Is it freckle juice? No, freckle tattoos.

On a recent June morning in Brooklyn, Chloe Sarre nearly fell asleep on a bed in a cozy room when a makeup artist used a needle dipped in a semi-permanent liquid pigment to gently poke about 20 microscopic dots across her cheeks.

Keila Cummings, the artist and co-owner of Brow stressa cosmetic tattoo parlor, was wiping off excess ink with a baby wipe as Ali Gatie’s “Used to You” floated through her 10th floor studio near Dumbo.

“Oh, that doesn’t hurt at all,” said Mrs. Sarre, a 35-year-old women’s fitness trainer who lives in Brooklyn. “Honestly, waxing the eyebrows is worse.”

Before her appointment, Ms. Sarre had drawn dots on herself with an eyebrow pencil to wear the latest beauty trend that thousands of people across the country are trying: freckle tattoos. Available in the shape of hearts, stars, or even astrological signs, the melanin-filled skin spots, once a cause of schoolyard torment, have become the latest TikTok obsession.

Freckle tattoos are made with the same pigment used for eyebrow microblading, another cosmetic treatment that involves etching semi-permanent pigment into the surface of the skin. The effect of microblading is fuller and thicker eyebrows.

The procedure for these artificial sun kisses takes about an hour and is less painful and permanent than a traditional tattoo. It lasts about eight months to two years, depending on skin type, sun exposure, and how often the recipient exfoliates, and costs start at about $200 to $500, depending on tip, location, and how much someone gets.

Freckle tattoos started to become fashionable around 2018, said Krystal Cummings, Keila’s 36-year-old twin sister and co-owner of Browstress. She said she learned how to do them at the request of a client.

“She told me to call her if — not if — I started doing them,” said Krystal, whose nose is dotted with freckles she’s tattooed herself.

Krystal, a former 911 operator, opened Browstress in 2018. She was inspired to learn about microblading when her aunt was diagnosed with cancer and had to undergo chemotherapy, which caused her eyebrow hairs to fall out. She watched YouTube tutorials, practiced on herself and mastered the touch needed to make the freckle tattoos look natural.

“You want them to be light and airy,” she said, “and you want the edges to be very, very soft.”

Throughout history, freckles have long been misunderstood and seen as imperfections. But there was a notable shift in the mid-to-late 20th century, when a tan (and the associated freckles) became a status symbol of a leisurely life, said Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell, a fashion historian who specializes in early modern fashion. time. .

In the 1990s, freckles became associated with a more youthful appearance, thanks to model Twiggy and singer Jane Birkin, as well as the 1960s “youth tremor” cultural movement. By the early 2000s, they had become trendy on advertising campaigns and catwalks. Then, in 2018, Meghan Markle’s decision to go more natural for her wedding to Prince Harry led to a wave of fake freckles.

The last few years have seen the rise of TikTok and the openness of influencers who are getting cosmetic work done have further amplified procedures such as freckle tattoos for a wider audience.

Before Browstress, Krystal said, a majority of customers learned about the tattoos through word of mouth, Internet searches or social media.

Of course, not all press is positive. There are a number of posts from women who play sports bright red, Pippi Longstocking-like dots right after the procedure, which some people may confuse with the final result. (Saki Leea Brooklyn artist who also offers the tattoos said that’s why she mainly put images of the healed, finished results on her Instagram bill.)

The worst inflammation usually clears up within 10 minutes, Ms Lee said, although redness can last longer in fair-skinned people. For many clients, their cheeks usually only look slightly sunburned immediately after the procedure.

At the end of the hour, Keila advised Ms Sarre to stay out of the sun for five to seven days and not to exfoliate her face.

Oh, interposed Krystal, one more thing: “Did Keila tell you you can’t train for three days?”

“You didn’t say that,” said Mrs. Sarre, who, dressed in a sweat-wicking navy T-shirt, black leggings, and Crocs, looked like she was on her way to do just that. “Why?”

“You’re sweating out the pigment,” Krystal said.

After agreeing on a compromise – she could work out, but not too hard, and the sauna was definitely off-limits – Mrs. Sarre posed for a few photos, admiring her new specks.

The tattoos take about two weeks to heal and begin to lighten from dark to blondish brown after the first week, Keila said. Some may disappear completely.

“One or two fall out,” Keila said, “but we can add them back in.”

The sisters often make the mistake of going lighter before adding more freckles or darkening them as desired.

Has anyone ever asked to remove them?

“No,” Kristel said. “In fact, people almost always want more.”