Since time immemorial, keeping our looks in tip-top shape has been a daily ritual. The difference between how we look and how we want to look is important to the beauty-conscious, who find different ways to bridge the gap.
Although tools that make us look our best – like makeup – give us a temporary beauty boost, some modern methods promise semi-permanent results, like cosmetic lip tattoos, aka lip blushing.
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What is Lip Tattoo, aka Lip Blushing?
Lip tattooing, also known as lip blushing, turns lips into more aesthetically pleasing colors and contours through pixelating. This color improvement lasts up to two years, which is why it is called semi-permanent.
In pixelating, the esthetician uses a tattoo gun to ink minuscule and undetectable colors like pink, red, or coral onto your lips, giving your lips an elegant and natural appearance. You will get a more defined lip color infused with organic pigments after this treatment.
This procedure is ideal for those with pigmented or pale lips since it allows them to have a subtle tint on their lips every time they wake up. If you don’t put on makeup every time you leave the house, still feel confident about your appearance.
How Much Does It Cost?
Getting lip tattoos is not a cheap process. Depending on where you are getting your lip tattooed, the price will vary. If you visit a professional and certified aesthetician, it will cost you around $450 to $850 for the full lip-tattoo procedure. This process often needs at least two steps to complete, and each visit will charge you a different cost.
However, some aestheticians can offer at inexpensive rates like $400-$500. Ultimately, your esthetician’s skills and quality of service determine the price.
Does Lip Tattoo Hurt?
Lips are one of the softest parts of our body, so it is likely that when you’re getting your tattoo, you will have to go through some pain. Some estheticians provide anesthetics for the pain, but you will need to pay separately.
Typically, estheticians also go over ways with you to prepare yourself for your lip tattoo session. In many cases, you should avoid ibuprofen or vitamin E to ensure your lips aren’t prone to bruising.
But in any case, when you are opting for anesthesia, the sensation is more likely to feel like needles pinching your lips rather than pain.
The Healing Process
After you get your lips tattooed, your lips are likely to be swollen and tender for at least 24 hours. As for aftercare within these 24 hours, you can use ice packs to soothe your lips. Make sure to use soft, clean towels, preferably paper towels.
The cosmetic lip tattoo healing process will take around ten days, and you will need to follow specific steps to ensure the healing process goes smoothly.
The steps include keeping your lip area clean and applying healing balm from time to time. Ask your professional about the type of healing balm that will suit your lip healing needs.
Estheticians suggest that anything that might put pressure on lips or irritate them should be avoided for the healing period. This includes many lip-unrelated activities like workouts, which can make your body sweat, and so can your lips. Apart from that, eating spicy food, kissing, and swimming should also be avoided.
If you habitually lick your lips with your tongue or having an urge to touch irritated lips, you will need to put a full stop there as well.
Are Lip Tattoos Permanent?
Lip tattoos last for a decent amount of time before it requires touch-up or starts fading since it is not entirely permanent. However, depending on how you maintain the treatment’s longevity, it can last longer or shorter.
You might want to visit a clinic for a touch-up every few months if a part of your lip color is fading, or you might want to visit them after years if the lip color is intact in all parts.
If you’re only experiencing fading on one part of your lip color, you don’t need to go through the full procedure or pay for a full service.
How Long Does Cosmetic Lip Tattoo Last?
After two to three years, you can expect your lips to return to their original color. The procedure will be ongoing, beginning sometime about two years after you have had your lip tattooed. After the second year, you will notice a change in the brightness of the hue. If you want to touch up your lip color and avoid the entire fading, you should do it during your second and third years.
Is it a Safe Procedure?
Is there ever a time when enhancing our beauty didn’t result in a slight side effect? No matter how much companies and businesses market their products as chemical-free and having no side effects, excessive use of cosmetics is not healthy.
Lip tattooing follows a similar pattern. Permanent or semi-permanent makeup will have side effects, and in the case of lip blushing, thank goodness, it is mild. However, you cannot rule out risks of infection, poor application, or allergic reaction if you are not careful enough. In such cases of concern, getting your lips done with a professional is the most effective means to prevent these complications.
Lip blushing requires experience and skills in operating a tattoo gun or any machine used to ink your lips. Any error, tiny or major, can impact heavily on the soft skin. Some of the common issues after lip blushing are bleeding, redness, bruising, swelling, etc., which can be different for different people.
There will be peeling off your lips as well as your pigment starts healing.
Bottom line
While not a new procedure, lip blushing is not the same as permanent makeup due to the risks and costs associated with the procedure. If you’re thinking about getting yourself a cosmetic lip tattoo, make sure you go to a professional with a license and experience.
