GREENVILLE, S.C. -- A new kind of makeup is gaining popularity.

It's permanent, and instead of going on with a brush, it goes on with a needle.

Just like a tattoo, a needle is used to permanently dye the skin with ink.

Although still new and rare in the Upstate, permanent makeup is becoming increasingly popular among women of all ages who do it to save time and look good.

You can't just go to any tattoo parlor to get it done, because South Carolina has strict regulations on the procedure.

A physician must supervise any one doing any tattooing above the jaw line.

"It's a tattooing procedure where a needle is used to inject the dye into the dermis of the skin," Dr. Julie McDermott of Living Well Medical Spa said. "There is a needle involved, so anytime you have that, you have a risk of bleeding and infection.

Picking the right shade of ink is a tricky part of the process, too.

After all, it's permanent ink.

"We mix it, you take one, add a little bit of this, a little bit of that," permanent makeup Artist Beth Fleury said. "You might have your own original color."

Theresa Hutchens said that since she had the permanent makeup done, it's faster for her to get ready in the morning and it looks better than her traditional makeup.

"I saw someone I hadn't seen in over a year, and she said, 'You had a face lift,' Hutchens said. " I said 'No I didn't.' And she told me 'You're Lying, you have had one.' I just said 'No, I just had a couple of procedures done,' but I never told her what."

Eyeliner is the most popular type of permanent makeup, followed by eyebrows and then lips.

The procedure can take anywhere from 90 minutes to several hours.

Those who perform the procedure use numbing cream to help with any possible pain.

Most applications require a touch-up or two after the initial visit.

Each procedure will cost you several hundred dollars, but as anyone who spends time at the cosmetics counter knows, neither are traditional cosmetics.