To prepare for your tattoo, take care of yourself and your skin as best as you can in the weeks leading up to your appointment. This includes drinking plenty of water and moisturizing your skin (at least in the area of the tattoo). Exfoliating a day or two before your appointment is also helpful!
Get a good night's sleep and eat a meal shortly before your appointment. For longer sessions, I recommend bringing snacks.
Alcohol and excessive caffeine thin your blood, so don't overindulge the night before or the day of your appointment.
ActivSpace is a secure building, so please text me for entry (number will be provided when your appointment is confirmed).
I prefer to work one-on-one so that we can focus the experience on you, so it's best to attend your appointment alone. If you would like to bring a guest for moral support and input, please limit yourself to one guest only. Your guest may participate in the sizing and placement decision with your consent. Once we start tattooing, however, we will ask for your guest to wait in the separated seating area or visit our neighboring businesses.
You may be asked for your ID for age verification, so please bring a government-issued photo ID. Cash is preferred for the balance of your payment the day of, but I also accept Venmo, PayPal, card, or tap payments (Google/Apple/Samsung Pay).
We will apply a bandage to your tattoo at the end of your appointment. Generally, there are two different types of bandages utilized: a clear plastic sticker-type bandage (popular brand names are Tegaderm and Saniderm) or a plastic-and-gauze bandage.
For the clear sticker-type bandage, please keep on for 24 - 48 hours. You may shower with it on but please completely avoid any soaking or swimming. After 24 - 48 hours, gently peel off the bandage under running water and follow the remainder of the aftercare instructions below. If for any reason this bandage irritates your skin, you may remove it early and skip to the remainder of the aftercare instructions. You will not need to rebandage your tattoo.
For the plastic-and-gauze bandage, please keep on for at least 3 hours. This bandage may be left on overnight if preferred. You will not need to rebandage your tattoo.
Days 1 - 3 after bandage removal:
Wash tattoo with an unscented soap. Recommended soap brands are Cetaphil face cleanser or Dr. Bronner's (the natural essential oil scented versions of Dr. Bronner's are OK, but diluting in water is recommended). Pat dry with a paper towel or tissue and then apply a light, unscented lotion or cream. Recommended lotion brands are Cetaphil, Cerave, Lubriderm.
Days 3 - 28 after bandage removal:
Continuing washing the tattoo at least once per day. Apply lotion/cream as needed.
Tattoos take 3 - 5 weeks to heal completely.
While your tattoo is healing...
• NO oily or antibacterial products
• NO aloe vera or scented lotions
• NO sunscreen
• NO swimming, soaking, saunas, or steam rooms
• NO sweaty exercise for 2 - 3 days
• NO exposure to harsh, direct sunlight
• NO tight-fitting clothes or accessories
• NO scratching or picking tattoo scabs
After the tattoo has healed, use sunblock.
Fine line and small tattoos may more noticeably show a need for a touch-up (compared to work with thicker lines or darker shading). Usually only one touch-up session is needed to fill in any areas that lightened after the initial tattoo, but just in case - I offer lifetime free touch-ups on all of my work except on fingers/hands, feet, and ears (cartilage or lobe).
Work must be healed for at least 4 weeks before assessing if a touch-up is needed.
