Everything you need to know about the Fitzpatrick Scale

Ever wondered how Eye Design’s technicians choose the right shade pigment for their clients every single time? I trained them to always consider the Fitzpatrick Scale when going through the process with the client.

This foolproof guide is used by health professionals to determine the risk of skin cancer and other skin conditions, by techies to develop an inclusive range of emojis and by beauticians (like us!) to assist in making our clients confident and happy.

The Fitzpatrick Scale helps us differentiate among six different skin shades. Per Healthline:

Fitzpatrick skin type 1

• skin color (before sun exposure): ivory
• eye color: light blue, light gray, or light green
• natural hair color: red or light blonde
• sun reaction: skin always freckles, always burns and peels, and never tans

Fitzpatrick skin type 2

• skin color (before sun exposure): fair or pale
• eye color: blue, gray, or green
• natural hair color: blonde
• sun reaction: skin usually freckles, burns and peels often, and rarely tans

Fitzpatrick skin type 3

• skin color (before sun exposure): fair to beige, with golden undertones
• eye color: hazel or light brown
• natural hair color: dark blonde or light brown
• sun reaction: skin might freckle, burns on occasion, and sometimes tans

Fitzpatrick skin type 4

• skin color (before sun exposure): olive or light brown
• eye color: dark brown
• natural hair color: dark brown
• sun reaction: doesn’t really freckle, burns rarely, and tans often

Fitzpatrick skin type 5

• skin color (before sun exposure): dark brown or black
• eye color: dark brown to black
• natural hair color: dark brown to black
• sun reaction: rarely freckles, almost never burns, and always tans

Fitzpatrick skin type 6

• skin color (before sun exposure): black
• eye color: brownish black
• natural hair color: black
• sun reaction: never freckles, never burns, and always tans darkly

When I was developing Eye Design’s six mineral-based Microblading Pigments (Caramel, Cappuccino, Coffee, Chocolate, Dark Chocolate and Espresso), of course I kept the Fitzpatrick Scale in mind! Depending on the client’s desires (i.e., how subtle or how bold she wants her new brows), each pigment can fit a range of Fitzpatrick skin types.

Caramel works for clients who are a 1 or 2; Coffee is best on a 3, 4 or 5; Chocolate, our most universal pigment, is slightly warmer than Coffee, but also works best on a 3, 4 0r 5; Dark Chocolate targets the 4-5-6 range; Espresso was designed with all our 5 and 6 clients in mind.

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