Phi Permanent Makeup is the new Home of Beauty on The Parade

Amena Mohammadi knew that she was helping people by training as a pharmacist, but the nature of the role meant that she rarely got to see evidence of that firsthand. So when she took maternity leave to have her second child, she began thinking about a career change.

After enrolling in several beauty courses, she started working from home as a permanent makeup artist and hasn’t looked back. Since then, she’s studied a Diploma of Dermal Science with the Australasian Academy of Cosmetic Dermal Science and on November 23 last year, opened Phi Permanent Makeup in Parade Central. 

The name of the clinic is a nod to the PhiAcademy (where she did courses in cosmetic tattooing and eyebrows), and Mohammadi adds that “the word phi itself also means ratio, and when you’re doing eyebrows, lips or any sort of cosmetic tattoo, you need to use ratios to achieve symmetry. That’s one of the most important parts of beauty.”

But while some concepts like symmetry last forever, many styles are more fleeting. “In the 90s and 2000s, thin eyebrows were the trend but now thick eyebrows are back and a lot of my clients want me to make their eyebrows fuller,” Mohammadi says. And the most effective way to do that is cosmetic tattooing, which involves injecting pigment into the top layers of the skin so that the colour remains fresh and vibrant instead of fading like regular tattoos.

Phi Permanent Make Up also offers skin needling, which encourages collagen production that results in softer skin and better pigmentation. “And because laser treatment can't be used on all skin types, it’s good for wrinkles and acne scars,” says Mohammadi. Other semi-permanent treatments include lip blush tattooing to add definition and colour to the lips and stretch mark camouflage that involves injecting pigment below the skin to create an even colour.

For clients unsure about permanent make up, Phi also offers a range of beauty services including eyelash extensions, eyebrow threading, lamination and tinting. And with the business growing, Mohammadi is adding a third staff member to offer traditional beauty experiences including makeup and facials.

“I’m still working in the pharmacy one day a week, but I enjoy this a lot more,” she says with obvious enthusiasm. “You spend more time with people and you build up their confidence, which is important for me. At the end of each session, it's very satisfying to see happy clients who feel good about themselves.”