Monique Ink Artistry (MIA Studio) is a specialist cosmetic tattooing studio located upstairs at 101 Dee Street in Invercargill, New Zealand. The studio focuses exclusively on permanent makeup: nano hairstroke brows, ombre and powder brows, lip blushing, lash enhancement eyeliner, and laser brow tattoo removal.
The studio is led by Monique Latham, cosmetic tattoo artist, founder and creative director. Monique's experience in the industry spans more than 12 years, built on ongoing education and training with international trainers. Women travel from all over the South Island to trust her with their brows and lips, drawn by her reputation for natural, realistic healed results.
Monique Ink Artistry is also an official provider for Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora's medical hair loss subsidy. Clients experiencing hair loss from medical conditions or cancer treatment can use their wigs and hairpieces entitlement toward eligible services — all that's needed is a current medical certificate from a GP or specialist, and the studio can even help with the paperwork.
Appointments are available Monday to Saturday, strictly by appointment, with online booking available. The studio also publishes pre and post care guidance so clients know exactly how to prepare and how to look after their results.
Tucked upstairs on level 1 at 101 Dee Street in Invercargill, Monique Ink Artistry — known to clients simply as MIA Studio — is a dedicated cosmetic tattooing studio serving the far south of New Zealand. This is not a general beauty salon that dabbles in permanent makeup; it is a studio built entirely around one craft.
At the heart of the business is Monique Latham, the studio's founder and creative director. Her experience in the industry spans more than 12 years, and she has deliberately kept upskilling throughout that time, training with some of the best international trainers available. That ongoing education shows in the work: women travel from all over the South Island to have Monique create brows and lips, trusting her to deliver natural and realistic healed results — the true test of any cosmetic tattoo.
MIA Studio specialises in four core cosmetic tattoo services, plus laser removal. For brows, clients can choose between nano hairstrokes — ultra-fine strokes that mimic individual hairs for a natural look — and ombre or powder brows, which create a soft, shaded finish. On the lips, lip blushing adds subtle, lasting colour. For the eyes, baby liner offers a delicate lash enhancement eyeliner that defines without looking drawn on.
The studio also performs laser brow tattoo removal, an important service for anyone carrying old or unwanted brow tattoo work from years past. Rather than tattooing over faded or misshapen work, removal offers a way to genuinely start again.
One thing that sets Monique Ink Artistry apart is its status as an official provider for the medical hair loss subsidy with Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora. People who lose hair because of a medical condition — cancer treatment, alopecia, or other scalp conditions — may be entitled to government funding that can be put toward eligible services, including brow-related work.
The process is straightforward: a GP or medical specialist provides a current medical certificate covering your NHI number, details of the hair loss condition, and whether it is permanent or temporary. From there you can either fill out the forms yourself, or Monique and the studio can do it for you. For adults, entitlements range from shorter-term amounts for temporary hair loss to substantial multi-year entitlements for permanent hair loss, and children have their own entitlement period. In exceptional situations, Health NZ can even consider early access or top-ups.
For someone navigating hair loss during an already difficult time, having a provider who understands both the artistry and the paperwork makes a genuine difference.
Appointments at MIA Studio run Monday to Saturday, all strictly by appointment — this is one-on-one, unhurried work rather than a walk-in service. Booking is simple through the studio's online system, and enquiries can be made by email at Hellomoniqueartistry@gmail.com.
Because cosmetic tattooing is a process, not just a single appointment, the studio publishes clear pre and post care guidance on its website. Clients know how to prepare their skin before a procedure and how to protect their results while they heal — essential reading for anyone wanting those natural healed results to last.
Whether you're after softly shaded brows, a hint of colour on the lips, or help reclaiming your look through funded hair-loss services, Monique Ink Artistry offers a rare combination: a specialist's singular focus, more than a decade of experience, and a studio that South Island clients are willing to travel for. Book ahead, follow the care advice, and let the healed results speak for themselves.