Frequently Asked Questions- Please read before making an appointment!

  • -First and foremost I strongly suggest that you moisturize your skin daily for at least a week before our appointment. It will make the process better for the both of us (ink takes better to skin when it's moisturized). If you know the area you would like to have tattooed, moisturize that specific area.

    -PREPARE YOUR BODY & MIND:
    This means ~ get a good night’s sleep, stay hydrated, and eat a nutritious meal before coming into the studio. All of this will give you strength to endure the pain that comes with being tattooed.

    -Bring snacks and water so you can stay nourished (especially if it’s a long session).

    -Wear comfortable, loose clothing. Wear clothing that is fitting for the area you are getting tattooed (i.e. if you are getting your upper leg tattooed, bring a change of shorts).

  • Yes, as long as you let me know ahead of time.

  • If you are coming from out of town, please be sure to mention so in your email and try to plan setting up an appointment with me ahead of time. I recommend reaching out at least 3 weeks ahead of time.
    If we need multiple sessions for the piece, we can schedule several dates in advance. If you are unable to make it into town as planned, I ask that you let me know as soon as possible so we can hold on to the deposit to reschedule until you can.

  • I do!
    The most frequent place I visit is within the USA in Santa Rosa, CA. So, if you live in the Bay area or in LA come on up >:-)

    I am open to traveling to other states and countries. You can join my travel waitlist by filling out this form: Babooshka's Travel Waitlist

    By filling out this form, you can be directly notified about when I am planning on travel to your city (or a city nearby).

  • I ask that you reach out to book at least 3-8 weeks in advance. If you are traveling, please try to reach out at least 4 weeks beforehand.

  • Pricing varies and mostly depends on the size and detail involved. At the moment, I charge ~$160/$170 per hour.

    I will ask for a $100 deposit to be sent through Zelle to my email address. This will go towards your final balance of your tattoo.

  • I strongly prefer cash on the day of the appointment. Otherwise, Zelle works.

  • A good rule of thumb is to tip the general percentage you would tip a service worker. Tips are immensely appreciated and honestly any amount is fine.

  • If you need to reschedule, please let me know in advance so we can save your deposit for a future date. I have a 72 hour cancellation policy and if you cancel within those 72 hours prior to your appointment, your deposit is forfeited and you need to pay another deposit for a new appointment. However, if you have flu/COVID related reasons for cancellation, we can work something out.

  • At this time, I am not selling my designs. You will have to wait until I visit your area or make the trip to NYC :-)

  • I like to tattoo cosmic/absurd plants, creatures, and beings. I create all of my designs with intention and hope that the wearer will be protected by the magic powers instilled by the tattoo.
    I am inspired by indigenous, medieval, and ancient practices and arts across various cultures.

  • Yes, however, only if its something I feel confident I can take on. This mostly pertains to cover-ups and blast overs.
    I am usually always open to tattooing over scars/stretch marks as long as you’re aware that scarred skin can be more painful to tattoo over. It may also heal differently than unscarred skin. Also, I will tattoo scarred skin as long as it is not too fresh.

  • Yes! They are free. Please email me if you ever need something touched up.

  • After care can be found at the bottom of this page (scroll down).

Process

  • Flash

    If you're interested in choosing a flash design on the day of the appointment, there are plenty of pre-drawn designs to look through.

    Most of my flash is only available to look at in person on the day of the appointment, I do not share much of it online.

  • Freehand

    You're welcome to get something directly from my flash book or we can freehand something together based on any of my pre-existing designs. We can combine different elements from different designs too.
    We can also freehand an idea that you have in mind if it aligns with my style and body of work.

    If you're not familiar with freehanding you should know that it's ~collaborative~ in that we would work together to create the design and figure out the best placement for it. The design is drawn on with sharpie markers (from light to dark). The drawing process can range between 15-40 minutes depending on the size of the design and how detailed it is.

    Freehand is great for creating a design that works directly with the flow/shape of your body.

  • Custom

    If you have a specific idea in mind that slightly differs from the themes I normally explore throughout my tattoo work, I would consider this to be a custom.

    I will most likely take time to prepare the design before our session. I only do custom pieces if I feel connected to the idea and if they align with my recent work and style.

    I will always be honest about what I'm open to doing and what I'm not interested in doing!

Have a question? Email me :-)

Aftercare

  • Congrats on your new tattoo :-)

    A new tattoo is like a fresh wound.
    Here are things to avoid:
    For the next 24 hours you should avoid:
    -Submerging your tattoo under water
    -Working out
    -Drinking alcohol

    If you want your tattoo to heal beautifully please read the following info————————————->

  • Do's and Don'ts

    DO Rest and nourish body so that the tattoo can heal well. Stress can often affect how a tattoo heals. Take it easy and rest if you’re able to.

    DO NOT peel any flaking skin or scabs off of your tattoo. Doing this will remove pigment from your tattoo which can affect how evenly it heals. Try to leave it be. While your tattoo is healing it will get itchy and begin to flake. It may also scab in certain areas. If it gets really itchy I recommend slapping it instead of scratching!

    DO NOT go swimming in any pools, lakes, oceans, jacuzzis, or bathtubs while your tattoo is fresh or still healing. Also avoid saunas or steam rooms. This will interfere with the healing process and can also cause infection.

    DO NOT expose your tattoo to direct sunlight. The sun’s rays are extremely harsh and damaging to fresh tattoos and healed tattoos. Once your tattoo is healed, I recommend getting into the habit of applying sunscreen on your tattoos when you know you will be in the sun for a longer period of time. Or just wear something that will cover it from the sun. Long sun exposure on your tattoo will cause it to fade quicker over time.

  • Bandage

    Both "second skin” and regular plastic wrap are available for bandaging up the tattoo after it’s done. I normally use plastic wrap since my tattoos are typically large and dark.

    I often recommend leaving the tattoo covered for the first night. Wash it gently in the shower in the morning and let it breathe.

    The most important thing is to keep it clean and moisturize it accordingly. Less is more, make sure not to over moisturize…