Before your appointment

• I recommend applying lotion on the area we will be tattooing for 3-7 days before your appointment. Healthy, moisturized skin will help me work quickly and efficiently and will result in a much better healing process and final product.

• Hydrate or diedrate! Please drink plenty of water on the day of your appointment and the days leading up to it. This will also help with the healthy skin thing and can even help improve your pain tolerance and lead to an easier session for you.

• Getting a good night’s sleep before your appointment is crucial. An unrested body will not have a great time getting tattooed.

• Eat a substantial meal before your appointment. Especially with longer sessions, this will help your energy levels, your pain tolerance, and will help prevent possible dizziness or fainting.

• I will not tattoo anyone under the influence of any intoxicants. If you have been drinking or using marijuana when you come in for your appointment, I will turn you away and we’ll need to reschedule. Intoxicants can dehydrate the body, thin the blood, increase inflammation, lower your pain tolerance, affect the way your skin reacts to the tattooing process, and it makes your informed, enthusiastic, and sober consent to this procedure impossible. (CBD use is fine as long as there is no THC in the product. The only exception is topical ointments on the tattooed area. If you have an ointment that you’d like to use before your tattoo please reach out to me and we can discuss.)
  
  I would also strongly recommend against drinking alcohol the day before your appointment as it can still negatively affect my ability to tattoo you and your ability to have a comfortable tattoo session.

• Dress for your session to the best of your ability and your comfort level. Wear something comfortable that allows easy access to the area of your tattoo placement. Avoid light-colored clothing or your favorite clothes that you don’t want stained by ink. If you need or want advice on things to wear for your appointment, feel free to ask me!

during your appointment

• Please bring a photo ID, your proof of vaccination, and a face mask.

• New clients and clients who have not already had an appointment this calendar year will need to fill out a consent form. This form will require your current legal name as listed on your ID.

  • If this name is different than your chosen name, that is perfectly fine. If you are not comfortable writing your legal name and would rather I write it down from your ID, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I will simply act as a copying machine and the name will leave my brain immediately after.

• You are welcome to bring snacks or a beverage (especially water!!) to help support you and your body during your session.

• Feel free to bring headphones, a book, or another form of entertainment with you. I love to chat with my clients and talking with your artist can be a good distraction, but I will not be at all offended if you prefer to zone out or do something else.

• I have stress balls available for my clients, but you are very welcome to bring other fidgets or stress relief objects if they’ll help you. Having something physical to focus your mind and tension on can help with pain management or anxiety during a tattoo session.

• Most importantly, please know that myself and the Nest team are intensely committed to create a shop and a community where our clients feel safe, cared for, and in power for the entirety of your session. This means you are not only allowed, but encouraged to ask any questions, ask for breaks, and make your voice heard if you have any concerns or needs to help make your appointment as comfortable as possible.