It’s no mystery that over here at TBS Crew we are very much into tattoos. Chiara, Riccardo, Vince, Giorgia, Martina, Greg all have one – or more! And I just realized we’ve never talked about how to best care for the artwork on your skin; as the beauty editor, I really need to take my responsibilities! But let’s start with a confession: I don’t have a single tattoo. So all this advice comes from friends who have them, brought together by yours truly. 😉
Taking care of your tattoo starts even before the moment you walk out of the parlor. How? That’s something you need to ask your tattoo artist. Rule number one: you take note of everything they recommend, because they know their artwork (and how to care for it) best. A few hours after coming home, it’s time to wash your tattoo for the first time. You can use a delicate wash, a specific product, or try the latest product on the market: a sponge by Konjac Sponge Company made specifically for tattoos. No need for soap, and it prevents your skin from developing scabs that will take a long time to heal. You can also sterylize it in boiling water for a couple minutes after every use.
Just like for your face, after cleaning comes moisturizing. And in this case too you need to use an appropriate product, ideally with no perfumes at least for as long as your skin is healing (such as Bepanthenol or Aquaphor) or at least as delicate as possible and fast drying. In fact, keeping your skin dry and clean is the best way to guarantee a tattoo will have a long life, so go ahead and take a shower but don’t spend hours in the bathtub. Apply moisturizer every day, so that your skin will be in the best condition to heal. Now and later, avoid scratching your skin or using scrubs in the area of your tattoo, as you might stress your skin and end up with a mild infection or tiny cuts, which is exactly what you don’t want.
It’s summertime, so an important piece of advice: no exposing your tattoo to sunlight! Inks, and especially colored inks, tend to fade in direct light. If you really really need those UV rays, make sure you’ve applied heavy duty (at least SPF 50) sunscreen generously onto the area… no exceptions!
