SHARK TANK APPROVED 
By: Stephanie Barefoot-Mitchell
Freckles are the new fabulous fad, and people are paying a lot of money to imitate them.
Hence the confusion, because redheads always knew they were fabulous. Right?
If you’re a redhead, chances are you’ve loved or hated your freckles. I will admit it — as a child, I didn’t like them because it was just something else I was teased about. From asking if they could “connect my dots” to calling me “mud face”, there were many common taunts.
I cried to my grandmother one day and she recommended I perform an old wive’s tale: in the morning, collect dew from the grass and the dew will wash away my freckles. Of course, I tried but nothing worked.
So, I caked on liquid foundation and tried to hide every freckle. I was so desperate to cover them. I was thankful liquid could cover the freckles on my face, but what about the rest of my body? I definitely didn’t spend any extra time outside because I knew my freckles would multiply! If I spent a considerable amount of time outdoors, freckles would show up on my knees, my shoulders…I was distraught.
But today, things are different. Society loves freckles. I love my freckles.
Women are not only dying their locks to match our red manes; they are also faking their freckles!
Yes, FAKING freckles! The very dots I wanted to get rid of, people are now paying money to get placed on their body. This is no surprise, with the recent popularity of microblading eyebrows, permanent freckles were bound to become a thing.
The new beauty trend is called “freckling”! Freckling consists of cosmetic tattooing of the face with hopes of having a fresh, younger glow. The addition of freckle to one’s face is not a new trend, however. Folks have used henna tattoos or freckle pencils for years.
Taking it a step further are cosmetic companies like Get Frecked, which is a DIY kit that offers a type of self-tanner formula with a stencil that will give you freckles that last around 48 hours.
But the most recent routes are offering both semi-permanent and permanent options.
The semi-permanent splash of specks differs because it consists of using a pigment instead of actual ink. With a micro-tipped needle, the pigment is inserted under the skin in a random pattern. Since freckles are not actually round, this offers a more “natural” look.
See some results from #FreckleTattoos on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BJRXN02hNhn/?tagged=freckletattoos
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNiPFQDDQeY/?tagged=freckletattoos
Initially, they look intense and swollen like bee stings. After a few hours, the swelling will decrease and the freckles will eventually fade over time. Folks are paying up to $250 per session for these freckles that will last anywhere from 6-12 months.
I’m not sure if I should feel flattered or flabbergasted! Yes, I now smile when I look in the mirror and see my sun-kissed skin (with use of proper a ‘Redhead Friendly’ SPF, of course!) glowing with more“angel kisses”. But as a redhead, we wore born, taunted and teased for these so-called “flaws”.
The irony of folks now paying for freckles is surreal. But redheads everywhere know these beauty marks can be imitated, but never truly duplicated. Because let’s be honest……how many souls did they steal?
WATCH more:
Rock it like a Redhead!
