I am not a low-maintenance person pretending to be one. I have had a blepharoplasty (yes, I wrote about it), I get my hair colored every few weeks, and I am on camera constantly as a content creator. So when my lips started doing that thing where they just… fade into my face, I was not going to sit around and accept it.

I got lip blushing done with Denver-based permanent makeup artist Karilyn May, and (as always) I have thoughts.

First, What Even Is Lip Blushing?

Lip blushing is a cosmetic tattoo treatment that deposits pigment into your lips to restore color, define the borders, and enhance the natural shape. It is not a lipstick look. It is more like your lips decided to show up and try. A natural flush of color that looks like it was always there.

The procedure can also make your lips appear fuller, not by adding volume, but by defining the edges that have been quietly disappearing on you. If you did not know that was happening to your lips, now you do. You’re welcome.

Video: The Low-Maintenance Lip Upgrade I
Should Have Done Years Ago

Why I Got Lip Blushing in my 60’s

Two reasons. One, I am a content creator and I am on camera all the time. Reaching for lip liner before every video was getting old fast. Two, lips genuinely lose pigment as you age. The color fades. The definition blurs. It is one of those things nobody warns you about and then one day you notice your lips look like they have been through a lot.

Lip blushing solves both problems in one appointment.

How to Find a Reputable Permanent Makeup Artist

This is where I want to slow down for a second, because lip blushing is a tattoo on your face and the person holding the needle matters enormously. A bad result is not just an inconvenience. It is on your face, potentially for years.

Karilyn May has put together a free 70+ page ebook called The Permanent Makeup Guide to Getting It Right the First Time that covers exactly how to research an artist before you commit. We’re talking how to evaluate before-and-after photos, what to look for in a consultation, and how to know whether someone actually knows what they’re doing. It is genuinely useful and I wish something like it had existed the first time I started looking into permanent makeup procedures.

A few things I’d add from my own experience: look at a lot of healed results, not just fresh ones. Fresh work always looks dramatic. Healed work tells the real story. And be sure to look for (or ask for) photos of people that have similar skin tone and coloring. Finally, do a thorough consultation before you commit to anything. Karilyn did mine in two parts, first by phone/FaceTime and then in person, and that process gave me confidence before anyone came near my face.

The Consultation Process

I started with a video call consultation with Karilyn, which I appreciated because I had questions and I wanted real answers before committing. Then we met in person, where she assessed my natural lip undertone and we chose a custom color together. That color matching step matters more than people realize. Your artist needs to work with your skin, not against it. The goal is NOT to look like you’re always wearing lipstick.

What the Procedure Is Actually Like

Yes, it’s a tattoo. Small needle, pigment, repeat across the lip surface. My lips were numbed and while I won’t pretend it was a spa day, it was completely manageable. More uncomfortable than painful.

The whole appointment, including consultation and color selection, took a few hours.

The Results (and What to Expect Right After)

Immediately after, my lips were swollen and the color looked extremely intense. Way deeper than the final result. That is completely normal. The pigment softens and settles as it heals, and Karilyn’s site notes the deeper layers take a full eight weeks to fully heal.

The before and after difference was genuinely striking. Defined borders, restored color, fuller-looking lips. And results last three to five years.

Would I Do It Again?

Already answered that in the headline. If you are tired of disappearing lips and you want to wake up with your face at least partially ready, lip blushing is worth a serious look.

Karilyn May is based in Denver and you can book through her site at karilynmaypmu.com.

I also filmed the whole experience. Watch the full video above, and if you want to see the one-week follow-up showing the healing process, let me know in the comments.

Other Before and After Beauty Posts

Blepharoplasty at 61: My Journey to More Refreshed Eyes

Tried It: Eyelash Lift and Tint

Breaking the Stigma Around Cosmetic Treatments

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