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So many Tattoos for Women are, to be brutal, lacking something in either design, finesse or placement but I found something today well worth looking at - I can’t put the picture here because it’s not mine to display but I recommend you take a quick visit to AllenTattoo, the Gallery in particular. I was just browsing when I came across the image. Beautiful placement and use of body contours - take a couple of minutes and go look, its worth it - AllenTattooGallery.

It occurred to me when  I saw a report of an Elvis Tribute tattoo that women traditionally take far more care of their bodies, but if you decorate your body tattoo after care is just as important for you men as it is for us girls.  A good piece of artwork is an investment and deserves to be looked after.  Apart from which the last thing you want is for it to look old, wrinkled and saggy.  Imagine spending 16 hours under the needle like Robert Gage did with his Tribute to Elvis Tattoo only to have it fade away - what kind of tribute would a wrinkled back be to the King of Rock and Roll.

Once your tattoo is healed, good basic skin care is all you need by way of tattoo after care to keep it looking good.  It’s a simple three step process - Wash, Moisturise, Block.

Step One - wash it with a suitable soap and dry it properly.  Step Two - moisturise it carefully to keep the skin supple and healthy.  Step Three - when you show it off, put a sunblock on.

A quick five minute regime can keep your tattoo looking good for years and looking after it can be fun - all those hard to reach places can be well tended by a good friend who’ll only be to happy to help!

The Tattoo Goo Aftercare Kit is for the complete aftercare and perpetual care of your tattoos. The kit contains one each: Salve .75 oz, Deep Cleansing Soap for immediate healing, Quick Penetrating Lotion for moisturizing and enhancement, Color Guard Fade Protection Stick SPF-30 for outdoor and tanning protection. Great for gift giving or for those who want a one stop solution to tattoo aftercare. Complete aftercare instructions included. The kit comes in its own custom zipper carrying case.

User Reviews:-

” I bought Tattoo Goo Tattoo Aftercare coz I like to have the best in life. Had my tattoo done with a real pro and the tattoo looks great, So, the after care should do his work some justice. Having the tattoo heal perfectly was my goal and I am very very happy with the results i get with Tattoo Goo. Easy to use, heals the tattoo very well, affordable price. If you are getting tattoos done, this IS the product for YOU.”

” I purchased this product three weeks after having two tattoos done. I wish my shop sold this product. In a travel kit, are a tube of lotion, antibacterial liquid soap, a tin of ointment to help preserve colors and a sunblock stick. So far I have used the lotion and the ointment as I unluckily developed a rash around my tattoos (possibly from the lotion I previously used). I sought medical attention to get it cleared up right away, and am presently using the aftercare kit. The lotion is unscented, light and absorbs quickly. The ointment is natural, with a soothing scent, and it too prevents drying of a healing tattoo. Since it is winter, I haven’t had the chance to use the sunblock stick. The antibacterial soap is also being saved for another time. I am quite satisfied with the products offered by Tattoo Goo, and would recommend them highly.”

Reality TV has come the world of Tattooing - but what about Tattoo After Care?  They’ll show the glamour and the glitz of competition but what about caring for that scabby mess on your body til it heals and reveals the beauty beneath.

Reality TV is everywhere these days but I never thought it  would come to the world of Tattooing - how wrong I was.  “Tattoo Wars” came to The Learning Channel in October, joining shows like ‘Miami Ink’ and ‘L.A. Ink’. One episode was recorded at last year’s Seattle Tattoo Convention with Leo Zulueta from Spiral Tattoo up against his former student Rory Keating of Guru Tattoo.  Each episode will feature two artists working in the same genre going head to head at a Convention - voting takes place there as well.

Without doubt this is going to increase even further the popularity of body art and encourage more folks to give it a try, particularly as so many styles will be on display.  The only problem I can foresee is that amid the clash of competition some of the practicalities of day to day care won’t get a look in.  So many don’t necessarily realise that the first few days after having a tattoo you have to take care of it - lots of activities are restricted and lack of attention to small details of hygiene can damage all that wonderful artwork leaving you with a speckled and damaged image that doesn’t do justice to your beautiful body!

Like most things in life - if it’s good it doesn’t come cheap.  The cost of tattoos varies  and depends first on the skill of the Artist and his reputation.  Then you need to factor in all the costs that are associated with a business - the more upmarket the location, the more it will cost.  Your design is a huge factor too, is it off the shelf or something specially commissioned?

Many Tattoo Artists will make small alterations to a standard design without charge but if you want something completely unique  you will have to pay accordingly.  Small tattoos in a reputable studio will start from around $30  for something off the shelf and fairly basic, after that the sky is the limit.  Large projects can involve several visits to the Stuido and will end up costing hundreds of dollars.

It may seem expensive, but consider it like this - it’s a work of art, would you expect to get an original painting for peanuts?  Of course not, so why expect to get a Tattoo at a knockdown price.  Remember, it’s for life and you want it to look as good  as possible for as long as possible.

Foot Tattoos are definitely more popular with women than men though I’ve never quite got my head round why - something for another day. However they are becoming more popular overall. There was a time when many Artists and Studios wouldn’t do them and lots of reasons why. You certainly need a Tattoo Artist who is experienced and has a good reputation. Foot Tattoos can be very painful and they are high maintenance so you need to make sure you really want one before you go ahead.

When you have a foot tattoo don’t go for a design that is is too complicated, it will take a lot of wear from shoes and socks and in time even a well healed tattoo can be worn away. You need to make sure you really look after the skin to help keep it looking good. In an ideal world you shouldn’t really wear socks or suchlike for at least three to four months and spend as much time without shoes rubbing on the tattooed area as possible. Going barefoot leads to it’s own problems as sun can fade your new artwork or even wipe it out completely so you really have to nuture that new design as if it were a baby. You will need a good factor 30 sunblock to protect it. Foot tattoos are probably also the most prone to infection as you have to keep it open and it’s close to all the dirt and debris on the ground, salt and chlorinated water are also best avoided whilst it is healing.

Choosing a design is also important - make sure you don’t pick anything too complicated as it won’t really be shown off at it’s best - you are better with something that is simple and striking to show it off at is best. A complicated foot tattoo will look like a kaleidoscope of colour rather than a design unless you look at it close up. These stars are a classic example of something that shows off both the foot and the Tattoo.