What to bring (and what not to bring) to your tattoo appointment

Excited for your tattoo and want to be extra prepared? Here are my tips of what to bring to your next tattoo appointment!

What to Bring:

Before you leave the house, you'll want to make sure you have the following for your appointment:

• Form of ID

--Drivers license, passport, anything works as long as it has your full name, date of birth, and a photo of you)

• Jacket or light sweater if you get cold easy

• Snacks or a fun little drink

--Having something high in sugar is good if your blood pressure starts to dip. I also provide small snacks/drinks for clients.

• Fully charged phone

--Most people are on their phone for some duration of the tattoo (because let's face it, it can get boring sometimes) so make sure you have a good charge. I have a wireless charger in my studio but you won't be able to use your phone while it charges

• Headphones

--This one is optional, but if you get bored easily and have a longer session bringing headphones can be a great distraction. You can play your own music, watch youtube, or listen to an audiobook while you get tattooed.

• Comfy clothes

--Don't be afraid to wear sweatpants or gym shorts to your appointment! There is no need to dress up or worry about your appearance for a tattoo session. Sometimes it feels like you should dress up if you are nervous to meet your artist and want to create a good impression, but I'm here to tell you that we genuinely are not judging your clothes, and appreciate it when you wear something comfortable to the studio.

• Comfort item

--As long as the comfort item isn't excessively dirty, I encourage nervous clients to bring something soothing to their next appointment. Something like a squishmallow is great as a bonus pillow too. A good rule of thumb is if it would be good for an airplane, it would probably be good for a tattoo appointment. However, there is always a small risk of tattoo ink getting on the item, so don't bring in a prized heirloom or something irreplaceable.

• Final payment

--Don't forget to check your artists booking info and see what they take as final payment. Some artists can't accept card, or are cash only. Most artist will list their forms of accepted payment somewhere on their social media or website, or they will include it during the booking process.

What NOT to bring:

Now that your bag is packed and ready with everything you'll need, here are some things NOT to bring to your next appointment!

• Multiple guests

--Most tattoo studios are limited on space, so please don't bring more then one guest unless multiple people in your group are being tattooed.

• Designer/luxury clothes

--Anything you wear to the tattoo appointment has a risk of getting tattoo ink on it. Please avoid wearing your nicest clothes to your appointment and save your artist the stress of ruining something expensive.

• Large blankets

--A smaller throw style blanket is ok, but don't bring in large, heavy blankets that are likely to drag on the floor or touch the tattooed area/workstation. Hygiene doesn't have to be as strict for items clients bring in, but we still need to maintain a generally clean environment for the tattoo.

• Multiple bags

--Most tattoo studios are limited on space, so please try not to bring multiple/excessively large bags to your appointment with you. For my studio, the area is very safe so anything you don't need for the appointment can be left in your car/under your seats.

Hopefully this short list helps you feel more prepared for your next tattoo appointment. As always, if you have any questions please feel free to send me a message over on Instagram: @Painted_Vulture_Tattoo