Lip tattooing (also known as lip blushing) is a beauty term that’s been around for years, but as lips alternate with eyes as the main focal point of our makeup looks, the interest in defining and emphasising mouths remains as strong as ever.
Of course, there’s been a huge boom in products centred around shaping and shading lips over the past few years, from Rhode’s newly launched Peptide Lip Shape to Refy’s Lip Sculpt. Meanwhile, heroes like the MAC and NYX liners have been a staple in makeup bags for decades, but for those looking for a more permanent (or semi-permanent) solution, lip blushing offers up extra longevity.
In a nutshell, lip tattooing is the lip equivalent to microblading. And, just as microblading can replace brow products with a longer-lasting effect, lip blushing can offer up carefully shaped and tinted semi-permanent tattooed lips without the need for liners and glosses.
If it’s a treatment you’ve considered, but you’re unsure what to expect, here’s everything you need to know…
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What is lip blushing?
There are many different types and names for lip tattooing, including lip blushing, lip
contouring, tattooed lip liner, lip blush, and a full tint, but essentially, “it’s a permanent makeup technique that involves the introduction of pigment into the skin over the lip to give it colour,” explains medical aesthetic doctor, Dr Sophie Shotter. “This can be very helpful for anyone wanting more lip definition or for those who lack natural pigment into the lips, either genetically or because of the ageing process,” she adds.
In practice, the treatment involves “carefully impregnating a specialist colour pigment into the lips, using a special tattoo machine that is at a lower speed and frequency than a traditional tattoo machine and ultra-fine needles to gently deposit the colour throughout the lip area,” explains aesthetician, Lesley Wilks.
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Is lip blushing safe?
As with all cosmetic procedures, there are always risks involved. The key with any cosmetic treatment is to do your research and go to a reputable provider. “In the right hands, yes it’s a safe treatment,” notes Dr Shotter. “But we must remember that this involves the use of tattooing needles and so there are restrictions on who can do this and the premises it’s done in. Hygiene is very important – needles should be single use to avoid cross contamination, and strict attention should be paid to cleanliness. Another risk is that the result isn’t what you desire, and this is another reason to choose your practitioner very carefully. Tattoos are not easy to get rid of if you have a bad result. My advice would be to speak to friends who’ve had good experiences and results you like to get a recommendation. There are also a couple of great training academies like Nouveau and Tracie Giles and you could look for practitioners trained by them, even if you don’t go to the main clinic,” Dr Shotter says.
What are the benefits of lipstick tattooing?
Aside from having a lip colour that won’t fade or smudge no many how many coffees or cocktails you’re on, lip tattooing also aims to define the shape of the lips and depending on the technique, can make them look slightly larger too.