How to choose the Right tattoo Artist for you.

Choosing your cosmetic tattoo artist is a big decision and not one that should be taken lightly.

Cosmetic Tattoo has seen a rapid rise in popularity over the last decade. Because of this, we have seen a huge jump in under-qualified and undertrained artists performing poor quality and even botched services.

How do you know that the artist you have chosen will give you the brows or lips you dream of?

I’ve put together 5 points to consider when choosing an artist, and I’ve included a nifty template to help you along the way.

Qualifications and training

Finding out what qualifications and training your potential artist has is the most important step in choosing your Artist; it may surprise you to know that the cosmetic tattoo industry isn’t regulated, and neither are the training courses that are provided for Cosmetic Tattoo procedures; this can make it incredibly difficult for consumers to know if the qualifications their artist has are enough to perform and safe and quality tattoo procedure.

The easiest way to find out if your artist has had quality training is to ask, Have they completed the two government-approved competency units? –SHBBSKS003 Design and Provide cosmetic tattooing and SHBBINF001 Maintain infection control standards.

These courses are the starting point for a great Cosmetic Tattoo Artist; they lay the artist's foundations to continue further study in their chosen techniques.

Another great way to find out if your potential artist has adequate training is to check if they themselves or who they trained through is a member of either APAN, the Aesthetic practitioners advisory networks, or the Australian Association of Cosmetic tattoo or similar organizations.

Members of these organizations must submit their qualifications and certificates and follow a strict code of ethics that raises industry standards and consumers' safety.

Please do not hire an artist that has not completed at least the SHBBINF001. Maintain infection control standards. No matter how great their work loo, it is not worth risking your health or the health of others.

Some questions you may like to ask are:

What are your qualifications?

What different techniques are you trained in?

Have you completed any further training since your initial course?

Have you completed the Government approved units of competency SHBBSKS003 Design and Provided cosmetic tattooing, and SHBBINF001 Maintain infection control standards?

Reviews

A great way to find out if your artists are completing great work is to check out their reviews.

Just like any product or service, word of mouth is often the most trustworthy form of review. You can figure out pretty fast if an artist has been performing quality work by looking at their reviews.

Don’t just check Facebook; look at google reviews, Yelp, and other review sites they may be in; a quick google search will help out here.

Cost $

Cost is a big one, is the treatment within your budget? Or Are you looking for the biggest bang for your buck?

When they start, most artists will charge a lot less than an experienced artist; this is to get clients through their door and build up their portfolio.

What you don’t want to do is choose an artist solely on price; it’s like going to a hairdresser where you can have a senior stylist for a higher price or an apprentice for a much lower price, except in this case, bad work can be very costly and in some cases irreversible.

In this industry, you definitely pay for quality work; my advice is that if the artist you want ticks all of your boxes but charges a bit more, pay the higher price; don’t let a cheap set of brows tempt you.

The Consultation

A good consultation should leave you feeling comfortable with your artist and the upcoming procedure.

During a consultation, your artist should discuss with you the before care, aftercare, what to expect during healing and the procedure, and what is an appropriate technique to use on your particular skin type- not all cosmetic tattoo techniques suit all skin types for .e.g., micro-blading is a no for oily skin types.

They should also have you fill out an in-depth consultation form covering everything from medical history, medications, and skincare regime. All of these factors play a vital role in your suitability for the procedure.

If you’re not feeling 100% comfortable with your artist and their answers to your questions, then they are probably not your artist.

Healed Results

Cosmetic tattoos, in particular brows, look amazing when they are first completed, but what really matters is the healed results.

Skin healing and cell turnover mean that we don’t see the tattoo's true result for at least 4 to 8 weeks, hence why we allow so much time between your initial session and your touch-up.

If your artist has pictures of clients with Ashy or grey-colored brows, blurred hair strokes, uneven outlines, and colors that don’t seem quite right, then you should probably seek another artist.

Just like with any procedure related to your body, you want to be confident that you’re in the most competent hands. Please don’t go into a tattoo procedure blindly.

I really hope this blog assists you in your journey to finding your perfect Artist.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me on my socials.

Below I’ve added a template .to guide you in your research further.