lip neutralisation

Lip neutralisation is a specialised permanent makeup treatment designed to balance and even out the natural tone of the lips — particularly for those with cool, dark, or uneven pigmentation. Instead of adding a new colour straight away, the process gently corrects the undertones by layering warm pigments to lift and brighten the natural shade.

This treatment is ideal for clients whose lips appear darker, uneven, or cool-toned due to genetics, hyperpigmentation, or previous trauma. Over a series of sessions, the lips gradually appear brighter, softer, and more even in colour, while still looking completely natural.

Once the tone has been neutralised, a soft tint or lip blush can be added if desired, giving the lips a healthy, balanced tone that complements your skin and enhances your overall look.

Nicole has trained in advanced neutralisation techniques and takes great care to choose pigments and methods suited to each individual’s natural lip tone, ensuring safe, beautiful, and realistic results.

All permanent make-up treatments require a consultation prior to treatment.

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am i suitable for lip neutralisation?

Lip neutralisation is ideal for clients whose lips have cool, dark, or uneven tones and who want to achieve a softer, more balanced colour. It’s particularly suited to those with natural pigmentation caused by ethnic background, sun exposure, or previous trauma, as well as clients whose lips have healed darker after past PMU.

This treatment gently corrects the undertone rather than masking it, using warm pigments to lift and brighten the natural shade of the lips over time.

Lip neutralisation isn’t suitable for everyone. It cannot be performed if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, undergoing active cancer treatment, or if you have open sores, cold sores, or broken skin on the lips. Clients who are prone to cold sores will need to take an antiviral medication (such as Aciclovir) in the days leading up to the treatment to reduce the chance of an outbreak during healing.

During your consultation, Nicole will assess your lip tone, skin type, and overall suitability for the procedure and create a plan tailored specifically to your needs. The goal is always to achieve a natural, even tone that enhances your features and feels true to you.

how many sessions are needed for lip neutralisation?

Because lip neutralisation is a gradual process, most clients need two to three sessions to achieve their desired result. Each appointment builds on the last, with soft layers of warm pigment applied to gently lift and balance the natural tone of the lips.

The number of sessions required depends on your starting lip colour, undertones, and how your skin retains pigment. Some clients notice a visible improvement after the first session, while others may need additional treatments for full correction and even colour.

Appointments are spaced around 8–12 weeks apart to allow the skin to heal and the pigment to settle properly before any further work is done.

Once the desired tone is achieved, Nicole may recommend a colour boost or soft lip blush to enhance and perfect the final look.

Does lip neutralisation hurt?

It’s completely normal to feel a little nervous about discomfort, but most clients are pleasantly surprised by how manageable the treatment feels. The lips are a particularly sensitive area but Nicole applies a numbing cream before and during the treatment to keep you as comfortable as possible throughout. You may feel some light scratching or a tingling sensation, but it shouldn’t be too painful.

After your appointment, a little swelling or tenderness is completely normal and usually settles within a few hours to a day as your lips begin to heal.

It’s important to avoid painkillers and caffeine before your appointment, as these can thin the blood and affect pigment retention.

Nicole will guide you through every step of the process and make sure you’re comfortable from start to finish, so you can relax knowing you’re in safe hands.

how to prepare for your lip neutralisation treatment

To achieve the best results from your Lip Blush treatment, preparation is key. Following these simple steps will help your lips heal beautifully and ensure the pigment holds evenly:

Hydrate well in the days leading up to your appointment — drink plenty of water and keep your lips moisturised.
Gently exfoliate your lips 24–48 hours before your appointment to remove any dry or flaky skin (a soft lip scrub or damp cloth works well).
Avoid caffeine and alcohol for at least 24 hours before your appointment, as these can increase sensitivity and cause bleeding.
Do not take painkillers or blood-thinning medication (such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or paracetamol) for 24–48 hours prior, unless prescribed by your doctor — they can affect pigment retention.
Avoid Retinol, Vitamin A, and active skincare acids around the mouth area for at least 2–4 weeks beforehand, as these thin the skin.
No filler or Botox around the lip area for at least 4 weeks prior to your appointment.
If you are prone to cold sores, start taking your antiviral medication (such as Aciclovir) 3–5 days before treatment to help prevent an outbreak.
Arrive with clean, product-free lips — no makeup, balm, or lipstick on the day of your appointment.

Proper preparation helps the pigment settle evenly and reduces irritation or swelling after treatment. Nicole will go through everything in detail during your consultation to make sure you feel confident and ready for your appointment.

How much is lip neutralisation treatment?

Lip Neutralisation with Nicole is £350, which includes your consultation, pre-treatment patch test, aftercare kit, and a perfecting session recommended 8–10 weeks after your initial appointment.

Colour boost and retouch appointments range from £120–£180, depending on how long it’s been since your last treatment.

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aftercare advice

You'll receive your aftercare pack and a reminder of aftercare on the day of your treatment:

Ice packs protected with a cloth may be applied as necessary to reduce swelling. You may experience the following for 72 hours:

Flaking
Tenderness
Dryness and itchiness in the treated area Swelling
Redness

Initial Aftercare

Clean treatment area morning and evening with cooled boiled water or the product recommended by Nicole.

Apply healing balm a minimum of 3 times daily, using a fresh cotton bud and clean hands.

Use a gentle facial cleanser to clean the face during the healing period.

Keep hair away from the treated site to prevent any infection.

DO NOT PICK, PEEL OR SCRATCH the treated area or the colour may heal unevenly and you risk scarring and infection.

Avoid makeup products should be applied for the first 7days after the procedure.

DO NOT use any cleansing products containing acids (glycolic, lactic, or AHA), or exfoliants.

Do not expose the healing skin to direct sun, tanning beds, Jacuzzis, saunas, salt water, chlorinated pools, direct shower spray, hot water for two weeks following your procedure.

If the area gets wet, gently pat dry using clean tissue.

Avoid facials, chemical peels, or microdermabrasion for 4 weeks

Long Term Care

Use a good sunscreen. Sun exposure will fade your permanent make-up.
If you are planning a chemical peel, MRI scan or other medical procedure, please inform your doctor of your permanent cosmetics.
Please inform the National Blood Service if you donate blood, as you may not be eligible to give blood for a year post procedure.

REMEMBER, YOUR SELECTED COLOUR WILL BE STRONGER AND MORE SHARPLY DEFINED IMMEDIATELY AFTER TREATMENT BUT AS THE HEALING PROCESS OCCURS THE COLOUR WILL SOFTEN AND LIGHTEN.