General guidance — always follow your artist's specific instructions, and see a medical professional for any health concern.
- Leave the covering on as long as your artist told you — often a few hours, longer for some wraps.
- Wash gently with clean hands and mild, fragrance-free soap. Pat dry with a clean paper towel.
- Apply a thin layer of the aftercare your artist recommends — thin, not thick.
- Wash a couple of times a day and keep it lightly moisturized while it heals.
- Don't pick, scratch, or peel flaking skin.
- No soaking — pools, hot tubs, baths, oceans — until it's fully healed.
- Keep it out of direct sun; use sunscreen once it's healed.
- Wear loose clothing over the area so it can breathe.
Some itching, light scabbing, and peeling are normal. Call the studio — or our after-hours care line at 833-327-5287 — or see a doctor if you notice spreading redness, heat, worsening swelling after a few days, pus, red streaks, or fever.
Here's some old-industry truth: touch-ups used to be a business model. Shops would let work go out the door knowing you'd be back — another visit, another tip. That's not how we operate. Our artists are skilled enough that genuine touch-ups are rare, and when we do see them, the cause is almost always the same: the tattoo wasn't cared for while it healed. That's why we recommend Skin Reserve for the first week and a light, fragrance-free lotion after that — follow the routine and your ink will hold.
That said, healing is biology, and every tattoo is different. If you notice color loss, a line that didn't connect, or anything else that doesn't look right, reach out. Your artist and our team will inspect the tattoo in person and determine exactly what it needs — which is also why we don't offer blanket free touch-ups. No two tattoos heal the same, and we'd rather look at yours and give you a real answer than make a one-size-fits-all promise.
What we will promise, without fine print: we'll make sure you're happy with your tattoo. That part isn't negotiable.
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