General Booking Information
SCHEDULING A TATTOO
For all appointment requests, please fill out a form here. For any other questions or to schedule a consultation, please email me directly at ambermoontattoo@gmail.com.
I will respond to your email or submission form within 3 days. If you don't hear from me, check your spam folder or email me again!
DEPOSITS
I require a NON-REFUNDABLE $100 deposit to hold an appointment, which will go towards the total cost of your tattoo. You will forfeit your deposit if:
-You no-show me.
-You cancel with less than 72 hours notice.
-You reschedule more than once.
I will roll over a deposit ONCE if you need to reschedule for another day, if you schedule a new date when you reschedule.
Deposits should be paid in cash to the shop (Blaque Owl Tattoo). Please let me know if you are traveling from outside of Missoula.
CONSULTATIONS
I do not charge for consultations. Having an in-person chat is a great way to communicate your ideas, ask me questions, and generally get us on the same page before booking your tattoo. Generally I hold consultations at the shop at 10-11am, and they typically take between 5-20 minutes. Email me to schedule a consultation.
SHOP INFORMATION (BLAQUE OWL TATTOO)
-Shop minimum is $100 and $200/hr.
-We take walk-ins depending on artist availability. You can always call ahead to ask!
-Shop hours are Wednesday-Sunday 11am-5pm and by appointment only on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Aftercare
BASIC/TRADITIONAL BANDAGE
-Leave on for a minimum of 3 hours, but I recommend leaving it on until the next morning or UP TO 24 hours.
-Wash hands, remove bandage, and get into the shower. Wash the tattoo well with unscented soap and rinse thoroughly.
-Pat dry with a clean cloth or let air dry.
DERMASHIELD/SECOND SKIN
-Leave on for a minimum of 3 hours, but I recommend leaving it on for 24-48 hours.
-Wash hands, get into the shower, and remove the bandage by peeling an edge. It helps to hold the skin taught while you peel the bandage off close to the skin. Water that is too hot may activate the adhesive and make it harder to get off.
-Wash the tattoo well with unscented soap and rinse thoroughly.
-Pat dry with a clean cloth or let air dry.
FIRST FEW DAYS
-Your tattoo will likely be red, sore, a bit swollen, and raw feeling. It may feel like a sunburn.
-There's no need to rebandage your tattoo after removing the initial bandage.
-DO wash your tattoo twice a day or immediately after getting sweaty or dirty. The skin is still open and vulnerable to infection.
-DO NOT use wound care like Neosporin or hydrogen peroxide. Soap and water ONLY.
-Wear loose-fitting clothing that covers and protects the tattoo from sun/dirt etc.
-Do not wear form-fitting or tight clothing for the first few days. If your tattoo sticks to your clothing DO NOT pull it off. Instead, wet the fabric until it releases from the tattoo on it's own.
WHEN THE TATTOO STARTS TO DRY OUT
-Your new tattoo will most likely peel like a sunburn, and might have some scabbing and itching.
-DO NOT pick or scratch at your tattoo. This can damage the tattoo as well as increase risk of infection.
-Continue to wash the tattoo and keep it clean.
-You can use a light moisturizer to ease itching and pulling. I recommend something simple that rubs all the way in rather than something that sits on top of the skin, making it hard for the tattoo to breathe. I find that unscented body lotion or coconut oil works well.
-DO NOT over moisturize! It's ok for the tattoo to be dry. It's part of the healing process. The moisturizer wont help your tattoo heal better or faster, it's just to take some of the discomfort out of the healing process.
FIRST 2 WEEKS
-No soaking or submerging. Avoid baths, hot tubs, pools, or water that may have bacteria such as rivers, lakes, or hot springs. Avoid saunas or steam rooms. Showers are great, we want the tattoo (and you) to be clean but don't linger.
-Avoid getting a sunburn! I don't recommend using sunscreen over the fresh tattoo in the first two weeks. Instead, go for protective clothing or avoiding sun exposure. UV will break down the pigment faster than anything.
2-6 WEEKS
-Your tattoo should be fully or almost fully healed. Your skin may still have a milky or scaley appearance, or be dry. This is normal and the texture of your skin will eventually return to normal. It's just a new layer of skin forming over the healing tattoo.
-DO NOT shave over the area until the skin feels fully healed.
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
-Unscented soap for washing. I like antibacterial handsoap but any unscented soap will do. Avoid using barsoap (it can harbor bacteria) and instead opt for a pump-bottle.
-Unscented lotion or body oil. Keep an eye on the ingredients list and try to avoid non-moisturizing alcohols, fragrances, preservatives etc. Simple is usually better! Again, go for something in a pump bottle vs. a bar or jar to avoid contact with bacteria.
-DO NOT use wound care products like healing ointments, antiseptics etc. It may feel intuitive but it can damage/disrupt the healing process necessary for a tattoo. If you are keeping the tattoo clean with washing, there's very little risk of infection.
TATTOO SPECIFIC AFTERCARE PRODUCTS
-Personally I believe that these are just a money-grab by non-tattooer companies who are trying to capitalize on the tattoo industry. They tend to be over-priced and if you look at the ingredients they're identical to any simple body moisturizer. That being said, I generally think they're safe to use on your tattoos!