Lip Blush
Lip Blush Tattoo is a soft and natural method of lip tattooing - no harsh lines or edges, just a subtle tint of colour that enhances your natural colour and shape (often described as a lip stain). This technique makes lips look naturally plump & helps to define your natural shape. Lip blush requires a minimum of two appointments, 6-8 weeks apart after your initial appointment. In some cases, an additional third appointment is required.
While lip blush is a permanent procedure, the results will fade and require touch-ups every 18 -24 months to refresh the colour. During your appointment, we talk about colour preferences and it is helpful if you have reference images or bring lip colours that you like. For melanin-rich lips (dark lips that have purple or brown appearance) lips may require neutralization which involves tattooing a warm color (often orange) to neutralize coolness in lips. While lip blush does not add volume to the lips, Lip Blush can make your looks appear bigger as we are able to define and extend your vermillion border and sometimes add colour to your lip line where you still have lip skin but pigment is very light in those areas.
Dark Lips: Dark Lip neutralization is a specialized treatment for those with cool or dark-toned lips in which we neutralize the darkness in lips. This may appear as darker pigmentation around the outside of lips or top lip, where clients desire their lip tone to be more evened out, lighter or pinker. While these areas sometimes appear as brown, when applying colour theory these areas are treated as blue/purple tones, thus we use opposite colors - warm reds/orange as a base to even out lip tone. It is for this reason, that some clients require more than 2 appointments to achieve their desired result depending on the case.
Before & After Care
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No alcohol at least 24 hours before your appointment
Minimize caffeine intake the day of your appointment
Stop the use of blood-thinning medication at least 1 day prior (this includes Ibuprofen and Aspirin)
Stop using anti-aging skincare products around the area at least 2 weeks prior such as retinol, vitamin a, c, glycolic acid
Limit sun exposure and tanning services in the days leading up to your appointment. If your face is freshly sunburnt, you can not get tattooed
Refrain from using skin products with active ingredients around the area 2 weeks prior such as retinol, vitamin c, glycolic acid, other types of AHAs/BHAs, niacin amide or brightening products
Do not get any chemical peels, IPL, micro-needling, exfoliations, or abrasive skin treatment that require downtime, at least 2 weeks prior to your appointment
We will not be able to tattoo over any blemishes, sores, and moles in or around the brow area
Make sure your lips are hydrated and not chapped
Cold sores: I recommend ALL clients take preventative cold sore medication as most people carry the herpes simplex virus. This can be over the counter Lysine from a pharmacy or a stronger prescription cold sore medication if you get cold sores more regularly. I recommend taking this at least 3 days prior, and 3 days after, getting your lips tattooed. If you don’t- this procedure may trigger an outbreak that may affect healing- so this is very important & very easy to avoid.
Preparation: To prepare for your appointment please make sure your lips are moisturized in the days leading up to your appointment. Chapped lips can be challenging to work on and can result in pigment not penetrating through tough skin and color falling out.
Lip fillers: If you have had lip fillers you MUST wait at least 1 month before getting your lips tattooed.
Colour: Have a think about lip colours that you like, reference photos that will be helpful, or bring along your usual lip colour to your appointment. While it is not always possible to perfectly match a colour, more often than not we can use this to guide our colour choice.
Pain: While minimal, there can be some discomfort during lip tattooing. To keep you comfortable, I use two numbing agents the entire time to keep you comfortable.
Appointment time: Lip Blush appointments typically take at least 3.5 hours. This includes consultation, design, numbing and aftercare. Please allow 4 hours for your appointment, thicker skin or chapped lips may require additional time.
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Immediately after your appointment, wipe lips once every 30 minutes - 1 hour with the saline wipes included in your aftercare kit to remove any fluids or germs. Lips may appear swollen and feel tender - this is temporary and typically goes down within 24 hours. Lips will appear bright as though you are wearing lipstick for the first few days. Avoid spicy food, hot beverages and drink through a straw as needed for the first 24 hours.
From day 2-7 apply supplied ointment included aftercare kit to keep lips moisturized. Use sparingly - keep them hydrated but not too wet. During this time, your lips may feel chapped and appear darker and bolder in color.
Lips will appear chapped during healing- do not pick or bite any scabs, they will flake off naturally and this is a part of the healing process. Avoid excessive amounts of water in the first 5 days, including sweat from exercise and water from the shower.
While lips appear healed within 5-6 days, it takes up to 6 weeks for the color to settle in your lips. Your fresh tattoo may appear light at first, but as your skin continues the healing process, the color will bloom and become more visible. Lip Blush is a two-step process, and any areas that are light or patchy will be addressed at the touch-up appointment 6-8 weeks later.
Long-term: Anti-aging products, exfoliation treatments, and sun exposure will lighten your tattoo. It is important to wear sunscreen and to tell your skincare professional to stay clear of the tattooed area to maintain the integrity of your tattoo.
