Tools of The Trade

What tattoo artists keep beside the needle

• faithful to nature badger tattoo Balm (R195)

I use this during the tattoo and after, and on my own dry-skin spots. It also helps with bruising, and it absorbs way better than petrolatum-based products. – Thomas Hooper

• bic bodymark temporary tattoo maRkeR (R397.30)

These let me do freehand designs that work with [the client’s] body. You can wipe them away with soap and water at the end of a session, but if you can avoid soap, they actually last two or three days. These safe-for-skin markers are really fun to play with and come in a rainbow of colours.

– Miryam Lumpini,

• dr bronner’s 18-in-1 hemp lavender pure castile soap (r189)

We use it to clean the skin before and during the tattoo process – we buy the large, condensed jug and water it down in individual bottles. The lavender smell tends to have a calming effect on clients. – Alice Kendall