
How to care for new tattoos - DIY Tattoo care balm
How to care for new tattoos
How to care for new tattoos – Whether you are getting a new tattoo, or thinking of having one; this post is perfect for you.
Not only will we talk you through how to care for your new tattoo, but we have also included and amazing recipe to make your own tattoo aftercare balm.
Furthermore, we have also added some instructions on what to do before you get a tattoo; this will also help with how your tattoo heals.
Disclaimer:
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Before getting your Tattoo- How to care for new tattoos
To begin out post on How to care for new tattoos we will first go over Pre-tattoo care.
Although we are not tattoo artists, we have however spent many years getting plenty of tattoos ourselves. Along this journey we have realised that there are many things that can affect the healing process and overall look of your tattoos. Throughout the years of getting tattoos, we have done hours of research in order to put together the best tattoo balm we can. However, through doing this research, we also found many tips and tricks on preparing and caring for a tattoo.
Before getting a tattoo
Moisturising-
First on our list, we have Moisturising. It is very important that you DO NOT moisturise on the day of your tattoo. However, moisturising the skin for several days or a week before will help keep your skin hydrated.
Get plenty of sleep-
Although getting plenty of rest is most definitely good for the body. In terms of getting a tattoo, plenty of sleep is also good for the mind. Without a doubt, getting a tattoo can be a painful and lengthy process. Therefore resting your mind beforehand is essential.
Eat before your appointment-
Another top tip before getting your tattoo is: eating before your appointment. Not only can this help with avoiding fainting and dizzy spells. But it will also aid in helping the body heal itself.
Wear appropriate clothing
Next, it is extremely important to ensure that you are wearing the correct clothing when you attend your appointment. Overall it is important to wear something that makes it easy for the tattoo artist to access the area that is being tattooed. As well as this, it is equally as important to wear clothing that isn’t too tight, as you want to avoid the area being rubbed.

Aftercare- How to care for new tattoos
Moving on in our guide on How to care for new tattoos, we will now cover aftercare. As mentioned above, there are many factors that can change the overall look and health of your tattoos. Without a doubt, the aftercare of your tattoo can heavily impact the overall look and health of your tattoo.
For this reason, we have outlined the most important aftercare steps once you have had your tattoo.
1- Leave the covering on for at least 3 hours
First and most importantly, it is extremely important that the covering is left on the tattoo for at least 3 hours after the tattoo has been completed. On the whole, this covering is put in place to ensure that the tattoo and raw skin is protected against dirt and bacteria. As well as this, is it also equally as important to ensure that you have washed your hands thoroughly before taking off the covering.
2- Avoid scratching or picking
Generally speaking, when your tattoo is healing it will begin to scab. On the whole, this is a very normal process of the healing stage. However, it is extremely important to avoid itching or scratching these scabs. For best results, let the scabs dry and fall off by themselves. Without a doubt, itching your tattoos and picking off the scabs can ultimately cause light spots or holes in your tattoo once it is healed.
3- Do NOT soak your tattoo in water
Next on our list of How to care for a new tattoo, it is time to discuss water and washing. Overall, soaking your new tattoo in water can result in damage to the overall look of the tattoo. This is due to the water pulling out the ink.
As well as this, exposing your tattoo to water with bacteria or chemicals can also cause an infection. Therefore, avoid activities such as bathing or swimming.
4- Keep tattoo out of direct sunlight
Last on our list of How to care for a new tattoo, we have: Keeping your tattoo out of direct sunlight. Although this may not seem like an important factor, it can most definitely have an overall effect on your tattoo. Before your tattoo has healed, sunlight can cause your skin to blister. In addition to this, it can also bleach the colour within your tattoo and cause the colour to dull or slightly change.

How to care for a new tattoo
Moving on further in to our How to care for a new tattoo post, we not have the recipe and instructions on how to make our DIY tattoo aftercare balm. As mentioned above, we have done many years of research on healing tattoos and keeping them looking bold and fresh. As a result, we have come up with the perfect tattoo aftercare balm. Not only will this balm help to keep your skin hydrated and moisturised, but it will also aid in keeping the colour.
DIY Tattoo aftercare balm-
What you need
- 4 tbsp unrefined Shea butter
- 1 1/2 tbsp refined beeswax
- 4 1/2 tbsp jojoba oil
- 4 Vitamin E capsules
- 15 drops of essential oil of your choice.
- 4 tbsp cocoa butter
- 6 drops of Frankincense oil
- 1 pan
- Storage container (with lid)
Overall, this balm will take around 15 minutes to make.


DIY Tattoo aftercare balm
Step 3
Step 4
Furthermore, we also recommend storing your mixture in a container or several with lids. As a result it will keep your balm fresher. Once transferred, leave to mixture to set and become firm.
Making the tattoo aftercare balm
Although the mixture for our tattoo aftercare balm seems to have quite a few ingredients, it is however, very simple to make.
Step 1
First, gently melt you shea butter in a pan, ensuring that you do not bring it to a boil. Next, add in your Beeswax and cocoa butter. Continue to gently stir on a low heat until they are all melted and mixed well.
Step 2
Next, it is time to add in your essential oils. Although we like sweeter smelling oils, you can chose any scent that you prefer. Again, stir in well to melted mixture.

DIY Tattoo aftercare balm- Warning-
Furthermore, it is important to note that this recipe is not edible and should only be used for the purpose that we recommend above. Additionally, if you have not used these products before, try your balm on a small patch of skin before you use. This will ensure you have no allergies.
Thank you
To conclude our DIY Tattoo aftercare balm, we would like to say thank you for visiting our site. As well as this, we hope that you have found this useful and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to message us or comment below. We would also love to see pics of your new tattoo.
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