daddy sucks. for someone doing an in home service unprofessionally, she kept complaining about "her assistant" not being there and if you look around the tiny two bed apartment you will think to yourself how in the heck does she even have one to begin with. well now I'm just ranting, because I'm dead miffed I didn't get my touch up. Clearly i'm also not a fan of the oxford comma. The end, for now. read more

I thought Nikki was not only a talented artist, but also a fabulous person. I felt extremely comfortable with her and also confident with her work. I had decided to go to Nikki after having a bad experience with another permanent makeup artist in Boston who really screwed up my eyebrows. I took my time researching different artists and finally found Nikki after speaking seeing her work on a friend of mine who raved about her. I set up my appointment immediately and I am so glad that I did!! I would highly recomend Nikki to anyone :)) read more

I am happy to have both top and bottom eyeliner to make life easier and save me time. Nikki is excellent in her hand technique of applying pemanent makeup. Her technique is virtually painlesss, unlike other permanent makeup applications I had done previously I am happy to have eyes I can wake up to. Thank you Nikki. read more

I had several small acne scars that really bothered me, to the extent that I'd cover them with liquid eyeliner "beauty marks" every day. I talked to Nikki and was able to permanently get the beauty marks done, rather than deal with applying them every single day. Nikki was extremely considerate, understanding, and didn't rush through the procedure at all. She made sure that the beauty marks were exactly the shape, size, and tone that I wanted. I would definitely recommend Permanent Makeup, Etc. to anyone! read more

I LOVE PERMANENT MAKEUP.. Nikki has been doing my brows for 2 years and i am SO HAPPY with the results. So clean and professional ... Amazing brows which i get tons of compliments. Nikki is a wonderful person and with her experience and knowledge you will be happy with the results. Highly Recommended read more

She was awesome, professional, great personality, uses organic ink, highly skilled, very clean environment and totally sterile tools, anything she uses is sealed and new for each person, she washes her hands before & after touching anything, including putting on gloves, sanitizes the room & appliances before & after each client, uses a topical pain reliever on area for highest comfort during the procedure. I definitely recommend this and any different permanent makeup procedures that she offers, and she also has the best prices of anyone I could find anywhere in all of Massachusetts and surrounding areas! I am more than pleased with the results of my visit with Nikki, and I am sure that anyone who has any work done by her will be too. I love my permanent eyeliner, it has made my life so much easier, it always looks sharp & beautiful, no matter the occasion !!!!! read more

You've heard it all before and it is all true -- Nikki Leitao is truly AMAZING and AWESOME -- both as a makeup artist and as a person. I went to Nikki after an extensive online search. All the great praise from her customers convinced me she was the perfect person to trust to do my makeup. It goes without saying that permanent makeup is a great commitment. You need to feel that the artist will not only be skilled and professional, but that s/he will listen to your concerns and work with you to achieve the best results possible. From reading her client reviews I felt that Nikki was such a person. The amazing photographs of her work on her website helped seal the deal for me. I went to Nikki in mid-November (2012) to have my bottom-eyeliner done. I had had permanent makeup before in 2007/2008. The artist was good and the eyebrows came out ok, but the eyeliner did not take. I am black and she explained to me that permanent makeup is hit or miss on darker skin. Since the eyebrows came out ok I was fine with the result. But, I never stopped wishing for a permanent eyeliner. After reading about Nikki and her use of a hand-tool instead of a machine and her philosophy concerning pigments I thought I should take my chances again. It has been two weeks since the procedure and I have completely healed and what do you know... The eyeliner is visible and vivid. All looks well and after the "follow up" visit in a few weeks I think the eyes I have dreamed of will be a reality. All thanks to Nikki and her wonderful talent. During my visit Nikki informed me that my eyebrows were in desperate need of a touch up and she happily added an additional hour to my appointment time to do them. So now I have great eyebrows as well. And this also needs mentioning -- Nikki's hand-tool method minimizes discomfort and pain during and after the procedure, which made for an unexpectedly pleasant experience. To top it all off Nikki has a great personality, knows how to create a relaxing yet fun atmosphere and is extremely hygienic. The cherry on top -- her taste in music is stellar. Visit Nikki. You will definitely be a happy and satisfied customer like the rest of us. read more