Question 1

Do you take on custom work?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! A lot of the work I do is custom pieces. As long as it’s within the styles I work with I’m always happy to take on custom projects. Send me an enquiry and I’ll offer you an appointment if it’s work I wish to take on!

Question 2

What tattoos won’t you do?

Accepted Answer

Anything overly vulgar/racist/homophobic/gang tattoos are the obvious ones I’ll decline.

Some others are;

1) Copy/paste another artists custom work. Inspiration & references are great but don’t expect a 1:1 copy.
2) Anything outside of the styles I tattoo/feel comfortable tattooing. If I don’t think I’ll execute the idea well or if I think you’d be better suited with another artist, I’ll recommend you their way!
3) Palms, fingertips, nail beds, bottom of feet, inside lip, eyelids, ears. I’ll always recommend someone else if I can but these areas aren’t for me!

Question 3

How much do you charge?

Accepted Answer

It varies by piece, I tend to try and price tattoos based on how long I think it will take, going by £60 an hour. If I’m unsure I’ll send you an estimated price range!

£60 is my minimum charge for tattoos that I estimate to take an hour or less to complete.
£300 is my standard 6 hour day rate.
For large projects, multiple tattoos in a day or high detail/intricate work I may charge £400 for an 8 hour day session, providing you can sit through it!

*PLEASE NOTE*
Prices quoted cover the total allocated time for the scheduled appointment, if your tattoo is ongoing work or needs an additional session to complete, another quote will be issued for the follow up session to complete the tattoo.

Question 4

How much is a deposit?

Accepted Answer

I typically charge a non-refundable £50 deposit for a day session & custom work, which comes off the total remaining price of the tattoo(s)

For non day sessions I may charge anywhere from £20-£50 for a deposit.

These deposits secure your time slot, cover admin fees and drawing time.

Without a deposit being paid, you haven’t secured your booking and the agreed time slot may be taken by someone else!

Question 5

Can I see the design before the day?

Accepted Answer

For the most part, yes!

I’ll always try to keep you posted throughout the design process and send over at least a sketch/draft for bigger custom projects so we’re on the same page, and a finished design before your appointment.

However, sometimes life gets in the way & I don’t finish the design until the night before!

Question 6

How can I pay the remaining amount on the day?

Accepted Answer

You can either pay by cash, card or bank transfer on the day! I also offer Klarna for appointments, please mention this in your enquiry if this suits you best!

Question 7

It’s my first tattoo help I’m scared

Accepted Answer

Firstly, thank you for trusting me with your first tattoo, how exciting!

My honest advice for a first tattoo is choose a less painful area (outer arm, outer lower leg are a breeze!) and bring somebody with you to your appointment for moral support! (Also see my how to prepare for your appointment FAQ!)

Choosing a less painful area for a first tattoo will 1) test your pain tolerance and will give you an idea of how the next one will feel and 2) help you be more comfortable and have a better experience throughout your session!

I’ll talk you through every step of the process including aftercare (see my aftercare FAQ for a full run down) and make sure you’re okay while you’re getting tattooed!

I also use a product called Bactine if it’s getting very painful once the line work is done, Bactine contains approx 4% lidocaine which serves as a numbing agent and helps take the edge off. It’s been a life saver for some of my clients! 🫶🏼

Additionally, feel free to message me before your appointment for any other questions or concerns you may have!

Question 8

How should I prepare for my appointment?

Accepted Answer

A good nights sleep, a decent breakfast & no alcohol 24 hours before your appointment all goes a long way!

If you’re having an area tattooed that has dry skin, you can use a moisturiser like cocoa butter for a few days before your appointment which helps the whole tattooing process run a little smoother, but don’t use any on the day of your tattoo! Also just be sure to stay well hydrated before and during your appointment!

Feel free to bring your favourite snacks & drinks along with you - we do however provide free sugary snacks, canned sodas & hot drinks at the shop!

*be aware we are a fully vegan tattoo studio - we do politely ask our clients to be mindful of the food & drinks they bring into and consume the shop.*

Avoid shaving the area you’re having tattooed yourself before your appointment, doing so can cause skin irritation & micro cuts which increase the likeliness of infection and skin damage. I appreciate the gesture but please let me handle it! 😄

Question 9

How should I look after my new tattoo? / Aftercare instructions

Accepted Answer

I use two methods for initial aftercare at the end of a tattoo appointment, depending on the area, size and complexity of the tattoo. The principles are the same but the application differs. Those two methods are Dermalize (second skin) and cling film.

First and foremost (I can’t stress this enough):
CLEAN HANDS – thoroughly wash your hands with non-fragranced antibacterial soap before touching your new tattoo.

*If using Dermalize (second skin)*
Dermalize (or second skin) is a thin, transparent, waterproof and self-adhesive layer of medical-grade protective film specifically made for tattoo aftercare. At the end of your appointment I will apply a piece (and show you how to re-apply) that covers your tattoo for you to wear until the next morning, and give you another piece to re-apply the next day.

When it comes to changing it, I recommend taking it off in the shower. Let some lukewarm water run over the film and peel it off from a top corner. You can then wash the tattoo in the shower with lukewarm water and unscented/non-fragranced antibacterial soap to clean the area and remove any excess ink/plasma/blood.
(A plasma build-up is completely normal the day after your tattoo. Don’t be alarmed if you have what’s called an “ink sack” or if your tattoo looks like one big blob underneath the second skin. Plasma contains white blood cells and proteins that help start the initial healing process. It’s your body’s natural way of protecting and healing a wound!)

Once your tattoo and the surrounding area are nice and clean and you’re out of the shower, dab dry (don’t rub!) your tattoo/surrounding area with clean kitchen roll/paper towels. Avoid using a regular bath towel as they can harbour bacteria, which increases your chances of infection. Once your tattoo is clean and dry, let it air-dry for 10–15 minutes before applying the second piece of second skin so you don’t trap any moisture underneath.

Once it’s re-applied, you can leave it on for 3–5 days providing it doesn’t partially come off or expose part of your tattoo. If this happens, take it off immediately and follow the washing/cleaning instructions above daily.

Once the second piece has been removed and you’ve cleaned the tattoo, you can start using a pea-sized amount of Hustle Butter (provided at your appointment) once or twice a day. (Again, clean hands always!) It’s important not to use too much as it can trap moisture, suffocate the skin and slow down the healing process. Less is more in this scenario – let your skin breathe! You can use this daily until it’s fully healed, or for as long as you want/until you run out.

*PLEASE NOTE*
Dermalize/second skin can sometimes cause a skin reaction, especially on sensitive areas. Don’t use it if you have sensitive skin, are prone to reactions, or are allergic to plasters/adhesives. Even if you aren’t usually allergic or have sensitive skin, you can still react to it. The main thing to look out for is irritation or redness around the edges of the second skin. If this happens, take it off immediately and just follow the washing/cleaning and aftercare product instructions daily. (Again, super clean hands, always!) Your tattoo will be absolutely fine, but leaving the second skin on when your skin is reacting to it can make the irritation much worse or even risk scarring.

*If using cling film*
Sometimes I favour this method over second skin if your tattoo is large-scale, has heavy colour packing, or is on an area of the body that’s very flexible/bendy (like a knee or elbow, for example).

At the end of your appointment I will wrap your tattoo in cling film and give you an aftercare product to use (Hustle Butter). I recommend you keep the initial piece of cling film on for 3–4 hours.

You can then take it off and wash the tattoo with lukewarm water and unscented/non-fragranced antibacterial soap to remove any excess ink/plasma/blood.
(Plasma is completely normal after getting a tattoo. Plasma contains white blood cells and proteins that help start the initial healing process. It’s your body’s natural way of protecting and healing a wound!)
Once your tattoo and the surrounding area are nice and clean, dab dry (don’t rub!) with clean kitchen roll/paper towels. Avoid using a regular bath towel as they can harbour bacteria, which increases your chances of infection.

For sleeping the night of your appointment, if your tattoo is large scale or heavily colour packed/solid black. I recommend re-wrapping your tattoo in a new, clean piece of cling film (your bedsheets will thank you), but make sure your tattoo is exceptionally clean and you don’t trap any moisture underneath. If you have just washed it following the instructions above, let the area air-dry for at least 15 minutes after dabbing it dry before re-wrapping it to sleep in.

The next morning, once you’ve removed the cling film (if you’ve re-wrapped), clean your tattoo the same way as instructed above, you can then start using a pea-sized amount of Hustle Butter (provided at your appointment) once or twice a day. (Again, clean hands always!) It’s important not to use too much as it can trap moisture, suffocate the skin and slow down the healing process. Less is more – let your skin breathe! You can use this daily until it’s fully healed, or for as long as you want/until you run out.

*PLEASE NOTE*
After using cling film, your tattoo is still extremely vulnerable to infection. Remember that a new tattoo is essentially a large open wound, so be extra vigilant about keeping it clean and not letting anything unsanitary touch or rub against it. Wear loose, clean clothing and make sure you have clean bedsheets!

*Dry healing*
Some people swear by this; others don’t want to heal a tattoo this way. Personally, I’m the latter. I don’t recommend dry healing a tattoo, but if you’ve dry-healed a bunch of your tattoos and you’re comfortable doing it this way, more power to you!

*What to avoid afterwards*

Baths & swimming:
Stick to showers for now if you’re a regular bath enjoyer! You should never submerge a new tattoo in water for at least 2–4 weeks (baths) and at least 4–6 weeks (swimming). Chlorine can irritate the skin, fade or discolour the ink, soften scabs (leading to early peeling), and increase the risk of a painful bacterial infection. Swimming pools and especially the sea contain a wide range of bacteria that you should avoid at all costs while healing.

Sun exposure:
Avoid exposing your new tattoo to direct sunlight for at least 3–4 weeks, especially if the surface is not completely healed and still has any scabbing or peeling. Sun exposure and sunburn can severely damage a new tattoo by causing skin trauma, ink loss and infection.

Scratching/picking your tattoo:
During the healing process tattoos can become incredibly itchy and irritating – I get it. But please don’t scratch or pick at your tattoo; let your body handle it naturally. If it’s unbearably itchy, the one piece of advice I have is to gently pat your tattoo with your fingertips. (Again, super clean hands!) This can “scratch the itch” without damaging your skin or causing scabs or peeling to come off earlier than they should.

Bonus information:
Tattoos take approximately 4 weeks to completely heal on the surface, but the healing process is still ongoing beneath the skin (for longer than you might think!).
By around 4 weeks your outer layer of skin (epidermis) should have closed up and shed its scabs and peeling skin. It’s still recommended to practise good washing and cleaning methods at this time. You can use a little more of the aftercare products now to keep your skin nicely moisturised if you wish.
However, your deeper layer of skin (dermis), where the ink sits, is still repairing itself and locking the pigments in place. This can take up to 3–6+ months, and you’ll need to continue protecting your skin from harsh UV rays with sunscreen to avoid fading while the deep layers finish stabilising. I always recommend using factor 50 sunscreen on tattoos, regardless of their age and regardless of the temperature – whether you’re on holiday or sunbathing. A tattoo is with you for life; a little extra attention to maintaining its longevity is always encouraged!

George Oliver

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Frequently asked questions

Do you take on custom work?

What tattoos won’t you do?

How much do you charge?

How much is a deposit?

Can I see the design before the day?

How can I pay the remaining amount on the day?

It’s my first tattoo help I’m scared

How should I prepare for my appointment?

How should I look after my new tattoo? / Aftercare instructions

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