Lip Neutralization & Lip Lightening
The Ultimate Solution for Men and Women with Dark
or Uneven Lip Tones
What is Lip Neutralization?
Lip Neutralization, also known as Lip Lightening, is a highly specialized lip tattooing treatment that addresses the unique cosmetic needs of individuals with darker, uneven, or cooler lip tones. Whether you’re looking to brighten your lips, balance pigmentation, camouflage hyper-pigmentation or correct minor pigment loss, this treatment is designed to offer a beautiful and lasting solution for melanin-rich lips.
How Does It Work?
The term “Neutralization” refers to a tattoo process that uses complementary colors (those found on opposite sides of the color wheel) to cancel out unwanted undertones. For individuals with darker or cooler lip tones, this technique utilizes color theory to effectively lighten and brighten the lips.
The Lip Neutralization process is performed in two key steps:
⦁ Masking Cool Tones: During the first session, we target the deeper layers of the lip tissue, neutralizing the cooler, darker tones in the lips by applying specialized pigments.
⦁ Enhancing Lip Color: In the second session, additional pigments are applied to further enhance the desired lip color and create a natural, vibrant result.
The process requires at least two sessions, with each session involving the tattooing of semi-permanent pigments into the lips. In some rare cases, especially for those with very dark lip tones, more sessions may be necessary to achieve the desired color.
Your technician will discuss an estimated number of sessions based on your specific needs and lip tone. Each session is spaced 8 to 10 weeks apart to allow proper healing and for the pigments to settle and bloom naturally in the skin. This method ensures that your lips will have a more pleasing, balanced color after the full process is complete.
Benefits of Lip Neutralization
⦁ Achieve a Balanced Lip Tone: Perfect for anyone with darker, uneven, or pigmented lips, this procedure helps you achieve a more harmonious, balanced look.
⦁ Long-lasting Results: Lip Neutralization offers lasting results that typically last between 2 to 3 years, depending on your skin type and lifestyle. Regular touch-ups are recommended to keep your lip color vibrant.
⦁ Ideal for Men and Women: Whether you’re seeking to enhance your natural lip color or correct pigmentation, Lip Neutralization is a versatile service for all genders.
⦁ Minimal Maintenance: Once the initial sessions are complete, your lips will look fabulous with minimal need for touch-ups or constant makeup application.
Why Choose Look Natural for Your Lip Neutralization?
With our commitment to safety and precision, you can trust that your Lip Neutralization experience will be both comfortable and effective. We take the time to understand your unique needs and work with you to achieve your ideal lip color.
The Lip Neutralization procedure is performed by Evie Delaney, a globally recognized, master-level paramedical tattoo artist with over 25 + years of experience. Evie is a true expert in lip artistry, having been a professional makeup artist and having trained with ethnic skin specialists around the world. She has developed a deep understanding of how to achieve natural-looking, balanced lip colors, making her the perfect expert to guide you through this transformative procedure. Evie’s overall goal will be to use Lip Neutralization to create a neutral base tone for the lips, giving clients a more even and natural lip color that looks great, with or without makeup. Whether you’re aiming for a subtle enhancement or a more dramatic change, Lip Neutralization offers endless possibilities for both men and women.
How Long Will My Results Last?
For most healthy individuals, Lip Neutralization results can last anywhere from 2 to 3 years. Over time, the pigments may fade slightly, but with proper care, you can keep your lips looking fresh and vibrant for longer. For those seeking to maintain the vibrancy of their lip color, we recommend getting a quick color boost every 2 years.
Are You a Good Candidate for Lip Neutralization?
Compare your lips to the pictures of the lips shown below. These are just a few examples. If your lips are similar to any of these pictures, you could be a good candidate for Lip Neutralization or Lip Lightening.
🚫 Who is Not A Good Candidate for Lip Neutralization?
⦁ Active Smokers: If you actively smoke cigarettes, cigars or use vape products that contain nicotine. Note: Reduced blood flow and exposure to tar and nicotine can cause the melanin in the lips and gums to darken, leading to uneven pigmentation. Skin may appear blotchy, purple, dark brown, or black. The chemicals in cigarettes also have negative effects on the skin’s health and its ability to heal.
⦁ Pregnancy/Lactating
⦁ History of Keloid scarring
⦁ History of easy/excessive hypo- or hyperpigmentation
⦁ Bleeding Disorders
⦁ Cancer / Taking Chemo or having Radiation
⦁ Currently taking antibiotics or steroids
⦁ Active Vitiligo
⦁ Autoimmune disorders
Ready to Transform Your Lips?
Schedule a Consultation…
We’re excited to help you take the next step toward achieving beautiful, balanced lips! To get started, we’ll schedule a convenient phone consultation where we’ll walk you through the Lip Neutralization process, address any questions you have, and assess whether this service is right for you.
Before your consultation, we’ll ask you to send a few current pictures of your lips. This helps us get a clear picture of your lip tone and ensure we’re on the right track to create your ideal look.
Once you’ve decided to proceed with the procedure, we’ll review everything again in person on the day of your session, including a personalized look at the treatment process and our recommended aftercare instructions. We want to ensure you’re prepared for a smooth, successful outcome!
Here’s What to Expect…
At the Look Natural Clinic, we use a digital tattooing method to gently implant neutralizing and color-enhancing pigments into your lips. The initial appointment typically lasts about 2 hours. For the best results and comfort, we recommend avoiding caffeine and alcohol the day before and the day of your procedure.
You’ll be numbed thoroughly before and during the entire session, and we’ll provide a soothing topical treatment for aftercare, so you stay comfortable once you are home. Post procedure discomfort Is minimal, thanks to our gentle, precise technique.
Immediately After Your Service
Right after a procedure, your lip color may appear brighter and is generally a pinky or coral tone. This is totally normal and is part of the neutralization process. This is temporary! Within 5 to 7 days, this color will begin to fade as your skin is healing. During this time, you may notice some light exfoliation of the skin, which is also part of the healing process. Your lip color might appear slightly patchy or uneven during the first week or two. Don’t be concerned. Depending on how dark your lip color was when you started, this patchiness is considered normal after a Lip Neutralization procedure.
Additionally, your lips may temporarily return to a lighter form of their original color as they heal. This is also completely normal! Over the next 8 to 10 weeks, your lip color will continue to mature and develop, with a final, lighter and brighter tone emerging after healing. The new color gradually “blooms” into a lighter shade, and the second session builds on this process to achieve your perfect lip color.
To support healing, we recommend applying Aquaphor Lip Therapy for 2 weeks post-treatment and avoiding any cosmetics on the lips during this period. DO NOT USE CHAPSTICK.
Avoid direct sun, swimming and temperature extremes for the first two weeks while the lips are in the initial healing phase.
If you have fuller lips, your lips are more vascular. You could experience some mild temporary swelling immediately after the procedure. This can be normal and generally resolves quickly. If this occurs, we’ll apply a topical skin analgesic to reduce swelling, and provide you with a cold lip compress to use at home. We also recommend that you use an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory like Tylenol during the first 48 hours to help reduce swelling or to address any minor discomfort.
Risks of Lip Neutralization
Lip neutralization is a cosmetic tattoo technique that may pose certain risks for individuals with darker skin tones (Fitzpatrick 4 to 6) complexions.
These risks include:
• Hyperpigmentation (darker spots)
• Hypopigmentation (lighter spots)
Factors such as sensitive skin, sun exposure, medications, genetics, or reactions to the tattoo process can contribute to these outcomes. While these issues typically resolve as the skin heals over 1 to 3 months; rare cases may require additional treatments to address them.
Our team is excited to guide you through the process and help you achieve your cosmetic goals. Let’s get started on your journey to perfect, beautiful lips!
