If you’ve been keeping up with fashion, makeup, and skincare trends, you’ve likely heard the buzz about semi-permanent makeup procedures like microblading and tattooed eyeliner. But are you familiar with lip blushing? Although it may sound like lip blushing is just another form of lipstick or lip gloss, it isn’t something you have to apply topically. Lip blushing is better!
Lip Blushing Explained
So what is lip blushing, then? It’s a specific type of cosmetic tattooing which is used to enhance lip color and lip definition semi-permanently. Lip blushing doesn’t involve any surgery, either. Rather, it’s a cosmetic procedure where pigment is deposited into the lips with a fine mechanical needle. Lip blushing imbues the lips with a flattering tint of your choice. You can still wear lipstick if you want after a lip blushing procedure, but many lip blush clients decide they no longer need it! Plus, the effects of lip blushing can last up to two years, or longer!
What Are Some Specific Benefits of Lip Blushing?
For many clients, their main goal is not to have to depend on applying daily lip color or gloss. Lip blushing also helps patrons to feel more confident about baring their natural-looking, no-product-needed lips. Here are some more specific benefits noted about lip blushing by our practitioners and clients at Winston Salem Dermatology:
• The ability to customize your lip shade
How great would it be if you could choose a specific preferred shade that your lips would automatically reflect every single day, with no added effort on your part? Well, with lip blushing, you can!
• Fuller-looking lips without any injectables or surgery
Some people simply don’t like the idea of going under the knife for cosmetic surgery, and others aren’t comfortable with receiving injectables, either. Lip blushing can help you achieve fuller-looking lips without surgery or injectables.
• Added color for pale or aging lips
As we age, our lips can start to lose some of their natural pigment and color. Or perhaps you’re someone whose lips just generally look somewhat pale, to begin with. Either way, lip blushing can add some needed color to pale or aging lips!
• Color correction for scars and other areas of uneven pigment
If you’ve had a mouth injury or cut, or simply have lips which display areas of variegated or uneven pigment, then lip blushing can help to even out your lip colors and negate the visible effects of scars or other lip injuries.
• Enhanced lip symmetry and shape definition
Ever been told your lips “just don’t look right?” Wish your lips were more symmetrical, or displayed a better definition? Lip blushing can enhance your lip symmetry and help frame your lips to display a more defined, desirable shape and definition.
• Long-lasting results – but not something you’re tied to for the rest of your life
If you’re concerned about the effects of lip blushing being permanent, don’t worry. These aren’t traditional tattoos. A lip blush cosmetic tattoo procedure is different; the color you receive is long-lasting and won’t fade, but it will eventually wear off in around 2 years or so. At that point, you can choose to touch your lips up, or you can go with another look. Lip blushing gives you options!
• Cost-effective
While lip blushing isn’t necessarily cheap, it is something which can help to pay for itself over time. Once you take into account the money you could save by not necessarily having to buy any lipstick, lip gloss, or lip pencils – not to mention the effort it requires to apply these cosmetics – you’ll find that lip blushing is a good investment to make, for more reasons than just one.
How Does Lip Blushing Work?
While some may be familiar with the microblading approach for eyebrows which makes use of a manual bladed tool, lip blushing works a little differently. Like microblading, lip blushing is a semi-permanent makeup procedure, but lip blushing is achieved with a mechanical needling tool.
Lip blush tattooing is similar to the whip-shading or pepper-shading techniques seen in some tattooing methods. Using a single needle and a quick, consistent hand motion, a trained lip blushing practitioner creates a series of dots, versus the solid line that is generated through many traditional tattooing approaches. The result is that the lips are imbued with a consistent, flattering tint that covers the entire lip surface.
What Happens in a Lip Blushing Treatment?
A full consultation is always carried out before commencing any lip blushing procedure at Winston-Salem Dermatology – this should help to alleviate any anxiety you may be feeling. We’ll take time to discuss exactly what you want and hope to achieve in terms of lip shape and color, and we’ll take into account your natural lip shape and color when making any recommendations about may be the best lip blushing solution for you.
Once we come to an agreement about the desired targets and goals, we’ll start by pre-drawing the lips using a pencil, and we’ll carefully measure them to ensure your lips are as close to perfect as possible before giving you a mirror to inspect it for yourself. We don’t begin any lip blushing tattoo work before you are totally satisfied with the results of the pre-drawing. The lip blushing procedure itself will then take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours to complete.
Does Lip Blushing Hurt?
That’s certainly a fair question. In fact, the first question on many clients’ lips usually settles around “just how painful is it?” The good news is that most clients will immediately comment after the fact that the procedure actually hurts much less than they had envisioned. Our dermatologists and technicians at Winston Salem Dermatology take intentional steps to make sure our clients are as comfortable as possible, and we also follow preventative measures to help manage any residual pain which may occur. Many say that lip blushing feels kind of “scratchy.” But you should also take comfort in the fact that the applying of semi-permanent makeup is nowhere near as aggressive or uncomfortable as a conventional tattooing session. We’ll start by applying a numbing cream to help ease discomfort, but one of the most important things is for you to try and stay relaxed throughout the procedure. If you allow yourself to stay tense, then it will likely be a bit more painful.
After Treatment Care
The healing process of lip blushing is somewhat similar to that of other tattoo procedures. You’re likely to see some swelling and redness in the early stages, but this can usually be treated effectively with a simple cold compress. You may be tempted to apply some bandaging to your lips, but it’s really best to let them air-dry for best results. As your lips start to heal, the skin may develop some scabbing for about a week. Don’t pick at these scabs, as that may cause scarring and uneven skin tones while your lips are healing. One of the best things you can do is to apply some petroleum jelly (or something similar) on your lips for both relief and protection. It’s also advisable to avoid intense workouts for the short term, and to avoid any direct sun exposure during the healing period. Also, your lips may look a little darker than you anticipated to begin with, but don’t worry. This is a normal side effect, and should wear off as your lips complete their healing process.
Professional Lip Blushing Treatment with Winston Salem Dermatology
One word of advice: don’t entrust a lip blushing treatment to someone who isn’t a trained lip blushing specialist! In the Piedmont Triad area of NC, your best option is to partner with the pros at Winston Salem Dermatology! We’re experienced and well-equipped to provide the best quality of lip blushing, and we can also take care of all your other cosmetic skincare needs, too.
Got questions about lip blushing? Ready to learn more, or ready to get the perfect lips you’ve always wanted? You can easily connect with us online, or for an even faster response, you can just give us a call at (336) 774-8636 today!