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Tattoo After-care

T.A.T. was initially formulated for a soap and balm maker's own tattoo care. It was further developed in consultation with, and tested on, tattoo professionals. That process led to these recommendations.

DAY 1: Leave the bandage your tattooist put on your fresh tattoo for 2 hours, then remove and cleanse with or . No rinsing is needed. This will clean and treat your tattoo to botanical anti-bacterials, anti-inflammatories, reparatives and humectants. The first time may require some extra effort to remove excess ink and seepage, and you may feel some tingling. Do not re-bandage until bedtime. At bedtime, cleanse tattoo again and cover loosely with a fresh bandage for the night or wear clean, loose cotton bed clothes. Be sure bed and bath linens are clean. Avoid pet hair and dander until tattoo is healed.

DAYS 2, 3, 4: Remove bandage. Leave tattoo open to air. Cleanse 3 to 4 times per day, until or are gone. (Note: It is not better to cleanse less frequently for longer.) If tattoo feels "tight" between cleansings, apply a dab of . This may also help relieve itching that accompanies healing. Do not pick or scratch healing tattoo. Do not tub soak (showering is fine). Avoid clothes that will chafe tattoo. Avoid direct sun exposure.

DAYS 5 - 14: Apply 3 to 4 times per day--more often if skin is dry--until balm is gone. This will treat your tattoo to botanical antibacterials, anti-inflammatories, reparatives, emollients, nutrients and mild UVA/UVB protectants. Start with a moderate amount amount and work up, in order to learn to apply as liberally as skin will absorb within 5 minutes. Do not over-saturate. (Note: It is not better to apply less frequently for longer.) Do not pick or scratch healing tattoo. Do not tub soak. Continue to avoid clothes that will chafe tattoo. Continue to avoid direct sun exposure unless wearing a good sunblock. contains botanical UVA/UVB protectants for mild every-day exposure, but it is not a sunblock.

DAYS 15+: Maintain healthy skin and tattoo color with regular use of moisturizer and sunblock. If you received a sample of , note that it contains botanical UVA/UVB protectants for mild everyday exposure but is not a sunblock. Repeated and severe UV exposure depletes skin's hyaluronic acid, important for moisture retention. Avoid lotions that contain petroleum products such as petrolatum and paraffin, as petroleum dissolves skin's sebum.

It is important that you heed these or your tattooist's specific care recommendations, not what your friends or co-workers say. Call your tattooist with questions about your tattoo care or how your tattoo is healing.

T.A.T. products are made and packaged 
by hand in the workshop of Black Creek
  Botanicals with the same strict sustainability
  ethic as our retail line of soaps and sundries.
  Ingredients are fully disclosed, packaging is
  bisphenol-free and recyclable, literature is 
printed on recycled-content paper, waste is
minimized, ingredient packaging is recycled.  
We sort, recycle, and compost scrupulously.
99% of our retail and workshop furnishings 
are salvaged or re-used. Fixtures and most
appliances are high-efficiency or hand-powered.