Which PMU Needle for Which Technique? The Complete Cartridge Guide

1RL, 3RL, 5RS or Magnum? There is a huge choice of PMU cartridges – and every needle configuration behaves a little differently in the skin.

Which PMU needle works best depends on the technique, the desired effect, the skin and, of course, your own way of working. In this guide we give you a compact overview of how the most important cartridge configurations differ and which needles are commonly used for nano brows, powder brows, PMU lips and eyeliner.

• 1. Configurations
• 2. Needle by technique
• 3. The right cartridge

1PMU needle configurations explained

The configuration describes how many needles sit in a cartridge and how they are arranged. For example:

• 1RL1 Round Liner
• 3RL3 Round Liner
• 3RS3 Round Shader
• 5RS5 Round Shader
• 7RS7 Round Shader

So the number alone doesn't tell the whole story. What also matters is how the individual needles are arranged in relation to each other.

Round Liner – RL

In round liners the individual needles sit tightly together. This creates a concentrated working point.

Typical configurations are:

Typical use: precise pixels, lines, contours, hairstrokes and detail work.

Round Shader – RS

In round shaders the needles are also arranged in a circle, but they sit further apart than in a round liner.

This creates a larger and more diffuse working point, which is particularly interesting for shading and larger areas.

Here the number of needles is especially important:

In short:

Flat – F

In a flat needle several needles sit side by side in a straight row.

This creates a wide, flat working point. Depending on the technique, flats can be used for shading, defined areas and special surface work.

Magnum – MG / M

Magnum configurations consist of several needles that are typically arranged in two rows.

They cover a significantly larger area and are therefore particularly suitable for shading and larger colour areas.

Depending on the manufacturer, there are different magnum variants and sizes.

Slanted / Slope

In a slanted or slope needle several needles sit in a row, but the individual needles have different lengths. This creates a slanted needle edge.

Depending on how the cartridge is held against the skin, you can work with a smaller or larger part of the needle group. This makes the configuration especially suitable for controlled shading, soft transitions and pixels of varying intensity.

Depending on the manufacturer, slanted configurations are available as 3 Slope or 5 Slope, for example.

Also important: needle diameter and taper

Besides the configuration, there are two more specifications you should pay attention to on a PMU cartridge:

Needle diameter

The diameter is given in millimetres, for example:

Among other things, the diameter changes how fine the working point is and how the needle behaves during pigmentation.

That's why a 1RL 0.20 mm works differently from a 1RL 0.35 mm, even though both cartridges have a 1RL configuration.

Taper

The taper describes the grind, i.e. how the needle narrows towards the tip.

Designations such as LT – Long Taper can therefore give you additional information about how the needle is built.

Important: designations and available tapers can differ from manufacturer to manufacturer.

2Which PMU needle for which technique?

Which cartridge fits best always depends on technique, skin, machine and your personal way of working. As a quick orientation:

3So which cartridge is the right one?

As a simple orientation, remember:

This is not a fixed rule, though. Machine, technique, skin, hand speed and personal working style also influence which PMU needle is best suited.

As you gain experience, it's worth testing different configurations, diameters and tapers to find out what gives you the best control and the best healed results.