What is Lip Blushing?
Lip blushing is a semi-permanent cosmetic tattoo procedure that adds a light tint of color to a person’s lips. Most lip blush tattoos are designed to last two to three years.
Lip blush can be used to fix minor symmetry issues, camouflage scars, add more volume to the lips, and is also useful for adding a tint of natural lip color and improving overall shape.
Lip Blush Tattoo Process
Lip blush tattoos take approximately 2.5 hours to complete from start to finish. Numbing cream is applied at the beginning of the appointment and stays on for approximately 20 minutes before tattooing begins.
After the numbing, we then draw the shape using a bright colored red or pink lip liner. Once the shape is drawn we begin the tattooing process.
The tattoo artist will pass over the lips two or three times using a light shading technique, between each pass, we use the numbing cream again to provide comfort and relief to clients.
Once the procedure is done, the lips are cleaned thoroughly and covered with a healing ointment like Acquaphor on the lips when finished.
FAQs
As with most tattoo procedures, there is some pain involved during a lip blush tattoo, especially because the lips are a sensitive area on the body.
That’s why most technicians use numbing cream to make the pain more tolerable.
Numbing before and during the process just allows for a more comfortable experience, in terms of pain, most would rate lip blush between 2-4 on a scale of 1-10. The pain is very mild.
Lip Blush Healing
Healing a lip blush tattoo takes approximately four to seven days. Following the procedure, clients are typically given an aftercare kit and healing instructions from their artist.
Clients should expect to see some swelling of the lips following a lip blush tattoo. “When it comes to swelling, every client is different, “Some swell up more others barely swell at all. The swelling does go down after a couple hours and returns to normal size by the next day.”
Lip Blush Healing Stages: Day by Day
Day 1: Lips will be swollen and sensitive. Color will appear bright. Lips will produce lymphatic fluid that needs to be wiped down with a sterile wipe.
Day 2: Swelling will subside and color will appear darker.
Days 3-4: Lips will become dry and start to flake (like a traditional tattoo). Keeping them moisturized is important.
Days 5-7: The skin flakes away and your new lip color is revealed and begins to settle in. “Often healed lips appear about 40-50 percent lighter and more natural than what you see on days one and two.
Lip Blush Healing Precautions
While the healing process for lip blush tattoos is fairly straightforward, it’s extremely important to keep the area moisturized using the ointment or moisturizer provided by your aesthetician or tattoo artist.
“For the entire duration of the healing process, keep lips moisturized. Never allow them to dry or crack open. “It is recommended that no other moisturizer is used other than Aquaphor, A&D ointment, or coconut oil until lips are healed entirely.”
Makeup, such as lipstick and lip gloss, should also be avoided until the lips are fully healed.
Clients should be careful when eating following a lip blush tattoo, to avoid very big bites of food that could stretch the mouth and lead to cracking. Clients should also avoid extreme temperatures and spice during the healing process.
Don’t eat anything too hot or too cold, and nothing spicy, as the lips will be more sensitive until fully healed.
Lip Blush Tattoo Costs
If it is your first time getting a lip blush tattoo, you may need two sessions to achieve the look you want. It recommends that all new lip blush clients come in for two sessions.
“The first session establishes the blush on the lips, and the second session touches up anything that may have healed unevenly. Minor tweaks can be tended to on the second session as well as just adding final saturation.
Even though lip blush tattoos can last a few years, the color can start to fade. Sun exposure, smoking, and using exfoliating products on your lips can cause fading to happen faster. To keep the color and lines fresh, we suggest yearly refresh appointments to add to the overall look and longevity
How to Prepare for a Lip Blushing Session
If you have a lip blush tattoo booked, there are a few things that you can do to prepare for your appointment to help everything go smoothly.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine for 24 hours prior to your appointment. It can cause bruising because the lips are such a delicate area.
If you are someone who regularly gets cold sores, we recommend taking cold sore medication (like Valtrex) three days before and three days after your lip blush appointment. The process can trigger an outbreak, and cold sores mess with the healing process.
If you use products like Vitamin C serums or retinoids in your beauty and skincare routine, we recommend taking a break from these two weeks prior to your appointment. The same goes for facial waxing, laser, botox, or chemical peels.
Women who have lip fillers can get a lip blush tattoo. However, fillers should be done at least six weeks prior to the lip blush appointment for best results.
Otherwise, to prepare for a lip blush tattoo, we recommend exfoliating your lips the day before and using a balm or moisturizer to help keep the surface of your lips smooth and fresh on the day of your appointment.