Permanent lip makeup: aesthetic problems and solutions

Lip tattooing is a broad concept. It can be made in the form of an imperceptible, or vice versa, a pronounced contour. It can be complemented by various shading options of varying intensity and to different depths (two-thirds or half of the red border) or completely fill the entire surface of the lips. The result depends on the goals that the client wants to achieve: make a more pronounced relief, change the color, increase or decrease the volume, correct the asymmetry. Therefore, the master of permanent makeup must be able to use various techniques for applying permanent makeup of the lips in order to achieve a natural or, conversely, decorative result.

Customer motives

What are the most common motives that our clients come up with for permanent lip makeup?

• Increase volume;
• Save time during morning makeup;
• Return form. which has changed with age;
• Correct natural or acquired asymmetry.

A separate category is clients who, due to their professional activities, face the need to constantly "be in shape", which often involves difficulties in constantly updating makeup (business women, fitness instructors, etc.).

Let's consider the main types of permanent lip makeup from the point of view of the clients' problems that they solve.

Creating the effect of sharpening the contour of the lips

To create an effect of greater clarity with a "blurred" contour of one's own lips, as well as to correct a contour spoiled by frequent herpetic eruptions, lip contour tattooing is often used as an independent procedure. So that as a result of this type of tattooing the effect of “eaten” lipstick is not created, the master should select the colors of the pigment exactly in tone or even lighter.

An interesting technique: when the lips have their own cold tone, perform permanent make-up of the contour with a warm shade of pigment. In this case, the contour must be very thin and be carried out along the line of its own contour, without magnification.

The same purpose is served by the lip tattoo "contour with shading" , which can be performed in many variations. Previously, the phrase "outline with feathering" meant one scenario: a clear, often darker or brighter outline and less saturated feathering of varying depths. In the modern practice of PM masters, there is a more flexible approach to this type of tattooing. The contour can be deliberately fuzzy, be tone-on-tone with the color of the shading or lighter than it.

A very interesting decorative effect is achieved as a result of contouring in a contrasting color with respect to shading. In this case, the shading itself can be performed with a gradient effect, or specifically not include certain sections of the red border.

Permanent lip makeup with full filling of the red border (not shading or “stretched” color from the outer contour of the lips) suggests that the shade can be dense, imitating a persistent matte lipstick or, on the contrary, light, with the effect of uniformly colored translucent lipstick or lip gloss.

It is important to remember that in order to achieve the effect of “super naturalness”, the natural shape of the lips remains practically unchanged, or changes slightly. If the client wants to change the shape, the master should draw his attention to the fact that the clearer the natural contour of the lips and the more pronounced the relief, the more noticeable the changes made with the help of tattooing will be. For example, if the border is heavily modified, then when exposed to direct sunlight, the difference between the old and new borders will be very noticeable both in front and in profile.

Restoration of natural lip color

In order to restore the natural color, to return the colors that have faded with age, they often turn to the watercolor technique. This technique is also called "tattoo lips without a contour." Of course, there is a contour, but it is performed in such a way that it is not noticeable to others. In this case, the color of permanent makeup is chosen as close as possible to the natural color.

Giving visual volume and relief to the lips

Performing in volumetric techniques (3D tattooing) is the most spectacular type of permanent lip makeup, which allows you to add visual volume and relief to the lips. In this type of permanent lip makeup, the master has the opportunity to widely apply visual and technical techniques, both individually and in combination.

The master can use a combination of several colors and tattooing techniques, can apply color highlights, brighten areas above the upper or lower lips, draw a white kayal over the upper lip, darken the skin area under the lower, etc.

However, while modeling the shape of the lips, one should not forget that it is impossible to create a universal shape or to embody a “fashionable” shape suitable for any type of face. When choosing various shape options, you should definitely take into account the individual structure of the facial bones and the proportions of the parts of the face.

Eternal youth

The older we get, the greater the compromise between "beautiful" and "rejuvenates" we go. The most visible signs of aging in the lip area are drooping corners of the mouth (horseshoe mouth), decreased volume (lateral angle) of the upper lip, discoloration of the lips, or a bluish tinge to the lips. The 3D lip tattoo technique will also help with the task of visual rejuvenation.

In order to enhance the effect of rejuvenation, the master can use special corrective pigments to lighten the darkening in the corners of the lips, work out the bottom of wrinkles above the upper lip, apply light kajal in certain areas above the upper and under the lower lip.

We take into account the variety of forms

Experienced make-up artists and permanent makeup specialists steadily adhere to the following rules:

• if the face is round, then long lips with pointed upper corners will do;
• with an elongated face, it is better to use rounded options (for example, tattooing lips with a “bow”). In the case of a too large and elongated mouth, the upper part of the face will visually appear narrowed;
• if the client has a horseshoe-shaped mouth, then the master should draw slightly concave lines from the “bow” of the lips towards the corners of the mouth. In this case, the upper contour is not brought to the corners of the mouth, and the lower contour, on the contrary, is drawn to the corners. The contour of the lower lip should be slightly wider than the upper;
• if the gap between the nose part of the red border of the lips is small, the upper lip should not be enlarged, otherwise the mouth will seem literally under the nose;
• in the case of a pointed tip of the nose, it is not advisable to place the corners of the bow at a great distance from each other;
• for a square face shape, a voluminous shape of the lips or accentuated shapes with an emphasis on the corners of the “bow” of the upper part are more suitable;
• if the shape of the face is triangular (usually with a pronounced chin), then the lower lip can be safely enlarged, thus visually reducing the chin;
• with lowered corners, it is best to slightly lift the highest points of the upper lip.

Help your clients in solving their aesthetic problems, but always consider how the future contour will behave in facial expressions (for example, when talking, smiling). Let the results of your work be as natural as possible!