The Pigment PMU Competition

A live permanent makeup competition where artists work on real models and are judged solely on the finished result on the skin.

Date: 28 September 2026
Time: 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM, followed by the award ceremony at 8:30 PM

Venue

The competition takes place at Hotel Cristoforo Colombo, a 4-star hotel in Rome's EUR / Torrino district.

Address: Via Cristoforo Colombo 710, Rome, Italy
Official website: hotelcolomboroma.it
Book a room: booking.com

The hotel has 323 rooms and is located next to the Euroma2 shopping center, close to Rome's GRA ring road. On-site there is a restaurant, a seasonal outdoor pool, a garden, free WiFi and free self-parking. Check-in from 3:00 PM, check-out at 11:00 AM. A bus stop nearby connects to metro line B. We recommend booking your room early, as availability is limited.

Categories

You may enter one or compete in all three:

• Microblading
• PMU Lips
• PMU Brows

Time Limits

• PMU Brows & Lips: 3 hours
• Microblading: 2 hours 30 minutes

Prizes

🥇 1st Place — The Grand Prize

• €5,000 in cash
• An all-expenses-paid trip to The Pigment Factory in Dubai, where you step behind the scenes of how a premium pigment line is born.
• Your own signature pigment line — developed hand in hand with our R&D team and fully funded by us. You shape the shades, we handle the formulation, production and branding. The result is a finished line that carries your name, ready to use and to sell — at zero cost to you.

🥈 2nd Place — €2,000 The Pigment product voucher

🥉 3rd Place — €1,000 The Pigment product voucher

What We Provide

Each station is equipped with a treatment bed, a cosmetic table and a ring light.

What You Bring

• Your own professional working materials: machine, cartridges, pigments, tools and all disposables you work with (cotton pads, cable covers, gloves, etc.)
• Your own model

Models: Bringing your own model is mandatory. If you cannot find a model, contact us at least 4 weeks before the event and we will try to arrange one for you.

Hygiene & PPE Requirements

All competitors must follow professional hygiene standards throughout the competition:

• PPE masks for both competitors and models
• Disposable gowns for both competitors and models
• Disposable hair covers for both competitors and models
• Disposable shoe covers for models
• All disposable working materials (cable covers, cotton pads, gloves)
• Black gloves are not permitted.
• All removable parts (needle, cartridge) must come from sealed sterile packaging
• Before gloving, caps and masks must be worn by both competitor and model
• All jewelry (bracelets, watches, rings) must be removed
• Hands washed and sanitized before gloving (sanitizer provided on site)
• The model's skin must be cleaned with an alcohol-based sanitizer before application
• Hair must be tied back in a ponytail or bun

Scoring Criteria

Evaluation is based only on the final result on the model. The jury scores on:

• Harmony – the result follows the natural shape of the brows / lips
• Shape & symmetry
• Colour – matched to the skin tone and natural brow / lip colour
• Traumatisation – unnecessary injury to the skin or swelling is penalized
• Cleanliness – no makeup or concealer left on the face

General Rules

• All competitors must comply fully with the competition rules. Non-compliance may result in sanctions or disqualification.
• If a competitor or model is late, does not show up, or cancels on the competition day, the competitor is disqualified and no refund will be issued.