Tattoo aftercare: how to keep your ink looking fresh & vibrant

A tattoo is an open wound for its first days and an investment for decades. The first fourteen days decide how crisp it looks at year fourteen. Here is the exact routine we hand every client.

Days 1–2: protect and rest

Leave the second-skin wrap on for 24 hours unless we tell you otherwise. When it comes off, wash gently with lukewarm water and fragrance-free soap, pat dry with a clean paper towel, and apply a rice-grain layer of aftercare balm. No gym, no pools, no sun.

Days 3–7: the peeling week

Itching and flaking are normal — picking is not. Moisturize two to three times daily, wear loose cotton over the area, and sleep on clean sheets. If redness spreads or heat builds, call us the same day.

“Moisturize like you mean it, touch it like you don’t. That sentence has saved more tattoos than any machine I own.” — Mara Voss, piercing & aftercare lead

Week 2 and beyond: lock it in

Once flaking stops, switch to unscented lotion and make sunscreen a habit — UV is the number one ink fader. Come back at six weeks for a free healing check; touch-ups within 90 days are on us.