Should I charge for consultations?

Yes, for most PMU artists. $50-150 deposit applied to the procedure cost. Filters out price-shoppers and casual inquirers; produces 90%+ consultation show rate vs 70-80% for free consultations. The deposit costs serious clients nothing (applied to their booking) while removing time-wasting consultations. For new artists building book, free consultations may make sense temporarily; established artists with full schedules should always charge.

What's the right consultation structure?

Five steps over 30-45 minutes. (1) Health history review (5 min): medications, contraindications (Accutane, retinoids, recent peels, autoimmune conditions, certain medications), allergies. (2) Brow goal clarification (10 min): open-ended 'what would you like to address with your brows?' Let them describe in their own words. (3) Skin and brow assessment (10 min): skin type evaluation (dry-to-normal vs combination vs oily — determines technique recommendation), existing brow hair pattern, facial symmetry observation. (4) Technique recommendation and treatment plan (15 min): hairstrokes vs powder vs combination based on skin type and goal; expected healing timeline; aftercare requirements; total cost with touch-up. (5) Photo documentation and booking (5 min): baseline photos, written treatment plan, deposit to book the procedure.

How do I recommend technique fairly?

Skin-type drives the recommendation. Dry-to-normal skin: hairstroke microblading works well, produces natural appearance, fades to soft outline at 12-18 months. Oily skin: hairstrokes blur over time as oil migrates through the pigment channels; powder brows (microshading) or combination (hairstroke + powder) work better. Combination skin: combination technique often optimal. The recommendation should be based on what works for their skin, not what they ask for. The script: 'For your skin type specifically, I'd recommend [technique X] because [clinical reasoning]. Hairstrokes can blur on oily skin over time; powder produces longer-lasting results. Here's how each looks healed at 12 months.' Show portfolio examples.

What about clients who refuse to follow the technique recommendation?

Three options. (1) Politely refuse the service and explain why: 'Microblading on your skin type will produce blurred results within 12 months; I can't deliver the result you're paying for. I'd recommend you find an artist whose work matches what you're asking for, or consider the powder technique that will give you the result you want.' (2) Document the conversation, then perform the requested technique with explicit informed consent about expected outcomes. The client signed acknowledging the technique limitation; the artist's exposure is reduced. (3) Offer the combination technique as a compromise. For most cases, refusing inappropriate technique is the right answer — your portfolio represents your skill; producing predictable failure work damages your reputation regardless of the client's preference.

How do I structure the treatment plan presentation?

Written document the client takes home. Include: the recommended technique with clinical reasoning, the expected healing timeline (initial 7-14 days, full settling 6-8 weeks, touch-up at 6-8 weeks), aftercare protocol (no water on brows for 7-10 days, no makeup on brows, no excessive sweating, no direct sun), total cost (initial + touch-up included), retouch schedule (annual touch-ups at $150-300 to maintain), what realistic results look like (with healed photos from portfolio), and the deposit-and-booking next steps. The document positions the procedure as a structured clinical investment, not a casual transaction. 65-80% of consultations convert to booking when this structure is followed.

How to Handle PMU Consultations as a Brow Artist

The PMU consultation is the conversion pivot in a brow artist's economics. A consultation that converts produces $1,200-3,500 in initial procedure + annual touch-up revenue across the 2-3 year client cycle. One that doesn't produces the consultation fee (or nothing for free consultations) and a small chance of future conversion. The brow artists who run this conversion well produce dramatically better unit economics than those who don't. This playbook is about getting the consultation structure right.

The consultation is clinical evaluation, not sales

Frame the consultation correctly

PMU consultations are clinical evaluations of skin type, brow goal, and technique fit. The artist is not selling a procedure; the artist is assessing whether the procedure will produce the result the client wants and explaining the technical reasoning behind the recommendation. This framing produces both better client trust and better outcomes — clients who understand why a specific technique is recommended for their skin type accept the recommendation and book at higher rates.

The deposit-based consultation booking

Free consultations attract more bookings but produce poor show rates and weaker conversion:

**$50-150 deposit** applied to the procedure cost
**Show rate**: 90%+ for paid consultations vs 70-80% for free
**Filter effect**: removes price-shoppers and casual inquirers
**Zero cost to serious clients**: applied to their eventual booking

For new artists building book, free consultations may make sense temporarily. Established artists with full schedules should charge for consultations as standard practice.

The five-step consultation structure

The 30-45 minute consultation should follow consistent structure:

1. Health history review (5 min)

Medications (current and recent — Accutane, retinoids), allergies, autoimmune conditions, recent skin procedures (chemical peels, laser, dermaplaning), pregnancy/nursing status. The intake form should be pre-filled; the artist verifies during this phase.

2. Brow goal clarification (10 min)

Open-ended question: 'What would you like to address with your brows?' Let the client describe in their own words. Don't lead toward a technique; understand what they actually want before recommending.

3. Skin and brow assessment (10 min)

Skin type evaluation (dry/normal/combination/oily — determines technique recommendation). Existing brow hair pattern. Facial symmetry observation. Notes on previous PMU work if any. This is where the clinical decision happens.

4. Technique recommendation and treatment plan (15 min)

Hairstrokes vs powder vs combination based on skin type and goal. Explain the reasoning. Show healed-result portfolio examples for the recommended technique. Walk through the expected timeline, aftercare requirements, and total cost.

5. Photo documentation and booking (5 min)

Baseline photos in standardized lighting. Written treatment plan document for the client to take home. Deposit-based booking for the procedure.

The technique recommendation framework

Skin type drives technique recommendation:

Dry to normal skin

Hairstroke microblading works well. Pigment stays in the deposited channels; produces natural hair-like appearance. Fades to soft outline at 12-18 months. Annual touch-ups maintain the look.

Oily skin

Hairstrokes blur over time as oil migrates through the pigment channels — the defined hair strokes become a blurred outline within 6-12 months. Recommend powder brows (microshading) or combination instead. Powder produces a soft makeup-fill appearance; longer-lasting (18-24 months); doesn't blur on oily skin.

Combination skin

Combination technique (hairstroke + powder) often optimal. Hairstrokes in dry areas; powder in oily areas. Skill-intensive; premium pricing.

The recommendation should be based on what works for the client's skin, not what they ask for. Producing predictable failure work damages your reputation regardless of the client's preference.

When clients reject the recommendation

Some clients insist on a technique that won't work well for their skin. Three options:

1. Politely refuse the service

Microblading on your skin type will produce blurred results within 12 months; I can't deliver the result you're paying for. I'd recommend either the powder technique for longer-lasting results, or finding another artist whose work matches what you're asking for.' For most cases, this is the right answer.

2. Document the conversation and perform with informed consent

The client signs explicit acknowledgment about expected outcomes (likely blurring within 12 months for hairstrokes on oily skin). Your exposure is reduced; the client got what they wanted; future disputes have documentation backing.

3. Offer a compromise (combination)

A combination technique would give you the hair-stroke texture you want plus the longevity that your skin type needs.' Often the right middle path.

The treatment plan document

The written treatment plan is what the client takes home. Include:

**Recommended technique** with clinical reasoning
**Expected healing timeline**: initial 7-14 days, full settling 6-8 weeks, touch-up at 6-8 weeks
**Aftercare protocol**: no water on brows for 7-10 days, no makeup on brows, no excessive sweating, no direct sun
**Total cost**: initial procedure + included touch-up
**Annual retouch schedule**: $150-300 to maintain the look
**Healed-result examples**: photos from portfolio showing realistic outcomes
**Deposit and booking next steps**: how to confirm the appointment

The document positions the procedure as a structured clinical investment, not a casual transaction. 65-80% of consultations convert to booking when this structure is followed.

The photo documentation discipline

Standardized photos at consultation serve multiple purposes:

**Baseline reference**: comparison point for the work to follow
**Treatment planning**: visible asymmetry, hair direction, gap patterns
**Legal protection**: contemporaneous record of pre-procedure state
**Portfolio building**: with appropriate consent, healed-result photos become marketing assets
**Client motivation**: the visible progress at 6-week and 12-week intervals motivates continued investment

Use consistent lighting, consistent angle (front-facing plus 3/4 left and 3/4 right), and consistent expression (relaxed face). The standardization makes comparison meaningful.

What good consultation operations look like

A brow artist with strong consultation structure typically shows:

**90%+ consultation show rate** through deposit-based booking
**65-80% consultation-to-booking conversion** through structured presentation
**Stable client portfolio** of healed-result examples matching the artist's specialty techniques
**Lower client dissatisfaction** because expectations align before the procedure
**Higher annual touch-up rate** (75-85%) as relationship-based maintenance

Session.Care for brow artist consultations

Session.Care supports consultation deposit collection, intake form integration with contraindication screening, photo documentation tied to customer record, treatment plan documentation, the booking workflow that converts consultation to procedure with deposit credit, and the customer record continuity that tracks initial → touch-up → annual maintenance.

See [`grow a brow artist practice`](/grow/brow-artists) for the broader framework or [`do I need a license to do eyebrow microblading`](/q/do-i-need-a-license-to-do-eyebrow-microblading) for the licensure context.

The bottom line

The PMU consultation is the conversion pivot for brow artists. Deposit-based booking produces 90%+ show rates. The five-step structure (health history → goal clarification → skin assessment → technique recommendation → treatment plan + booking) converts 65-80% of consultations. Technique recommendations should match skin type, not client preference. Refuse work that won't produce good outcomes; document when clients insist. The written treatment plan positions the procedure as clinical investment. Run the consultation discipline and the practice operates on professional clinical standards.

The consultation is where the brow artist demonstrates expertise before the procedure begins. Run it like the clinical evaluation it is, and clients book at higher rates while getting better outcomes. The structure produces both better economics and better work.

How to handle PMU consultations as a brow artist