Moisturize and exfoliate during the week before your appointment. Don’t forget to properly hydrate as well.
You don’t need to shave before your appointment (I don’t mind shaving!) but if you have specific shaving needs I would recommend shaving beforehand.

I won’t tattoo over cuts/scrapes, bruises, sunburns, and active skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and acne. If you happen to have acne over the spot you’re getting tattooed, I will tattoo around the area and fill in the rest during a touch-up appointment.

On the day of your appointment, try not to drink too much coffee. Don’t take any blood thinners such as ibuprofen (Advil) or aspirin before your tattoo as they can prolong/increase bleeding. If you’re sensitive to pain, taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) an hour before your appointment is okay.
PLEASE ASK ME BEFORE USING ANY TOPICAL NUMBING CREAMS. ALWAYS LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE APPLIED NUMBING CREAM BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT.

Make sure you’re WELL-FED AND HYDRATED. This is incredibly important and underrated in managing tattoo pain. If you have a longer appointment (5+ hours), bring food or plan to order food to the studio.

Please show up to your appointment sober! If I feel that you aren’t fully mentally present I will ask you to leave and your deposit will be forfeit.

Everyone has their own different version of tattoo aftercare and there isn’t one right way. You know what’s best for your skin so if you have a process that you like, stick to that one! This guide is my personal preference.
— Once your tattoo is completed, I will immediately cover it with a derm shield (Saniderm or Recovery Derm). If you have a sensitivity to bandage adhesives or are very prone to ingrown hairs, the alternative will be plastic wrap and medical tape.

SECOND SKIN/DERM-SHIELD HEALING:

The derm-shield can be kept on your skin for 1-2 days depending on your skin and lifestyle. My personal recommendation is to keep the derm-shield on for 2 days BUT if your skin does alright with keeping the derm-shield on longer, you can keep it on for up to 4 days.

• Once the derm-shield comes off, cleanse the tattoo twice a day with an unscented soap. I like Dial antibacterial or Dr. Bronners unscented baby soap. DO NOT scrub or scratch, DO NOT rub bar soap directly on it.

• Dry the tattoo with either paper towels or a CLEAN towel.

• Once the tattoo is dry, apply a thin layer of unscented lotion (ex. Lubriderm, Cerave) onto your tattoo. Reapply moisturizer as needed :)
  * DON’T USE AQUAPHOR OR VASELINE TO HEAL YOUR TATTOOS. There are a lot of reasons I no longer recommend both products, you can email me if you really need an in-depth breakdown.

• Follow this process for anywhere from a week to two weeks, however long it takes for your tattoo to totally heal

About Second Skin/Derm-Shield/Saniderm:
All are water-resistant and breathable. It’s fine to shower with them on. Fluid build-up beneath the bandage is totally normal. If you remove the derm-shield on the 1st day, I recommend covering your tattoo with plastic wrap and medical tape because fresh tattoos can sometimes ooze.
If the edges of the derm-shield peel up enough that the fluid inside begins to leak out or outside elements can get underneath it, remove the derm-shield right away.

DURING THE TATTOO HEALING PROCESS:

• NO BATHING, SWIMMING, SAUNAS, ETC.
  I cannot emphasize this enough. Please also try to avoid activities that will get you really sweaty, especially if you still have the derm shield on. If you for some reason really have to swim or take a bath, do so at your own risk. I am not responsible for any infection or healing issues this may cause.

• AS LITTLE DIRECT SUN/UV EXPOSURE AS POSSIBLE.
  Keep your tattoo covered with clothing or a clean cloth bandage!

• DO NOT PICK/SCRATCH AT YOUR TATTOO
  Scabbing is totally normal, but picking at the scabs can pull ink out and raises the risk of infection.

• Try not to wear clothing that will be very restrictive/abrasive to your tattoo.
  
  

AFTER YOUR TATTOO IS HEALED:

Always wear sunscreen on your tattoo, especially if it will be exposed to sunlight. Also, keep your tattoo moisturized. Moisturizing and wearing sunscreen are both generally good for your skin, so it’s good for your tattoos too.

The most important thing in tattoo healing is to keep your tattoo clean, covered, and moisturized. There’s no need to dramatically alter your life to accommodate tattoo healing. As long as you’ve done the bare minimum of keeping your tattoo clean and moisturized, you and your tattoo will most likely be fine :)

DESIGN PROCESS:
In general for most customs I don’t send out designs ahead of time. I’ll ask for any necessary details over email in the days before your appointment and will show you your design on the day of your appointment. I always take 30-60 minutes at the start to go over the design together and make any changes necessary. This 30-60 minute period functions as a consultation and edit round.

If your piece is open-ended or compositionally complex (ex. it has multiple elements in it) I will send you mockups a week before your appointment. You get 1 round of feedback over email and the 30-60 minute period at the beginning of the appointment. I will let you know if I feel that your design will need a mockup sent ahead of time.

LARGE-SCALE PROJECTS:
For large-scale projects (anything over 7 inches) or complex pieces (ex. large coverups/large gap filler pieces) I will have you do a consultation with me over Zoom or IG video chat.
I’ll let you know during the consultation what the timeline for booking sending out design drafts will be.

DESIGN EDITS:
If I have already sent you a mockup and you then ask for entire elements to be redrawn/a total redraw on the day of your appointment, an additional $50-100 design fee will be charged. I'll always let you know when that will be the case and will walk you through alternative options as well.

If I have not sent you a mockup/sketch before your appointment but you request a redraw of something entirely different or an entire additional element that wasn’t mentioned previously on the day of your appointment I will also charge an additional $50-$100 design fee.

You’re more than welcome to email me any thoughts you have on your design but know that I prefer to meet face-to-face to discuss changes. In my experience going back and forth about a design over email has caused avoidable miscommunications too often.

LAST NOTE:
It is totally fine to ask if you can have a mockup or design sent ahead of time but if I say no please DO NOT push further. This is non-negotiable. I understand that there can be anxiety around not seeing your design before your appointment but I will not make exceptions for that.
I will never make you get a tattoo of a design that you’re not happy with. If we can’t arrive at a design that feels good to us by the end of the 30-60 minute consult period you can always choose to not get the tattoo. I completely understand and won’t hold it against you.
If you’re not comfortable with this approach, I probably am not the right tattoo artist for you!

Will you tattoo over scars/texture
I will! My personal recommendation is for scars to be healed AT LEAST 2 years.

I never tattoo over active skin conditions (eczema, acne, moles, psoriasis) and sunburns. If you have a temporary skin condition on the spot you’d like the tattoo to be over (ex. acne, eczema), I’ll either reschedule or tattoo around if possible and ask that you come in for a second session once it’s healed.

Will you tattoo the work of other artists?
Yes as long as the design is not from another tattoo artist.
If the design is from an artist whose work is in public domain, I’m totally fine with it :)
If the design is from an artist who is currently alive, I need to see documentation of clear explicit permission being given by that artist.

Will you tattoo my friend/family member/partner’s drawing:
Yes I love projects like that :)

Cover-up tattoos:
I take cover-ups on a case by case basis. I tend to take on requests that are closer to partial cover-ups/cover your existing tattoo in a way that works it into a design rather than blacking over the preexisting tattoo entirely. All coverups start at $350.

I will not tattoo:

• Cultural imagery that I'm not comfortable with doing myself or putting on your body

• The work of other tattoo artists. With the exception of extreme cases (ex. your tattooer passed away), I won’t tattoo their design even with their permission

Short answer: no
Some of my flash are designs pulled from public domain and there are some cases where I will make an exception and say yes as long as you ask. But please ask.
Replicating my customs is a hard no. Taking a custom I specifically drew for a client and having another tattooer do it on you is absolutely terrible.

My practice around tattooing is largely informed by Tamara Santibañez’s PDF Could This Be Magic? Tattooing as Liberation Work written in collaboration with the Women’s Prison Association.

I prioritize communication and the safety of both the client and tattooer. You can always let me know your needs and concerns at any point during the appointment and we will always stop to readjust.

You have a choice in whether or not you would like for your tattoo to be photographed and posted. I am often too busy to remember to mention this in every single appointment, but know that you can always tell me you don’t want that and I won’t, no questions asked.

There are no expectations from me around how much or little you talk during your appointment. I’m an incurable yapper though so let me know if you’re not feeling up to chatting that day :)