FAQ

Please email me if you have any questions I can help with:

lifeisatrashcan@gmail.com

or if you want to book a tattoo, send me an email or click the hyperlink below:

book a tattoo with this email template

I usually price by piece and the price depends on size, detail, placement. 

Repeatable flash should have the prices listed in the post description and there's always deals if you get more than one piece in your appointment.

If you have a budget, please let me know, I will try my best to work with you by adjusting flash or designing your custom to match your budget.

Price examples for one person:

• My minimum charge is £60 for flash, from £80 for small customs

• Large flash priced £100p/h or set prices for the size

• Custom work priced £110p/h or set prices for the size

• A day rate is £500 for a 6 hour appointment

I will provide a rough price estimate prior to our appointment but the final cost might differ on the day as we may decide to change aspects of the tattoo in person, everyone's skin reacts differently to tattooing or we may need to break our appointment up into more than one session.

*Please note that guest-spot prices will vary depending on each studio and I cannot always offer the same prices as I would charge at my home studio in Liverpool.

Day rates are for larger pieces for one person and cannot be shared between people. This is because by law you can only use disposable one-use materials such inks, needles, razors, gloves, wipes etc. to tattoo one person per set up. This is to prevent the spread of blood-borne pathogens from one person to another. For these health and legal reasons the materials cannot be shared or re-used, this therefore incurs a new set up cost per person wishing to be tattooed, which counts as separate appointments.

A deposit is needed to secure your appointment as it tells me you're committed to getting the tattoo and gives me the greenlight to start working on custom requests. 

Please be prepared to pay the deposit amount requested, ideally within 48 hours of accepting your appointment, to my business account through bank transfer.

Yes! 

It's a cosy studio but I can accommodate 1 or 2 other people in addition to you. :)

A silent session is an appointment where there is no obligation to make small talk with me during the tattoo. You're welcome to chill, listen to music, or watch films instead.

This is in hopes of accommodating folks with different sensory needs, or if you're just not a chatty person.

Please let me know if you would prefer a silent session when you book through email/booking form or you can let me know at the beginning of your appointment. :)

First of all don't worry! 

Getting a first tattoo can be nerve-wrecking but you can expect tattoos pain to often feel like a cat scratch. However, this depends on your pain tolerance and placement of the tattoo as everyone is different. If you need to tap out and continue the tattoo another day there is no shame in doing so.

If you are extremely nervous or very concerned about pain, please let me know, I will book you in for an afternoon appointment where more time can be taken for breaks if you need them.

You can also bring a friend, the studio is cosy so let me know in your email if you intend to do so, I will book you in on a day where there is space for a +1.

Before your appointment make sure you:

• are well rested

• are not hungover

• have eaten a decent meal

• are hydrated, bring some water to your appointment

• wear loose clothing so the area where the tattoo will go is easily accessible

After we finish your tattoo I will wrap the area in clingfilm. This will get you from the studio to back home. 

1. Leave the cling film on for a minimum of 1 hour.

2. When you arrive home remove the cling film and wash the tattoo with clean water. Pat dry with disposable kitchen roll or tissue. Do not use a regular bath towel as they usually harbour bacteria.

3. Put on freshly washed clothes which cover the area we have tattooed and let the area dry out for the night. 

4. Clean the tattoo using warm water in the morning and evening/twice a day. This can be done in the shower. Pat dry with clean disposable kitchen roll/tissue.

5. After cleaning, moisturise using a fragrance free, water-based moisturiser. I recommend Aveeno or Palmer's Cocoa Butter. But anything hypoallergenic, from a pump bottle can be good too. Make sure it is not expired.

6. Rinse and moisturise morning and evening until your tattoo has fully healed in 4-6 weeks.

Don'ts

• Don't rewrap your tattoo. This is unnecessary and can trap bacteria. Your tattoo is essentially a fresh wound which needs to dry out for the first night.

• Don't have baths, go swimming, use saunas or submerge your tattoo in water for an extended period of time until it has fully healed (usually takes 4-6 weeks).

• Don't fuss over your new tattoo. Try not to touch it too often. Over-care or over-moisturising can make the healing process take longer or damage the tattoo in the long-run.

• Don't smother your tattoo in moisturiser, use a pea-sized amount and spread it thinly over the area, repeat if necessary.

• Don't pick any scabs that form. This is the ink that we've deposited during the tattoo process. Picking the scabs will make your tattoo patchy.

• Don't scratch your tattoo, if it's itchy, you can pat the tattoo to help relieve some itching. Scratching at your fresh tattoo can introduce unwanted bacteria to the site as well as making the ink fall out if the scabs fall off prematurely.

• Don't use perfumed shower gels or moisturiser on your tattoo. This can irritate your skin.

• Don't go to the gym if we have tattooed a big piece/area which moves a lot. Try not to do heavy exercise for at least 2 weeks if possible. This will reduce risk of scabs breaking open.

Do's

• Do Keep pets away from the fresh/healing tattoo.

• Do change your bedsheets and wear fresh pajamas to bed on the first night.

• Do keep the area as clean and dry as possible.

• Do cover your tattoo from the sun with clothing in hotter months. Then apply sun cream after it has fully healed (usually 4-6 weeks).

• Do shower, a ten minute shower will be beneficial for cleaning the tattooed area.

• Do chill after your appointment. This will help to speed up recovery.

• Do take anti-inflammatories to help reduce swelling. Take the recommended doses according to the manufacturer's instructions.

• Do practice good hygiene and wash your hands if you need to touch your new tattoo.

If you are worried about your tattoo or suspect you have an infection, contact your GP or a clinical professional immediately. 

After we finish your tattoo I might put second-skin over the fresh tattoo. It is a clear sticky film which will help to protect your tattoo for the next few days. I only usually put second-skin on smaller tattoos and in colder months as sweating can make the film fall off prematurely.

Tattoos only need to be covered for the first hour. Anything after this is a bonus.

If you find that the second-skin is falling off and is exposing any part of the tattoo, take the whole thing off and follow the below instructions. This also applies where you can see air channels going from the edge of the second-skin to the tattoo. Please use your own judgement about this where possible. If you're not sure or worried, take a photo of what the film looks like and email it to me so I can advise. Otherwise follow the instructions below:

1. Leave the second-skin on for 1-3 days if possible.

2. After 1-3 days, or earlier if the second-skin falls off, remove the film by peeling a corner and pulling the film downwards, as opposed to away from your skin. This will release the adhesive slowly.

3. After the second-skin is removed, rinse the tattoo with clean water. Pat dry with a clean, disposable kitchen roll or tissue. Do not use a regular bath towel as they usually harbour bacteria.

4. Put on freshly washed clothes which cover the area we have tattooed and let the area dry out for the night. 

5. Clean the tattoo using warm water in the morning and evening/twice a day. This can be done in the shower. Pat dry with clean disposable kitchen roll/tissue.

6. After cleaning, moisturise using a fragrance free, water-based moisturiser. I recommend Aveeno or Palmer's Cocoa Butter. But anything hypoallergenic, from a pump bottle can be good too. Make sure it is not expired.

7. Rinse and moisturise morning and evening until your tattoo has fully healed in 4-6 weeks.

Don'ts

• Don't rewrap your tattoo. This is unnecessary and can trap bacteria. Your tattoo is essentially a fresh wound which needs to dry out for the first night.

• Don't have baths, go swimming, use saunas or submerge your tattoo in water for an extended period of time until it has fully healed (usually takes 4-6 weeks).

• Don't fuss over your new tattoo. Try not to touch it too often. Over-care or over-moisturising can make the healing process take longer or damage the tattoo in the long-run.

• Don't smother your tattoo in moisturiser, use a pea-sized amount and spread it thinly over the area, repeat if necessary.

• Don't pick any scabs that form. This is the ink that we've deposited during the tattoo process. Picking the scabs will make your tattoo patchy.

• Don't scratch your tattoo, if it's itchy, you can pat the tattoo to help relieve some itching. Scratching at your fresh tattoo can introduce unwanted bacteria to the site as well as making the ink fall out if the scabs fall off prematurely.

• Don't use perfumed shower gels or moisturiser on your tattoo. This can irritate your skin.

• Don't go to the gym if we have tattooed a big piece/area which moves a lot. Try not to do heavy exercise for at least 2 weeks if possible. This will reduce risk of scabs breaking open.

Do's

• Do Keep pets away from the fresh/healing tattoo.

• Do change your bedsheets and wear fresh pyjamas to bed on the first night.

• Do keep the area as clean and dry as possible.

• Do cover your tattoo from the sun with clothing in hotter months. Then apply sun cream after it has fully healed (usually 4-6 weeks).

• Do shower, a ten minute shower will be beneficial for cleaning the tattooed area.

• Do chill after your appointment. This will help to speed up recovery.

• Do take anti-inflammatories to help reduce swelling. Take the recommended doses according to the manufacturer's instructions.

• Do practice good hygiene and wash your hands if you need to touch your new tattoo.

If you are worried about your tattoo or suspect you have an infection, contact your GP or a clinical professional immediately. 

The best way to keep up to date with new flash drops and booking dates is by signing up to my newsletter which I aim to send out monthly or bi-monthly.