This early 2021, I just felt like going for it!

I’m not gonna lie. I’ve always wanted to get inked because it’s pretty cool (depending on the design and placement, of course!), and I think it’s nice to have something you like to stay on your body forever. Of course, not everyone thinks that way, so if you’re here to hate, turn back and do not go beyond this point!! 😛

The thought of getting a tattoo crossed my mind so many times in the past. However, I didn’t have the budget or courage to really get one. I was also scared of how my parents or other family members would react because they are pretty conservative.

But this early 2021, I just felt like going for it! Life is short. It’s meant to be enjoyed, so what the heck? G! I messaged some of my friends who either have tattoos or know of a good place to get one. One thing led to another, and I found out about Tattoo Nebula.

Tattoo Shop of Choice: Tattoo Nebula (Artist: Yok Genabe)

This tattoo & piercing shop in Parañaque has a lot of followers and good reviews, owing to their artists’ masterpieces. Not to mention, it looked sooo clean (good company, mellow vibes -kinda place) from the photos, so that’s a bonus! It’s perfect!

After deciding on the shop, I was left with the task of choosing the appointment date and the best design to put on my body. Finalizing the schedule was easy, but I had to put more thought into the art I wanted.

Choosing the Design: It Should Feel Right

I only had two choices: the word “believe” (If you’re a follower of this blog, you’d know I’m a sucker for mind stuff), and an actual sunflower. Obviously, the latter won.

It doesn’t really have a captivating or life-changing story behind it. To be honest, it just felt right. I picked a sunflower because it’s light, bright, and it makes me happy! (Side note: This is the reason okay, don’t make an issue out of it (｢･ω･)｢). I also strive to become a positive energy in people’s lives. I hope that even for a brief moment, I can be their “human sunshine friend.”

Google and Instagram became my best friends, and I meticulously searched for the perfect peg. I had over 10 photos of sunflower designs as references before ending up with a minimalist sunflower with green leaves. I also specifically asked for Mr. Yok Genabe because I found his works to be nothing short of divine! His style and quality work would be perfect for my tattoo!

Looking back, I was more excited than scared about getting inked for the first time mostly because I love the art, and I don’t really mind going under the needle given my high pain tolerance. Plus, the experience is something to write about!

The Actual Process

I asked a friend to come along so I won’t feel too nervous, and we ended up arriving at the destination an hour early. When the shop opened and we finally got in, the staff asked me to sign a waiver form as she got busy printing my sunflower design in various sizes. They let me choose which one feels the best for me, and I opted for the medium one to be safe.

There’s a full-body mirror in the shop so I was able to press the design/s against my collarbone (my preferred placement), and see if it really works. At that point, I was basically filled with excitement and I couldn’t wait to get inked! This is how it looks like!

The artist got the final stencil and transferred the design to my skin. I just couldn’t remember if he asked me to wait for a bit because it had to settle or something (LOL).

Not long after, I was asked to sit on their comfy chair, and brace myself for the tatt sesh! Mr. Yok got his pen and started to bring my sunflower to life, effortlessly injecting ink under my skin, while I busied myself with another episode of Black Clover.

Surprisingly, the episode took longer than our tattoo sesh, and I was already good to go after 15-or-so minutes! I was NOT expecting that.

Once done, he got ointment/gel before covering it with a small cling film. They told me that the wound was still fresh so I shouldn’t touch or expose it for 2 hours.

What It Looks Like

Even before going to Tattoo Nebula, I was already confident about the result of my tattoo. And boy, I wasn’t wrong! It’s so clean and beautifully made.

The tattoo artist advised getting rid of the cling film after two hours. I guess this was supposed to let it breathe. I was still on my way home when I took the picture, but I was happy with the result even if my face says otherwise! Haha.

3 months(?) after getting inked, the bright yellow color faded a bit.

When I reached out and asked the tattoo specialist from Tattoo Nebula, she mentioned that it was normal. I actually didn’t do enough research about tattoo colors, so that’s something you should look into if you want to get a design like this one. The thing is, “colored tattoos tend to fade quicker, especially light-colored and watercolor pieces because of the technique utilized.”

Will probably just come back for a touch-up!

That’s it for my first tattoo experience! ♥ If you’re still here, thank you very much for reading! And if this story somehow convinced you to get that tatt, I’m happy for you! 😛