Everything You Need to Know About Lip Blushing

What is lip blushing?

Lip blushing is essentially a lip tattoo that enhances your natural lip color and optimizes the lip shape. "Some clients have desaturated lip color and would like it to be more vibrant," says Carla Ricciardone, a permanent makeup artist at Sculpted Studios. "We lose color as we age, and this treatment can return that youthful vibrancy." She adds that this treatment can also help people who have experienced color loss from lip filler. "Lip Blush can return the color and even boost it, completing the desired look with even tone and fullness."

Ricciardone notes that lip blushing is often referred to by different names (like watercolor lips, aquarelle lips, diamond lips, etc.), but ultimately, they're all lip tattoos. "The techniques used in conjunction with proper color and pigment theory can change the degree of saturation, but it is still implanting pigment into the lips," she says. "Once the pigment is in the lips it is almost impossible to get out. This is also why it is critical you see an experienced artist as there is almost no going back."

What are the benefits of lip blushing?

Like other permanent and semi-permanent makeup procedures (like microblading and tattoo eyeliner), the biggest benefit of lip blushing is the long-lasting effects. You can expect lip blushing to last between two to five years depending on how diligent you are about keeping your lips healthy and protected.

Lip blushing is also becoming a popular alternative to lip injections and fillers as the procedure is less invasive and lasts longer; lip fillers typically require maintenance every six to 12 months. In addition to boosting color, lip blushing can create the illusion of fuller, plumper lips by overlining in certain areas and strategically shading in others.

Finally, Ricciardone adds that lip blushing can be a great option for people who have suffered certain traumas that have affected the appearance of their lips. "This is more of a specialized lip technique that is almost paramedical in nature, but we can rebuild the lips," she says.

Is lip blushing safe?

Lip blushing is quite safe if your treatment is done by a licensed professional. It is not recommended for those who are pregnant, nursing, or undergoing chemotherapy or medical care or treatment (such as Accutane). It is also not recommended for those who have a compromised immune system (diabetes, lupus, etc).

If you have certain skin conditions, you may want to consult with a lip blushing artist and/or a dermatologist to determine whether or not this type of lip treatment is right for you.

For example, lip blushing may spark a cold sore outbreak. If you've ever experienced cold sores in the past, you must be prescribed the appropriate medication from a doctor before starting the treatment so that it can be taken the morning of the treatment and continued after according to the prescription.

What to expect during a lip blushing appointment:

While the process can differ slightly from studio to studio, Ricciardone says the following is what you can expect when you visit Sculpted Studios.

Step 1: Pre-care instructions will be sent to you beforehand.

About a week before your appointment, you'll receive pre-care instructions outlining what steps to take at home to make sure your lips are properly prepped and moisturized before you come in.

Step 2: Your appointment will begin with an in-depth consultation.

"You can expect your lip blushing appointment to take about three to four hours total," says Ricciardone. "We begin with a consultation to go over the treatment in detail. We'll discuss their desired goal, outcome, possibilities, where they are comfortable with their color–do they want something bold like lipstick or a more natural look like a tinted chapstick? From there, I take photos both for reference and to help identify the lips' undertone for color selection."

Ricciardone will then sketch the lip shape on the client and once the shape and color are both approved, tattooing can begin.

Step 3: The actual tattooing happens.

Ricciardone says you can expect the active tattooing time to take about one to two hours. A topical anesthetic (numbing cream) is often applied to the lips before the tattoo gun is used.

When asked if the tattooing hurts, Ricciardone says, "Most of my clients sleep through the tattooing. Or, when I ask how they feel, they rate it a three or four out of 10 on a discomfort scale. They say it is more irritating than painful–like plucking your eyebrows."

Once the tattooing process is complete, Ricciardone lets her clients' pout rest for 10-15 minutes while the color develops in the skin to ensure no further work is needed.

Step 4: You'll be briefed on the proper aftercare.

After taking a few after photos, Ricciardone talks through all the proper aftercare steps with her clients. "They are given an aftercare kit to take home to continue moisturizing their lips for five to seven days," she says. "Just like the pre-care, the aftercare is equally important to ensure the overall results and longevity of the treatment. Before they go, we also schedule the mandatory touch-up appointment for six to eight weeks later."

Step 5: You'll return for a follow-up appointment about 6-8 weeks later.

Once your lips have fully healed, you'll head back to the PMU studio to have your artist touch up any color or shaping that might have healed imperfectly.

How long does it take for the lips to heal?

In the first three to five days after your appointment, you can expect the pigmentation to intensify. This color will be darker than the final result once the lips are fully healed. The lips may also feel dry and gritty, but with proper aftercare, there should be no peeling or flaking.

Over the next 10 days you may experience uneven color, or even blanching (white chalkiness). "This is all normal and due to the cellular turnover and healing process," says Ricciardone.

"The lips are typically healed between three to seven days, meaning the membrane of the lips are sealed and no longer at risk for external contaminants," she adds. "However, it can take 20-30 days for a lip blush color to settle. And in the case of melanin-rich lip blush, it can take 30-50 days for the color to fully settle in." (More on how that process differs below.)

"Other things to avoid during the first five to seven days are extreme sun exposure, aggressive activity with your mouth, and picking at the lips," Ricciardone says. "We recommend clients drink extremely hot or cold liquids through a straw, keep lips moisturized with the recommended after care, and eat food with a fork and knife (vs a handheld item like a sandwich)."

If you plan to undergo lip blushing during COVID-19, the mandatory use of face masks can make a healthy healing process a bit complicated. Ricciardone says that it's mandatory to wear disposable face masks for the first five to seven days and that you must change the mask hourly to prevent a bacterial infection. Try to social distance as much as possible during this time so that your lips can safely heal without too much added effort or risk.

How the process differs for melanin-rich lips:

For those with melanin-rich lips, the lip blushing process is a bit different. "Melanin-rich lips appear cool and dark, so we first must neutralize the cool tone and lighten the darkness prior to introducing a warmer, pinker color," Ricciardone says. "Different techniques and tools are used and the artist must have clear and advanced knowledge of color and pigment theory in order to execute this properly."

Ricciardone says it can take two to five sessions (each 10 weeks apart) to achieve the desired lip blush outcome in melanin-rich lips based on coolness, severity, and differentiation of the starting undertone.

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