The three main different types of lotion that you can use for tattoos are tattoo lotion, moisturizer, and regular lotion. It’s not really that important on what product you choose to use for a tattoo.

Every kind of lotion is very similar to the way it’s made. Even most of the ingredients will act the same way to the skin.

The goal is to find a lotion with the ingredients that work best for your skin.

The main thing to keep in mind is that you do need to use some kind of lotion on a tattoo. This is especially true after you get a new tattoo.

 

Tattoo Lotion for Tattoos:

Tattoo lotion is the most popular lotion that is used on tattoos. This includes both new and older tattoos.

They are sold at most tattoo parlors and you can usually get them for a good deal.

Some lotions will be more greasy compared to others and others will absorb into the skin quicker. This is because of the different formulas that are used. They have a wide range of different brands and ingredients.

 

Moisturizer for Tattoos:

Moisturizers are the thickest type of product that you can put on a tattoo. This also makes them the greasiest type that you can apply to a tattoo.

They work really well for new and existing tattoos and will stay on the skin for a longer period of time.

A lot of people will use a moisturizer at night and then a regular lotion throughout the day. This is because the moisturizer should last all night long and you will forget about the feeling when you’re sleeping.

 

Lotion for Tattoos:

Lotion can be used on tattoos as well. My friend got a new tattoo and was having a hard time finding a moisturizer for her new tattoo.

It turns out that some moisturizers didn’t work well for her skin and was slowing down the healing process. I went out and found her some regular lotion and that seemed to help better than the tattoo lotion.

I found that a really good lotion that helps calm the skin works the best.

It’s also easier to find a lotion without all the bad ingredients.

 

Can I put Lotion on my Tattoo:

You can put lotion on both new and existing tattoos. If you have a new tattoo, confirm with the artist how long you should wait until you apply lotion to it.

Some artists recommend waiting a day and others say that you can apply lotion right away.

Lotion does a few things for new and existing tattoos. The main things they do are to help hydrate the skin and help heal the tattoo.

 

Lotions Help Hydrate The Skin:

The main thing that lotions do is help hydrate the skin. This is especially important in someone who has a new or existing tattoo.

Dry skin on a new tattoo can slow down the healing process and even cause cracks.

The lotion works by creating a barrier over the skin while other ingredients are absorbed into the skin. These absorbed ingredients then provide moisture to the skin.

It’s recommended to keep the tattoo hydrated and most tattoo artists recommend moisturizing 3-6 times daily for new tattoos.

 

Lotions Help Heal Tattoos:

Some lotions are formulated to help heal the skin.

This is from the ingredients that are used in the lotion.

A few common ingredients that are known to help the skin are lavender, honey, and oatmeal.

A lot of people say that these ingredients help with redness, irritation, itching, and are good for sensitive skin. These have been used for many years in lotions and other products and are safe for most skin types.

Remember, just because a lotion has one of these ingredients doesn’t mean it’s a good lotion.

Always make sure that the lotion has the right ingredients. Some healing lotions may not have those ingredients I listed. This doesn’t make them a bad lotion. They just have other ways to help heal the skin.

 

Lotions Provide Nourishment:

A lot of times lotion will help provide nourishment to your tattoo.

Some lotions are packed with different vitamins that can help the healing process for a new tattoo.

Vitamins are also great for existing tattoos as they can help keep the skin around your tattoo in good shape.

 

When Should You Start Putting Lotion on a New Tattoo:

When to start applying lotion on a new tattoo really depends on the type of skin you have. The tattoo artists I talked to said most of the time you can apply lotion right away after you get a tattoo.

They said that some people may need to wait a day or two to apply lotion.

It’s always important to ask the artist who did your tattoo. This is because they have a better idea of what type of skin you have and how sensitive it will be.

I know when I got my tattoo I put lotion on right away and that seemed to work really well.

 

Right Away:

Most of the time your tattoo artist will say that you can apply lotion on your new tattoo right away.

The right kind of lotion will help the healing process and recovery.

Applying right away makes sure that the lotions healing ingredients are absorbed into your skin from the beginning.

This may give you a faster recovery since they will be absorbed right away.

 

After a Few Days:

Sometimes it’s best to wait a couple of days before you apply any lotion. Always ask your artist when you should start applying lotion to confirm.

If your artist does recommend waiting to apply lotion, the wait is normally around 12-48 hours.

I’ve found out that the reason most artists will make you wait is that they don’t want to irritate your skin anymore.

Some lotions can cause irritation, stinging, or even burning if you use the wrong kind.

 

How Often:

How often you apply lotion to your tattoo is really up to you.

I always recommend applying a lotion 3-6 times daily on a new tattoo for the first month. If you have an older tattoo I usually say to put lotion on every few days.

This will help keep the skin around your tattoo in good shape and may help prevent any irritation.

 

What happens if I don’t Moisturize a Tattoo:

At the very least, I believe that a tattoo should be moisturized at least twice a week.

Nothing bad will happen if you fail to moisturize a tattoo a couple of times.

However, a tattoo that is continuously failed to be moisturized could result in some fading, redness, or dryness.

A new tattoo that isn’t moisturized could result in slower healing, itching, and even scabbing.

I have talked to several artists and will go through some situations you may expect if your tattoo isn’t moisturized.

 

Fading Tattoo:

Some tattoo artists say that a tattoo can fade if you don’t moisturize it.

Your tattoo isn’t going to disappear completely or anything like that. You may just notice that the colors aren’t as bright as they once were.

A lack of moisturizer could be one of the problems if this happens.

Also, not applying sunscreen, clothing rubbing, and being in the water for long periods of time can also cause the fading of a tattoo.

 

Dry Skin and Redness Around Tattoo:

Dry skin around a tattoo can cause a lot of problems in people who have tattoos.

It’s really important for people with newer tattoos to apply moisturizer and lotion to prevent this from happening.

Dry skin often becomes irritated and red. Sometimes this will cause additional itchiness.

 

Itchy Skin Over Tattoo:

Another sign that your tattoo isn’t getting moisturized is if you have itchy skin.

The itchy skin can either be on or around the tattoo. The moisturizer may help with itchy skin and even make newer tattoos heal faster.

Having itchy skin on top of a new tattoo can cause scabbing and bleeding if you itch it a lot.

 

Scabs Over Tattoo:

It’s possible to get scabs over your new tattoo if you don’t keep moisturizing and applying lotion to it.

If you have a new tattoo and notice a few scabs, try applying some moisturizer and lotion.

This should help the tattoo heal faster and prevent further skin irritation.

Sometimes a tattoo will scab over if you are applying moisturizer.

This is likely a part of the healing process and will go away in a few days.

 

What Should You Not Put on a Tattoo:

After speaking with several different tattoo artists, I found that you should avoid applying certain ingredients over your tattoo.

Avoiding certain ingredients can make your tattoo heal faster, prevent burning and skin irritation.

Some ingredients can even fade your tattoo. I decided to put together a list and go through each ingredient and why to avoid them.

A lot of people like to avoid these ingredients altogether, even if they don’t have a tattoo.

 

Alcohols:

All of the artists I spoke to said to avoid products with alcohol in them.

Alcohol can do a lot to the skin and even make your tattoo heal slower. Some alcohols are known to fade the colors on your tattoo. They may even sting or burn a little bit when you apply them to your skin.

Some people with sensitive skin even say that certain alcohols dry their skin out even more.

Alcohols are very common in different lotions and you need to check the ingredients label to make sure.

Some artists say that cetyl alcohol is fine to use in smaller quantities.

 

Parabens:

Parabens should be avoided altogether in my opinion. The main job of a paraben is to help preserve the lotion to make it last longer.

Some researchers say that parabens are fine and others say to avoid them at all costs.

Most labels will say paraben-free somewhere if they really are paraben-free. Another trick is to check the ingredients and avoid any ingredients that end with paraben.

A few examples are ethylparaben and methylparaben

 

Fragrances:

Most fragrances are synthetically made and can harm a newer tattoo.

The synthetic blends are often made up of 100 or more ingredients! It’s really hard to say what all are in different fragrances.

They can also cause burning or stinging on a tattoo or broken skin.

It’s best to keep in mind that fragrances are different from scents.

A lotion that says it’s scent-free isn’t always fragrance-free. A scent-free lotion can contain fragrances to help mask the smell of other ingredients.

 

If you have any questions about what ingredients to avoid, it’s best to contact your tattoo artist.

 

What Lotion is Best for Tattoos:

The best lotion for your tattoo is going to be a high-quality lotion that is made with the best ingredients.

It’s really hard to say what the best lotion is going to be for someone without knowing anything about them.

Everyone has different skin that reacts differently to different ingredients.

The main thing is to find a company that you like and can trust.

 

I like to look for a tattoo lotion with the following:

 

Fast-Absorbing:

The kind of lotion that is fast-absorbing is a must-have for me personally.

I use to think that all lotions were the same until I tried a real high-quality brand.

A fast-absorbing lotion will provide quick hydration to your tattoo without any greasy feeling to it. This means that you don’t have to worry about the lotion transferring to something else.

It can get pretty annoying having a piece of clothing stick to the lotion on your tattoo all the time.

It can be hard to tell if the lotion is fast-absorbing if it’s not written on the container anywhere.

I would always check the label to see if it’s fast-absorbing.

You can always look at the reviews or even ask a friend for the kind of lotion that they like. If in doubt, I would check with the store or pick out another kind of lotion that is clearly labeled.

 

Good Ingredients:

Every lotion that you apply to your skin is going to get absorbed into your body. This means that you should look for the best ingredients that you can find.

I like to look for ingredients such as aloe vera, honey, oatmeal, and lavender.

All of these ingredients should be good for your skin type. Please note that just because one of these ingredients is in lotion doesn’t necessarily make it good for you.

I went into detail on what ingredients you should avoid like parabens, alcohols, and fragrances. Your skin is most vulnerable right after you get a tattoo and you don’t want these ingredients at this time.

 

Right Brand:

A lot of companies try and make lotions cheaper by using lower quality products.

It’s a very competitive industry and it’s almost a race to the bottom. Companies are always trying to outdo each other by finding the cheapest ingredients so they can be the lowest cost of lotion.

I always like to look for value and quality over the price of the lotion.

I have discovered that cheaper ingredients don’t work as good and you will usually end up using more product. In the end, cheaper lotion will cost more than a higher quality lotion.

 

Can I leave my Tattoo Dry:

Some tattoo artists recommend that you leave a tattoo dry during the healing process. Meanwhile, others recommend that you apply some kind of lotion to help the healing process.

After doing some research, I found it’s possible to heal a tattoo both ways.

It’s a controversial subject and different artists have very strong opinions about it. But, I’ve found that it just comes down to personal preference and the type of skin that you have.

I do have to say that more artists I talked to recommend applying some kind of lotion to your tattoo.

I would never recommend leaving an existing tattoo dry if you have plans to go outdoors.

I always recommend putting an SPF on your tattoo if a piece of clothing isn’t going to cover it up.

The sun can damage your skin and even start to fade your tattoo. This is from the UV light hitting the ink on your tattoo. The UV light can start to damage the ink by slowly breaking it down and fading the color.

I always recommend putting an SPF on daily and moisturizing your tattoo at least a couple of times per week. If not, you may start to damage your tattoo.

I put together a couple of signs for you to watch out for if you choose to leave your tattoo dry:

 

Redness:

Excessive redness is a sign that you may want to put some lotion on a tattoo. Most new tattoos are going to make your skin irritated and have some redness to it.

This is mainly caused by skin irritation from getting the tattoo as well as the healing process. Generally speaking, redness around a new tattoo is normal and should be expected.

Redness could also be a sign of infection starting in your tattoo.

It’s very important to keep a close eye on the redness of your tattoo.

 

Flaky Skin:

Flaky skin on or around your tattoo is something that you should watch out for and take seriously.

This is a sign that the skin around your tattoo could be getting dry and you should apply some lotion to it.

Flaky skin can turn into dry skin and start to become itchy or even scab over. This can cause further irritation down the road especially if you have a newer tattoo.

 

Slower Healing:

Many artists said that you should expect a newer tattoo to heal slower if you leave it dry.

This is because some of the lotions that you apply can contain ingredients that help speed up the process. This is especially true in calming lotions and regular tattoo lotions. Artists mention that it’s never guaranteed but it’s worth a shot.

Slower healing of a tattoo also leaves more of a chance for it to scab over.

This means that you could be at a higher risk of picking or breaking open the scab causing additional irritation down the road.