The word “organic” automatically rings a bell in our ears and we get an impression of it being a better option compared to anything labeled as “inorganic”.  We associate the word “organic” with all things positive, healthy, environmentally-friendly, and so on. But you will be amazed to know that in chemistry, the word “organic” simply means carbon-containing compounds. 

Yes! When we are talking about organic pigments, we are not talking about a commodity that is vegan, grass-fed, pesticide-free, ethically sourced, etc. So being organic does not necessarily make them better than inorganic pigments. It has more to do with the actual chemical composition. 

Let us try to understand the difference between both. If you read till the last, you will have a better idea about the facts. 

What are Organic pigments in permanent makeup?

The composing elements in organic pigments are mostly hydrogen and carbon, found in dyes and lakes. Dyes are color-producing chemicals and lakes are the dyes that have been combined and stabilized using an inert binder. 

What are inorganic pigments in permanent makeup? 

Inorganic pigments are carbon-free and consist of iron and oxygen as the main compounds. They are stable and inert by nature and need not be combined with another inert binder like the organic pigments.

Advantages of using inorganic pigments

Inorganic pigments have several advantages over organic pigments. They can be synthesized in the laboratory in a controlled environment and therefore we can get very stable, pure, and reliable products. Following are some more benefits of using inorganic pigments:

1. The opacity of inorganic pigments is far superior to organic pigments. Due to the smaller particle size of organic pigments, they mostly tend to be sheer or transparent. But inorganic pigments have more coverage and are more opaque due to larger-sized particles. 
2. Organic pigments are a bit unstable due to small-sized carbon molecules, which can lead to blurring of lines or bleeding of color. For this reason, inorganic pigments are preferred over organic ones.  
3. Organic pigments are mostly bright and vibrant in color, which makes them a little unsuitable for use on the face as it doesn’t blend in with our natural hues. Inorganic colors have a more muted look and therefore are more customizable as per needs to suit individual skin tones. 
4. Inorganic pigments are non-toxic and cause much lesser allergies as compared to organic pigments. 
5. Organic pigments react with sunlight more readily compared to inorganic pigments. Since their chemical bonds are easily changed, the organic colors fade and alter easily. This, in turn, affects the longevity of PMU results, and thus it is safe to infer that inorganic pigments are a better investment. 

About Ibrow: 

We are India’s first exclusive 3D eyebrow enhancement and Permanent Makeup brand. If you’re on edge about getting a Permanent Makeup (PMU) procedure done, we would recommend checking out our Instagram page or our gallery to see happy clients.

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