You’ve paid good money for your tattoo or piercing, so look after your investment. Summer can be a tricky time for healing piercings and tattoos – even years down the line you should still consider looking after your tattoo to maintain its quality. Here are a few tips on how to maintain happy healing for both your piercing and tattoos as things heat up… No swimming Avoid submerging both fresh piercings and tattoos as they are technically a minor open wound, which puts you at risk of infection and irritation. Avoid pools, the sea, any body of water that exposes you to bacteria. Sta ..read more

Pictures of Lily has always welcomed people to be themselves and provided a safe space free from judgement. But we are especially proud to be one of the founding members of Transfriendly, a global business directory to find transgender friendly businesses that have pledged to welcome transgender and non-binary customers. Trans people have always been at the forefront of LGBTQ+ rights. On that seminal night in New York on June 28th, 1969, when police raided the gay club the Stonewall Inn, resulting in bar patrons, staff, and neighbourhood residents rioting onto the street outside, among the man ..read more

It’s not just up to the artist to produce an amazing piece of art – you are a part of the process too. Have a read of our top tips on how to prepare before the session to make sure you’re as perfect a canvas as can be… Sleep well You’ll feel much more relaxed with a good night’s sleep which means your muscles won’t be as tense, making your body easier to tattoo. A well-rested body will also heal better. Avoid alcohol Alcohol thins the blood risking you bleeding more during your tattoo, which is not only a hygiene issue, but excess blood can thin the ink and compromise the final result, plu ..read more

WE DID IT! It is with immense pride and joy that we can now announce Bex and Amy are proud members of the UK Association of Professional Piercers. UKAPP is an organisation dedicated to spreading knowledge of safe piercing practices and up to date education for both industry professionals and the public. They offer piercers the chance to become members by upholding the highest standards in their working environments. This is absolutely what we are about at Pictures of Lily and to have it officiated is amazing! You might be surprised that there is no governmental regulatory body for the piercing ..read more

So you’ve had an awesome tattoo at Pictures of Lily, now you’re wondering how to keep it looking that way. Here’s our advice on how to care for your tattoo… Leaving the studio, your artist will have covered your tattoo with a wrap. You must: Leave this on for TWO HOURS. After these two hours, clean the tattooed area with plain water, DO NOT use soap. Pat the area dry with clean kitchen roll (not a towel as they hold bacteria) then leave it to breathe and dry out for the rest of the day. Our top tip to thoroughly dry your tattoo is to use a hairdryer on a cool setting (ensure the filter is cle ..read more

It’s about time this lady had her own introduction! Amy is our resident piercer and if you’ve had anything pierced by her you can testify to her professionalism, efficiency and general sweet-heartedness. Her biggest downfall is her tendency to play Blue when left in charge of the studio sound system; she pretends to be cool with her head-to-toe coverage of tattoos and array of hair colours, but she’s slipped up here. Amy had an interest in the tattoo and piercing industry since she was a teenager but couldn’t find the opportunity to get into this line of work. After leaving school she studied ..read more

You’ve probably been dreaming about which piercings you’re going to get next, trawling the internet for inspiration, but HOLD FIRE! Not everything you see is a good idea. Some piercings might be unsuitable for your anatomy and some are just plain wrong. We genuinely care about our customers; we won’t just pierce you, take your money and send you on your way. We want your piercing to heal properly and for you to have a good experience so we’ll always be honest and say if something isn’t going to work. There are a few reasons why a piercing might not be suitable so here are some things you shoul ..read more

Come on Boris! We can get our hair cut, we can have a pint, but when can we get tattooed and pierced?! After months of lockdown we’re itching to get back into the studio and we’re well prepared for when the time comes finally comes. Even before Coronavirus made us all hyper aware of how easily bacteria can be spread, Pictures of Lily Studio has always been hot on hygiene and safety standards. Tattooing and piercing is an invasive procedure, it’s almost like minor surgery, so we believe hygiene standards should be just as strict. As standard practice we have studied disease control, we wear per ..read more

Many people worry about the general aches and tenderness after being pierced, but when you have a needle inserted in to your body and what is essentially a foreign object (the jewellery) put in to that hole, it’s quite normal for your body to have a reaction. Some piercings can be more tender than others and for longer than any of us may want, but in time and with the correct aftercare, your piercing will heal; it’s not going to happen overnight. It’s important to follow correct aftercare (General Piercing Aftercare), but occasionally things can go awry with a piercing, the main thing is not t ..read more

Lumps and bumps on your piercings? This is one of the most common issues people can have with cartilage and navel piercings. The main thing is not to worry and most importantly, you do not need to remove your piercing. These things are easily dealt with and require just a little patience and care; you can get rid of them, so the whole thing is not to panic! Your piercing will heal in three stages: The first stage is the inflammatory stage in which your wound is still open. The second stage is growth stage in which your body produces collagen. The final stage is remodelling or maturation stage ..read more