Best piercing & tattoo supplies according to redditors

Ouch, that looks painful! You may want to see a doctor for antibiotics to clear that up. Afterwards, invest in a good aftercare spray to keep it clean. H2Ocean Piercing Aftercare Spray worked wonders for my daith piercing. It's such a difficult place to access, the spray did a really good job of getting into all the cracks. Because it's cartilage, it will take up to 6 months to properly heal. Try not to sleep on it, and if it gets a bit crusty, soak a cotton ball in the spray and let it sit on the piercing for a bit. Good luck!

Looks like you'll have to spend the $40 to get one for yourself.

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Tattoo-Machine-Color-Supply/dp/B00JFQXDDQ

Poke with your needle at a 45 degree angle, use a sort of hooking motion to deposit more ink into the skin as well. You'll hear a slight popping, if you go to deep the ink will spread under the skin and won't look great. You're better off poking too soft than too hard, you can always go back over your lines if need be. Search on YouTube and you'll see some people using this "hooking" motion.

Put a very thin layer of vaseline or aquaphor wherever you are going to tattoo before you start poking, this will keep the ink from spreading everywhere so you can see what you're doing. Also, dab your needle on a paper towel after dipping it in your ink to get extra ink off; this will also ensure that you can see what you're doing, as you won't have tons of extra ink sitting on the skin. Wipe with a dry paper towel after you go over a section, and repeat with the vaseline/aquaphor and poking.

Poke one section at a time, don't try to do the whole tattoo over and over. Get a solid line in one section, and then move to another.

If you're using a stencil allow 5-10 minutes between the time that you put it on and you start poking. This will keep the stencil from coming off super easily, you don't want to have to try and eyeball it or re-draw it if you don't have to. Only use a wet (with green soap, if you don't have some buy some) paper towel if you really need to, or when you're finished with the tattoo to clean up all the excess ink. If you use a wet paper towel before you're finished it will wipe off/fade your stencil.

Shave where you are going to be tattooing before you start (I hope everyone knows this already). If you don't have green soap, get some as I stated earlier. You can use it for shaving with, cleaning the tattoo, etc. If you don't have access to green soap, you can use witch hazel for cleaning the tattoo during/after poking. You'll need shaving cream for shaving (assuming you don't have green soap), don't use witch hazel.

Keep everything sanitary, the last thing you want to do is give someone an infection! Use gloves, wipe things down, make a sanitary workstation, use sterile tattoo needles only (NOT SEWING NEEDLES OR PINS), use tattoo ink only (NOT INDIA OR OTHER INK). For other tips on a sanitation check YouTube for a standard tattoo work station!

Last but not least, have some fun! Start off with small things, and work your way up to your own designs! If you like an artist's work, go get a tattoo done by them instead of copying it :)

Here is a link to green soap

Here is a link to very basic tattoo needles - You'll want to use the RL's for lining, and the RS' for shading

Here is a link to some good black ink. I recommend starting with the 1oz bottle, this will last you a long time.

Feel free to pm me or drop a comment if you (or anyone else) needs help! I've only been doing this for a few months, but I feel like I've done a lot of research and have a pretty good idea of how things work!

https://www.amazon.com/Tattoo-Skin-Marker-Marking-Scribe/dp/B005LT25IK

Sounds like a Christmas (or whatever) present would be a good way to break the ice with this.

That's great! I think you're getting downvoted because your link is bad (it doesn't load the product page on my computer), but it looks like you bought the CVS Sterile Saline Wound Wash, which is a 0.9% sodium chloride solution with no additives. That's the perfect concentration for piercings, so you're good to go!

If you ever get annoyed by how quickly the product sprays out, I really like the NeilMed Fine Mist Wound Wash. It has the same formula as the CVS wound wash, but dispenses in a fine mist that doesn't soak my whole ear.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004OF35TU?pc_redir=1411697952&robot_redir=1

12$ amazon prime 100pk. Get to it.

Enjoy! I loved mine for the most part, but my right one still leaked occasionally (no idea what it was, it doesn't smell nice though, looks like pus-it's normal, but was embarrassing for me) even 8 years later, and I couldn't deal with that anymore, so I took mine out. Definitely bras, definitely salt soaks, and there's a piercing spray you can get on amazon (the piercing place provided the first can) that's really helpful

H2Ocean

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TZUJW6O

This is the saline I use:

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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TZUJW6O/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1

This NeilMed piercing spray is what I've always used, and I love it!

Love the setup! Got the same display stands but got annoyed by having to find something of the exact height to create a second series of columns. And then I found this:

http://www.amazon.com/Acrylic-Tattoo-Display-Organizer-Counter/dp/B0089YGY5Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396987006&sr=8-1&keywords=tattoo+ink+rack

And because I still ended up with too much space being occupied I decided to also go with these:

http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Acrylic-Tattoo-Organizer-Display/dp/B00CDB5LAI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1396987006&sr=8-5&keywords=tattoo+ink+rack

A bit more expensive than those "standard" acrylic stands but judging from your bar you can also afford it easily enough. :-) I really like those wall racks... can't wait for them to arrive in a few days. It will give me back surface area space while utilizing wall space better. Just a thought, figured you might want to check these out.

buy this stuff or H2Ocean

you can buy the saline wash at walmart, walgreens, etc. H2Ocean is sold at some of those places, but if you go to a tattoo/piercing place, they will have it too.

let your ear soak in that stuff and it should help clean the area.

i know what its like sleeping and having your ears get irritated, i had to take one of mine out because it got too irritated and started to get infected, the hole is closed now.

Maybe you can try sleeping with a captive bead ring? since its not a stud, it wont poke the back of your head

If you have an amazon account you can order real tattoo needles and ink for pretty cheap. I would definitely consider that because then you can be much less worried about potential contamination, infections, etc. The items I linked are the needles and ink I bought and the ones that seem to be popular. 3RLs and 5RLs are pretty common for first time pokers. Real tattoo needles are preferred because you can poke faster (think 3 or 5 pokes at a time as opposed to 1). As for suggestions for what to tattoo, only you can really know what you'll like! In general, I'd start with something small. Think of things you like- interests, hobbies, movies, animals, shapes, people, nature, etc. Then start sketching out a few things, maybe even on your body, until you're happy with something. Don't be afraid to take more than a few days or weeks to decide, this will be on your body forever!

all the ones I've seen in town are worse lol guess this is all you need to be a pro http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Tattoo-machine-Color-Supply/dp/B00JFQXDDQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1426433136&sr=8-2&keywords=tattoo+kit

DIY!!

Tattoo

Haircut

Tattoo ink. It's about the same price as India ink, looks nicer, has a variety of colors to use, and there no chance of accidentally using ink with say cadmium, or cobalt in it. black, variety pack

Kuro Sumi

H2Ocean

https://www.amazon.com/Sterile-Piercing-Disposable-Safety-Tool-Fashion/dp/B07FCZ1RRJ?th=1&psc=1#

I found it! Guess it was a piercing gun😅.

I've got a couple of these tattoo ink stands in my mixing room and they work great and can fit larger bottles easily. edit I also have the larger one here and it's on sale right now.

Mine didn’t hurt when I got them pierced. I found the feeling more weird than anything because all of the nerves located in the nipple I could feel the needle going through each layer of tissue. I had a dull ache for a day or 2 but taking ibuprofen helped a lot. I had to be careful with them not getting yanked on anything for a few weeks while they healed and the swelling went down, but they healed pretty fast and I’ve never had a problem with crusties. I think what helped mine heal so well is the aftercare spray I used: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00TZUJW6O?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title I HIGHLY recommend that spray for any piercings. If my cartilage piercings start bothering me I use it on them once or twice a day and within a day or 2 they feel perfect again

This one is nice because the nozzle can get in behind the earring without having to do any wiggling.

NeilMed NeilCleanse Piercing Aftercare, Fine Mist, 6 Fluid Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TZUJW6O/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_uHZ7Cb008Q8Q9

Alright I am home now.

These are the needles I bought and have lasted me 6 tattoos (5 of which took two sessions). There are some in there I will probably never use but you never known when you decide to do some fat lines and need those 9rl's.

Washing your hands is nice but gloves are another layer of safety on top. Unless you are going to the doctors soon to swipe some.

This is the ink I use. Small but has lasted me.

Dettol for stencil transfer paper because I am not about to fuck up the bad on something that is gonna stick around for a bit. I also just have alcohol wipes at home from a kit, dollar store plastic shot glasses I wash, and paper towels to complete my kit. Should set you back 50 but last you through a ton of stick and pokes.

Saniderm Tattoo Aftercare Bandage | 10.2 in x 2 yd Roll | Clear Adhesive Antibacterial Wrap https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0765F2PKT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1jIgDb0QJ237Q

Kuro Sumi outlining ink is phenomenal! I found it through endless recommendations from other snp artists and I will never go back to anything else.

It’s easy to work with, a little goes a long way, and my tattoos stay as black as they were the day of poking them.

Not to mention, you can find it on amazon!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00424NC4G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_5oFeAb4S7S3HF

I’ve had my industrial for almost 10 years now and it hurt for the first few. Honestly couldn’t sleep on that side for 2 years.

HIGHLY recommend H2Ocean Spray. Game changer for me back then! I was very very concerned about scar tissue/keloids after my friend experienced that.

I use to sit with my ear in glass Tupperware to soak it like 10 min twice a day but this spray is awesome. And amazon still shows that I last purchased this in 2010. I think you can also find it at hot topic.

Good luck!!!

Maybe one of these? I saw someone else on reddit suggest one. Not really sure how breathable they are, but it seems like a viable choice for your situation.

Tried both ears but it didn't help. Its a nice piercing though, very different. If you want to get them done make sure you go to a licensed piercing shop, who is profecient in this piercing. It is very important what shop and piercer you choose. Aftercare should be pretty minimal, from my experience dont manipulate the piercing, just keep flushing it with saline water like H2ocean or letting water running over it in the shower. If you manipulate it too much like getting in there with q tips etc you can get piercing bumps from the irritation. If you feel its getting a little infected you can always do a salt soak, I recommend this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NTAH740/ref=oh_aui_i_sh_in_o1_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Because normal salt from the store and I mean pretty much all the salt whether it says natural or not has additives that cause irritation.

I just use a thin piece of gauze dip it in the warm saline solution and very gently place it around the piercing, switching out when the gauze cools off.

I got mine off Amazon. Make a solution for wiping by diluting with water. I use the same mixture to transfer stencil to skin which is super convenient too.

Been looking at getting this for my new setup:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KIGQL0Y/ref=crt_ewc_title_gw_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AS7VB9OCJNT4I

Saline solution is available in spray bottles -- the real question is what do you want to use it for?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JFQXDDQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1480558720&sr=8-1&keywords=tattoo&pi=SY200_QL40

This

I use this thing;

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0089YGY5Y

But it probably wouldn't be enough for a shop.

Ebay. They basically look like marker pens. Here's an amazon.com link. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005LT25IK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1417138706&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX200_QL40

You can also get H2 Ocean from Amazon for like $7

Edit like $8 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007M1ZQM2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_MKBlyb69XNSMV

The place I went said you could either use warm salt water or a spray that has the right ph. The guy also told me not to mess with your piercings and all that jazz

this is the spray I used

what else would you use?

and I used this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FCZ1RRJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Any suggested saline solutions and for how long do i use it for?

Sorry I forgot to reply, I don’t get on that much! This is the kit I’ve used for healing nowadays. I’ve done the Vaseline route, the Shea butter route, and now I use the products in here. I trust their stuff: XL Tattoo Goo Aftercare Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B278GNW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Current recommendation for aftercare I think is sterile saline. You can get a saline wound wash from a pharmacy but I like this it has the best stream (regular wound washes are too hard for me):

NeilMed NeilCleanse Piercing Aftercare, Fine Mist, 6 Fluid Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TZUJW6O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_8MCpDbX7MHRJM

Wrecking balm

https://www.amazon.com/Wrecking-Balm-Tattoo-Fade-System/dp/B004UL1AFE

4 tattoos, here. Back, hip, ankle, wrist. Keep it clean and moisturized. I used H2Ocean to clean it and Hemp Body Butter to keep it moisturized. Don't cover it and DON'T PICK AT IT unless you feel like going through a painful touchup session. Ouchh.

https://www.amazon.com/Saniderm-bandage-10-2-inches-Adhesive-Antibacterial/dp/B0765F2PKT/ref=asc_df_B0765F2PKT/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312129784444&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8673405753643349031&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9025229&hvtargid=pla-570094086928&psc=1

I have this product https://www.amazon.com/NeilMed-NeilCleanse-Piercing-Aftercare-Fluid/dp/B00TZUJW6O

and do you know when the dark pink color should go away?

Like I said, only do salt spray/salt soaks. If the soap gets in that hole it's bad news.

This is what I use: NeilMed NeilCleanse Piercing Aftercare, Fine Mist, 6 Fluid Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TZUJW6O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_wJntDb5ZA20AB

Thanks for the advice. I've seen stuff like this to cover up tattoos. I figure wearing long sleeves and a watch would work. I am always wearing long sleeves, even in summer.

I don't think fingers would work so well, as they tend to fade very quickly. I'd like it to look good for a long time.

He should try Wrecking Balm. They seem to have some really good reviews.

Definitely from the after-care he recommended you use. I have sensitive skin too and have had reactions to certain ointments. The most recent one I've used is After Inked. Recommended to me from my last artist and by far the best tattoo after care ointment I've used.

http://www.amazon.com/After-Inked-Tattoo-Moisturizer-Aftercare/dp/B005I4R75O

No cotton! Just a saline wound spray, i really mean don’t touch it at all! I would switch to implant grade titanium, and if you don’t already have one, get a travel pillow to sleep on and put a pillowcase on it and change the pillowcase often. I got keloids, but they resolved over time. Hoops in any piercings can be tricky and will depend on your anatomy, they move around more and can irritate the piercing. I just sprayed mine with wound wash twice a day and didn’t touch it. Like seriously don’t touch it at all! If you have long hair make sure to keep it away from the piercing, and watch out for things like hats and headphones while it’s healing. this is kinda like the one I used

Np by the way you have to keep it moisturize I use this product called Tattoo Goo every time I get a new tattoo it helps keeping it looking nice Tattoo Goo

Here is the desktop version of your link

https://smile.amazon.com/Sterile-Piercing-Disposable-Safety-Tool-Fashion/dp/B07FCZ1RRJ/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=18QREQI3CH6E3&keywords=self+piercing+kit&qid=1572744746&sprefix=self+pier%2Caps%2C219&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzTEE4NldZOE1RME9BJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEyM0pYNjBKWFRRTjRBJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA3NzEwMzYyTTVTS1ZYOVEySk1FJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

I have piercing solution from when I got my lobe pierced. He also told me to use anti bacterial soap. I bought this one https://www.amazon.com/H2Ocean-4oz-Piercing-Aftercare-Spray/dp/B0009F79EQ/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1502307009&sr=8-1&keywords=h20+piercing+solution

After Inked

Nah. There's a cream for that.

Maybe you should try doing it yourself: Home Tattoo Kit

Yeah i hear tea tree is no good but it never seemed to make anything worse w me. Again.. no professional here. Lol. I got mine for $14 from this link too, not that pricy honestly because there is a LOT of salt packed in that thing and you only need a tiny bit each time.

Urban ReLeaf Piercing Care ! Healing Sea Salts & Botanical AFTERCARE ! Safely Clean, Disinfect & Heal New Stretched Piercings. Effective Non-iodized. Vitamin Rich. Dead Sea Salt & Botanicals (1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NTAH740/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_YtvlDb2D3DHYR