Before your appointment

STaY hYDRATED

• Prevents Feeling Faint or Unwell: Dehydration can cause dizziness, fatigue, and lightheadedness, especially during a prolonged tattoo session. By drinking adequate water beforehand, you can help maintain your energy levels and reduce the risk of feeling faint during the tattooing process.

• Aids in Skin Health: Hydrated skin is more supple, elastic, and less prone to dryness or flakiness. This is important because tattooing involves the insertion of ink into the skin, and well-moisturized skin provides a smoother canvas for the tattoo artist to work on.

• Optimizes Healing: Proper hydration supports the body's natural healing processes. After getting a tattoo, drinking plenty of water can help flush out toxins, promote skin regeneration, and accelerate the healing of the tattooed area.
  

  GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP

  Doing anything when you’re overtired is hard, but sleep is crucial before a tattoo so that you can be aware of how your body is reacting. Some people also find that getting tattooed on little sleep can cause it to hurt more, but of course this varies for each individual. Regardless, being well rested is always a good thing and could make your session easier.

Preparing your skin properly before getting a tattoo is essential for achieving optimal results and supporting the healing process afterward. Here are some tips for skincare preparation leading up to your tattoo appointment:

1. Moisturize Regularly: In the days leading up to your tattoo session, apply a gentle, hydrating moisturizer to your skin regularly. This helps to keep your skin well-hydrated, supple, and healthy, providing a better canvas for the tattoo artist to work on. Avoid using heavily scented or greasy moisturizers, as they can cause irritation or interfere with the tattooing process.

2. Avoid Excessive Moisturizer Right Before: While moisturizing is important, it's best not to apply a heavy layer of moisturizer immediately before your tattoo appointment. Excess moisturizer can leave a residue on your skin that may interfere with the tattoo ink's absorption and make it more challenging for the artist to work smoothly.

3. Keep Your Skin Clean: Maintain good hygiene by gently cleansing the area where you plan to get tattooed. Use a mild, fragrance-free soap to avoid any potential irritation or allergic reactions.

4. Avoid Sun Exposure: Protect your skin from sun exposure in the days leading up to your appointment. Sunburned or damaged skin can be more sensitive and may not hold ink as well during the tattooing process.

How Do I Care for a New Tattoo? 

It’s easy to ruin or fade your new tattoo if you do not care for it properly. Even worse, your tattoo could become infected, or you may have to get it touched up frequently or completely. Luckily, proper tattoo care is not difficult, but it is necessary. 

The size and intricacy of your tattoo will determine how long its healing process will take. 

• Bigger tattoos will always take longer to heal because they cause more stress to your skin.
  

• Smaller tattoos don’t usually take quite as long, but that doesn’t mean the healing process isn’t as important!
  

• Solid patches of ink also take longer to heal. 

It can take up to three months for your tattoo to heal fully. But, with the right care and products, your tattoo will be bright and vibrant sooner and stay in perfect condition longer. 

There’s a process for tattoo healing – a systematic approach some of the most stellar and knowledgeable tattoo artists share with their clients to keep the tattoo vibrant and bright. 

Wash Your Tattoo

Once the bandages come off, use fragrance-free, antibacterial soap to wash the area with lukewarm water and pat it dry. Do not scrub the skin or rub it dry. Remember to wash your tattoo with a light touch when first removing your wrap or bandage. The area will be sensitive, even if you’re a quick healer and experience minimal discomfort. 

There’s a reason to use lukewarm water when washing. If the water is too hot, you may cause further irritation, while ice-cold water may cause the skin to retract and slow the healing. Stick with unscented antibacterial soap and avoid harsher formulations or soap bars with exfoliating properties.

When in doubt, go easy on your tattoo and treat it like you would a cut or scrape on the skin. For the first few days, you may see some continued oozing from the affected area, combined with some ink particles and other odds and ends. Washing and drying every few hours will help your cause, provided you don’t let your tattoo dry out too much!

Do not use a washcloth to dry your tattoo, as they can harbor bacteria. Instead, gently pat the area dry with a clean paper towel. 

Remember to wash your tattoo gently and keep applying that Soothing Gel after each wash to keep everything calm and hydrated. When you wash, you might notice a little bit of ink running into the sink, but this is just excess ink that’s come up through your skin.

Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize, and Continue To Moisturize

After cleaning your tattoo, using a moisturizer is a crucial step in tattoo aftercare. Keeping the area moist will protect it from cracking, drying, and bleeding. Use a moisture-sealing product two to three times daily (every eight to 10 hours) until the scabs have fully healed. 

Avoid using products with petroleum jelly in the ingredients list. These products can damage your newly acquired ink and disrupt the natural healing process. Tattoo lotions or creams containing harsh perfumes and chemicals can also cause damage to the skin and affect the healing process.