Getting a tattoo is so exciting! But what’s the best way to prepare for your session? Below is a guide for getting ready for your tattoo appointment :)

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

It is very important to take care of your body and brain before getting a tattoo. Getting a good solid night’s sleep will help you show up as your best self at your appointment. Being tired can inhibit your ability to be in-tune with your body and can make getting a tattoo more difficult and uncomfortable.

Keep Hydrated

One of the most important steps for preparing for your session is drinking tons of water! Being dehydrated affects both the body and brain, so making sure you are hydrated is key!

The day before your appointment, you should try to drink at least 64oz of water. Bonus points if you do this every day during the week leading up to your appointment! You should also drink several glasses the day of your appointment and bringing a water bottle is highly encouraged! We can take as many water breaks as needed during your session.

Tattooing hydrated skin is much easier than dehydrated skin. It receives the needle and ink much easier. It is also encouraged to keep up the hydration habits during the healing process!

Shower and Shaving

Please shower before your appointment. Give yourself a good wash and put on clean clothing. Tattooing clean skin is much easier and ensures that we keep the area as sanitary as possible. 

Should I shave before my appointment? 

That is entirely up to you! 

If it is an area you are used to shaving, like legs, you are more than welcome to shave yourself the morning of your appointment! If it is an area you don’t typically shave, I would suggest letting the artist do it at the time of your appointment! Shaving the area is an expected part of the tattoo process that artists are prepared and equipped to do, no matter the amount of hair in the area! 

Preparing and Moisturizing the Skin

* Please do not moisturize your skin on the day of your appointment * 

Although we clean the skin thoroughly before we start working, lotion soaks into the skin and may be hard to clean off entirely. This may interfere with the stencil application and affect its longevity. During the appointment, we will be using an ointment that will keep the skin moisturized while working.

Moisturizing the skin to keep it hydrated during the weeks leading up to your appointment will help prepare the canvas and make your skin easier to work with! Especially during colder months when skin may be a bit more dry. 

Gently exfoliating the area a few days prior to your appointment can also be helpful to remove dead skin from the surface, however it is not recommended to do this on the day of your appointment!

Food and Snacks

Please eat a good, hearty meal before your appointment. It is incredibly important that your body has the fuel it needs to receive and heal a tattoo. Even if you don’t feel hungry or generally skip breakfast, it is necessary to put something nutritious and filling into your body. This will help you feel better and more alert during your appointment and will help keep your blood sugar up which will help you avoid fainting or feeling dizzy during your session.

It is encouraged to bring snacks and a sugary drink in addition to a bottle of water to your appointment. There will be opportunities for breaks during your session, which is a great time for you to snack and sip to refuel your body and mind.

If at any point during your tattoo you feel lightheaded or dizzy please let your artist know immediately. 

Clothing

There are several things to keep in mind when picking out your outfit for a tattoo session. We will need easy access to the area being tattooed and you will want to be comfortable during that time!

Make sure whatever clothes you are wearing are clean and not constricting to the areas we will be working with. Darker clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty are the best way to go. While we strive to keep the mess concentrated to the tattoo area it is possible that ink or stencil may get on your clothing. 

Below are some suggestions for how to dress for your placement. 

Foot or Ankle Placements: Dark socks, loose pants that can be rolled up without getting tight, and shoes that will not rub the tattoo area

Leg Placements: Comfy loose pants that can be rolled without getting tight, skirts, or shorts

Hip or Butt placement: Dark underwear or bathing suit bottoms. You may also want to bring loose comfy pants or a skirt that can be pulled down below the tattoo area if you’d like more coverage!

Arm Placements: A tank top or a loose shirt with sleeves that can easily be moved and secured out of the way.

Chest or Shoulder Placement: A strapless top or a shirt with straps that can easily be moved 

Sternum or Stomach Placement: A comfortable button up or zip up hoodie. Pasties are available in the studio as well and we can tape down the shirt to the skin for extra security and coverage

Back Placement: A comfortable button up or zip up that can be worn backwards

Rib Placement: Loose shirt with a bathing suit top or bra that isn’t too tight

When in doubt, bring a few options! There will be an opportunity to change before we get started with your tattoo.

Entertainment

Tattoo appointment times can vary in length and it’s important to consider how you’d like to spend your time during your session. I am a chatty artist who likes to talk throughout the session, but that’s not everyone’s preferred vibe and that’s okay! Some people like to have distractions while getting tattooed and that can be through their phone, gaming device, or a book! As long as the entertainment doesn’t get in the way of your tattoo, you can bring whatever your heart desires! 

We play music in the studio while we work, but you are more than welcome to bring headphones and zone into your device, we just ask that you don’t play things with sound out loud for others to hear.

What NOT to do before your tattoo appointment

Do Not Arrive Intoxicated or Hungover

If you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you will be turned away immediately. Alcohol especially will thin your blood and can increase your risk for complications during and after receiving a tattoo. Being intoxicated also means that you cannot fully consent to being tattooed. Your state of mind is altered and you need to be fully present to make decisions about your tattoo.

Showing up to a tattoo appointment hungover guarantees that you will have an awful time. You will be tired, dehydrated, and potentially feeling sick which will all be amplified while receiving a tattoo. 

Do Not Take Blood Thinning Medications

It is important that you avoid aspirin and any other blood thinning medications before your session. If you are prescribed a blood thinning medication for any reason, please consult with your doctor prior to booking an appointment to make sure if getting tattooed is something you should do and let your artist know ahead of time.