preparation & After Care

things to know before your appointment

  • In the days and weeks leading up to any tattoo, it’s really helpful to prep your skin by exfoliating 1-2 times a week, and moisturising everyday. This is especially relevant during the cooler months, but definitely at least during the few days before your tattoo appointment 🧴

  • There’s usually no need for you to shave the area for me, however if you have particularly coarse/thick hair on the area, please clipper it down shorter and I will go over it with a razor if need be.

  • On the day of your booking, make sure you are well rested, have eaten a good breakfast and that the area to be tattooed is not sunburnt.

  • Bring your government issued Photo ID in order to complete a consent form. This is mandatory under NSW Tattoo licensing laws.

  • I will need easy access to the body area that we’re tattooing, so loose fitting clothes that aren’t going to get in the way are ideal. Clothes or underwear that dig into your skin will warp the area and interfere with stencil placement, so it’s best to wear oversized/baggy garments please. Something like a big zip up hoodie or flanno shirt are ideal to bring, in case you get a bit chilly. If you’re unsure what to wear, feel free to reach out and ask me.

  • It’s important to try and be as still as possible during the tattoo. There’s a lot more give with handpoking than with machine tattoos, but it’s still good to try and not move too much. For example, gently using your phone is usually fine, but talking with your hands or moving a whole limb without warning is a bit too much movement 🤗

  • Sometimes you need to lay in weird positions to get tattooed. If you have any mobility/flexibility issues, please let me know so I can do my best to accommodate. If you’re having a hard time and need to readjust your body during the tattoo, or even just get up and have a stretch, please just let me know - this isn’t an issue.

  • If you are sensitive to sound or would just prefer to block out background noise so that you can relax and get in the zone, please feel free to bring your earphones/Loops etc. Please also feel free to wear your sunglasses or put a jumper over your eyes if you would like to tune out completely.

  • Bring snacks to keep your blood sugar up, and please don’t be shy about asking for a bathroom or snack break when and if you need to.

things to know for after your appointment

  • Handpoked tattoos scab much less than machine tattoos, so they require less attention during the healing process. I recommend dry healing, which is basically just allowing your tattoo to heal naturally with minimal interference. Some of the instructions might feel counterintuitive if you’ve only had machine tattoos previously 😊

  • At the end of the session I will probably cover your new tattoo with an adhesive dressing called Second Skin. If you’re allergic to latex or adhesives (or would just prefer it) we can skip the Second Skin and use cling wrap instead.

DRY HEALING:

  1. When you leave the studio, your tattoo will either be covered with Second Skin or a piece of cling wrap. Leave this in place overnight for bigger tattoos. Smaller tattoos can be uncovered in a few hours. I will advise you how to remove Second Skin at the end of your tattoo appointment.

  2. Once the dressing is removed, hop in the shower, lather up the area with a gentle soap and rinse it clean. Pat it dry with clean paper towel and allow it to air dry. Do this each time you have a shower. Please do not apply aftercare balm for a week.

  3. Showering is always fine, but please do not submerge the fresh tattoo in baths or other bodies of water for a week. Avoid direct prolonged sun exposure for two weeks.

  4. One week after the tattoo was applied, you can start using aftercare balm. A thin layer once a day for two weeks is plenty. Please always make sure your tattoo is dry and your hands are clean before applying any balm.

  5. Your tattoo will probably get itchy during this process but avoid the temptation to scratch or pick at it, as you could cause scarring or ink loss.

  6. Your skin should be fully healed in about a month. Do not worry if it takes longer than this, everyone is different. Your tattoo will continue to settle into the skin as time goes on, and most of the textured needle marks will smooth out during the first six months.

one more thing…

Handpoking is vastly different to machine work, and this is visually the most evident in the way the linework looks while the tattoo is fresh. Handpoked tattoos can look textured or kinda ‘fluffy’ in ways that machine tattoos don’t. Machine tattoos look their best the day they are done, while handpoked tattoos get better with age.

My personal preference is to not overwork or oversaturate the skin by trying to make the tattoo look super black and solid when you leave - I prefer to leave the tattoo looking textured and allow the linework to fill itself in over the next few months while the tattoo settles into your skin. If any part of your markings need a little touch up after they have healed, I will gladly do that for you free of charge 🌞