A pigment can look vivid without hiding much of the background beneath it. That is the difference between colour saturation and opacity: saturation describes how vivid a colour appears; opacity describes how much an applied sample hides what is underneath.
For PMU artists, separating those questions makes product comparisons clearer. A darker-looking pink is not automatically more opaque, and a soft-looking nude is not automatically more transparent.
This guide explains what to look at, how to compare surface samples and how to turn those observations into a more useful colour-selection conversation.
Four questions to ask when comparing pigments
Instead of calling one pigment “stronger,” describe the particular difference you see.
| Property | Simple question |
|---|---|
| Hue | Which colour direction is it: pink, red, orange or another colour? |
| Lightness | Does it look lighter or darker? |
| Colour saturation | Does it look more vivid or more muted? |
| Opacity | How much of the background can I still see through the sample? |
These questions describe different features. “More pink,” “less dark” and “more coverage” are not three ways of asking for the same change.
Imagine two unlabelled samples on the same observation surface. Sample A looks vivid, but the background remains visible. Sample B looks more muted, yet hides more of the background. There is no contradiction: the colour appearance and the coverage are different observations.
This is an illustration of the concepts, not a test result for any VOKAL shade.
Why “saturation” can be confusing in a PMU conversation
Artists sometimes use “saturated” to mean that a colour looks vivid. They also use it to mean that an area looks fully filled. Clarify which meaning you intend before comparing products or reviewing practice work.
“The colour is too vivid” is a colour-selection question. “The practice area is uneven” is an application question. A different bottle may not answer both.
For a useful training note, write “The shade looks right, but there are visible gaps in the practice area.” That separates the colour choice from the part of the technique you want to review.
The same habit helps in client conversations. Ask whether “softer” means less vivid, lighter, a less defined edge or a different colour direction. Those answers lead to different planning questions.
Compare colour and coverage separately
Start by deciding what you need to learn. Are you choosing between two colour directions, or trying to understand how their surface samples look over a background?
For a colour comparison, describe hue, lightness and vividness. For a coverage comparison, look at how visible the background remains under comparable layers.
Do not use liquid thickness as a shortcut for either question. How a pigment flows and how an applied sample looks are separate observations. Likewise, a dark photograph is not a measurement of how much colourant a bottle contains.
At this stage, a good note is descriptive: “A appears more muted; B appears darker.” You can then add a separate coverage observation instead of combining everything into “B is stronger.”
How to make a useful surface-swatch comparison
A consistent setup makes your own observations easier to compare. The following method is for viewing samples away from clients. It is not a laboratory test or a preview of a person's healed result.
1. Label the samples first
Record each product name and shade code before applying it to the observation surface. Keep the labels visible in the final photograph so similar shades do not become confused later.
Follow the current product preparation instructions. Keep a note of the batch when available, especially when comparing a new bottle with an older record.
2. Use the same surface and application method
Place samples on the same suitable, non-absorbent surface. Keep the background and application method consistent, and aim for comparable layers.
A deep pool beside a thin smear is not a fair comparison. You have changed the amount and presentation as well as the product. When a layer is visibly thicker, note it and repeat the comparison before drawing a conclusion.
3. Compare the same stage
Label samples as wet or dried, and record when the photograph was taken. Compare like with like rather than placing a fresh sample beside one that has been sitting for a different length of time.
Keep the camera position and lighting consistent. Use the same exposure and white balance where possible, and save an unfiltered original. A useful comparison photograph needs consistency more than dramatic lighting.
4. Write down what you see
Use separate notes for colour and coverage. For example: “A looks more vivid. The background remains more visible through A than B under this setup.”
Keep the conditions with the observation. You do not need to explain the formula from a photograph; you need a clear record that helps you compare again or ask a focused product question.
What product photos, swatches and healed cases tell you
Each type of image has a useful job. Choose the one that matches your question.
| Image | Best used for |
|---|---|
| Product photograph | Identifying the shade, packaging and product information. |
| Comparable surface swatches | Looking at colour and background visibility under stated conditions. |
| Documented healed case | Reviewing the result of that particular case, alongside its starting appearance and treatment record. |
A bottle photograph cannot replace a same-condition swatch comparison. A surface swatch cannot replace a healed-case record. Keeping those roles separate makes your shade references more useful.
When reviewing a healed example, look for the shade or recorded blend, the starting appearance and the follow-up stage. Without that context, it is difficult to know how closely the example relates to the question you are trying to answer.
Using VOKAL shade information in your comparison
Start with the product's stated colour direction. VOKAL K03 Nude is a nude-pink lip pigment. K06 Blush Veil has a soft blush-pink direction.
Those descriptions help you discuss the intended colour family. They are not an opacity ranking between the two shades.
For a nude-pink brief, review K03's product information first. For a soft blush-pink brief, review K06. Then assess the starting lip, any previous pigment and the requested finish before deciding on a treatment plan.
Keep the product question specific when contacting us. “I am considering K03 and K06 for a soft pink direction; which product information should I compare?” is easier to answer than “Which colour is strongest?”
Does “organic,” “inorganic” or “hybrid” tell you the opacity?
Not on its own. A category name does not give you a measured coverage result for a particular finished shade.
Use the classification as one part of the product information, then compare the exact shade and its available supporting material. Do not assume that every pigment within a category has the same visible coverage.
For a useful product enquiry, include the shade code and the property you want to understand. Ask about the finished product you will use, rather than asking for one rule that ranks an entire category.
A simple pigment-comparison record
Use this structure when building a shade reference for your studio. It keeps the useful information together without turning every comparison into a long report.
| Record | What to include |
|---|---|
| Your question | Colour direction, lightness, vividness or visible coverage. |
| Products | Exact shade names and codes; batch information where available. |
| Setup | Surface, application method, sample stage and lighting. |
| Observation | What you saw, with colour and coverage written separately. |
| Image | A dated, labelled original photograph. |
| Next step | One product question or one condition to improve in the next comparison. |
Useful notes might say “The samples were photographed together while wet” or “The second layer was visibly thicker, so coverage needs to be compared again.” These details explain the image better than a general label such as “good pigment.”
Turn a vague colour request into a clear brief
These are sample consultation questions, not treatment cases. They help separate the client's preference from the technical decision.
“I want something softer.”
Ask: “Do you prefer a more muted colour, a lighter appearance or a softer-looking edge?” Use references to identify the preferred change. Do not assume that “soft” automatically means choosing a lighter bottle.
“I like the pink, but it looks too bright.”
Clarify whether the client means too vivid or too light. People use “bright” for both. Record the preference in clearer language before narrowing the shade options.
“I want the old colour covered.”
Separate existing-work assessment from shade selection. A surface sample's coverage does not determine whether adding pigment is appropriate for that client. Establish the suitable next step before promising a colour result.
For artists developing this part of their work, VOKAL training provides an enquiry route to discuss lip-colour learning and your current experience.
Frequently asked questions
Is a more opaque pigment always the better choice?
No. Coverage is one property, not a universal quality score. First identify the colour and finish you are trying to achieve, then compare the information relevant to that goal.
Can I make K03 or K06 more transparent by adding water?
No. The current K03 and K06 product instructions say not to dilute with water or other solutions. Follow the directions for the exact product instead of improvising a mixture.
Can I compare colours from two separate phone screenshots?
Use them as references, not a controlled comparison. Different lighting, exposure and editing can make the photographs difficult to compare. Side-by-side samples photographed together provide a clearer record of what you observed.
Make the next choice clearer: name the colour direction, separate vividness from coverage and use the right reference for each question. Explore K03 Nude and K06 Blush Veil through their product details, rather than choosing from a stronger-looking photograph alone.
