After Christine Mastriani-Cobb was laid off from her job in the oil and gas industry and her grandmother died of cancer in 2015, she decided to open her own business.

Mastriani-Cobb opened A Permanent Touch in The Woodlands last year. The business is a permanent makeup studio where Mastriani-Cobb does cosmetic tattooing for eyebrows, eyeliner and lips as well as paramedical tattooing for disorders such as alopecia and trichotillomania as well as areola regimentation.

“My grandmother had breast cancer—she didn’t pass from breast cancer, but after you live a certain length of time, it takes you in other ways,” she said. “A Permanent Touch is for her; everything about it pertains to her. Everything I do, I dedicate to her.”

Roughly half of her clients have been affected by cancer, Mastriani-Cobb said, and the effects of chemotherapy and surgeries prompt clients to seek out her services.

“I love giving back and doing something to help women who have gone through such a traumatic experience,” Mastriani-Cobb said. “[Cancer is] horrible and I don’t wish it on anybody, but I’m here if somebody needs me.”

Mastriani-Cobb said she was trained in the soft tap method of applying permanent makeup, meaning everything is done by hand to create a natural look. Even now, she continues perfecting her craft by interning under Connie Pearson in The Galleria area, where Mastriani-Cobb also sees clients.

Although there is no state licensing required for permanent makeup artists, Mastriani-Cobb said she has put a lot of work into her personal training and hopes that policy, or the lack thereof, will change.

Sessions are by appointment only. Mastriani-Cobb said permanent makeup is a process, and when cancer is involved, thoroughness is key. Clients must meet a lengthy list of criteria before undergoing treatment.

“I primarily cater to cancer patients, but it’s also for corrections,” she said. “Permanent makeup is not an overnight thing if you want it done correctly. There’s an art behind it and a passion for it.”