geofferson ink
PREPARING FOR YOUR TATTOO
A good tattoo starts before you arrive at the studio.
If you’ve booked in for a large tattoo, particularly a full-day or multi-day session, we’re going to ask quite a lot from your skin and your body.
The better condition both are in when you arrive, the easier you’re making the process from the beginning.
I think people sometimes forget that your skin is an ORGAN.
Its condition is affected by your general health, hydration, sun exposure and how well you’ve been looking after yourself. I can control everything that happens once you’re in my chair, but I can’t undo weeks of neglecting your skin on the morning of your appointment.
So, if you’ve got a tattoo coming up, use the weeks beforehand to give me the best possible canvas to work with.
look after the skin
This is probably the biggest thing you can do in the weeks or months leading up to your appointment.
Start moisturising the area twice a day. I recommend something relatively simple and natural, such as a cocoa or shea butter-based moisturiser, rather than anything fragranced or alcohol-based.
You don’t need to absolutely smother yourself in it. You’re just trying to consistently keep the skin moisturised and in good condition.
If you only start doing this the night before your tattoo, it’s not going to achieve very much. Start as soon as you’ve made your booking and make it part of your routine.
stay out of the sun
This one is particularly important.
Keep the area we’re tattooing out of strong sunlight as much as possible in the build-up to your appointment, and avoid sunbeds.
If you arrive with sunburn on the area, I cannot tattoo you.
Even without burning, heavily tanned skin isn’t ideal for colour work. I’m putting colour into the skin and constantly assessing how those colours look against your natural skin tone.
The more tanned the skin is, the more difficult that becomes.
The easiest solution is simply to protect the area beforehand.
If you know you’ve got a tattoo booked, sacrificing the tan for a little while is worth it.
look after yourself, not just the tattoo area
This is the part that might sound slightly excessive until you remember what we’re actually preparing your body for.
For large-scale tattooing, you might be sitting for seven hours or potentially coming back and doing it all again the following day.
That’s physically demanding.
In the week leading up to your appointment, make a conscious effort to stay properly hydrated. Don’t wait until the morning of the tattoo and drink two litres of water in the car on the way there. Consistent hydration in the days beforehand is much more useful.
I’d also recommend avoiding alcohol for the week leading up to a big appointment. Alcohol can contribute to dehydration and can affect bleeding, neither of which is particularly helpful when you’re about to spend a full day being tattooed.
The same goes for caffeine.
You don’t necessarily need to completely cut it out, but if you’re somebody who drinks coffee all day, try reducing it to one coffee per day during the week beforehand.
use it as an excuse to have a healthy week
This might sound silly, but your tattoo appointment isn’t a bad excuse to look after yourself properly for a while.
Your skin doesn’t exist separately from the rest of your body.
If you’ve spent the week barely drinking water, eating rubbish, sleeping terribly, drinking alcohol every night and generally running yourself into the ground, you’re probably not arriving in the best condition for a demanding tattoo session.
You don’t need to suddenly become an athlete because you’ve booked a tattoo.
Just eat properly. Drink plenty of water. Get enough sleep. Cut back on alcohol and excessive caffeine.
Generally, give your body what it needs.
If anything, use the tattoo appointment as the little kick you needed to start looking after yourself a bit better.
Your body has to get you through the tattoo and then immediately begin repairing the skin afterwards. Giving it a good starting point just makes sense.
protect the area
Finally, be a little more conscious than usual about the area we’re going to tattoo.
Cuts, grazes, burns and other injuries can potentially mean changing the design, avoiding part of the area or, if they’re significant enough, postponing the appointment altogether.
The aim is simply to arrive with healthy, moisturised, undamaged skin that’s ready to be tattooed.
So, basically, moisturise the area. Keep it out of the sun. Stay hydrated. Eat well. Sleep properly. Avoid alcohol and reduce caffeine.
the night before & day of your tattoo
THE NIGHT BEFORE
Honestly, don’t overthink it.
Have a decent meal, drink plenty of water and try to get a proper night’s sleep.
I’d avoid alcohol completely and wouldn’t recommend staying up late, and getting a good nights rest.
You want to arrive feeling as normal as possible.
I’d also get everything you’re bringing to the studio together the night before.
Sort your clothes, food, drinks, headphones, chargers and whatever else you’re bringing so you’re not running around trying to find everything in the morning.
The aim is to wake up, have a proper breakfast and arrive without unnecessary stress.
eat a proper breakfast
Please don’t turn up on an empty stomach.
And when I say breakfast, I mean a proper meal.
A long tattoo session is physically demanding. Your body is dealing with pain and stress for several hours while simultaneously beginning the process of repairing your skin.
You need to give it some fuel.
Ideally, have a cooked breakfast containing a decent amount of healthy protein and fats that are going to keep you going for a while.
Do I need loads of sugar for a tattoo?
There’s a fairly common idea that you should arrive at a tattoo appointment armed with sweets, fizzy drinks and as much sugar as possible.
Something sugary can absolutely give you a quick boost if you’re starting to feel a little low during the session, and there’s nothing wrong with having some sweets with you.
But I wouldn’t build your entire day’s nutrition around sugar.
You might feel fantastic for twenty minutes and then feel considerably worse when that initial boost disappears.
Have three proper meals, and bring actual food.
There is a fridge and microwave available at the studio, so you’re welcome to bring something from home, or we can take a break and you can grab something nearby.
You can still bring snacks, fruit, chocolate or whatever else you enjoy throughout the day. The point is simply that snacks should be on top of proper meals, rather than replacing them.
what should i wear?
Comfort comes first.
You’re potentially going to be sitting or lying in the same position for hours, so this isn’t the day for restrictive clothing.
Wear something loose and comfortable that you don’t mind potentially getting marked.
Legs
Bring shorts that give easy access to the entire area we’re working on.
Even if it’s freezing outside, bring them with you and change at the studio.
Arms
A vest or sleeveless top is usually ideal.
Again, the important thing is giving me unrestricted access to the whole area rather than having clothing bunched up around it.
Back, chest and torso
A loose button-down shirt or zip-up top works really well because it can easily be opened, adjusted or removed without constantly pulling clothing over the area we’re working on.
A note for women
Certain placements need a little more thought when choosing what to wear.
For hip or bikini-line tattoos, bring tie-side bikini bottoms or underwear you’re comfortable wearing during the appointment.
For chest, sternum, ribs or back tattoos, we’ll need to fully expose the area being tattooed.
A button-down shirt or zip-up hoodie is a good option because it can remain partially worn or open while still giving you some coverage.
Your comfort and privacy are important, and we’ll always make sure you’re appropriately covered wherever possible while still having proper access to the area we’re tattooing.
Why the right clothing actually matters
This isn’t only about making it easier for me to reach the area.
Your skin needs to sit in its natural, relaxed position when I apply the stencil.
Tight clothing, waistbands, bra straps or anything else pulling and stretching the skin can change the way it naturally sits.
That matters when we’re trying to position a design accurately on the body.
I’d rather have more access than I need during the stencil process and then work out the most comfortable way of keeping you covered afterwards.
So, if you’re unsure what to wear for your particular tattoo, ask me beforehand.
what to bring with you
Photo ID
Please bring photographic ID with you, particularly if you look under 25.
Food and drinks
Bring enough to comfortably get you through the day. We have a fridge and microwave available at the studio.
There is also a corner shop nearby to purchase snacks and drinks.
Something to entertain yourself
Headphones, your phone, tablet, kindle, book - whatever helps you switch off and past the time.
We also play films and series on the TVs at the studio.
Please bring a charger if needed to boost your devices.
Something warm
It’s also worth bringing an extra layer of clothing.
People can sometimes feel cold during long tattoo sessions, particularly when a large area of skin is exposed.
Once you’ve done all of that, there’s really nothing else to worry about.
Have a good night’s sleep. Wake up and eat a substantial breakfast.
Wear the right clothes. Bring proper food, plenty to drink and something to keep yourself entertained.
Then turn up and let me worry about the tattoo.
If you’ve prepared properly in the weeks beforehand and arrive rested, fed and hydrated, you’ve put yourself in the best possible position to handle the day well.
So, you’ve done the preparation, looked after your skin and your tattoo appointment is finally tomorrow.
At this point, there’s not much more you can do to change the condition of your skin.
The focus now is making sure you arrive rested, well-fed, comfortable and with everything you need to get through the day.
If you’re booked in with me, there’s a good chance we’re about to spend seven hours tattooing — potentially over multiple days.
It’s a long day for both of us. A little bit of preparation can make a massive difference to how comfortably you get through it.
tattoo aftercare
Your Tattoo Artist will go through full aftercare after your appointment
full aftercare advice will be provided after tattoo
At Studio 59 Tattoos we apply second skin.
Once second skin is placed on this needs to stay on for 5 full days.
After the 5 days slowly remove dry, this can be uncomfortable, once it’s off, wash with water and allow to air dry.
Apply the Tattoo aftercare 2-3 times a day or when dry, do this until fully healed.
( Tattoo aftercare can be purchased in Studio
- Please see attached photo )
