☞ Care of the Marked ☜
Aftercare
look after it · it’ll look after you
A fresh tattoo is an open wound for the first few days. Treat it like one. Below is what works, what doesn't, and when to ping us. Different artists have different preferences — your artist's voice beats ours every time.
Do
- Wash gently with fragrance-free soap and warm water
- Pat dry with a clean towel
- Apply a thin layer of fragrance-free moisturiser
- Sleep in a clean t-shirt; clean sheets help
- Drink water; eat properly
Don't
- ✗Pick, scratch, or peel anything off
- ✗Soak in baths, pools, the sea, or hot tubs
- ✗Sit in direct sun (or a sunbed)
- ✗Slather on heavy ointment — thin layers only
- ✗Hit the gym in a way that sweats on it day 1–3
☞ The Timeline ☜
- Day 0
Walk out of the shop
- ✦Leave the wrap on for the time your artist tells you — usually 2–4 hours, longer for larger pieces.
- ✦Don't show it off in direct sun on the way home.
- ✦Have a meal. Hydrate. The body's just been through something.
- First 24 hours
First wash
- ✦Wash hands. Peel the wrap off slowly under warm water if it's stuck.
- ✦Use lukewarm water + fragrance-free soap. Light fingertip pressure, no flannel, no scrubbing.
- ✦Pat dry with a clean towel — don't rub.
- ✦Re-wrap only if your artist gave you fresh dressing for sleep.
- Days 2–7
The honeymoon stretch
- ✦Wash gently 2–3× a day.
- ✦Apply a thin layer of fragrance-free moisturiser (Bepanthen, Hustle Butter, plain Cetaphil — your artist will recommend).
- ✦Less is more. You want it moisturised, not slimy.
- ✦No long soaks, no swimming, no spas, no sea.
- Week 2
Itch & flake
- ✦It will peel — light flakes that look like the colours of your tattoo. That's normal.
- ✦Itch will happen. DO NOT scratch. Slap it lightly if you must.
- ✦Keep moisturising thinly. Stop if it's looking shiny.
- Weeks 3–4
Settling in
- ✦Top layer is usually closed. The deeper layer keeps healing for a few more weeks.
- ✦Still no direct sun. SPF 50+ once it's fully healed, forever.
- ✦Lotion as needed if dry — daily moisturiser is enough now.
- Forever
Long game
- ✦Sun is the killer of tattoos. SPF when it's exposed.
- ✦Stay hydrated. Skin in good condition holds ink in good condition.
- ✦Touch-ups are part of the process — first one's usually free within reason. Talk to your artist.
When to ring us
Red flags
If any of this is happening, get in touch — sooner is better.
- !Spreading redness past the tattoo edges after day 3
- !Hot to touch + a fever
- !Pus that isn't clear plasma
- !Severe pain that's getting worse, not better
Severe symptoms (fever, spreading rash, signs of cellulitis): see a GP or after-hours clinic — don't wait on us. We're not a substitute for medical care.