When choosing tattoo balm, you should look for a product that can prepare the skin before receiving a tattoo, help heal the skin after the tattoo, and also help revitalize and refresh old tattoos. The best tattoo balm should moisturize and protect the skin from water exposure, sun damage, and potential infection. Ingredients such as lavender rose and tea tree oil may help to relieve irritation, speed healing, and prevent infection. Tattoo balm is also available as a serum that can be sprayed onto the skin.
If you use the Best tattoo balm to prepare your skin before getting a tattoo, you may find that the tattoo heals more easily and that you get a better result. The best balm will also help the skin heal after the tattoo and can be used once healing is complete. These balms may also be used to brighten old tattoos, making them look newer by nourishing the skin and brightening the colors in ink.
A good tattoo balm should provide intensive moisturization. Products containing ingredients like mango seed butter, shea butter, jojoba oil, olive oil, and coconut oil moisturize and condition the skin to leave it feeling softer. Tattoo balm may also include moisturizing ingredients that encourage collagen production to leave the skin feeling firmer.
Water exposure should be avoided if you have recently had a tattoo, and some of the best tattoo balms may help keep water from getting onto the skin if you apply the balm before a bath or shower. Beeswax is used in many of these balms and may be a more natural and safer alternative than petroleum-based products.
Tattoo balm should include some form of sun protection. Look for a product that helps protect the skin from potentially harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. If the balm you choose does not contain sunscreen, you should always apply one, in addition to the balm, before exposing the tattoo to the sun.
Infection can ruin a new tattoo, so it’s important to choose a tattoo balm that will help prevent infection. Balms that contain essential oils such as tea tree and lavender may help to protect against bacterial, fungal, and viral infections while the skin heals. Rose oil is believed to be antibacterial and has antiseptic qualities. These oils may also soothe skin and help to relieve discomfort while the skin is healing.
Balms also come in the form of oil-based serums. These are generally sold in spray bottles, which may be a more convenient application method in areas that are hard to reach, such as the back. A spray may also be easier to use on larger tattoos.
Tattoo Aftercare How-To
After getting your first tattoo, you immediately face a world filled with a barrage of information and noise (many of them conflicting) on the best way to care for the skin during the healing period.
To enable you to escape the overwhelm and implement the best possible aftercare for your tattoo, we present this definite but straightforward guide to tattoo aftercare. Ignore all the competing voices seeking to sell you a load of products and stick to this less-is-more system to keep your new tattoo protected and have it heal in the shortest time possible.
Cling Film
The first stage of tattoo aftercare is to wrap it in cling film. Here, make sure you follow the instructions outlined by your tattooists. Most artists will immediately cover your tattoo with a thin layer of antibiotic ointment and then wrap it up in cling film as soon as they complete the drawing.
Some artists will also recommend that you keep the wrap on at least until the following morning. However, in most cases, you can also take the wrap off after a few hours.
Cling film will help keep the tattoo from drying out, protect the skin from dirt and irritants, and help ensure that the open wound does not stick to your clothes or your sheets as you sleep during the night.
Cleaning the Tattoo
Next, it’s time to clean up the tattoo. Once you take the cling film off, gently wash the tattoo’s surface with warm water and unscented soap in the shower to rid it of any extra ink, lint, or dirt.
Some tattoo aftercare kits will ship with mild unscented soaps in the box.
Moisturize
The final segment of tattoo care is to properly moisturize your tattoo to ensure it stays hydrated and heals in the shortest time possible.
Here, you want to apply a simple fragrance-free moisturizer like Bepanthen Nappy Care Ointment once or twice daily, depending on how quickly the tattoo dries out. The speed with which the tattoo dries out will be determined by your skin type and the tattoo’s placement.