The Perfect PMU Set-Up: Must-Have Permanent Makeup Equipment
Setting up your workstation for permanent makeup treatments is more than just putting equipment on a tray, it’s about ensuring you’re equipped with the tools and skills to create flawless PMU for your clients.
This blog covers the must-have permanent makeup equipment and supplies you need to create the perfect PMU setup!
Trays & Workstation Setup
Keeping your station clean, organised, and hygienic is non-negotiable in PMU. The right tray system and hygiene products can help ensure you provide a professional experience and create beautiful results for your clients. Here are some must-have items to elevate both the function and aesthetic of your workspace:
- Ghost: Customisable, reusable, and ideal for use during PMU treatments, Ghost Tray Tops help keep your layout clean and accessible. Featuring compartments for cartridges, ink cups, and more, they streamline your workflow. They’re available in different shapes, including the Glitter Heart or Pink Heart, encouraging you to add some personality to your set-up!
- Panthera Babool Soap: A concentrated liquid detergent with aloe vera and witch hazel designed for cleaning and prepping the skin. It reduces redness and smells amazing!
- Nitrile Gloves: Latex-free, disposable gloves that can help protect you and your clients throughout the PMU procedure.
- Grip Wrap: Adds comfort and prevents fluids from flowing back into the machine.
- Clip Cord Sleeves: A protective plastic sleeve that covers the cable on your machine to prevent cross-contamination.
- Surface Protection Sheets: Ideal for covering your workstation and keeping your set-up and tray hygienic.
- Ink cups: Heart shaped ink cups designed to hold pigment and add some cuteness to your set-up.
PMU Cartridges
There are several factors to consider when deciding on what cartridges to use for PMU, including the treatment type, the client’s skin type, as well as the technique you plan to use. Choosing the right PMU cartridges for you can ensure smooth pigment flow, comfort, and precision while you work as well as help you create beautiful results for your clients. Here are a few top picks trusted by PMU professionals:
- Stellar 2.0 Cartridges: Super-sharp to minimise trauma, with an anti-wobble design and smooth pigment flow for maximum stability and precision.
- KWADRON PMU Optima: Ultra-sharp and built for precision, these cartridges come in various configurations to suit different PMU techniques.
- Vertix Pico: Tapered for maximum visibility and control, perfect for detailed, accurate pigment placement.
- Bishop Da Vinci: Designed to offer better visibility of pigment flow, giving artists more control while they work.
PMU Pigments
Your pigment choices are crucial—not just for ensuring beautiful, healed results, but for inclusivity, safety, and long-term satisfaction.
Perma Blend LUXE pigments are trusted for their rich, EU REACH-compliant formulas and outstanding healed pigment retention. LUXE pigments are a must-have in any PMU artist’s kit, and several have been created in collaboration with experienced artists. Here are some standout collections to consider:
- Embody & Enhance: The two collections created with Carla Ricciardone from Sculpted Studios, work hand in hand. Use Embody pigments in lip neutralisation treatments and Enhance pigments for future lip blush treatments!
- The Chocolate Collection: A beauty-diverse brow pigment range designed with Amina Sadiq for use on melanin-rich skin!
- Reclaim & Restore: Designed in collaboration with Stevey G. these two sets are perfect for scalp micropigmentation treatments, including adding density to existing hairlines and creating a new hairline from scratch. Plus, you can use the Adjust Shading Solution, included in both sets, to create the perfect colour match for your clients!
- Unstoppable Areola Set: Developed in collaboration with Vicky Martin, the pigments in this set are perfect for areola restoration.
Other pigment sets that would make a great addition to your set-up include:
- Monica Ivani Signature Series: A pre-mixed set of brow pigments by Li Pigments and Monica Ivani, perfect for achieving beautiful, natural brow results.
- Tina Davies FADE: These pigments are formulated to fade gradually over time—ideal for clients looking for a softer, lower-commitment finish.
- Evenflo True Lips Set: Created with Lulu Siciliano, these lip pigments provide even, gradual fading and a natural, healed result.
PMU Machines
A high-quality PMU machine is the foundation of great results. Whether you're carrying out treatments for brows, lips, or eyeliner, a reliable, smooth-running machine gives you the control and consistency needed for precision and comfort. With so many PMU machines on the market, here are a few standout options trusted by professionals:
- Bishop PMU Wand: Engineered for PMU, the Bishop Wand has a well-balanced, ergonomic design and offers consistent performance and more control. It’s suitable for all types of PMU procedures, including brows, lips, and areola work.
- EZ Lola Light PMU Machine: Featuring a lightweight design, this beginner-friendly PMU machine is easy to use and comes with a 2.8 stroke length making it ideal for a range of treatments.
- Popu Mini Diva PMU Machine: A versatile PMU machine featuring 5 memory settings, each designed for specific PMU treatments, and a dotting feature specifically for scalp micropigmentation procedures.
- Peak Avstra: A PMU machine with a lightweight and comfortable design so you can work for longer more comfortably.
- Peak Elara: With an adjustable stroke feature, you can easily swap between stroke lengths, making it perfect for a range of treatments!
Lighting and Visibility
Clarity is everything in PMU. Your lighting should mimic daylight and allow you to see undertones, details, and lines with complete accuracy. Here are a few lighting essentials to help you create the perfect PMU setup:
- Light Vision Lumina Max Floor Lamp: A powerful, adjustable floor lamp that lights up your whole workspace—perfect for detailed PMU treatments.
- Light Vision Orbit Ring Light: A bright, flexible ring light with adjustable tones and built-in phone holders—great for content creation or precise work.
Skin Prep & Aftercare
Proper skin prep and aftercare are vital for achieving beautiful, healed results. You should invest in high-quality products that support your clients throughout the entire PMU process, such as:
- Hustle Butter Deluxe: A rich, vegan-friendly balm that soothes and hydrates the skin before, during, and after PMU treatments.
- Hustle Bubbles Deluxe Foam Wash: A gentle, foaming cleanser ideal for prepping the skin and maintaining cleanliness throughout and after the procedure.
- Biotat Numbing PMU Glide: A lidocaine-free, natural numbing glide that helps reduce redness during PMU sessions.
- Rosa Herbal White Soap Concentrate: A mild, nourishing cleanser suitable for even the most sensitive areas, perfect for use before, during, and after PMU treatments.
- Rosa Herbal Pigment Booster Balm: A balm formulated to enhance pigment retention and soothe the skin during and after procedures.
- Rosa Herbal Pigment Booster Oil: An oil-based gel designed to accelerate pigment implantation while moisturising the skin.
Creating the perfect PMU setup isn’t about following a rigid checklist—it’s about choosing tools and products that support your technique, enhance comfort, and help you deliver the best possible results for your clients.
From lighting and machines to pigments and aftercare, every piece of permanent makeup equipment should work together to streamline your workflow and elevate the client experience.
Invest in quality, stay curious, and build a kit that reflects your artistry and professionalism—because when you feel confident in your setup, it shows in your work.