One tends to be the crux of any question about the lip blush healing process in Australia: when will my lips settle and what are they going to be like? In brief, for the majority you can put down one to three days for the redness and swelling to pass, then a few more of peeling and flaking. Weeks two and three bring the ghosting phase and by four to six weeks the colour has settled. It is not unusual to have a touch-up put in the diary once the skin has seen to itself.
This guide is to help you put your mind at ease as to whether your own healing is running its course. I am Seren Cox and I have been in enough treatment rooms to know that while cosmetic tattoo aftercare is straightforward on paper, it is another matter when you are in the kitchen with a tube of lip balm questioning if you are doing any good or making a mess of it. Consider this your Australian primer on the realities of lip blushing, from the local climate to the warning signs and the things most people do wrong.
Start Here Calmly
Plenty of people are taken aback by how dramatic a lip blush can be in the beginning. Do not let the mirror on day two put you off with the notion that something has run away with itself; for all intents and purposes that is part of the normal timeline for a lip tattoo. The first few days are no fair indication of the end result.
Then there is the matter of time. A healthy adult will see surface healing in seven to ten days, but allow four to six weeks for the deeper permanent enhancement to fully come through. For more insights, you can read about permanent lip enhancement experiences. Some will need longer on account of their immune system or sun exposure, or because they prefer to make up their own rules rather than follow them.
Know What Lip Blush Is
Put simply, it is a form of cosmetic tattooing where pigment is put into the lips to even out the tone and give some soft colour and definition. You will not get a hard line like a lipstick, the idea is a natural tint. Over here in Australia it is often put under the umbrella of permanent makeup. Those looking into permanent lip enhancement are generally of two minds as to whether they want a subtle freshening or something of more substance, which will alter healing expectations if the initial pigment is of a deeper hue.
Who It Suits Best
Those who would like to put down the lip products and have a more uniform tone will find it suits them well. Not so much if you have an outbreak of cold sores or sensitive, irritated skin, or cannot keep away from the pool and the sun and spicy food in the early days of recovery.
See The Healing Snapshot
Here is the bird’s-eye view. The pattern of a lip blush is to be intense, then patchy, before it is strangely pale and the colour comes back in a softer way. But do not expect tidiness from normal healing; where many anticipate a smooth fade, the stages of a lip blush are more of a wobble.
| Timeframe | What You May Notice | The Usual | When to Pay Attention |
| Day 1 | Swelling, tenderness and bright colour | Some redness and moderate swelling | Rash, breathing problems or severe swelling |
| Days 2–3 | A darker tone, dryness and tightness | They will look bolder and chapped | Pus or a hot, throbbing pain |
| Days 4–7 | Flaking and peeling | Uneven colour as it sheds | Bleeding, heavy cracking or pain on the increase |
| Week 2 | Ghosting | Colour seems to have gone too far | Signs of infection or swelling that will not go |
| Weeks 3–4 | Colour begins to settle | You will see a more even, softer result | Allergic type reactions or irritation |
| Weeks 4–6+ | Healed tone in its true form | Time to book a touch-up | Abnormal symptoms of any kind |
Follow The Daily Stages
Most will want the blow-by-blow account. A proper guide should cover what is textbook and what may feel odd but is nothing to worry about. From my experience clients are more apt to fret over the patchy stage than the swollen one. With the latter you are prepared for it, but patchiness can look like an error when it is not.
Day 1 To Day 2
In the immediate aftermath of your treatment you will find the lips are more swollen, firmer and brighter in appearance than once they have healed. The pigment has a way of looking warm or bold, perhaps even overdone. There is nothing to it. You might also experience some dryness and tenderness, a tight feeling when you are eating, talking or at your teeth.
Then there is the matter of shape; while the lips are puffy it can be deceiving as to how pronounced they are, and the colour with them. Should your technician put you on an aftercare regimen of balm and some gentle blotting and cleaning, stick to that and forgo anything more dramatic.
Day 3 To Day 4
As the swelling abates, the dryness makes itself known. Your lips take on an almost papery quality and the top layer will start to rough up in preparation for shedding. The recovery from lip blushing is not quite so glamorous here.
One has to be careful with hot drinks, citrus, spicy fare and salty chips as they have a tendency to sting. A straw is an aid for the first few days to keep friction to a minimum when drinking something cool, if your technician is in favour of it.
Day 5 To Day 7
Peeling and flaking will be at its height. An uneven surface can leave the colour looking patchy or washed out in places and people are inclined to meddle. Do not be one of them. Picking is to be avoided entirely, it risks scarring or infection by lifting the pigment before it is set.
It is not uncommon for a client to be in a panic and message their artist to see where the colour has gone. It is still there, just in the throes of healing and not looking its best.
Week 2 To Week 3
You may be greeted by the ghosting phase. All of a sudden the lips seem much lighter and you would think the treatment had done little. A perfectly normal part of the healing process for a lip tattoo and one of the most frequent surprises.
The pigment is under a new surface and muted until the skin finishes regenerating. It is an annoyance but no cause for alarm, give it time.
Week 4 And Beyond
Four to six weeks in and the colour has settled down to a softer, more natural tone than what was seen in week one. Now you can assess the outcome without bias.
If a touch-up is called for to put right any lack of definition or a shade, this is why the second session is part and parcel of a lip blush, to perfect the result.
Spot Normal Vs Not
Some discomfort is to be expected, a proper problem is another matter. You can spare yourself the stress by being able to tell the difference between what is normal and a warning sign. Symptoms ought to improve, not get worse day on day. If there is more heat and pain and the area looks angry, pay it some mind.
What Is Common
What one would consider common includes redness, peeling, tightness and a degree of swelling and flaking. Ghosting and temporary patchiness too. And for those prone to cold sores, the tattooing can be a trigger.
What Is A Red Flag
Pus, a foul smell, fever, redness or swelling that is on the increase, or pain that does not subside after the first couple of days are all signs of infection. Or in the case of an allergic reaction, a rash or unrelenting itch and swelling.
The Australian Government’s Healthdirect health information service is a useful starting point for current medical guidance if you are unsure whether symptoms need urgent care. Any suspicion of infection calls for a prompt call to your GP and technician, do not put it off.
Do The Aftercare Properly
There is no complexity to it, only a need for consistency. The tales of poor healing are rarely due to some calamity but small oversights: a swim one deems acceptable, too much sun, touching the lips or putting on more product than is wise. Freshly tattooed lips have no use for the whole of your bathroom cabinet.
In the first 24 hours in particular, adhere to the cleaning protocol your technician has given you.
- Follow your technician’s cleaning instructions exactly, especially in the first 24 hours.
- A thin application of the approved balm is sufficient.
- Let the lips be clean and dry in between, do not smother them.
- Be gentle with food and drink and pat the area afterwards as you have been told.
- Make sure your pillowcase is clean and leave the lips alone.
- Do not put active skincare, exfoliants or lipstick to your lips until they have completely healed, barring any other words from your technician.
Products To Keep Simple
You are best to follow the line your artist puts you on since there is variation in pigment systems and technique. A technician who has been through an educator like Cosmetic Tattoo Academy or works with the sort of products Tina Davies does will have aftercare requirements that are a touch different to another’s but the fundamentals do not change: protect and clean the area, do not overwork it.
Avoid The Usual Saboteurs
For colour to hold up well this is as important as the procedure. The first week in particular has its share of traps that can set back healing.
Then there are the Australian headaches. Fresh lip tattoos are not suited to chlorinated pools, beach wind, dry heat or strong sun.
- Hands off any flakes you might be tempted to pick, rub or peel.
- Leave the makeup and gloss off the lips till your technician gives the all clear.
- If hot or spicy food stings, forgo it; the same goes for anything very salty.
- In the opening days heavy perspiration from hard exercise can be an irritant so leave that.
- Make no plans for direct midday sun.
- Your artist will give you a time frame for healing, in which period you should steer clear of the ocean, saunas and spas.
- And while the skin is at its most fragile, avoid kissing or any oral friction.
When Lipstick Can Return
How soon can I have some on after a lip blush? You will hear many technicians say to bide your time until surface healing is complete, seven to fourteen days out, if not longer in some cases of healing. In the end your provider’s word is what counts.
Plan For Australian Conditions
Healing here is not the same as getting through a mild grey winter in other climes. Our UV is something else and depending on where you are the summer will be either dry or humid; one does not have to look far for a pool, an oval or the beach.
Even once the lips are done healing, UV exposure is a cause of premature fading, so some find their tattoo softens quicker than they would like.
Sun, Heat And Wind
A new lip tattoo is not fond of the direct rays. Those in Darwin, Perth or Brisbane and elsewhere with hard sun and heat would do well to be more circumspect outdoors for the first few weeks. When you are fully healed a regular application of lip-safe sun protection will go some way to preserving the colour.
Pools And Coastal Life
Living by the coast makes for an unfair situation. Between the salt water and the sun and wind of a long day at the beach, healing skin can be agitated. If you have put in for a lip blush ahead of a weekend on the Gold Coast or a Noosa getaway, or even a phase of lap-swimming, you may want to retime it.
Cold Sores And Health Checks
Should you be susceptible to cold sores, make sure you and your GP have had a word before hand. It is something to put on the table at consultation for the sake of prevention. Any good studio in Australia, be it Cosmetic Tattoo Brisbane, The Brow Design Co, Parlour Dala, Alison Jade, Preah Love, Lisa Om, Olha Po or Tham Vo Studio, will want to go over your health history and set expectations on aftercare and healing in some detail before applying pigment.
Judge Colour At The Right Time
There is no point in judging at the two-week mark or the day of. Disappointment is often self inflicted by doing so. Wait on it for four to six weeks for a proper read on the tone and saturation and symmetry. That is when the colour is to be relied upon and you can make sensible plans for a touch-up.
What Two Years Can Look Like
What is the look of a lip blush after 2 years? There is variation. You will find some with a soft tint and good border definition, and then those where the fading is evident and a touch up is in order. How long it holds up is a matter of the pigment used, your skin, how much sun you are in, your immune system, smoking or skincare routine and even if the work put down initially has healed in an even manner.
Then there is the matter of expectations and reality. Lip blush is semi-permanent for a reason; it does not remain as unaltered as a permanent marker on a lunchbox but will fade with time.
Know Risks And Costs
One should be blunt about it: lip blushing has its drawbacks for some. Discomfort, swelling, uneven healing, colour you are not happy with, maintenance, the chance of a cold sore or an allergy, infection, and being bound to aftercare for weeks are all part of the equation.
Cost can be a surprise. In most Australian metro cities a cosmetic tattoo will set one back several hundred dollars, more so from the premium artists. What you are charged will hinge on the city, the artist’s experience and if the fee covers the touch-up. Should the asking price be too good to be true, put some questions to them. This is no place for the kind of bargain hunting one might do for a pair of marked-down towels.
If You Only Have One Day
Make the first 48 hours your priority when organising around the treatment. Any socialising, protracted time in the sun or exercise will be an inconvenience while you are dealing with tenderness, swelling and hygiene.
Who Should Think Twice
Not something for the novice who is after a no-fuss procedure given the upkeep and fading that is to be expected. Those with a history of poor aftercare, active infections, uncontrolled skin problems in the mouth area or who have had lip fillers without heeding timing advice would do well to seek some personal counsel before going ahead.
Answer The Common Questions
They are asked in every consultation and inbox, understandably so. Lip blush is a simple concept until the peeling sets in and confidence wavers.
Is There A Downside To Lip Blushing?
There can be. Apart from the cost of maintenance and the like, one risks discomfort, patchy healing and temporary swelling. An inexperienced hand or a lack of aftercare can also lead to substandard results.
How Long Before It Looks Normal?
The honest answer as to how long the lip blush takes to heal is four to six weeks for the finished article, though most are socially presentable in seven to ten days.
When Can I Wear Lipstick Again?
Once the surface has healed, typically in a week or two, but do as your technician says. If they are still flaking or tender, leave it.
Can You Show Me Pictures Of The Healing Process?
Not from me, but I would put it to your technician to show you some examples from day one through to full healing. Be sure to see what ordinary results look like in consistent lighting and not just their best work.
What If My Lips Look Too Pale In Week Two?
Do not jump to the conclusion the pigment is gone, it is likely the ghosting phase. Let the colour settle. Or put a few clear photos in front of your technician and measure them against your aftercare plan.
Take A Sensible View
With realistic expectations and proper aftercare the process is nothing to be concerned about for our clients in Australia. The boldness at the start, the mid-healing patchiness and some fading are to be expected.
My advice is to have the treatment done in a quiet fortnight rather than on the eve of a wedding or a trip to the beach or when you have a lot of lapping in the pool to do. You will be grateful for it later when you are looking in the mirror and not making a fuss over a perfectly normal ghosting phase.
