
At Winnipeg's House of Saturn tattoos, the goal is make customers feel at home in their bodies
According to astrologers, a rite of passage occurs when Saturn returns to the same celestial position it occupied on the day you were born. This period coincides with the late 20s and is said to bring on intense bouts of self-reflection, growth and transformation.
For Kiana Delos Santos, the ringed planet offered a fitting metaphor for her new cosmetic tattoo business, House of Saturn.
'It's really about becoming your true form,' says the permanent makeup artist and casual horoscope follower.
'Something so private and personal can still change someone's life, because it makes them feel more like themselves.'–Delos Santos
Delos Santos, 28, and partner Jesse Ojenma, 33, opened House of Saturn last October in a sunny sixth-floor suite at 70 Arthur St. The art-filled studio has huge arched windows — the trim painted lime green — and several stations, where the couple offers long-lasting makeup, areola reconstruction, scar revision and tattoo removal. Two tattoo artists also rent space in the shop.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
House of Saturn is in a sixth-floor space in the Exchange District.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
House of Saturn is in a sixth-floor space in the Exchange District.
The duo's goal is to enhance what's already there, restore what's been lost and remove what no longer resonates.
Delos Santos traces her interest in cosmetics to childhood sleepovers with her older cousins, who often treated her as their makeover guinea pig. They also introduced her to the positive power of brow shaping.
'People would not shut up about (my eyebrows) when I got them done,' she says. 'It really does change your look completely.'
After watching a YouTube tutorial, Delos Santos learned how to thread her own brows and, as a teen, started offering the service to others. She trained with a local brow artist and launched her own permanent makeup career in 2018.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
Tattoo artist Kiana Delos Santos says her work is about 'becoming your true form.'
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
Tattoo artist Kiana Delos Santos says her work is about 'becoming your true form.'
Permanent makeup, also called micropigmentation, employs a handheld machine, similar to a tattoo gun, to recreate the look of makeup. It's a practice that's been around for decades but has experienced a popularity boom in recent years.
While Delos Santos specializes in brows, eyeliner, lip blush and freckles, her scar and areola work is equally meaningful.
With scar restoration, she uses a tattoo pen to bring blood flow to the area and encourage further healing. With areola reconstruction, she creates highly realistic nipple tattoos for clients who've undergone breast cancer or gender-affirming top surgery.
KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO
Areola reconstruction can be undertaken after gender-affirming top surgery.
KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO
Areola reconstruction can be undertaken after gender-affirming top surgery.
'Something so private and personal can still change someone's life, because it makes them feel more like themselves,' she says, adding permanent makeup can create a similar reaction.
'They're feeling fresh and they don't have to think about their appearance, which is something people may struggle with on a day-to-day basis.'
Delos Santos sees many people hoping to fix their pencil-thin ''90s brows,' which never grew back after being plucked to oblivion.
'I wouldn't have a career if that era didn't exist,' she says with a laugh.
Since trends are fleeting, subtlety is the name of the game. Delos Santos uses application techniques that allow the makeup to fade over two or three years as the skin naturally regenerates. Sun exposure, skin-care routines and pigmentation can also impact longevity.
KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO
Nano brows are created using a thin needle to create individual hair strokes.
KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO
Nano brows are created using a thin needle to create individual hair strokes.
'I would rather people come every few years to get things updated than be stuck with something for many years,' she says, adding the industry is slowly moving away from heavy lines and deep application for fashionable and practical reasons.
These days, Delos Santos prefers crafting nano brows — using a thin needle to create individual hair strokes — over microblading, a waning trend in which pigment is dropped into the skin through tiny incisions. If the ink is deposited too deeply, it can get trapped in the oil-producing layer of the skin and become discoloured over time.
'When you see someone with blue or green eyebrows, it's usually a depth issue,' she says. 'That's actually why we have Jesse doing brow removal now.'
Originally from Brampton, Ont., Ojenma moved to Winnipeg after meeting Delos Santos while she was vacationing in Ontario. The pair have been together for nine years and are now co-workers, with Ojenma handling shop logistics and tattoo removals.
KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO
Lip blush
KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO
Lip blush
The couple often do consultations together, since pairing both procedures can make natural-looking results more achievable.
Ojenma uses a pico laser, which delivers short pulses to break up tattoo ink.
'When the laser hits the ink, it blows up into tiny particles,' he says. 'It could take six to eight weeks to see results, because it goes through your (lymph system) and your body has to flush it out.'
Complete removal can take multiple sessions, which can become slightly more painful as the laser frequency increases.
True to the shop's namesake, opening House of Saturn has been a transformative experience for Delos Santos, who is Filipina and was diagnosed with ADHD later in life.
Every Second Friday
The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney.
'As someone who's both neurodivergent and a minority, I didn't always see people like me owning businesses,' she says.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
House of Saturn co-owners Jesse Ojenma (left) and Kiana Delos Santos
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
House of Saturn co-owners Jesse Ojenma (left) and Kiana Delos Santos
Running her own space has allowed her to explore other forms of artful body modification, such as traditional tattooing and Filipino hand-poking, called batok. She and Ojenma also regularly host community events, such as sound baths, pottery workshops and drop-in art programming.
Find more information about House of Saturn on Instagram (@hos.wpg).
eva.wasney@winnipegfreepress.com
Eva WasneyReporter
Eva Wasney has been a reporter with the Free Press Arts & Life department since 2019. Read more about Eva.
Every piece of reporting Eva produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Ex-treme adventures
Angenia Papineau said she hasn't smiled this much in weeks. The 20-year-old from Cross Lake spent a thrilling evening with her sister and friend at the Red River Exhibition in Winnipeg after a nomadic few weeks caused by wildfires near her hometown. 'It's been very stressful because we've wanted to go home for a while. We came out here for a break, and it's been a lot of fun,' Papineau told the Free Press on Tuesday. 'It feels a lot better getting out of the Airbnb after being stuck there and not really doing much.' JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS Hailey Papineau, Angenia Papineau and Kayleigh Ross enjoy the Crazy Mouse ride at the Red River Ex Tuesday. More than three weeks ago, Papineau was preparing to return home to surprise her family after wrapping up her university studies this spring. She said her plans got derailed once her community was ordered to evacuate. 'It totally sucked. People left and had to find places to sleep. They were either going to community centres or arenas,' said Papineau. She and her parents, three brothers, sister, and dog are staying at an Airbnb since nobody in their family lives in Winnipeg. She said they are expected to return to Cross Lake, 500 kilometres north of Winnipeg, on Friday after the province lifted the evacuation order June 16. Thanks to the Canadian Red Cross, Papineau said she got free tickets to the Red River Ex this week. She rode the Ex's popular 'crazy mouse' and 'mega drop' roller-coasters and rode in the classic bumper cars. 'It's gotten our minds off what has been happening with the evacuation and being away from home and things like that. It's been nice,' she said. Shane Farberman, better known as 'Doo Doo the International Clown,' helped to bring ear-to-ear smiles to fair-goers, including evacuees. 'Everywhere I go, when I'm driving from a hotel and I see a busload of people walking in the park or having lunch, I've been jumping out, doing videos, taking pictures, and doing magic, and just getting families out,' said Farberman. 'I just feel it's good for my heart, and it's good for their heart.' The clown from Ontario, who appeared in Adam Sandler's Billy Madison and has performed at the Ex for more than 30 years, also entertains people across North America and Europe. Whether it's walk-around parties, pop-up shows, or being on stage, Farberman said Winnipeggers are an unmatched audience. JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS Doo Doo The Clown, who has been clowning for 30 years, entertains at the Red River Ex Tuesday. 'The love that I get in Winnipeg is just amazing. Everybody is so warm and loving, and the people I've met have actually become lifetime friends of mine,' he said. 'I always have hundreds of families that come up to me, and the parents tell their kids, 'This is the clown when I was little at the fair.'' It's no surprise, during Doo Doo's 31st year at the Ex, he was seen drawing in a crowd of younger folks with his comedic magic tricks and balloon animals. He said being a clown will never get old for him. 'What other job in the world do you get paid to make people smile and laugh? To have this longevity, you need to love it,' he said. Although Doo Doo has been a longtime staple at the largest travelling carnival in North America, Garth Rogerson, CEO of the Red River Exhibition Association, said there are new features this year. Some of the latest concepts include a pro wrestling show, a chainsaw-carving demo area, the 'haunted carnival'— a 6,000-square-foot walk-through haunted house attraction — and a lumberjack show, which includes an axe-throwing and log-rolling competition. There's a theme each day, including Indigenous Peoples Day on Saturday and Filipino Day and Kids Day on Sunday. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Rogerson said more than 4,000 people entered the park within the first hour on Sunday. The Ex's revenues are trending up at around 12 per cent to start this year's tour in Winnipeg. JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS Imrose Dhaliwal, front left, Sirat Sran, front right, Sahipbep Dhaliwal, back left, and Simrandeep Dhaliwal, back right, enjoy the Outlaw ride at the Red River Ex Tuesday. Safety measures have been beefed up this year, including a mile of new fencing, more lit-up areas to prohibit outsiders from throwing objects over the fence, additional cameras, and enough security officers to ensure there is at least one guard for every 250 guests. 'We want to make sure that everybody feels safe at all times and doesn't have to worry,' Rogerson said. 'Let us worry about those bad guys, and we'll take care of that.' The Ex concludes on Sunday.


Style Blueprint
2 days ago
- Style Blueprint
Cool Adult Clubs in Memphis: Find Your People in the 901
Share with your friends! Pinterest LinkedIn Email Flipboard Reddit New to town or looking to expand your circle? Whether you are an introvert, an extrovert, or something in between, finding like-minded people who share your passions is easier than you might think. From stimulating book chats and competitive runs to gardening workshops and game nights, Memphis offers an array of groups you can join to connect with new friends through shared interests! For Book Lovers A Novel Book Club More Info: Tucked inside the beloved East Memphis indie bookstore, this club hosts monthly discussions that go deep. Expect a mix of genres, themed reads, and the occasional guest author. Anyone is welcome — no registration required — and members help choose future reading selections. Bonus: You can grab coffee and browse for more books while you're there! Memphis Public Library Book Clubs More Info: Several local library branches run themed clubs open to the public, covering topics ranging from mystery to memoir. Many also offer virtual options, host speakers, and hold special events tied to each book's theme. Memphis Girls Book Club More Info: Founded in 2023 to foster literacy and community among girls who share a passion for reading, this fun, intimate book club hosts monthly meetings and mini-meets at spots around town. The goal is to provide a haven for women to explore new books, find new friends, and give back to the community. The group even has an online platform for members to connect and engage. Pin The New Romantics Book Club More Info: Instagram Run by spunky twin sisters, Stacey and Steph, this club is perfect for hopeless romantics, avid chick-flick watchers, and readers who love stories that end in a kiss. The group shares its monthly book picks via Instagram and hosts live reading sprints each weekend on its YouTube channel, along with a live book discussion at the end of each month. Pin Silent Book Club – Memphis Chapter More Info: Not a fan of structured discussions? The Silent Book Club is for you. The club, dubbed the 'Introvert Happy Hour,' is a no-pressure way to enjoy reading together — quietly. Meet at a cozy venue with your book of choice, read in silence, and chat afterward (or not). No assigned reading or small talk required! For the Movers & Shakers Memphis Runners Track Club More Info: One of the largest and most active running clubs in the South, the nonprofit MRTC promotes health and fitness through amateur road racing, cross-country, and track — all in the spirit of fun and competition. This club isn't just for marathoners; all levels are welcome! Join weekly group runs, training programs, fun events like 'Brew Runs,' and the club's annual Road Race Series. Pin Grind City Cycling More Info: Instagram Love biking? Whether you're into scenic city rides or off-road adventures, this club offers organized routes, trail exploration, and social rides across Memphis and the Mid-South with other cycling enthusiasts. It even sponsors charity events like the annual Paint The Streets Pink ride, which raises money for breast cancer research and awareness. Outdoor Adventures Meetup More Info: Want to get out of the city and into nature? This outdoor-centric meetup group has a calendar full of adventures you can sign up for, from kayaking and canoeing to hiking, camping, and backpacking. Get to know other nature buffs and explore natural treasures in Memphis and the surrounding area. For Green Thumbs & Creatives Memphis Area Master Gardeners More Info: Backed by the University of Tennessee Extension, the group allows gardeners (and aspiring gardeners) to take workshops, join community projects, and swap tips with fellow gardeners. You can train to become a certified master gardener — or just learn how to keep your succulents from wilting. Pin Memphis Herb Society More Info: Instagram For those intrigued by culinary, medicinal, or decorative herbs, this club dives into everything herbal: cooking, medicine, landscaping, and crafts. Meetings, which take plaoccur at the Memphis Botanic Garden, include hands-on demos, tastings, and talks by expert herbalists. MidSouth Makers More Info: Part hackerspace, part creative collective, MidSouthMakers in East Memphis is a hub for DIYers, hosting regular classes, workshops, and open studio nights. The collaborative space caters to diverse interests, from 3D printing and electronics to woodworking and stained glass, to bring builders, tinkerers, artists, and makers together under one roof. Pin For the Quirky & Curious Memphis Chess Club More Info: Founded in 1877, this downtown club has been reinvented into a café, social club, and tournament space all in one, bringing new life to a classic game. You don't need to be the next Bobby Fischer to join — it's open to all skill levels. Drop in to play casually or competitively, take lessons, or just sip coffee (or cocktails) while watching others strategize. If chess isn't your thing, the club is stocked with loads of other board games, including Monopoly and checkers. Pin Memphis Board Game Group More Info: Facebook Hosted at rotating bars, cafes, and game stores throughout Memphis, this casual group welcomes tabletop gamers of all experience levels. Expect to find everything from blackjack to Dungeons & Dragons. Play new games, meet fellow gamers, and learn from seasoned players in a relaxed setting. Toastmasters Memphis More Info: Are you looking to polish your public speaking or leadership skills? Multiple Toastmasters groups meet weekly across the city, offering a supportive environment to practice and build confidence. Ready to join? Most clubs are open to newcomers and host events year-round. Check out their websites or social media for current meet-ups and sign-up details. Here's to meeting new people! ********** To stay in the know on the best of the South, subscribe to our daily emails! About the Author Emily McMackin Emily McMackin Dye is an Alabama native and Tennessee transplant, who recently moved to Memphis from Nashville. A freelance writer, she enjoys exploring history, culture, and the lifestyle scene surrounding her new home in The Bluff City.


Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
At Winnipeg's House of Saturn tattoos, the goal is make customers feel at home in their bodies
According to astrologers, a rite of passage occurs when Saturn returns to the same celestial position it occupied on the day you were born. This period coincides with the late 20s and is said to bring on intense bouts of self-reflection, growth and transformation. For Kiana Delos Santos, the ringed planet offered a fitting metaphor for her new cosmetic tattoo business, House of Saturn. 'It's really about becoming your true form,' says the permanent makeup artist and casual horoscope follower. 'Something so private and personal can still change someone's life, because it makes them feel more like themselves.'–Delos Santos Delos Santos, 28, and partner Jesse Ojenma, 33, opened House of Saturn last October in a sunny sixth-floor suite at 70 Arthur St. The art-filled studio has huge arched windows — the trim painted lime green — and several stations, where the couple offers long-lasting makeup, areola reconstruction, scar revision and tattoo removal. Two tattoo artists also rent space in the shop. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS House of Saturn is in a sixth-floor space in the Exchange District. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS House of Saturn is in a sixth-floor space in the Exchange District. The duo's goal is to enhance what's already there, restore what's been lost and remove what no longer resonates. Delos Santos traces her interest in cosmetics to childhood sleepovers with her older cousins, who often treated her as their makeover guinea pig. They also introduced her to the positive power of brow shaping. 'People would not shut up about (my eyebrows) when I got them done,' she says. 'It really does change your look completely.' After watching a YouTube tutorial, Delos Santos learned how to thread her own brows and, as a teen, started offering the service to others. She trained with a local brow artist and launched her own permanent makeup career in 2018. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Tattoo artist Kiana Delos Santos says her work is about 'becoming your true form.' MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Tattoo artist Kiana Delos Santos says her work is about 'becoming your true form.' Permanent makeup, also called micropigmentation, employs a handheld machine, similar to a tattoo gun, to recreate the look of makeup. It's a practice that's been around for decades but has experienced a popularity boom in recent years. While Delos Santos specializes in brows, eyeliner, lip blush and freckles, her scar and areola work is equally meaningful. With scar restoration, she uses a tattoo pen to bring blood flow to the area and encourage further healing. With areola reconstruction, she creates highly realistic nipple tattoos for clients who've undergone breast cancer or gender-affirming top surgery. KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO Areola reconstruction can be undertaken after gender-affirming top surgery. KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO Areola reconstruction can be undertaken after gender-affirming top surgery. 'Something so private and personal can still change someone's life, because it makes them feel more like themselves,' she says, adding permanent makeup can create a similar reaction. 'They're feeling fresh and they don't have to think about their appearance, which is something people may struggle with on a day-to-day basis.' Delos Santos sees many people hoping to fix their pencil-thin ''90s brows,' which never grew back after being plucked to oblivion. 'I wouldn't have a career if that era didn't exist,' she says with a laugh. Since trends are fleeting, subtlety is the name of the game. Delos Santos uses application techniques that allow the makeup to fade over two or three years as the skin naturally regenerates. Sun exposure, skin-care routines and pigmentation can also impact longevity. KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO Nano brows are created using a thin needle to create individual hair strokes. KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO Nano brows are created using a thin needle to create individual hair strokes. 'I would rather people come every few years to get things updated than be stuck with something for many years,' she says, adding the industry is slowly moving away from heavy lines and deep application for fashionable and practical reasons. These days, Delos Santos prefers crafting nano brows — using a thin needle to create individual hair strokes — over microblading, a waning trend in which pigment is dropped into the skin through tiny incisions. If the ink is deposited too deeply, it can get trapped in the oil-producing layer of the skin and become discoloured over time. 'When you see someone with blue or green eyebrows, it's usually a depth issue,' she says. 'That's actually why we have Jesse doing brow removal now.' Originally from Brampton, Ont., Ojenma moved to Winnipeg after meeting Delos Santos while she was vacationing in Ontario. The pair have been together for nine years and are now co-workers, with Ojenma handling shop logistics and tattoo removals. KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO Lip blush KIANA DELOS SANTOS PHOTO Lip blush The couple often do consultations together, since pairing both procedures can make natural-looking results more achievable. Ojenma uses a pico laser, which delivers short pulses to break up tattoo ink. 'When the laser hits the ink, it blows up into tiny particles,' he says. 'It could take six to eight weeks to see results, because it goes through your (lymph system) and your body has to flush it out.' Complete removal can take multiple sessions, which can become slightly more painful as the laser frequency increases. True to the shop's namesake, opening House of Saturn has been a transformative experience for Delos Santos, who is Filipina and was diagnosed with ADHD later in life. Every Second Friday The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. 'As someone who's both neurodivergent and a minority, I didn't always see people like me owning businesses,' she says. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS House of Saturn co-owners Jesse Ojenma (left) and Kiana Delos Santos MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS House of Saturn co-owners Jesse Ojenma (left) and Kiana Delos Santos Running her own space has allowed her to explore other forms of artful body modification, such as traditional tattooing and Filipino hand-poking, called batok. She and Ojenma also regularly host community events, such as sound baths, pottery workshops and drop-in art programming. Find more information about House of Saturn on Instagram (@ Eva WasneyReporter Eva Wasney has been a reporter with the Free Press Arts & Life department since 2019. Read more about Eva. Every piece of reporting Eva produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.