For your tattoo's first night, gently wash it with mild, unscented soap and lukewarm water, pat dry with a clean paper towel, and apply a thin layer of artist-recommended ointment (like Aquaphor or Bepanthen), then re-wrap with clean cling film or use a second skin bandage, ensuring your bed sheets are clean to prevent infection and sticking. The key is to keep it clean and protected, letting it breathe slightly while preventing it from sticking to bedding.
First Day/Night
Keep the bandage on for a minimum of 6 hours. We recommend keeping it on overnight provided the dressing feels comfortable and secure. If you decide to remove the bandage before going to sleep, follow the instructions in the next section to properly remove the bandage and clean your tattoo.
Then you will apply a very small amount of Aquaphor Ointment or plain, unscented skin lotion (we recommend Aveeno, Lubriderm, Curel, or any of their generics) to the tattoo, just enough to lightly moisturize. Do not slather a big, thick coat of product over it; just enough for it to stay moist and flexible.
If you have a healing layer like second skin or saniderm over your tattoo, the best option is to keep it on for the first night (or the first few if it stays put). If your artist wrapped the tattoo in cling film, it may still stay on well for the first night.
Sleeping. For the first three nights before bed, wash the tattoo and apply a very thin coat of Aquaphor ointment. Wrap the tattoo in plastic wrap and secure with paper tape. Remove the wrap in the morning and wash thoroughly.
Keep it wrapped. The first night's sleep after getting a new tattoo is always the hardest because the tattoo is probably still leaking blood, plasma and ink. If your tattoo artist placed a transparent, adhesive bandage over your tattoo, the best thing to do is to keep it on for as long as they recommended.
Bepanthen is one of the most highly recommended tattoo aftercare products and is the go-to ointment for many tattoo artists and studios. Typically used as a nappy rash ointment, Bepanthen has been around for a long time, and its gentle formula is used to treat babies with irritated skin.
You should wrap your tattoo in cling film, even while sleeping for the first couple of nights. This helps keep the germs out and helps with keeping fabric off of the tattoo to reduce rubbing/chafing.
No, $200 an hour is generally not considered a lot for a quality tattoo in many areas; it often falls into the mid-to-upper range for experienced, reputable artists, reflecting their skill, custom designs, and the permanence of the art, though rates vary significantly by location, artist reputation, and specialization. While some very in-demand artists charge more, $200 is a fair market value for professional custom work, not excessive.
You have a rash or bumpy skin around your tattoo
If you notice a rash or lumpy, bumpy skin around your new tattoo, this could be something to worry about. Any itching that seems extreme, or rashes and cracked skin, could indicate infection.
If you follow these skin care routine steps for a new tattoo, your beautiful new ink will heal much faster and more painlessly.
You may notice one or more of the following:
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.
Tattoo Aftercare Tips Day 1: Do's & Don'ts
A $500 tattoo is typically a medium-sized piece, often around palm-sized or slightly larger (roughly 4-6 inches), but the actual size heavily depends on the artist's hourly rate (usually $100-$200/hour), design complexity, color, and location, allowing for 2-5 hours of work, potentially resulting in a detailed forearm piece or a smaller chest/back design, rather than a full sleeve.
A $2000 tattoo can range from a large, detailed half-sleeve or thigh piece to a significant portion of a full sleeve or back piece, depending heavily on artist skill, location, color, and detail, often requiring multiple sessions for complex designs. It's usually a large, custom design (like 12+ inches or covering a significant limb area) that takes several hours or more, rather than just a small or simple tattoo, as shown in this example of a $2000 tattoo.
In most cases, yes—color tattoos cost more. Here's what adds to the price: Time-intensive process: Each color must be applied carefully and may require multiple passes. More materials used: Artists need to prepare multiple ink colors, clean needles between shades, and sometimes mix custom colors.
It's a way to show appreciation for the artistry and craftsmanship that goes into creating your tattoo. The Standard Tipping Rate: While there isn't a strict rule for how much to tip your tattoo artist, a standard practice is to tip between 10% to 20% of the total cost of your tattoo.
Should I cover a new tattoo when I sleep? Keeping your new tattoo covered for at least the first night or two will help reduce the risk of it leaking onto your bedding and lower the risk of infection.
After getting a tattoo, avoid scratching/picking, submerging in water (baths, pools, hot tubs), direct sun exposure, tight clothing, and harsh soaps or petroleum jelly; instead, keep it clean with mild soap, moisturize lightly with artist-recommended lotion, and let it heal undisturbed to prevent infection and preserve the ink. Always follow your tattoo artist's specific aftercare instructions for best results.
Stage One (Days 1-6) – Oozing, swelling and redness that gets better gradually over each day. Scabbing begins to form over the area. 2. Stage Two (Days 7-14) – Itching and flaking begins, and this continues until layers of dead skin and scabs have fallen off.
Keep it up. Continue to clean and moisturise the tattooed area until it has completely healed (may take up to 4 weeks). Keep it up even after the scabs are gone. FYI, there may be scabs.
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,.