To Tattoo or not to Tattoo?

Ladies, let’s talk about tattoos. Are you a fan? Do you have any? Would you ever consider toddling down to your local tattoo parlour and going under the needle?

Most of us have flirted with the idea of getting a tattoo at some point in our lives. There’s just something about them, isn’t there? As well as giving you a bit of an ‘edge’ (they are the ultimate rebel symbol, after all), tattoos are also a unique way to mark moments in your life.

So let’s say you’ve finally worked up the courage to commit to getting inked. What are some of the essential things you need to know?

Here is our mini-guide to getting inked and being happy with the final product. Just remember, a tattoo is for life (unless you’re willing to pay thousands for laser removal at a later date).

1. Educate yourself: When you first decide to get a tattoo, it is so important to educate yourself. The best thing you can do is read, read and read some more. Read about the good sides of having a tattoo and the bad sides. Read about the process. Read about the risks and everything that can go wrong.  A great place to do all of this is the website www.bmezine.com.

It’s important that you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. Do your research. It will help you to make sure you’re ready to commit to a tattoo and all the extra knowledge of tattooing will come in handy when you set foot in your parlour of choice.

2. Decide your design: When it comes to picking your tattoo design you should always pick something that holds a special meaning for you. Let’s put it this way: do you want the generic butterfly design that thousands of other women have, or do you want something that is unique to you?

Put thought and time into choosing your design – it is something that you’ll have to live with for the rest of your life, so it’s worth choosing carefully. If you decide that you’d like song lyrics or words make sure that you have them spelled correctly and, if you’re getting a piece of writing in a foreign language, please, please, PLEASE make sure it’s right and that it means what you want it to mean.

Once you’ve decided on your design, it’s a good idea to sit with the decision for at least a month. Print out a copy of the design and put it somewhere that you’ll see it every single day. If you haven’t gotten sick of it after a few weeks, that’s a good sign.

3. Choose your artist carefully: Ask your tattooed friends for advice, do some research online, make a preliminary visit to your artist and ask if you can have a chat with them. It’s so important that you’re comfortable with your artist – they are marking your body permanently after all. Ideally you want someone who will be with you every step of the way and who will give you good, professional advice.

Once you’ve found yourself a reputable, talented artist, show them your design. They may offer you some revisions. Plan it out together.

So you have your research done, your design picked and you have a great artist on your side. The only thing left to do is grit your teeth and get inked. Good luck!