Today we’d like to introduce you to Elsa Milani CPCP, CPTP, LC.
Hi Elsa, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I began my journey in beauty in hi9hschool. I earned my Cosmetologist license in NY in high school. I knew I would need a way to make money to get myself throughout college. It was sink or swim. As a first generation American & both grandparents either past away or very ill to protect me I ended up in foster care & ward of the state from 12-18 years old. I always loved beauty, art & tattoos. As a child I spent a lot of time at Cranbrook where my grandfather (British) world renown artist Tony Hepburn was the head of the ceramics department for the graduate program. He was known for his charcoals & ceramic pieces. My grandmother painted & passed when I was 12 from Ovarian cancer. They inspired me to become an artist. I chose this medium because how it restored my face after a dog attack I endured at 12 years old. I had over 30 stitches in my face & went through 2 reconstructive surgeries to correct. (Amongst other restorative procedures.) It wasn’t until my early 20’s when I discovered permanent makeup that I felt like myself again & found my calling. I did my best to turn a negative into a positive. After an artist in NYC tattooed a symmetrical lip line I chose to learn the craft. She later became one of my mentors. I went to permanent makeup (aka cosmetic tattooing) school & started Flawless over 10 years ago & haven’t looked back! I started with cosmetic tattooing (most of us do before moving into more advanced paramedical/corrective work) until I got experience to later learn paramedical tattooing including: scar & stretch mark camouflage & revisions, scalp micropigmentation (aka SMP), 3D areola restoration micropigmentation. In conjunction with learning: saline removal, permanent makeup corrections (aka PMU), & advanced eyeliner/lip/brow permanent makeup techniques, I am best known for my scar work & fixing botched permanent makeup. I teach my techniques internationally & speak at conferences. Chicago is my primary location & where I started. I came to Chicago so my grandfather who had been quite ill since I was about 12, wasn’t alone when they transitioned him into hospice. No one should die alone & he didn’t. I held his hand that day. & ended up staying in Chicago, to later open Flawless Permanent Makeup By Elsa, Inc. I also go to NYC & Destin, Florida every 3 months for clients. I am the Ethics Chair on the board of the Medical Tattoo Accessibility Network (MTAN.) I seek continued ed yearly & am heavily involved in with The Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals (aka SPCP). An international permanent makeup & paramedical tattooing non-profit organization that I am a member of. They focus on elevating education, safety, & certification standards in the cosmetic & paramedical tattooing industry. All permanent makeup, including microblading is a form of a tattoo. That is why nation wide we must comply with the tattooing rules & regulations vs. cosmetology etc. This organization really helped me throughout my entire tattooing/PMU/paramedical career. I was the Young Professionals Chairman for 6 years (2018-2024), spoke about my scar techniques at the 2022 conference, am in the first volume of the Panel Of Experts (available for purchase online, as is certification opportunities, membership, convention tickets & more. Just go to spcp.org. If you are an artist I highly recommend looking into this org & joining.) Currently I am a designated SME (subject matter expert) for the organization to help other members. They are big on community, support & mentorship too. I was chosen as an expert for the panel & as a subject matter because of my vast training, experience, & willingness to share my knowledge with others. I have trained with the best in the business globally & I am happy to share my knowledge. My philosophy is that there is plenty to go around. I believe in collaboration, not competition. I have been with the SPCP since day 1 of my career. I expanded to NYC in 2018 & Destin, FL 2022. I have been training others since around 2017. This is a passion for me, as it restored my lips (I had a crooked lip line due to the dog attack, the doctors could only do so much. Part of my face was out, 30 stitches. I will never forget them covering the mirrors in the ER so I couldn’t see. But I saw as soon as it happened.) It is no coincidence that the scar niche of this industry is really where I shined. (As well as for fixing botched PMU.) Where passion meets purpose.
How I got here? With a lot of hard work, determination, resilience & heart. My grandfather used to say “no pain, no art.” I put my heart into my form of artistry. I took something traumatic that happened to me and created a career out of it that (my goal is to) helps others. Help them feel confident, restored & beautiful. Because beauty goes beyond skin deep. It effects us psychologically. There is no shame in not addressing your scars, or wanting permanent makeup. But I am here for those who so choose to go down that path. I believe less is more & in beauty karma. Do to others you’d want done to you. I don’t take permanently altering someone’s appearance lightly. Which is why I still seek education yearly to keep getting better. If you are the smartest person in the room; then you’re int he wrong room. Knowledge is power, the more we know about this craft & our canvas, the better we can manipulate it & reduce risk of causing adverse effects. I love my career & the many wonderful people I get to meet. No 2 days are the same & I like it that way. I am excited to see where my career takes me & the many people I will meet & hopefully help along the way.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Beauty & the permanent makeup/paramedical tattoo industry are hard industries to break into. Due to the permanency of what we do in the permanent makeup/tattoo world we have to constantly attract new clients. Meanwhile retaining the ones we have because all tattoos eventually need a touch-up & color refresh, Touch-ups should not be every few months like some advise and advertise. They should be on average every 1-5+ years to keep the integrity of the skin intact. Depending on; the colors used, lifestyle, skin, UV exposure, body part, etc. Also breaking this misconception that this work is “semi permanent.” When it is in fact a tattoo, that is why we must in the US we must all comply with the tattoo industries rules & regulations. It typically fades quicker than traditional body tattoos, but without intervention (like laser or saline tattoo removal) there is no guaranteeing when of if that tattoo/microblading will completely fade away. You want the work to last to avoid over working your skin over time.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have been fortunate to be successful in this industry, as it is not the easiest industry to break into. I started a program in 2017 where I donate 1 free scar camouflage procedure a month to a trauma or cancer survivor & the LGBTQ+ community. In 2017 Sharsheret (a non-profit organization that helps breast & ovarian patients & survivors nation wide.) I was recruited to be their mid-west artist. Survivors can apply to receive free 3D areola restoration micropigmentation & brow permanent makeup. In 2024 I was recruited by Northwestern Hospital to help their survivors receive restorative permanent makeup & 3D areola restoration micropigmentation services. I also, effective 2025 started offering free removal for women who have been trafficked & left with a tattooed ID marking. Information for all services, programs & how to apply is available on my website flawlesspermanentmakeupbyelsa.com.
I have been blessed with amazing clients ranging from: people who just want to wake up & go, or are very sensitive to topical makeup, struggle with shaky hands &/or poor eye site. As well as people who are looking to restore or reconstruct an area. Or simply enhance their natural features for convenience. I work with both men & women, all ethnicities, ranging from 18-80+ years old. From busy moms, to athletes, survivors, cops & a-d list celebrities. You name it.
I am a business owner, artist, trainer/educator & speaker. I’m a licensed cosmetologist in NY & IL, a licensed tattoo artist, & a certified paramedical tattoo professional & certified permanent cosmetic professional (CPTP & CPCP) through the SPCP organization. You must meet the training criteria & pass either exam with an 81% or higher. These designations help the community know that you know your stuff, To set yourself apart from the rest since. Which is important since unfortunately, the educational requirements to be a tattoo artist of any kind are very loose. They vary from state to state, but overall outside of a bloodborne pathogen certificate many states do not ask how you learned how to tattoo & where. Scary I know! Which is one big reason I chose to become a trainer/educator/speaker. I get traumatized botched clients in my office daily from individuals who took a 3 day class & then proceeded to tattoo peoples faces/bodies. There is no way one can learn this craft in 3 days. It is hard to watch & really does give the entire industry a bad name & traumatizes the client. I have worked on thousands of clients over the years & have taught my techniques to many. I truly love what I do & try to do what I can to make a difference.
I have been very fortunate to obtain the clientele I have across the country (some from overseas), win awards, work with some amazing humans, & have been featured in other publications & media. Such as: ABC 7 Chicago, NBC, WGN-9 2x, Fox 32 Chicago, Screw the Clout with A-lister Steve Stanulis, Cancer Wellness Magazine, Unscarred documentary, Chicago Sun-Times & more. (To view simply go to the press page of my website www.flawlesspermanentmakeupbyelsa.com.) A lot of my features have been about spreading awareness about cosmetic & paramedical tattooing; what it is – how it can benefit many individuals. How survivors can apply for pro bono services & how to find a reputable artist &/or trainer. (The SPCP has a directory on their website which is a great resource for artists & clients to find someone credible to tattoo them or train them; www.spcp.org.)
I am proud of the work I’ve done, the business I have built, the awards I’ve won & the people I have been able to help with my form of artistry. As well as, the accomplishments I have achieved over the years despite the many obstacles faced & turbulent childhood I had to heal from. I work with trauma survivors for a reason. I am one. I believe in paying it forward. This career has allowed me to do just that, & that makes it all worth it in my eyes.
How do you define success?
I define success not by material possessions. I feel success is making a difference in your community or in the lives of others in a positive way. Life is hard enough, I think if we all showed each other a little more grace, empathy & compassion than this world would look like a completely different place. We all have to do our part to make that happen. I chose a career that helps both body & mind. Making my clients happy & there lives a bit easier.
achieving good results; that look natural, last & age well is success to me.
Pricing:
- Pricing can be found on my service page of website. Any corrections or paramedical/scar work requires a free consultation to obtain a quote & potentially book. All consultations are free.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://flawlesspermanentmakeupbyelsa.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flawlesspermanentmakeupbyelsa/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flawlesspermanentmakeupbyelsa
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/flawless-permanent-makeup-by-elsa-chicago-3
- Other: https://share.google/ODYV3jEFzZygsHyr0
