Tattoo artists use various antiseptics and cleansers, primarily green soap, mild antibacterial soaps, and sometimes diluted Dettol, for skin prep and cleanup during tattooing to prevent infection, with specific antibacterial washes and ointments (like Bepanthen or Savlon) recommended for post-tattoo care to support healing. Professional studios also use medical-grade surface disinfectants like Madacide or Germicide3 to sanitize workstations, ensuring hygiene standards are met.
Tattoo ointments and creams are available for you to use to support the tattoo healing process. Use antibacterial wipes to ensure your skin keeps clear and to protect against infection. Leading brands include Dettol Hand Soap and Savlon Antiseptic Cream.
Top Recommended Products: Madacide FD - Madacide FD is a hospital-level disinfectant with a 6 minute kill time. It is most commonly used to clean hard, non-porous surfaces and equipment. Opti-Cide Max - Opti-Cide Max is a highly effective cleaner and disinfectant with a 1 minute kill time.
Bactine Max is useful for tattoo procedures as it soothes and promotes a healthy healing process. Redness and swelling can be reduced during and after a tattoo procedure when gently applied to the skin with gauze or a surgical sponge. Some tattoo artists also use it as part of their wash solution.
Diluted green soap, doc Bronner's, chlorhexidine, or Dettol are all acceptable for wiping on real skin.
TATTOO SKIN PREP – The Antiseptic Skin Prep Cleanser for tattoos is a specially formulated tattoo cleaning solution that gently cleanses and prepares the skin for tattooing. USE BEFORE OR DURING PROCEDURES – The pre tattoo cleanser can be used before or during tattoo procedures.
Here's a handful of bad habits that are top of the list of things tattoo artists hate.
Dettol is used by professional tattooists and piercers to maintain an element of health and safety in the studio. It is commonly used for cleaning the skin, applying first aid and for medical and personal hygiene.
How long should I avoid sleeping on my tattoo? Most tattoos can handle light contact after 3-5 days, but avoid direct pressure for at least 2 weeks. Listen to your body – if it's painful, adjust your position.
Scented Soap
Washing your tattoo with the right soap is essential for keeping it healthy and clean, but you need to be careful of what soap you are using. Scented soaps often carry fragrances that will irritate your new tattoo. Unscented, antibacterial soaps should be your go-to.
Is Bepanthen the best antiseptic ointment to use? Bepathen is a popular antiseptic ointment choice. However, other antiseptic ointments include Savlon and Soov. Any of the three can be used on new ink once gently cleaned with a combination of antimicrobial soap and lukewarm water.
If you've recently gotten a tattoo, but it appears blurry and smudged during and after the healing process, you may be experiencing tattoo blowout. "A blowout is when a tattoo expands below the skin layer when it hits fat [and] veins or when scarring occurs," says Crys.
Signs of a Tattoo Infection
If you don't stretch the skin properly, your tattoos will never heal the way you want. Stretching changes the skin's tension and surface area and that controls how the ink sits in the dermis. If the skin isn't stretched, the needle can bounce or drag. This can make your lines look shady and your shading patchy.
Not all artists are fans of numbing cream — and there's a reason. While it can reduce pain for some clients, it may also affect the skin's texture, change how the ink goes in, or mess with the healing process. Some creams also stop working mid-session, making the pain feel worse by contrast.
Leave over night then the following day wash once a day in the shower and apply a moisturiser 3-4 times daily (At Nala we have had very good results with Bepanthen, but alternatives such as E45 cream, cocoa butter, vitamin E cream can be used) With the moisturiser,.
A $2000 tattoo can range from a detailed half-sleeve to a large, intricate thigh or chest piece, or even the beginning of a full back or sleeve, often taking multiple sessions and significant artist hours (8+ hours) for complex designs, but it depends heavily on the artist's skill, location, and the design's intricacy.
The 80/20 rule (Pareto Principle) in art means that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts, helping artists focus on high-impact fundamentals like composition, color, and value to improve faster, or structure work with a quiet 80% and an impactful 20% (like details or focal points). It's used to identify vital skills (anatomy, perspective) for learning, prioritize essential elements in a piece (soft vs. sharp areas), and even manage the business side of art by focusing on core marketing efforts for bigger sales.
No, $200 an hour is generally not considered a lot for a professional, experienced tattoo artist in 2025-2026, often falling into the standard or even lower-mid range, especially in major cities or for specialized styles like realism or fine-line work, though rates vary significantly by location, artist demand, and expertise. While some talented artists charge around $100-$150/hour, high-demand or highly specialized artists can easily charge $250-$300+ per hour.
Yes, a $50 tip on a $300 tattoo is a good tip, landing around 16-17%, which is well within the standard 15-20% range for good service, but if you absolutely loved the work or it was a custom piece, tipping $60-$75 (20-25%) would be even better, showing extra appreciation for exceptional quality and effort.
The most commonly used neutralizing color is a deep orange to cancel out the blue and blue-green shades of common tattoo inks. For tattoos with dark black ink, you should use a deep red neutralizer.
It removes oil, dirt, and bacteria, lowering the risk of infection and prepping the area perfectly for your client. During tattooing, green soap keeps your workspace clean. Wipe away excess ink, blood, and sweat to maintain a clear, manageable canvas so you can work precisely.