Coming to LA

Hello all! Today we will be talking about some helpful information when coming to Speakeasy Tattoo in Los Angeles. As Scott Glazier would say, “the information highway is wide open.” If you are coming in from out of town, as most of our clients are, you can benefit from this blog today. This info can be helpful when getting a tattoo at our studio, or most studios in LA.

First and foremost, we want to talk about the preparation of the skin and body leading up to the day of the tattoo. Our bodies are very sensitive and everything that goes in and on the skin, will affect the longevity of the tattoo. when preparing your skin, we ask that you avoid the sun and stay clear of moisturizing the area for the week prior to the date of the tattoo. Though it is always good to hydrate the skin, it is not so great the day of the tattoo. Reason being, the stencil won’t stick. You can always go back to bringing out the beautiful glow after the fact, but too much oil on the skin during the process will only make an already challenging task of making beautiful art on skin way more arduous. My suggestion is to moisturize to your hearts content leading up to the tattoo, but cut it off a few days before. This way your skin will accept and hold the ink like a champ but the stencil won’t be floating on the surface and wiping away instantly. Next is to shave the area to be tattooed the night before. This will give the skin a chance to calm down and be a little less angry while getting the tattoo. Be sure not to accidentally cut the skin, that’s bad news and could potentially mean you will have to reschedule to a later date.

What you ingest is also super important. A couple things to think about are elements that will thin your blood. Garlic, alcohol, and, pain killers tend to thin out your blood and we advise against any of those 24 hours prior to the time of the tattoo. Some people are naturally more prone to bleed but there is no need to make it worse. We want that ink to stick!

EAT FOOD! Have a good and healthy meal before getting the tattoo. This helps with blood sugar levels and those who become a little faint. It won’t always stop someone from going down but will absolutely make it way less likely. Also, bring snacks. If you happen to be having a very long tattoo, you will get the munchies at some point and will be wishing for a bite on the breaks. Once again, hydrate throughout the entire session and drink as much water as possible. This not only helps the skin with the acceptance of the ink, but also helps the body in flushing out toxins and steering clear of infection.

If you are an out of towner coming to our studio, we suggest you stay down town. You will be close by and won’t have to worry about transportation. If you don’t have a rental car, you can download an app for Uber or Lift prior to the date. Both are great options and completely worry free. Remember, you want to be in a clean environment after the tattoo. Please don’t take the bus… If you are spending upwards of a thousand dollars for a tattoo, spend the $5-$20 to ensure a clean and quick transport back to the hotel.

This is a big one. If you intend to use a credit or debit card, inform your bank that you will be making a large purchase on the day of the tattoo. We don’t want to have to hold you hostage… LOL, just kidding. But not really. Let your peeps know you will be spending or withdrawing a lot and there will be nothing to worry about.

So, that being said, it’s not all that much when you think about the fact that you will get a piece of original art to live on your skin for eternity. All we want is healthy tattoos and happy healing.

“The preparation is what allows the success to happen naturally.” -Jake Arrieta-

Happy Healing,

Nicole