How to make better lip pigmentation?

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Procedure

Preparation, mapping, pigmentation, aftercare...

Business

Lip business, pigmentation industry, competition...

Techniques

Lip blush, Aquarelle lips, Lipstick effect, styles...

Marketing

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, campaigns...

Practical Tips

Guides, Tips, Suggestions, Walkthroughs...

Getting started

Starting artist adivce, practical first steps...

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Pigmentology, Colorimetry, Client psychology basics...

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1. Background

When it comes to lip pigmentation, you have two primary choices: whether to opt for Aquarelle Lips, which provides a shaded, semi-transparent gradient color on the lips like Lip Blush or to go for Lipstick Style, where the entire lip area is filled in with color, leaving virtually no gradient.

For the insights shared in this article, we've consulted with 17 experienced PMU artists specializing in lip pigmentation as one of their primary services. Each artist has at least four years of experience in this specific procedure. These professionals are based in EU countries, with four in the UK and two in the United States. The suggestions in this article draw from their hands-on experience and aim to assist newcomers and seasoned artists looking to refine their Lipstick Style and Lip Blush lip pigmentation techniques.

2. Understanding Undertones

Client's Lipstick and Lip blush

Both in the cases of Lipstick Style lip pigmentation and Lip Blush, many seasoned artists with extensive experience recommend asking the client to bring along the lipstick lip gloss or blush they use most frequently and prefer in terms of color. The client must bring the product, not just apply it at home or take a picture. This allows you to use the product directly to the client's lips to assess the true undertone.

Applying the lipstick or lip blush to the lips reveals the actual undertone, which you aim to match in the pigmentation process.

Mass Colors - Bottled Color

When pigments are in the bottle, your perception of the color and its temperature can be misleading. The color's intensity and high concentration can significantly affect its appearance. So, the first thing to remember is that pigments will look different inside the skin than in the bottle. Not only are they lighter, but they also have a different "temperature," meaning they may appear either "warm" or "cold." The color in the pigment bottle is often called the "mass" color.

True Colors - Diluted Color

You need to dilute the color to grasp the true undertone of pigments. The simplest way to do this is to shake the pigment bottle vigorously to mix the color thoroughly. Then, dip a cotton swab into the bottle and draw a line on the paper by moving it slightly left and right until it runs out of pigment. This creates a stripe that starts with the "bottled" or "mass" color and ends with the "true" or "diluted" color. This method of capturing the color's undertone is known as a “drawdown."

Many artists prepare drawdowns of their pigments in advance. They often also add a dot or stripe of the actual color next to the drawdown for comparison. If you want to make a wider line of color on paper or white cardboard, drip a drop of pigment on the surface. Then, spread a tool with a solid surface or credit card into a line. The aim is to have enough pigment to keep the color consistent on both ends, matching the "mass color" in the bottle. Next, you can create a drawdown to reveal the diluted version of the color.

3. Matching the Color

Understanding Skin Thickness Differences

Colors will appear a bit cooler and darker when embedded in the skin. However, it's crucial to note that lip skin is much thinner than other body areas, such as the eyebrows. To fully understand these differences, let's delve into the dermatological specifics.

Lip Skin Thickness

Epidermis in Lips: The outer layer of lip skin, known as the epidermis, is relatively thin, ranging from 0.1mm to 0.15mm. This makes it one of the most sensitive areas on the face. For comparison, the skin around the eyebrows is generally much thicker, with estimates varying from 0.5mm to 1.5mm. This is partially due to its closeness to the forehead, which possesses some of the thickest skin on the body.

Dermis in Lips. The underlying dermal layer in lips is also thinner, resulting in fewer hair follicles and sweat glands. This adds to the delicate nature of the lip skin. Conversely, the eyebrow area has a denser dermis filled with more hair follicles and sebaceous glands, contributing to better natural lubrication and moisture.
Other Properties. Unlike other facial areas, lip skin lacks sebaceous glands, so it can't self-moisturize. This is why lips can become dry and chapped easily. In contrast, the skin around the eyebrows contains more collagen and elastin fibers, making it more resilient to environmental factors.
Blood Supply and Sensitivity in Lips. The lips' increased blood supply gives them their reddish or pinkish color. The thinner skin layers also make lips more sensitive to environmental factors like wind, heat, and cold, as well as topical treatments like pigmentation.

Finding the Correct Color

To find the most suitable color, refer to the "Lipstick Test" or “Lip Blush Test” and match its undertone with the undertone in your drawdowns. However, many seasoned artists recommend that if the client's skin has a cooler or "cold" tone—characterized by being pale and having bluish veins—you may counterbalance this by choosing a slightly warmer pigment undertone. By doing so, you'll achieve the ideal lip color.

Pigment Colorant Origin: Organic vs. Inorganic

When selecting organic and inorganic pigments, using inorganic pigments can be challenging, especially for those new to lip pigmentation. The larger particle size of these pigments often makes application difficult, leading to excessive skin damage on the lips. More specifically, the challenge arises from applying multiple layers of pigment or using a needle cartridge that's too large.

Today, most lip pigments are hybrid, incorporating an organic base. This choice relates to the fact that the colorants in organic pigments offer more stable color variations on the lip skin. Opting for hybrid pigments specifically formulated for lip applications by reputable brands is generally a wise approach.

Mixing Pigments for the Desired Color

If you can't find a ready-made color that matches, you can blend two or more pigments or a pigment and a modifier. It's crucial to remember that even pigments with specific names are, in fact, mixtures of different pigments. Therefore, in most cases, combining just two pigments or a pigment and a modifier should be enough to achieve the desired shade.

4. Practical suggestions

Avoid Using the Highest Apex for Mapping

When mapping the lips, a key step is identifying the highest points of the upper arches. Most people have slight facial asymmetry, which often includes the lip line. In many instances, one apex of the upper lip line is higher than the other. New artists sometimes make the critical error of basing the lip outline on the higher apex. This can result in pigmenting areas outside of the vermilion zone. Instead, always opt for the lower apex and ensure your outline stays within the vermilion zone.

Draw a Clear and Precise Border

When sketching the lip border, you can start with either the upper or lower lip—there's no strict rule here. Some artists prefer to start with the upper lip, which can be more pain-sensitive. This way, they gauge the client's pain tolerance early on. While tracing the outline, experts suggest extending each new stroke by 30% beyond the existing line. Whether you use back-and-forth motions or a single-direction technique, what's crucial is that you have a clear view of the needle penetrating the skin.

Proceed cautiously, advancing the needle at a pace that ensures high accuracy. Don't extend stroke by 30-40% beyond the current line. Unlike the Lip Blush technique, the border for Lipstick Style lips can be slightly more defined and bold. The skin should be stretched using three fingers or pinched to achieve this. Experienced artists often report feeling a slight "pop" as the needle enters the skin, allowing for maximum precision and minimal tissue damage.

Avoid Overworking the Vermilion Zone

When filling in the vermilion zone after the outline is drawn, avoiding over-damaging the lips is crucial. Artists often use bidirectional movements to cover this area. Experienced artists recommend using whatever technique you're comfortable with, but if you notice excessive bleeding, lymph, or pigment, it's time to move on to a different area. To manage this, many artists mentally divide the lip into various squares, describing the pigmentation process as "dancing" from one square to another. If they encounter blood or lymph, they switch to another square and return once the initial area has settled down.

Lipstick Style and Lip Blush on Lips with Fillers

Clients with lip fillers can sometimes make the procedure easier. The filler offers a more stable surface for pigmentation. However, it's noteworthy that lips with fillers can sometimes swell more intensely. Some artists have found applying ice packs to reduce swelling helpful.

5. First, Do No Harm!

How to do the procedure with less traumatization?

The saying "First, do no harm!" is a cornerstone in medical and aesthetic fields. It stresses that the safety and well-being of the patient or client should always be the priority. This principle is vital in lip pigmentation, emphasizing the need to make the procedure as safe and minimally invasive as possible.

Correct Needle Selection

To achieve this, many artists prefer using 1RL needles instead of 3RL needles. While larger needles can speed up filling in the inner lip area, they also increase the risk of damaging the skin in the Vermilion zone. Therefore, choosing a smaller needle to minimize skin trauma is better, even if the procedure takes longer.

Less Anesthetics

Be judicious with anesthetics, starting with pre-numbing. First, assess if pre-numbing is even necessary. Many beginners reflexively use it, but if a client has never undergone a lip procedure, it's often unnecessary and should be skipped.

The same caution applies to additional numbing during the procedure. Each layer of anesthetic can alter the skin's structure and trigger bodily reactions. This can make the skin harder, complicating the achievement of a flawless result with minimal damage. Experienced artists recommend moving to a new, "fresh" section of the lips in such situations. Allow the impacted area to "rest" before returning to it, rather than applying more numbing agents.

Blowouts and Migration

Over-numbing can also limit valuable client feedback, leading to issues like blowouts and migration, especially for beginners. A "blowout" is the unintended spread of pigment under the skin, often resulting from going too deep with the needle or applying too much pressure. This can lead to uneven color and blurred boundaries.

Migration refers to the pigment moving away from its original location over time. This is more likely in areas with thinner or more delicate skin, like the lips or eyes, resulting in a smudged or feathered appearance over time. These issues are more likely to occur if the artist doesn't receive feedback from the client due to excessive numbing.

Anesthetic and Actual Causes of Pain

From a dermatological perspective, anesthetics are generally needed only for skin with scarring, which is much more painful. Scarring on lips can happen for two main reasons: the client has had lip herpes, or they've had previous lip pigmentation procedures. If neither applies to your client, you can proceed with the Lipstick Style lip pigmentation without using any anesthetics.

6. Conclusions

Lip pigmentation is generally done in one of two ways: Aquarelle Lips, which gives a shaded, gradient, or ombré effect on the lips which are all versions of Lip Blush, and Lipstick Style, which fills the lips, mimicking the look of lipstick.

To reach the accurate color, clients should bring their favorite lipstick, lip gloss, or lip blush in the desired color. Applying clean lips helps the artist identify the sought-after color undertone. To find the matching pigment, understand the difference between the concentrated "bottled color," also known as "mass color," and the "true color" or "diluted color." To find the diluted color, perform a "drawdown" by drawing a pigment line with a cotton swab until it runs out. Match this to the lipstick's undertone. Opt for a slightly warmer pigment if the client's skin has cool tones.

Avoiding outside the vermilion zone during the Lip Blush procedure is crucial. Especially when mapping the highest points of the lips, always select the point within the vermilion zone as the highest.

Drawing the border should be done carefully with the machine, extending each stroke by 30% and ensuring you can see the needle entering the skin and feel its vibration. If blood or lymph appears, move to the next area and return when it's calmed down. Ice bags can help with swelling. Lips with fillers can sometimes make the procedure easier but may also be prone to more swelling.

Lastly, use as little numbing as possible. If the client has no scarring from previous procedures, you can start the process without any numbing.