Natural & Permanent Ways to Darken Lips: Lipstick Alternatives

Our lips are the frames of our smiles and a smile is always one of our best features. We can understand why people go through so much for the perfect pout.

One of the things many people do is try to tone their lips to a color that best suits their skin tone.

This is often darker than their natural lip color. So let’s talk about the best ways to darken and tone your lips!

The First Step – Lip Care

Before you can efficiently change and maintain the color of your lips, you need to make your lips healthy. This will make your color change last as long as possible and make your lips look and feel even better. 

I recommend adopting a lip care routine that will easily fit into your schedule and that will be easy to maintain. The routine will also depend on the condition of your lips. 

However, a few general recommendations are:

• Keep your lips clean – always cleanse your lips after a long day and in the morning. And do not sleep with makeup on your lips
• Exfoliate – this should be done a few times a week, depending on the condition of your lips. This will remove dead skin cells, smoothen your lips, plump them, and even help to make them evenly toned.
• Keep your lips hydrated and moisturized – use a lip balm and drink lots of water. This will keep your lips hydrated, moisturized, soft, and plump. 
• Use SPF – use a lip balm with an SPF of at least 15. If you can find higher ones, those are even better. Keep applying this throughout the day, especially if you are outdoors.
• Use your lip balms even at night – Your lips need TLC at night too. 

Related Article – Lipstick with SPF – What You Need to Know

Ways To Darken Lips

You can change your lip color using temporary methods, semi-permanent methods, and permanent methods. 

The methods that you choose will depend on your lips themselves (the condition, sensitivity, etc), affordability, and availability. 

Semi-permanent & Permanent Ways To Darken or Tone Lips

If you do not have the time or simply would prefer not to reapply lip stains every day, then you can opt for a more permanent solution. A few great options are lip neutralization, lip blushing, and lip tattooing. 

Lip Neutralization

Lip Neutralization is a lip treatment that evens out and brightens the color of lips that are dark and cool-toned. In essence, this process eliminates unsuitable undertones by using complementary colors to balance them.

The most popular method for doing this is to color-correct both the top and bottom lips with an orange-colored pigment (or any acceptable shade based on the color wheel and your skin).

Using a lip tattooing pen with many tiny needles, the pigment is applied in an office setting by a trained professional.

Lip neutralization normally takes several treatments to complete successfully but can last months to years before a touch-up is needed

To learn more about Lip Neutralization click here: Lip Neutralization 101: What is It, What to Expect & Cost

Lip Blushing

Lip blushing is a type of esthetic tattooing that involves injecting colored ink into the lips using a motorized needle to change their color semi-permanently.

Most people consider lip blushing more of a lip enhancer than a typical tattoo. Lip bushing employs smaller needles and more natural-looking colors than regular tattoos, which don’t go as deeply into the skin of the lips.

Lip Blushing will last a few months to a few years depending on how well it is done, your aftercare, and daily habits thereafter. A touch-up may be needed after some time.

To read more about everything you should know about lip blushing, click here: Everything To Know About Lip Blushing

Temporary Natural Ways To Darken Lips

If you have melanted lips and you want to make them pink, or if you just want to change the color of your lips, you can use DIY and natural methods, or you can use cosmetics like lipsticks and lip glosses.

However, these options are usually temporary and will last a few hours to a few days at least. 

Related Article – Do Lipstick Expire & Is it Safe to use – Possible Dangers

Best DIY Natural Remedies Darken Lips

Beetroot

Now, if you want a bolder lip, tinted and not just naturally pink, you can use beetroot. Beetroot has a gorgeous, rich, burgundy color that stains when the juice gets on your skin.

It comes off when washed well, but it can give your lips that pretty burgundy tint that will look more natural than lipstick.

• Simply wash, peel and cut your beets into small pieces.
• Grate them and let them dry, then use a blender and grind the dried beetroot into powder.
• Mix this powder with water or aloe vera gel to make a paste.
• Test your skin first to make sure you do not react to the mixture.
• Then rub the beetroot paste on your lips like you would use lipstick.
• Let it sit for a bit, remove it with a clean cloth, and moisturize your lips afterwards. Or, you can also just rub the natural, plain beet juice on your lips and let it sit.

Click here to learn more about How to Use Beetroot to Tint your lips

Berries

Another great temporary remedy for colored lips is to use berries. Some options include cherries, mulberries, jamoons, cranberries, raspberries, pomegranate seeds, and strawberries.

The darker the fruit the more intense the color will be.

• Wash the fruits, cut (or bite) them open, and rub them on your lips until you are satisfied.
• You may have to squeeze the fruits a bit to get the juice out.
• Try to stay within the lines of your lips to prevent the color from getting everywhere.
• Apply lip gloss or clear lip balm afterwards. 

Related Article – Solid vs Liquid Lipstick- Which Looks Better & Last Longer

Red Wine

If you love red wine and you have a bottle in your pantry just waiting to be opened, this is your sign to do so. Red wine is a great, subtle lip stain. Just pour yourself a glass and take your time drinking it. Make you the wine coats your lips well. 

Kool-Aid

Kool-aid is a great stainer as well, and it tastes great!

• Just open a pack of your favorite color of kool-aid and add enough water to make a paste.
• Apply the paste to your lips like you would apply a lip mask or lipstick.
• Let it sit for a little while and wipe it off.
• Then apply your lipgloss or lip balm over it. 

Related Article – Matte Vs Glossy Lipstick- Which is Better & How to Choose

Food Coloring

Food coloring can be used in a homemade lip balm, lip scrub, or even lip tint. Just add it to whatever treatment you are making for your lips. The stain will hold for a little while. 

To learn more about how to use food coloring on your lips click here.

Tumeric

If you have brown or melanated lips and you want them to be pinker over time, one of the best things you can use is turmeric.

You can mix it with milk and honey as a paste, or with milk and sugar to make a scrub and use it on your lips daily. The turmeric will help to get rid of pigmentation and make your lips pinker over time, click here to learn more.

Lemon

Lemon is a great exfoliator and also has skin-lightening properties. This is another remedy to get naturally pink lips.

The citric acid in lemon prevents melanin from building up in the lip. It can be mixed with honey, turmeric, or gram flour to make a lip scrub or paste and used as often as necessary.

Related Articles:

Best Lipstick Sealers- Benefits, How to Use & Alternatives

Does Lipstick Darken Lips & Can it be Bad for Your Lips

Best Lightweight Lip Products To Stain Lips

The best thing that you can use to change the color of your lips without having to reapply them constantly or worrying about them disappearing after you eat or drink something is a lip stain. 

These are usually cosmetic grade and applied like lipstick, but they dry down and stain your lips. They do not come off after eating, drinking, kissing, or even on beach days.

They also blend in more easily with your natural lip color so some of them look more natural than lipsticks. You can wear clear gloss or blams over them as well. 

Here are some great options:

1- Wonderskin Wonder Blading Peel and Reveal Lip Stain Kit

This kit contains two things: the lip stain and the activator. Simply apply the lip stain on your lips and let it sit for 30-45 seconds.

Then spray the activator on your lips (about 3 sprays) until your lips are slightly damp. Then peel off the lip tint to reveal your lip stain. This is said to last all day and is transfer-proof. 

Click here to see the Wonderskin Wonder Blading Peel and Reveal Lip Stain Kit on Amazon. 

2- ETUDE Dear Darling Water Tint

This lip tint has the consistency of water but it stains your lips. It is said to last all day and a little goes a long way. You can apply lipgloss or lip balm over it for a more moisturized look. 

Click here to check out the ETUDE Dear Darling Water Tint on Amazon. 

3- Wine Lip Tint

These lip stains come in the cutest little wine bottles (every wine lover’s dream). They are easy to apply and the color lasts all day. You can even add gloss or blam over the tint to keep your lips moisturized. 

Click here to see the price for the Wine Lip Tint on Amazon. 

Related Articles:

Sources:

Rubina Dilaik Uses Cherries As Lipstick. Here Are 6 More Natural Items To Use As Lip Tints 

3 Ways to Get Red Lips Without Lipstick – wikiHow 

How to Get Pink Lips Naturally: 13 Simple Home Remedies | Bodywise 13 best lip stains of 2022 for long-lasting color and hydration | CNN Underscored