There once was a time when waking up with makeup already in place before you even shower or enjoy your morning coffee was a fantastical wish, but thanks to the wonders of permanent cosmetic tattooing, your beauty wishes can be a reality. Unlike past decades when cosmetic tattooing left clients with odd looking lines, permanent makeup in today’s world can be flawless and uniform, with artists offering their clients full brows, tattooed hair “follicles,” precise eyeliner, and beautifully tinted lips. Artists who offer microblading use a tattooing technique that creates a full-brow appearance by ..read more

Getting a new tattoo can be exciting and there are several stages that your tattoo will go through when it’s healing. When you get tattooed, your skin goes through a considerable amount of trauma and one of the ways that your body works to heal is to allow that tattoo to scab. Sometimes people get worried when they see this happen, but it’s a normal aspect of the healing process and we want to walk you through some steps to look for and be mindful of so that you don’t overreact – and so that you also take measures to allow for the most optimal healing process possible. Anytime our skin has an ..read more

We all love the tattoos that we acquire (if you’re a tattoo collector) and create (if you’re a tattoo artist), but have you ever wondered just how tattooing actually works and how that ink stays in your skin to present the inked treasures that we wear? Well, it’s first important to understand our skin and that we have three layers that come into play: The epidermis: this layer creates a barrier that helps to protect us from things like infections The dermis: this is the layer where you will find blood vessels, hair follicles, and sweat glands The subcutaneous fat layer: this is actually what ..read more

In order to have a positive tattoo experience, it's not only important to find an artist who understands your vision and does great work, but who will also provide a safe and clean environment for the entire procedure. It's good to trust your instincts and you can usually get a good (or bad) feel for a shop as soon as you walk in. A few things to keep in mind when you are visiting potential artists and shops are: Does the artist always wear gloves during each procedure? Are the floors and other surfaces clean? Is the overall shop clean? Does the artist make you feel comfortable and does ..read more

Decisions, decisions! There are so many choices to make when it comes to planning your new tattoo. We often get asked how to go about narrowing down design options, so we thought we would provide some tips and tricks to keep in mind when you are figuring out what your next inked treasure will be. CUSTOM OR FLASH: First things first. The type of tattoo you are itching for depends on what you are feeling at the time. Are you cool with walking into a shop that offers flash or choosing a piece from a flash sheet that an artist features online? Or is it time for something more customized that will ..read more

Social media has undoubtedly changed the scope of tattooing and the way in which tattoo artists are able to share their work and reach potential clients. It also serves as a source of inspiration and a way in which artists can learn from one another, communicate, and keep up with trends, products, and changes in the industry. While many social media platforms can benefit your business and help with growing your clientele and sphere of influence, Instagram has long been a favorite among artists because it provides the ease of sharing tattoo work, tattoo designs, and life events through easily s ..read more

Now that you’ve acquired your new tattoo and get to wear this new piece of art, you move onto the healing stage. This process is time consuming and requires attention, care, and diligence to make sure that it heals correctly. We’ve put together a week-by-week guide to help you know what to expect once you start the aftercare phase. Week One This is the time to be hyper-aware of the care you give to your new tattoo. You will notice a lot of changes taking place during that first week. This starts with getting home from the tattoo studio when it’s time to start caring for the tattoo all by yours ..read more

Tattoo machines have changed dramatically since the first electric machine was patented 130 years ago. We thought it would be fun to share some of the history of tattooing with you with a walk down tattoo memory lane. In 1891, the first electric tattoo machine was invented and patented by tattoo artist, Samuel O’Reilly. Previous to his invention, O’Reilly and other artists of the time tattooed with a set of needles that were attached to a wooden handle. The tattooist would dip the set of needles into ink and then move their hand up and down very quickly, so it punctured the skin. This method ..read more

If you have chosen to get the COVID-19 vaccine or are contemplating doing so in the near future, you might be wondering how that will impact your ability to get tattooed. We thought we would discuss this topic so that you can start planning your next tattoo project and feel safe while doing so. Similarities: Tattoos and vaccines are similar in the sense that your body is taking in a foreign material during both events, and when this happens (regardless of the foreign body), your body is going to react in a way that it attempts to protect it. When you get tattooed, your body senses something n ..read more

“Did it hurt?” This is the age-old question when it comes to tattoos and one that you have probably been asked before if you wear tattoos…or one that you are curious about if you are still contemplating your first tattoo. The short answer is usually “yes,” but this is different for everyone and is dependent on several factors, including: Your pain tolerance level The place that you get tattooed The tattoo artist’s technique and process The types of needles used The size of the tattoo When it comes to pain tolerance, this varies from person to person and is probably something that you already ..read more