Tattoo Aftercare Guide: The Ink Nurse Tattoo Care Bible

Tattoo aftercare is how you look after your skin in the days and weeks after a tattoo session. A fresh tattoo is healing skin, so good aftercare is mostly about a few simple things done consistently:

• Keeping the area clean
• Keeping the skin lightly moisturised, not too dry and not smothered
• Protecting it while it settles

Looking after a new tattoo well helps it settle comfortably and look its best. Habits like picking or scratching, letting the skin dry out, or exposing a fresh tattoo to sun and friction too early can all affect how the finished tattoo looks.

Ink Nurse is a petroleum-free, vegan cream made specifically for tattoo aftercare, using a lightweight botanical formulation. This guide walks through how to use the full Ink Nurse system: cleanse, moisturise and protect.

Always follow the aftercare advice your tattoo artist gives you, since they know your specific tattoo.

Ink Nurse Remedy Cream is a lightweight, petroleum-free, wax-free, vegan cream with no added fragrance, made specifically for tattoo aftercare. It is designed to sit lightly on the skin rather than smother it like heavier petroleum ointments or waxy balms.

It is a water-based cream built around a blend of botanical oils and extracts, including:

• Aloe vera leaf juice, glycerine and shea butter for moisture
• Rosehip, avocado and jojoba oils, which are rich in fatty acids and naturally contain vitamin E
• Chamomile flower extract and bisabolol
• An olive-derived emulsifier system (Olivem 1000)

It is lightweight and non-greasy, and absorbs without leaving a heavy residue. Some people also like using it as a lightweight everyday moisturiser on healthy skin, though it is made and intended for tattoo aftercare.

As with any topical product, read the full ingredients list on the pack and patch-test on a small area first if you have sensitive skin or known reactions.

Ink Nurse was built as a petroleum-free, wax-free alternative to traditional ointments and heavy balms, made specifically for tattoos rather than adapted from a general-purpose product. We chose a lightweight, water-based formula built around botanical oils and extracts, so it sits comfortably on the skin and absorbs without a greasy residue.

The formulation is vegan and made with no added fragrance. Ink Nurse is certified Australian Made and manufactured to recognised manufacturing and quality standards, including GMP and ISO, with stability testing, preservative efficacy (PET) testing and NATA-accredited microbial testing.

Ink Nurse is a cosmetic product for tattoo aftercare. It is not a medicine, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any skin condition. If you have a specific skin concern, speak to a pharmacist or doctor.

For fresh tattoos:

Wash: Gently cleanse the tattoo with lukewarm water and Foam Nurse, or a mild soap. Pat dry with a clean, soft towel.

Apply: With clean hands, apply a thin layer of Ink Nurse Remedy Cream over the tattoo. Most people wait around 24 to 48 hours after being tattooed before they start, to let the area settle, though this depends on the size and detail of the tattoo. A larger or more detailed piece may need a little longer, while a small or fine-line tattoo can often be sooner. Wash first, pat dry, and use clean hands.

Repeat: Reapply a thin layer 2 to 4 times daily, or whenever the tattoo feels tight, dry or itchy.

Continue: Use daily through the healing period to keep the skin hydrated while your tattoo settles.

If irritation occurs, pause and try again after 24 hours. Stop use if irritation persists, and speak to a pharmacist or doctor if you are concerned.

Everyday use: Some people also like using Ink Nurse as a lightweight daily moisturiser on healthy skin. It is made and intended for tattoo aftercare, so patch-test first and read the full ingredients list on the pack.

Foam Nurse is Ink Nurse's tattoo wash: a gentle, sulphate-free foaming cleanser designed to clean fresh tattoos without stripping the skin. It has a lightweight, fragrance-free feel.

What's in it:

• Mild surfactants (sodium lauroyl sarcosinate and sodium lauroyl glutamate) to cleanse gently
• Hydrating ingredients including hyaluronic acid, hydrolysed collagen and vegetable proteins
• Botanical extracts including aloe vera and chamomile

Directions of use:

• Pump the foam into clean hands.
• Gently wash the tattoo with lukewarm water, avoiding hot water.
• Pat dry with a clean, lint-free towel.
• Follow with Ink Nurse Remedy Cream.

Everyday use: Foam Nurse is a gentle, sulphate-free cleanser that many people also use as a daily face or body wash. Patch-test first if you have sensitive skin.

Ink Nurse Wrap Pro is a protective second-skin film that creates a breathable barrier over a fresh tattoo, helping to protect it from dirt and friction in the early days while letting the skin underneath breathe.

What it does:

• Creates a protective barrier over the fresh tattoo
• Is breathable and flexible, with a semi-permeable film that allows air exchange
• Is water-resistant, so it is suitable for showering during early healing

While your tattoo is settling, avoid activities like surfing, heavy gym sessions and contact sports until it has healed.

Directions of use:

• Make sure the skin is completely dry before applying the film.
• Cut a piece large enough to cover the tattoo with a 2 to 3 cm border around the edges.
• Peel off the backing and place the adhesive side onto the tattoo. Smooth from the centre outward to remove air bubbles.
• Keep Wrap Pro on for 24 to 48 hours. If fluid builds up underneath, remove it earlier, cleanse with Foam Nurse, and apply a fresh piece.
• Remove gently under warm running water to loosen the edges.
• After removal, wash the tattoo with Foam Nurse, pat dry, and begin applying Ink Nurse Remedy Cream 2 to 4 times daily.

Tip: Avoid stretching the skin or over-tightening during application. The film should feel snug but flexible.

Good tattoo aftercare comes down to three steps: cleanse, moisturise and protect. The Ink Nurse system covers all three:

• Foam Nurse to gently cleanse the tattoo
• Ink Nurse Remedy Cream to keep the skin hydrated while it settles
• Wrap Pro to protect the fresh tattoo in the early stage, if your artist recommends one

Ink Nurse is used and recommended by tattoo studios and artists across Australia, and is the only aftercare brand in Australia working in direct partnership with the Australian Tattooists Guild, the peak industry body for tattooing in Australia.

You do not necessarily need everything at once, and your artist's advice always comes first, but together the three cover cleaning, moisturising and protecting in one simple routine.