Needle and cartridge labels contain information that helps identify the product. Learning to read that information is a useful early exercise, but it does not by itself tell you which item or technique is appropriate for a procedure.
Recognise the grouping names
Common labels include RL (Round Liner), RS (Round Shader), M (Magnum) and SEM (Soft Edge Magnum). Check the manufacturer’s terminology.
Do not assume that two products with a similar abbreviation have identical specifications. Compare the actual listing and packaging, not just a photograph or a familiar-looking code.
Read the whole specification
On paper, copy the product name and the manufacturer’s description of its grouping, count, diameter and taper where supplied. Keep those fields separate. If the listing leaves a detail unclear, record a question rather than filling the gap from memory.
Keep two different counts separate: the number of needle points in one grouping and the number of cartridges or needles supplied in a pack. For example, Kwadron’s 35/1RLMT product listing identifies a 0.35 mm Round Liner with Medium Taper and says the box contains 20 cartridges. The 20 is the box quantity, not the grouping size. Use the manufacturer’s own description to decode that specific product; do not apply one brand’s code format to every brand.
Ask your tutor which specifications matter for the assigned exercise and why. Avoid buying a large mixed selection before you understand the course equipment requirements.
Worked examples: decode two real needle labels
Break a label into separate specifications before comparing products. These two manufacturer examples use different naming formats.
Kwadron: 35/1RLMT
- 35: individual needle diameter of 0.35 mm.
- 1 RL: one needle, described as Round Liner.
- MT: Medium Taper.
- 20 cartridges: the box quantity, separate from the single-needle configuration.
Check the Kwadron product specification.
Cheyenne: 7 magnum se 0.25 lt tx
- 7: seven needles in the grouping.
- Magnum SE: Soft Edge Magnum, with a curved front.
- 0.25: individual needle diameter of 0.25 mm.
- LT: Long Taper.
- TX: textured needle surface.
Check the Cheyenne configuration and technical details; select the exact configuration when comparing.
Count, diameter and taper describe different things. A seven-needle grouping is not a 0.7 mm needle. Likewise, a diameter of 0.25 mm does not specify how far a needle should enter skin. Keep these product specifications separate from the setup and technique taught in your practical training.
Use the examples to fill the first rows of your comparison sheet below, then check a third listing yourself. Keep unfamiliar suffixes in your notes and look them up in that manufacturer’s chart. Specifications checked 20 October 2026; this comparison does not identify the equipment included with a course.
Use a two-listing comparison worksheet
Copy this worksheet into your study notes and complete it from two current product listings. Write “not stated” when a source does not provide a detail. Keep the manufacturer’s code intact rather than shortening it to the grouping abbreviation.
| Field | Listing A | Listing B |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer and full product code | — | — |
| Grouping name | — | — |
| Needles in one grouping | — | — |
| Cartridges or needles per pack | — | — |
| Individual needle diameter | — | — |
| Taper, where stated | — | — |
| Source URL and date checked | — | — |
| Pack price and currency | — | — |
| Manufacturer instructions | — | — |
| Question for your tutor | — | — |
For another manufacturer reference, Cheyenne’s Safety Cartridges configuration chart (PDF) shows its own configuration terminology. Compare what each manufacturer actually states, then bring the differences to your tutor. These references are for reading practice; they do not establish which products are supplied with your Skinart course.
Compare NZ and overseas listings on the same basis
If you compare a New Zealand supplier listing with an overseas manufacturer page, note the date, currency and pack quantity for each. Confirm whether a displayed price is for one cartridge or a whole box, and whether delivery and any stated taxes are included. A lower headline price is not a useful comparison when the quantities differ.
Use the worksheet to check the exact product before asking about availability. If a supplier abbreviates the manufacturer’s code, record that as an unresolved question. Ask your tutor to confirm the course equipment requirement before ordering an alternative; a similar-looking cartridge is not proof of compatibility.
Compare two listings without opening a pack
- Choose two products from the manufacturer’s catalogue.
- Write the full name of each, including its code.
- List the details that match and the details that differ.
- Mark any abbreviation you cannot explain.
- Ask the instructor to review the comparison.
This is a reading exercise. Do not open sterile packaging or handle exposed needles simply to inspect a grouping.
Keep setup questions separate
Product identification does not establish machine compatibility, a safe operating setup or permission to practise on a person. Use the manufacturer’s instructions and the practical training assigned by your instructor. A general guide cannot provide a universal depth, voltage or hand-speed setting.
Use a manufacturer reference
The Kwadron catalogue is one example of a manufacturer organising cartridges by grouping. It is a terminology reference here, not a claim that a particular product is included in a Skinart course or a recommendation to purchase it.
Reference: Kwadron: Round Liner cartridge example.
Connect the exercise to your training
Check the regional course catalogue for the curriculum and practical requirements of your chosen discipline. Bring unresolved questions to your tutor before the next assigned exercise.
