How a cartridge is specified
A label like '1203RL' reads: 12 = 0.35 mm diameter pins (gauge), 03 = three needles, RL = round liner (pins soldered in a tight circle). 'RS' is round shader (looser circle), 'M1'/'M2' magnum (pins in one or two staggered rows), 'CM'/'RM' curved magnum. Long taper means a finer, gentler point; bugpin means thinner-than-standard pins.
Typical lip choices
Outline / definition: 1RL or 3RL, long taper — a whisper of a line, or dotted 'connect-the-dots' shaping. Shading: 3RL or 5RL worked in circles/whip for pixelation, or a 5RS / 7-round for faster fill on larger lips; some artists use a small curved magnum for soft blends.
Finer groupings and long tapers cause less trauma and heal softer but are slower; larger groupings cover ground but can over-work delicate tissue if the hand is heavy.
Single use, always
Cartridges are sterile, single-client, single-session disposables. They are opened in front of the client, never re-used, never re-sterilised, and dropped straight into a sharps container at the end.
