Cruising for a Bruising
The benefits of a beautifully hydrated, luscious pout are clear; which is why dermal fillers are one of our most popular treatments at Pur these days. But every once in a while, the quick-and-easy procedure can cause a bit of temporary bruising — nothing painful…nothing to worry about…but something you might want to camouflage with smartly-applied makeup while you’re healing. Here, a before and after guide to gorgeous lips:
Dermal Filler Pre-Treatment Strategy
Follow these tips and you may minimize your chances of bruising (and shorten the duration if bruising does appear).
- Avoid Aspirin, Aleve, or Ibuprofen one week prior to your appointment. (Tylenol is fine.)
- Do not take Vitamin E one week prior to having your injections; a regular multivitamin is okay.)
- Begin taking the homeopathic supplement, Arnica, one day prior or on the morning of the injections. (You can find it at Whole Foods and PCC market.) Place four pellets in the mouth, two times a day for five days. To ensure proper absorption, avoid eating or drinking anything except water both 15 minutes before and after taking your Arnica pellets. (Note: Do not use Arnica if you have active heart disease or uncontrolled high blood pressure.)
Post-Treatment Dermal Filler Makeup Maneuver
If Lady Gaga can cover her tattoos for A Star Is Born, rest assured you can put any bruising in hiding for a few days while the dark spots recede.
Use a fine-point brush
We like the affordable option from e.l.f. cosmetics – only $4 in most drugstores. The small size and pointed bristles help you hone in on just the spots that need coverage.
Find a good concealer palette
Our favorite: NYX Cosmetics Conceal Correct Contour Palette (available at most drugstores) comes in three shade families (light, medium, and deep), and contains six different cream-based tones, guaranteeing you the perfect mix-and-match cover solution. Though instinct will likely have you reaching for the shade that best matches your own skin tone, take a tip from the pros and start by dabbing the darkest, reddest shade on your bruise first. This neutralizes the blue tones and forms a more balanced base to cover with your skin-tone option. Next, gently dab on a slightly-darker-than-usual skin shade.
Set with powder
Using a small powder brush, Beauty Blender, or puff, tap opaque powder over the covered area. We like Coty Air Spun Loose Face Powder Translucent Extra Coverage for this task (available at most drugstores).
Spray it in place
As a final safeguard against smudging (and accidental reveals!), spritz on a makeup setting spray designed to hold makeup in place for hours on end. Consider Urban Decay’s Allnighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray (available at Sephora) in a convenient mini size. It actually lowers the temperature of your makeup to keep everything locked down even in hot and humid conditions.
Wear matte, no-smudge lip color
Once you’ve concealed the works, try a lip color designed not to budge once you’ve put it on. Morphe Matte Liquid Lipstick (available at Ulta stores) is super pigmented, goes on velvety smooth, and dries down to a saturated matte finish that lasts and lasts.
