By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

Grace Salon Spa in Clanton hosted a special guest from England last week for a makeup master class.

Andrea Toth, a semi-permanent master make-up artist who works in London, demonstrated her technique and tips for having each element on point to a group eager to learn.

The makeup style has also been called micropigmentation.

“We call it semi-permanent because we work with pigment instead of tattooing,” Toth said.

High-quality pigment will fade out in a couple of years, Toth said. However, many pigments fade in a year.

At the Clanton class, two students were from Alabama, while the other two were from Florida.

Toth demonstrated her style for each element of the face and how to make it perfect.

Toth was already working in the beauty industry when she discovered semi-permanent makeup.

“I really loved it, and I thought maybe I could do that one,” Toth said.

Toth was so pleased with her own personal results, she began learning more about semi-permanent makeup and developing her technique.

Even today, Toth said she is still learning.

“It is a never-ending learning [experience],” Toth said. “I still feel like a student … there is always some new technique coming in … there is always a new trend and new style.”

When Toth was starting in the industry, she took a six-month course for tattooing. Now shorter classes are available to learn techniques.

Toth travels internationally teaching interested stylists. Toth said she connects with those interested in her technique through social media. Some already have experience with the tattoo method of permanent makeup.

“We see each other’s work and we invite if we want to learn from someone, and this is how we get together,” Toth said.

When someone expresses interest in hosting a class, Toth chooses a specific elements to highlight and then advertises the class.

“They’ve seen my picture and they just want to be able to do it my way,” Toth said.

The process for semi-permanent makeup takes more than just one salon visit.

Toth said for lips she does a foundation than comes back with another application 90 days later.

The color will fade to a shade about 50 percent lighter than how it appeals when the pigment is first applied.

She said when someone has a specific style, someone can tell the different faces they have done.

Toth lives in Nottingham and travels often giving classes. In the past month, she has done classes in Australia and Thailand. This week she is teaching in Sacramento, California.