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Permanent makeup for lips and cosmetic tattooing: would you get your lips colored? PMU lip shading is great for people with hyperpigmentation to correct the color and define the lips while still looking natural.
If you’ve been following me closely on Instagram, you’ve probably seen weekly updates on my stories about my latest cosmetic procedure: I got my lips tattooed! After I got my eyebrows microbladed by Lynn at Luxury Beauty Studio in Tustin, California, I put some major thought into getting permanent makeup done for my lips.
While eyebrow microblading is becoming a more common procedure, other permanent makeup services like lip shading and eyeliner are still uncommon. I put my faith in Lynn with my brows (and they turned out so well!), but the very idea of permanent makeup was still nerve-wracking for me. But after some time, I took the plunge and got it done, and to sum things up: I absolutely loved how natural the results were!
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Why I Got My Lips Tattooed
Before I’d ever met Lynn, I was very insecure about the grey coloration on my lips caused by hyperpigmentation. When I was a teenager, my first time shopping at Sephora resulted in an overzealous sales associate pushing tons of product on me, and she also pointed out I needed a lip balm with SPF in it because I had hyperpigmentation. This was never a concern of mine until she’d pointed it out! I began experimenting by filling in the darker grey color with a lip pencil that resembled my natural lip and saw such a difference in my overall look once the grey was covered up.
Unfortunately, my natural lip liner trick didn’t work so well. The lip liner would come right off after a meal or several sips out of my water bottle. It was a hassle for me to constantly have to line my lips with a pencil every day just to give my lips the natural color they should have by default!
- BEFORE: No makeup and before lip shading. You can see that I have a lot of grey around my lips.
- AFTER: Fully healed lips with PMU lip shading after 2 months and 2 sessions. I’m only wearing lip balm, no gloss or color!
How Lips Get Hyperpigmentation
Lip hyperpigmentation is actually a common and harmless issue that many people have. Unfortunately, for me, my hyperpigmentation was very severe and as a result, I had much more grey discoloration and less defined outer edges of my lips than most.
If you are olive-toned or are more tan/dark-skinned, the higher amount of melanin in your skin can darken from sun exposure, so hyperpigmentation on the edge of the upper lip area can be common. I may not be of darker skin, but the amount of melanin in my skin from my Filipino heritage makes me predisposed to getting hyperpigmentation than, say, someone from Caucasian descent.
If you are considering permanent lip shading to conceal your hyperpigmentation, be aware that hyperpigmentation may cause the tattoo pigment to not retain its color and may require touch-ups to assure the color is uniform. I required 2 sessions because my hyperpigmentation was darker than the average case. It’s good to call and inquire or come into the studio so your technician can see your lips and decide if they are skilled enough to provide you lasting results.
Lynn did a fabulous job with my hyperpigmented lips, so of course, I highly recommend her if you’re in Southern California. She is amazing at permanent makeup and microblading and her prices are much more reasonable than most places.
Click here to check out Luxury Beauty Studio in Tustin, California. You can also schedule an appointment for a consultation and see if you are a good candidate for permanent makeup.
The rough outline of my lips was drawn on to define the proper shape. This was not the actual color used!
What Is PMU or Cosmetic Tattooing?
The process of cosmetic tattooing is similar to getting a regular ink tattoo: your PMU (permanent makeup) artist uses a brand-new needle to inject mineral-based pigments into the skin. However, unlike tattoo ink, the pigment is powder-based, which makes the colors much more natural-looking and does not fade into a grey or green finish as time passes. Although the name refers to “permanent,” modern-day cosmetic tattoos that use powder pigments fade much more naturally as time passes, so you can always get touched-up after a few years. Think of it as semi-permanent more than anything.
Lynn was very thorough about telling me how to prepare for my appointment weeks in advance. When I arrived for my appointment, I was briefed through what I should expect during the session as well as what to do at home for proper aftercare.
The process was simple: Lynn drew the outline of my lips and made sure I liked it, applied numbing cream and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Then she began the process of applying the color using a fresh needle and pigment while reapplying numbing cream as she went to assure minimal discomfort.
RELATED POST: Everything You Need to Know About Microblading
What You Need to Do Before Getting Your Lips Tattooed
Similar to getting a body tattoo or eyebrow microblading, there are several things you need to prepare for prior to your service. You must make sure that you aren’t using any of the following for at least 24 hours beforehand:
- Aspirin, ibuprofen, alcoholic beverages
- Caffeine (coffee and tea)
- Fish oil
- Niacin
- Vitamin E
It sounds silly, but vitamins like fish oil, niacin, and vitamin E can also cause your blood to thin. I’ve always known about avoiding aspirin, ibuprofen, and alcohol as these should be avoided when getting tattoos, but I never knew about the vitamins and supplements! I am assuming that the face is a very delicate area and bleeding may be caused by ingesting these vitamins.
Most importantly, if you’ve been using any retinol-based products or prescription-strength acne medications such as Accutane or Retin-A, I highly suggest temporarily stopping use around the mouth area for at least 30 days prior to your lip appointment as it can make your skin much more sensitive during the procedure and may possibly interfere with the healing process. Some technicians say you only need 7 days or 2 weeks, but I would much rather be safe than sorry and stop at least 30 days prior to your service.
One pro tip from Lynn: I was advised to start exfoliating my lips with either a facial scrub or by scrubbing gently with my toothbrush every night 7 days before my appointment. This helps with the healing process and maximizes color retention.
Immediately after the service was completed. The lips look very swollen and the color is bright red, but the pigment will peel and fade to a natural finish after a month or two.
Did It Hurt? My Honest Lip Tattoo Experience
I’ll be honest: yes, during the procedure, there was a good amount of discomfort. I had no issues with pain when I got my eyebrows microbladed, but the lips are a whole different story! The lips have many more blood vessels, which makes them more prone to sensitivity and swelling over any other area on the face, even with numbing cream.
My first service was the most uncomfortable one out of both appointments: the whole session was about 2 hours because my hyperpigmentation was so dark that those areas were not taking the color well, so Lynn had to make sure that those areas received a good amount of pigment to make sure that the color would retain after healing. After the service, I took 2 200mg Ibuprofen tablets, tried to eat (and failed miserably because my lips felt so swollen and tight), and then immediately went home to binge watch Netflix while gulping down some Juice it Up with a straw.
My lips were swollen as if I’d gotten lip injections and it felt almost as if I’d gotten punched in the mouth. They felt extremely tight and tender to the touch, so it stung a bit to clean them and apply A&D ointment to keep them moist.
8 days after the permanent makeup application: You can see that the bright red-orange color starts to peel, revealing a pink color underneath. The pink will settle in and fade after 1-2 months.
For about a week I was experiencing the normal peeling along with some oozing plasma (you can see it on Day 5 and 8 where it looks a little glossier than normal). I freaked out because I thought it was pus and that I was getting an infection, but apparently plasma can sometimes come out during the early stages of the healing process. Although you might not have the same experience, don’t freak out you do because it’s probably just plasma. Infections will come with an unbearable stinging and burning sensation, so it’s easy to differentiate between the two.
During the first week I ate very gingerly and cut my food into tiny pieces, eating with my hands to avoid accidentally stabbing my lips with a fork. I drank all my liquids with a straw and made sure to clean my lips with a moist cotton round and reapply A&D after each meal. It’s safe to say that for the most part, getting your lips tattooed might require a bit more TLC during the healing process versus getting your brows microbladed.
After my first appointment, it took about 3 weeks for my lips to fully heal and about 1 1/2 months for the color to settle into its true hue. It was gorgeous! However, there were some spots where the color faded, so of course, I had to get my lips touched up.
RELATED POST – PMD Kiss: The Affordable Alternative to Lip Fillers
I could have gone without a touch-up since natural beauty normally comes with flaws, but there were some subtle spots where the color was brighter. After looking at my fully healed photos after my 1st session (photo below) and 2nd session I’d probably say that after the 1st session resembled my natural lip color the most while the 2nd session gave it more of a more pink finish – not that there’s any problem with that, but it’s also something you can think about if you prefer a more natural color or want to add a bit of pink to add that fresh, glowy, radiant color without having to resort to lip gloss.
2 months after the procedure: From red-orange to light pink and fully healed to a natural rosy color that resembles my inner lip. You can no longer see any grey hyperpigmentation on my outer lips and my lip line is now much more defined.
Healing After My Touch-Up Appointment
The healing process after my 2nd appointment was way more tolerable in terms of pain. I’m assuming that because most of the color was already applied during the 1st session, there wasn’t going to be as much done the 2nd time around. My recovery time was also much quicker: I had significantly less swelling and it took only 3-4 days for my lips to finish peeling. I experienced no plasma leakage and was able to eat immediately after my service (albeit very carefully and still taking 400mg of Ibuprofen to reduce the soreness).
FYI, I tried a lot harder to be more diligent this time around by taking a photo every day at the same time every morning in front of the window for the most consistent lighting.
Healing after my touch-up session: This time we used more of a pink color to offset the red-orange undertone of my natural lip color and create more of a pink finish. The healing process was much faster this time around.
Should You Get Your Lips Tattooed?
The big question. I think with any tattoo or cosmetic procedure it definitely depends on if you either 1) desire a more defined, perfect pout, 2) have hyperpigmentation and would like to conceal it, or 3) are lazy and/or want to look fabulous upon waking up. PMU lip shading at Luxury Beauty Studio costs approximately $800 (touch-ups at $150) and the results will last a few years, so to some people the price may not be worth it if they already have a naturally rosy and defined pout, whereas others like me can see that price tag is well worth it. Of course, I have special discounts for my readers, so continue reading!
Overall, the process of lip tattooing requires at least one month to fully heal and settle into the color, so I definitely suggest to schedule your appointment after any vacations or important events where you can’t be seen with swollen, discolored and peeling lips.
Below is a photo of my fully healed lips 2 months after my touch-up session. I’m wearing foundation and eye makeup but no lip makeup, only lip balm!
Fully healed lips with PMU lip shading after 2 months and 2 sessions. I’m only wearing lip balm, no gloss or color!
To make your cosmetic tattoo procedure more affordable for my fellow Southern California residents, Lynn of Luxury Beauty Studio has offered several deals for my readers. All you have to do is mention my name Aileen or The Baller on a Budget and you can redeem:
- $200 off your permanent makeup (lips, eyeliner, brows) or microblading service
- $20 off touch-ups
- $30 off a full set of lash extensions
- $20 off your next appointment if you refer a friend
To schedule your appointment, you can book online here.
What do you think about permanent makeup and lip shading? Will you be getting your lips colored too? Let’s chat in the comments below!Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and subscribe to my newsletter for more beauty posts!
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This post was sponsored by Luxury Beauty Studio. Although sponsored, all opinions are my own.
It’s kinda funny you mention lips and eyes as being uncommon, because permanent eyeliner and lip liner are the OGs of permanent makeup. They were very in fashion in the 1970s and 1980s and fell out. Microblading isn’t completely new either but the technique has improved. Take a look at older ladies who have blueish thin eyebrows! It’s good that these techniques are getting better. Your lips look amazing!
Wow!! This was sooooo well written and super informative. Makes me wanna get PMU….not PMS though. Lol ha!
I wished I read your blog before i did my lip tattoo. I paid a heavy price for it. I did it 3 days before i went on my xmas cruise vacation and boy did I regret it !!! My beautician told me it will be ok by then!! 3 days !! My lips swelled and was so painful. It
completely ruined my vacation and my husband !! On the 6th day it got so bad it bled. I kept texting my beautician on what i should do next. She kept assuring me it will be ok. I could not trust her anymore but I had no choice as i had no one to guide me.
Thanks so much for your pictures it helped me feel better. it was somewhat similar but mine was much worse!
Hi! I like the end result of your lip tattoo, may I know what colour you used at first and the touch up colour please. Thanks
Your reply is very much appreciated since I will be having my fist session this coming Wednesday.
Regards,
Beth
Author
Hi Beth, thanks for reading! I actually don’t know the colors used as it was a customized blend – I assume that if your artist is informed, they will be doing the same for you. I also think they should be recommending a color that’s natural to your skin tone. I wanted a different color, but my artist recommended that we go with colors that would emphasize my natural color rather than going with one that doesn’t match at all because once it starts to fade it won’t look very flattering. Think about longevity, especially since the lips fade much faster than areas like the eyebrows.
Trust your artist’s advice 🙂
Wow, look at you! I like the result of your lip tattoo on the second picture. My wife wants to get a lip tattoo but I wasn’t convinced. Thank you for sharing your experience. I’ll definitely contact a permanent makeup professional so my wife can get her lip tattoo.
Can and do you ever wear lipstick or lipliner now, if say you want to have different colored lips (for example, bright red lips)?
Thank you.
Elle
Author
Yes, of course! You can choose to wear lipsticks, glosses or any other type of makeup over it. I love a bold red lip and I wear my favorite rouge during special occasions with no issues.
Great, Well explained and i like the shades
Is this a technique that works for older women? Would the color settle into lines around the lips and look unnatural? Love the results that your photos show!
Author
Of course it works for older women as well, Shelly! Like a regular tattoo, the color will be brighter when you first get it, but over time the red/pink tones will settle into your skin tone over time. My lips have settled into a very natural color and it’s not noticeable at all that I had permanent lip color done.
Very informative. Have you gotten a touch up recently? Is the color as vibrant as when you first got the procedure done?
Author
The color has definitely faded, but a year and a half later, the color has faded to a really soft and natural color! My natural lip line still doesn’t look grey the way it naturally did from hyperpigmentation, so I’d say the color held on pretty well on the outer edges of my lips. The inner part has faded (which is to be expected since it’s a more wet area), but it’s much better than how it was naturally! I will have to post an updated selfie soon.
Hi, I came across your blog looking for a filipina that had lips tattoo done. I have mine for like a week now. My PMU used an orange to neutralized and some red with combination of pink. It’s been 8 days now and my lips color seems to be back as if I didn’t have my lips tattooed. Do you know what color your PMU was used?
Author
Colors will look different on every one since everyone’s skin shade and undertones vary, as well as their natural lip color. Sometimes during the process of healing the color may actually go away, and then come back. It’s really weird, but my PMU artist has mentioned that it does happen. For me, my color was really bright, and then at some point, it dulled out a bit and looked like the color was reverting back to its original greyish hue, but then it settled into a nice color. Give it some time to heal, because lips take a few months for the color to finally settle in.
Hi there thank you so much for giving a useful information on your website! i have a question what is A&D moisturizer ? can I just use normal vaseline jelly? I’m also asian and we have the same type of lips colour, in the first session of your PMU treatment, did your beauty technician put just orange colour on your lips or mix it with other pigment to gives you the result that you shown on the picture? Or she just put the orange colour and use another pigment after that ( which will be painful and longer I assume since it will be done in different layer )
Hi there,
I just had my first session 2/09, so I am on day 8 of healing. My lips seemed to heal well.. I experience pretty much everything you did, however, my lips are almost black, they are really dark and its freaking me out. Did you experience this too or have any knowledge if this it part of the process? I asked my artist but did not get a clear answer from her.
Thanks so much,
Cheryl
Your articles are great and lots of information are helpful to me thank you!!