Take care of
your fresh ink

What you'll need

Grab these before you get home — keep them on hand for the first week:

• Clean paper towels
• Dr. Bronner's Baby Castile soap
• White unscented lotion

If your tattoo came with a self-adhesive bandage

1. Wear the bandage for 72–96 hours. Leave it on — it's doing the work for you.
2. When you're ready to take it off, get in the shower with the Dr. Bronner's Baby Castile soap and slowly pull the bandage down and away from your skin — let the soap and water coax it off.
3. Don't rip it off. Pulling it away fast can harm your fresh tattoo.

If your tattoo came with a regular bandage

1. Wear the wrap for a few hours — or even overnight — especially if you have animals in the house.
2. When you're ready, remove the bandages and wash the fresh tattoo in the shower with Dr. Bronner's Baby Castile soap.
3. When you get out of the shower, pat the fresh tattoo dry — don't rub.
4. Sleep on clean sheets. Clean bedding is important for a fresh, healthy tattoo.

Daily aftercare — the first week

1. Wash your hands before you start.
2. Wash the tattoo with a warm, wet paper towel and a little bit of Dr. Bronner's Baby Castile soap — wash thoroughly.
3. Moisturize. After washing, take a tiny amount of unscented lotion and work it into the fresh tattoo.
4. Clean again. After moisturizing thoroughly, take a new warm, wet paper towel and clean the area thoroughly. If it's still sticky or shiny after you clean it, clean the area again with a new warm, wet paper towel.
5. Repeat about 2× a day for a week.