Ericka Passwaters recently relocated to 10 NW Front Street
In 2022, Ericka Passwaters opened a permanent make-up studio in The Loft, a group of studios located above Mispillion Art League. After becoming certified in 3D areola reconstruction, she realized the Loft studios did not offer the privacy her clients needed.
“I lived in one of Dan Bond’s apartments and I knew that he had other properties he was refurbishing as well. He mentioned to me he was going to have suites in this building, so I went and looked at them and it was perfect,” Passwaters said. “It kept getting pushed back, I think it was more than a year, so I had to keep pushing my clients back, but it ended up working perfectly. If it had been done when it was supposed to be done, I would have been on maternity leave and all I could think was “how am I going to do this with a newborn.”
The need for privacy stemmed from Passwater’s certification that allows her to create areolas and nipples for someone who has undergone mastectomy or augmentation. In some cases, those women lose those parts of their breasts, and the 3D reconstruction allows them to feel their breasts are more “normal.”
“I also offer scar camouflage,” Passwaters said. “If a client has scar tissue, which is common after mastectomy, if the scar is raised, red or discolored, I can basically blend in the scar with their skin tone making it less noticeable.”
Passwaters spent 11 years in the retail side of the beauty business. A graduate of Milford High School, Passwaters became certified in permanent makeup while working full time with Bare Minerals at Alta. She planned to open her own studio but then got a big promotion at work, so she put her plans on hold. When Alta closed their doors permanently during COVID, Passwaters decided it was time to take the leap.
“I was scared to branch out on my own and start a whole new business, but it was either that or look for another full-time job that could ultimately close again, so I went ahead and took the leap,” Passwaters said. “In addition to 3D areola reconstruction and scar camouflage, I also offer permanent brows, permanent liner and permanent lips. The eyeliner is technically called lash enhancement and the lips are called lip blushing.”
Passwaters explained that there are many options available for brows, including microblading, microshading, ombre powder and combinations. She feels that the best part of her business is giving women confidence, seeing them smile and feel better about themselves.
“For some, it may seem to just be an eyebrow,” she said. “But for others that brow may be life changing.”
Permanent Makeup by Ericka Passwaters is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 AM until 4 PM by appointment only. She is open occasionally on Saturday from 11 AM until 4 PM and is willing to schedule later appointments if a client cannot get in before 4. The studio is located at 10 Northwest Front Street in Milford. Appointments can be made by visiting her website and clicking on the Book Now or Contact buttons.
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