Expertise refined, one lip at a time.
Developed by La Bouche Parfaite, the LIPS-ID® classification describes lip pigmentation, from rosy lips to dark lips, using an online colorimetric analysis. It characterizes each lip with a two-part code: a family, which indicates what dominates its color, and a grade, which measures the contrast between the lip and the skin. The LIPS-ID® analysis is built on this classification: it grounds your score and your protocol.
Example code
LIPS-ID® Brown 4
Family
Melanin dominates the color
Grade
Marked contrast with the skin
Reading a LIPS-ID® code
The family shows what dominates the lip's color. The grade, from 1 to 5, shows how strongly the lip contrasts with the person's own skin tone. It is read in steps of the LIPS-ID® score, out of 10, and stands apart from the skin phototype, written I to VI.
The five grades
| Grade | Contrast with the skin | Share of analyzed lips |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MinimalLIPS-ID® score ≤ 2 | 16% |
| 2 | SlightLIPS-ID® score > 2 to 4 | 11% |
| 3 | ModerateLIPS-ID® score > 4 to 6 | 16% |
| 4 | MarkedLIPS-ID® score > 6 to 8 | 22% |
| 5 | Very markedLIPS-ID® score > 8 | 35% |
The four families
-
65%
Pink
Color comes mainly from the microcirculation; little visible melanin.
-
20%
Brown
Melanin dominates the color, near the surface.
-
10%
Gray
Pigment lying deeper gives a more muted tone.
-
5%
Not classified
Color outside the interpretation range of the classification.
Swatches: typical tone of each family.
Key figures
of lips analyzed by LIPS-ID® have an upper lip darker than the lower lip.
All five grades appear at every phototype, from I to VI. A lip's pigmentation is not dictated by the phototype: that is exactly what the grade measures.
From grade 2 upward, about one lip in two is two-toned, versus one in eight at grade 1.
Code distribution
Share of each code, as a percentage of analyzed lips. The most frequent are Pink 5 (21%), Pink 4 (14%) and Brown 5 (10%).
| Grade | Pink | Brown | Gray | Not classified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11.8 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 1.4 |
| 2 | 6.8 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.1 |
| 3 | 11.8 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 0.7 |
| 4 | 13.6 | 5.0 | 2.9 | 0.7 |
| 5 | 21.1 | 10.4 | 2.9 | 0.7 |
Method
The figures on this page are based on a sample of 279 LIPS-ID® analyses, one per person (the most recent, retained when the capture is rated reliable), carried out between 8 April and 29 September 2026. The comparison between upper and lower lip, measured since June 2026, covers 239 of them.
The analysis starts once four checks are passed: lighting suited to the phototype, the right distance, a closed mouth and a steady device. LIPS-ID® then measures the average color of the lip and of both cheeks in the CIELAB color space, together with a melanin index and an erythema index. Every capture goes through a reliability check.
The score measures the difference in lightness between the lip and the cheek, relative to references specific to each phototype. It cannot be inferred from the lightness of the lip alone, nor from the phototype: each of these factors explains only about a tenth of it. The phototype references and the family assignment rules are specific to La Bouche Parfaite.
What the literature says
The lip vermilion is thin and translucent: both melanin and blood contribute to its color. The same melanin looks brown in the epidermis and blue-gray when it lies deeper, in the dermis. This is the Tyndall effect: the tissue above deep pigment scatters mostly blue light, so brown pigment looks blue-gray. Deep pigment persists longer, and irritation can leave a pigmented mark on any lip. A brown lip and a gray lip therefore call for neither the same care nor the same response time.
From code to care
The family sets the approach; the grade sets its intensity.
-
Pink
Hydrate, strengthen the barrier and smooth the surface, for a more even tone.
-
Brown
Even out lip color day after day and protect the lips from the sun.
-
Gray
Even out the tone progressively, with a regular routine over several weeks and a correction visible from the first application.
-
Not classified
The measured color falls outside the range the classification interprets: the lip receives a grade, without a family. The steps common to all families apply (hydrate, protect from the sun). A bluish, gray or metallic color that is uniform and persistent warrants medical advice (see section 08).
The grade then sets the intensity and length of the protocol.
What do your lips say?
The LIPS-ID® diagnostic applies this method and gives you your score, from 1 to 10, and the protocol that matches it, in about two minutes.
Start my LIPS-ID® diagnosticFrequently asked questions
What is the LIPS-ID® classification?
The LIPS-ID® classification, created by La Bouche Parfaite, describes lip pigmentation in two parts: a color family (Pink, Brown, Gray) and a grade of contrast with the skin, from 1 to 5. For example, LIPS-ID® Brown 4 refers to a lip where melanin dominates the color, with marked contrast.
Why is the upper lip often darker?
According to LIPS-ID® data, 85% of analyzed lips have an upper lip darker than the lower lip. This is consistent with greater sun exposure and friction on the upper area.
What are two-toned lips?
Lips whose upper and lower parts differ in color. According to LIPS-ID® data, about one lip in two is two-toned from grade 2 upward, and the upper lip is the darker one in 85% of cases.
Why do some lips look gray?
Melanin looks brown in the epidermis and blue-gray when it lies deeper, in the dermis. A gray lip is consistent with deeper pigment. A bluish, uniform and persistent color warrants medical advice.
Do dark lips depend on skin phototype?
No. Lip color cannot be inferred from the phototype: according to LIPS-ID® data, all five grades appear at every phototype, from I to VI. The LIPS-ID® grade measures the contrast between the lip and each person's own skin tone.
Why are my lips turning dark if I don't smoke?
Tobacco is only one cause. Sun exposure, friction, irritation that leaves post-inflammatory marks, hormonal changes and heredity also darken lips. According to LIPS-ID® data, melanin dominates the color in one lip in five, while in two lips out of three the color comes mainly from the microcirculation. The LIPS-ID® classification tells these two signatures apart.
Are the LIPS-ID® score and classification a medical diagnosis?
No. The LIPS-ID® score and classification are descriptive: they characterize a color signature and make no medical diagnosis.
Scope of use
LIPS-ID® describes a color signature and links no individual result to a disease. The link between a family and an origin is a trend observed across groups. Medical advice is recommended for a uniform and persistent bluish color, sudden onset, a gray or metallic appearance, multiple small spots, pain or general symptoms, whatever the LIPS-ID® result.
How to cite
“LIPS-ID® Classification of Lip Pigmentation, La Bouche Parfaite, September 2026. laboucheparfaite.com/pages/classification-lips-id. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23337546”
Citation is permitted with this attribution.
© La Bouche Parfaite, 2026. LIPS-ID® is a registered trademark of La Bouche Parfaite. Reproduction of the tables, commercial use of the classification and assignment of LIPS-ID® codes outside the LIPS-ID® tool require a license.
Sources
- Axéll T, Hedin CA. Epidemiologic study of excessive oral melanin pigmentation with special reference to the influence of tobacco habits. Scand J Dent Res. 1982;90(6):434-442.
- Davis EC, Callender VD. Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation: a review of the epidemiology, clinical features, and treatment options in skin of color. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2010;3(7):20-31.
- Silpa-archa N, Kohli I, Chaowattanapanit S, Lim HW, Hamzavi I. Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation: a comprehensive overview. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2017;77(4):591-605.
- Dermoscopedia. Colors seen in dermoscopy.
- DermNet. Labial melanotic macule; Drug-induced pigmentation.