THE ART OF PREPERATION

Preparing for your tattoo session ensures a smoother experience, better healing, and the best final results. Please review the following carefully before your appointment. If you have any questions or need product recommendations, feel free to reach out before your appointment. I want to make sure you’re fully prepared and comfortable before we begin.

  • ✦ Skin Prep

    • Please do NOT shave the area before your appointment. I will take care of that if necessary.

    • In the weeks leading up to your appointment, please:

      • Stay hydrated

      • Moisturize daily

      • Exfoliate the area: Please use an exfoliation glove to deeply exfoliate the area

      • Avoid alcohol for 24 hours before your appointment.

    • For clients with bumpy skin (KP or rough texture) in the tattoo area, I recommend using KP Bump Eraser Exfoliator at least 3 weeks prior—especially for fine line tattoos.

    • Make sure the area you want tattooed is free from damage. We cannot tattoo over sunburns, cuts, bruises, acne, or broken skin. Review Fine Line Info: If you're getting a fine line tattoo, please check out the Fine Line Tattoo Information to ensure you're informed on what to expect and how to care for it.

    ✦ Appointment Prep

    • Check the FAQ: A full list of products used during your appointment is available in the FAQ.

    • Please review my Aftercare Instructions ahead of time and make sure you are prepared.

    • Allergies & Medical Conditions: Let me know any and all allergies and/or medical conditions you have before your appointment so I can properly prepare and adjust products or procedures if needed.

    • Punctuality Matters: Please arrive on time. If you are more than 20 minutes late, your appointment will be rescheduled, and a new deposit (same as the original) will be required. Thank you for respecting my time and schedule.

    • Submit the consent form.

    • Eat a large, balanced meal before arriving.

    • Let me know if you're bringing a guest. I allow one guest max, and everyone must be 18+

    • For larger tattoos, I highly recommend having clean sheets and clothes ready at home to minimize the risk of infection during healing.

    ✦ What to Bring

    • Valid photo ID (required for your consent form).

    • Entertainment: Bring something to keep yourself occupied—book, iPad, phone, headphones.
      Please use headphones—no sound from devices, as it can be distracting.

    • Comfortable, neutral clothing that allows easy access to the tattoo area.
      If your tattoo requires chest exposure, I will provide pasties.
      The studio can be chilly—bring a jacket. I provide a blanket and pillows for comfort.

    • I’ll take photos of your tattoo—neutral, plain clothing is preferred for this.

    • I provide snacks and water, but you're welcome to bring your own too.

    • Cash is preferred

    • Venmo: +2% platform processing fee

    • Card: +4% platform processing fee

    • If you plan to use a Buy Now, Pay Later service for payment at the time of your tattoo appointment, it is your responsibility to confirmation and ensure that payment plans or eligibility are approved through your chosen provider prior to your appointment. Payment availability, approval, and payment plan options are determined solely by the provider and cannot be provided by the artist. 

      If payment cannot be completed at the appointment due to lack of approval, insufficient spending limit, or technical issues with the Buy Now, Pay Later provider, you will still be responsible for the full cost of the scheduled tattoo session.

      Buy Now, Pay Later providers:

    • You are welcome to use Tylenol and/or numbing cream before your session.

      ⚠️ Important:

      • Do not take any other pain medications (like Advil, aspirin, ibuprofen) before your appointment, as they thin your blood and can negatively affect healing.

    • If you plan to use numbing cream:

      • Only use Zensa Numbing Cream – this is the only one I trust for safe, effective results.

      • Test it ahead of time to make sure you don’t have any allergic reactions. If you do not test ahead of time and end up having a reaction we will not be able to tattoo and will have to reschedule.

      • Apply the cream 30-45 minutes before your appointment. I suggest wrapping the area in saran or cling wrap so the cream doesn’t get on your clothes/car/etc.

      • Bring the cream with you to your session.

      • Follow the instructions strictly for safe use.

      • Numbing cream will be removed prior to stenciling, and cannot be reapplied until we are done with the portion of the tattoo that needs a stencil.

      Please do not apply numbing cream for the first time during your appointment—it won’t have enough time to work and could risk irritation or reaction.