Lip blush involves the implementation of cosmetic tattoo pigments into the lips to give them either a natural enhancement or a bolder, more solid color.
The longevity of the results depends on several factors such as your skin type, lifestyle, and the aftercare steps you follow or neglect. That’s why the lip blush you get today, probably won’t look as vibrant in a couple of months.
Read this article to find out all about lip blush fading, why it happens, and what it looks like year after year.
How Long Does Lip Blush Last?
The cosmetic pigments used during lip blushing last 2 to 3 years on average.
Lip blush results gradually fade over time and depend mostly on factors like how well your skin holds pigments, how hard your system works to extract them, and how you take care of your lips post-treatment.
PMU pigments are meant to be broken down and absorbed by our bodies. That’s why lip blushing is considered a cosmetic tattoo, not a traditional one. But how quickly this process unfolds varies.
Some of the external factors that affect your lip blush results, like sunlight exposure, can be controlled, while others, like your body chemistry, cannot.
If you wish to prolong the effect of your treatment and reverse some of that lip blush fading you’ve experienced, get a touch-up every year or two.
Learn everything about lip blush longevity and what can affect it here.
Right after your treatment, the color will look very bright and intense, but after the healing process is over you will notice your lip blush fading significantly – this is normal.
As your lips are healing from the procedure, a portion of pigment is naturally lost, which can result in about 30%-50% less color vibrancy. Only after 6 weeks, your lip blush will settle and take its final color.
And the actual fading starts from there.
Lip Blushing After a Year – What to Expect?
Lip blush that’s a year old won’t look as fresh as it did immediately after the procedure, but you’ll still have a nice pop of color and probably won’t feel the urge to wear lipstick all that much.
1 year later, the color may have faded by an additional 30% during this time, depending on your skin type. If you have dry lips, the color may fade more quickly, as the lip tissue gets chapped more often.
Also, lifestyle factors such as frequent sun exposure, smoking, and using certain skincare products can also affect the longevity of your lip blush color.
It is essential to keep your lips moisturized in the first months after the treatment to minimize fading.
You can use a lip balm or an aftercare ointment to keep your lips hydrated. Just remember to avoid using products that contain retinol, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid as they can cause the lip blush color to fade.
What About Possible Gone Wrong Scenarios?
If you notice your lip blush color getting slightly patchy and uneven during the first year – this is to be expected. One of the main factors when it comes to unevenness in color is aftercare.
Remember to always be careful when exfoliating your facial skin as well as the skin on your lips, as regular exfoliation can cause the lip blush to fade more quickly. And always wear your daily SPF over your lip blush to prevent the color from fading.
However, if you notice a dark patch of pigment around your lips remaining after your lip blush has significantly faded, this can indicate improper pigment implementation during the initial procedure.
In this case, your artist has probably applied pigment above the vermillion border onto your facial skin. This is a problem because the pigment implemented into the skin fades at a slower rate when compared to the pigment in your lips.
Read more about the potential side effects and gone-wrong scenarios of lip tattoos here.
Image source: Instagram @tattoo_byjulie
What Does Lip Blush After 2 Years Look Like?
Lip blush tattoo after 2 years looks significantly faded. The color loss is now an additional 20% when compared to the results of lip blush fading after a year.
During this time, you may notice that the edges of your lips are not as defined as they were initially.
However, the good news is that the color will still look natural, and you will not have any harsh lines. The faded color may be more noticeable if you had a darker shade initially.
How to Prolong the Effect of Your Lip Blush Tattoo
The main thing is to let it heal properly. This plays a big role in how your lip blush looks after a year or two.
Lip blush needs some time to heal – approximately 10 days for superficial healing, and about a month for the pigments to settle.
During the healing process, you should refrain from certain activities, clean the treated area regularly, and hydrate it with a specialized lip blush aftercare ointment.
Until the lips are healed or until the peeling is over:
- Don’t touch your lips or pick at scabs.
- Don’t get your lips soaking wet.
- Refrain from swimming and working out.
- Don’t get toothpaste on your lips.
- Don’t put any makeup on your lips.
- Don’t eat spicy or very salty foods.
- Avoid drinking hot beverages and alcohol.
- Minimize exposure to direct sunlight.
- Don’t sleep on your face.
After healing, it’s recommended to:
- Limit the frequency of exfoliation.
- Try to avoid chemical acids and other ingredients that chemically exfoliate the skin around the lips.
- Limit sunlight exposure.
- Wear a lip balm with SPF whenever you’re outside.
Cover image source: Freepik
