Lip Tattoo and Lip Embroidery

May 2013

This blog post on lip tattoo/embroidery is written angrily.

Members at Flowerpod forum were posting wrong information as commercial scheme to promote selected beauticians. Their photos were (1)taken immediately after inking (2) heavily edited - to create the impression of vibrant colour or smooth texture.

Do not trust the beauticians these forum scammers recommend.
It is not correct.

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My motivation for lip tattoo/embroidery was not celebrity influenced. I have dark lips since elementary school.   Relatives thought my health was super bad at sight of my lips discoloration.  I appeared poisoned despite obtaining gold standard in fitness tests.

Conventional tattoo is not an option as none use anesthesia cream. Pain.  In addition, many tattooist stated that the thinnest surface they had ever worked on was "nipples"  Hence, there is concern of the amount of pressure a tattooist would place with their needles on my lips.

A number of beauty centres were recommended in forums based in Singapore. One such was The Best Beauty Centre (TBBC) located at Toa Payoh.  The plump china lady at TBBC crapped her sales talk in heavy mainland accent.  She said it would be painless (lies) because anesthetic cream would be applied etc.

I stared at her lips.

BloggerMe  : It seems like you have done lip colouring as well, why is yours so dark(black)?  

TBBC Beautician (after a long pause) : "Oh because mine was done long ago."

BloggerMe :  Huh, does that mean my lips will turn black over time if I let you tattoo?

TBBC Beautician : "No la, wont because mine is old."

Not convinced, I did not let that fat woman colour my lips.

Months later, I was recommended to a home based Singaporean beautician Joyce. She was an excellent beautician from year 2012 to year 2014. I do not patronize her service anymore after I found out she was engaging shady activities, such as recommending old aunties to Malaysia for illegal eyelid procedures.

She was game to openly share all information which included:

• Brand of anesthetic cream
• Brand of lip ink
• Brand of post tattoo recovery cream
• Small testing on arm
• Info on pressure applied.
• Pen/blade type used for tattooing   

Thereafter I have done lip tattoo/embroidery with Joyce. 

Above pic - Lips before tattoo. There is remaining colour from first tattoo one year ago.
Upper lips appear darker than lower lips.
Brown stains at lower lip 60% covered up at first tattoo session a year ago.

Above pic - One round of "bleaching" in orange colour to lighten the dark pigmentation.  Thereafter, 2 rounds of thicker colors inked into the lips to complete the procedure.

Preparation Stage:
2 layers of anesthetic cream were applied at 20 minutes interval.   Emla was used and it still hurts like fuck as she tattoos on the lips.  The first round hurt the most as it wounds to open up the pores of the lips. Beautician then apply cotton pads soaked with fast acting liquid anesthesia.  Pain is reduced from 9/10 to 3/10.   

The anesthesia will totally dry up the lip as it is applied.  Should not be of concern because... in 1-2 hours, your lips right after the whole shit swells like below.

Above pic - I felt proud I look like Shu Qi / Bardot for this few hours in my life.   

Above pic -  actual lips on the same day after returning home in few hours.  Lips are really dry and nothing like beauty salon posters.

Above pic - lips on Day 4.  Lip appear glossy. It was mandatory to lather on lip balm regularly as moulting made lips ultra dry.  Without lubricating, the lips could tear and bleed. Balm needs to be applied for weeks to prevent the tight dry feel.

Above pic - Day 5. Upper lip is still sloughing.  

Pic on right - Deliberately stick my tongue to prop up lips to realistically show that the brown perimeters are still visible upon close examination after lip colouring.

This will cost $550 for virgin lips as all beauticians would give extra one session free for revision.  For your future visits, say, 2 -4 years later, each coloring will cost about $250.   This is slightly pricier than some other home-based beauticians.  I have seen some quoting cheaper like $350 to $480, promising a one time off job. Not sure about their results.

Some things to note about Lip Embroidery/ Lip Tattoo:

1. All beauty salons/ beautician will come up with stupid fancy names like Lips enhancement, Lips Bleaching (漂唇), Lips Embroidery and other bullshit terms.  It all means the same thing - lip tattooing or lip colouring.   

2. For business, beauticians have a habit of making customers feel bad about themselves - that customers lips shape look weird, not defined etc.  Beauticians will also tell customers that redder lips will give you better luck etc.  Do not listen to beauticians unless you have brown/pigmented lips like I do.   If your lips are pale, just use lipstick.  Traditional chinese doctors may wrongly diagnose your medical condition as having too much heat if your lips are unnaturally red all the time.

3. After lip embroidery/tattoo, all beauticians recommend customers recovery lips moisturiser/balm care.  Beauticians claim their gel/balm/oil will enhance the lip colour, keep it more lasting etc. Do not buy their bullshit.  The stay of the colour depends on how well your skin can absorb the ink, as well as quality of ink not to change over time.   

4. The anonymous brand of lip recovery gel/oi/balm and antiseptic cream recommended by beauticians often cost too much. All beauticians are not net savvy to google each and every ingredient in the products they carry. 

5. Recommendation for post lip embroidery/lip tattoo aftercare in first 2 days:

Olive Oil - ICM or DHC or bertolli or organic brand virgin olive oil for cooking all are good.

Subsequent days - use this

This can be purchased from Singapore Unity healthcare.  The best lipbalm I have used in terms of the ingredients in this product. Even with the injured lips, it is easy to apply.  Also, it does not have those artificial strawberry, blueberry, durian smell that most lip moisturisers have.