I went to my beautiful friend Gigi's birthday party in a lounge on Española Way in South Beach, and one of the fabulous indulgences was the presence of an artist named Christina to design henna tattoos (Menhdi's) on our hands. As she applied the latticework, I noticed that she was beautiful and very symmetrical.

I asked her how she had achieved such amazingly esthetic eyebrows, and she told me that she was a makeup artist and specialized in henna permanent makeup. I asked her for her card and stayed in touch.

It took me about a year to decide. Finally, I called for an appointment, and deployed myself to her studio. Everything very clean, and the equipment was absolutely sterlle (taken out of sealed, paper packets).

She played soft, global beat music, actually the cable guide soundtrack.

How To Look Beautiful For Years

The "procedure" involved applying henna, one needle at a time, to line my eyelids, define my eyebrows, and correct my lipline, and took about two hours. It didn't hurt any less than a permanent tattoo. I don't have body art but I've had needles on my eyelids - respect!

What appeals to me is that the pigment applied - the henna - is comprised of natural minerals without chemicals. Christina suggested muted, natural tones which she let me select from a wide palatte of colors.

My eyes and lips looked swollen the first day and formed a scab, and Christina told me they would. She provided me with packets of sterile salve like Neosporin, and a special lip balm. Two days later I looked 10 years younger.

I was supposed to go back a month later to fill in some tiny spaces she had left intentionally. I was happy with the results and decided to stop while I was ahead.

Several years later, the tones have faded, but have not disappeared. My eyelids don't look transparent like they did before the permanent makeup. I don't really look like I have eyebrows but I also don't look like I don't. My lips look symmetrical but not so full.

I feel she did a great job. I had no side effects. I feel it's time for a touch up, but my sweet husband assures me it's not needed;-)

Would I do it again if I could? In my case, yes, because all went well. But in a sense, no, because my priorities may have shifted, and I just wake up early and put on makeup.

I was lucky that Christina was scrupulously professional (she showed me her certificates) and extremely clean and health oriented.

Would it be better to have it done in a salon? Conventional wisdom says yes, but I felt much more relaxed and yet wakeful in her home.

Caution to anyone getting a tattoo of any kind: Bacteria are not your friends. Choose wisely.