Tattoo Goo Review

I've been getting tattoos since I first turned 18. I'm now 26, and I love every tattoo that's on my body. Each piece is it's own, a part of my skin, a story, a moment, and something I will love and never regret until the day I die. When I first started getting tattooed, I was recommended A&D ointment to use after cleaning my tattoos. I put it on faithfully each morning & night and my tattoos all turned out beautifully. However, about 3 years ago I read an article talking about how ointments are actually bad for tattoos because they don't allow them to breathe while healing. I thought it was strange that mine turned out so beautifully while using an ointment, but I decided to follow the advice and next time I got a tattoo, I would use an intense lotion instead. 

Flash forward to 3 weeks ago when my friend calls me up and says "They're having $20 tattoos at a place in town! You need to come with me and get one!". Having not gotten a tattoo in over 4 years, I was more than happy to go get one at an affordable price. I got an adorable little fishing cork because in truth, I actually really enjoy fishing. I just prefer fishing on a lake where there are trees and mountains vs. in the swamps and bayous. (I'm amazing at catching trees)

(Please excuse my scabs - the mosquitoes ate me alive right after getting my tattoo)

After I got my tattoo, I realized that I had given away my A&D ointment about 2 years ago to a friend who needed it and I had never replaced it. So, at 10pm at night I ran to Walmart and noticed a product that I had never seen before - a Tattoo Goo Kit. I had never heard of Tattoo Goo before, but it was only $15 for 4 full-sized products (And the packaging had Tye-dye on it + they're cruelty-free), so I decided to try it. I had also gotten my tragus re-pierced that same night, so I used the deep cleansing soap that came in my kit for my piercing too. 

This kit comes with:

- 1 Color Guard tattoo protection 30 SPF stick .45oz

- 1 Deep Cleansing Soap 2oz

-1 Tattoo Aftercare Lotion 2oz

- 1 Tattoo Goo original good .75oz

The ONLY bad thing about this kit is that the cleanser is very strong. I have very dry skin already, and as you can see from the picture above there's a bit of dry skin on the tattoo even though it's completely healed. All of the products are amazing, but even with constant application of the lotion, I experienced a great deal of dryness with my tattoo. I now use the tin of original tattoo goo since it's very thick and hydrating.

If you are someone that has or is easily prone to extremely dry skin, it would probably be better to use a very mild antibacterial soap. With every other tattoo I had I used a mild antibacterial soap and I didn't experience this much dryness, but we were out of mild soap at home and the kit came with it so I thought I would give it a shot. However, the cleanser is out of this world for healing a piercing. The first time I got my tragus pierced, it took a long time to heal. My piercing healed twice as fast this time, and I'm pretty sure it had to do with the cleanser.

 The After Care Lotion is fantastic. I would use that everywhere on my body, not only on my tattoos. It doesn't have a weird smell, it leaves your skin feeling soft and it's really affordable. It also comes in a handy little bottle that's really convenient to carry with you. I kept it with me for throughout the day and it didn't add any bulk to my purse. I would reach for this over Lubriderm 100%. The original Tattoo Goo in the tin is meant for intense moisture during healing and after. It looks like a green lip balm and has a very lovely, organic smell like an apothecary and it makes me want to tend a garden. I absolutely love it. It smells lovely in the tin and then the second you put it on the skin the smell disappears. This product felt a little intense to use while my tattoo was still fresh, so I waited about 2 weeks before switching from the lotion to the tin. I'm going to continue to use this from now on if my tattoos ever feel or look a little dry.

Lastly, but never least, the Color Guard Stick is out of this world. When I wear dresses or skirts or heels, I want to keep something with me to protect my tattoos from the sun, but I really can't stand traditional sunscreen. It's messy, it has a strong smell, and my hands and tats are greasy after application preventing me from touching anything. However, the Color Guard Stick is an easy, fast and non-messy application to any tattoo I want to protect from the sun. I keep it in my purse with me and rub it on whenever I might be going out in the sun. My hands and body don't get greasy, I can touch my clothing or purse without worry of leaving a sunscreen stain, and it's much faster to apply than rubbing in traditional sunscreen.

My verdict? Worth every penny. This will last you for dozens of tattoos, easily, and it's so affordable and sold through an easily accessible place: Walmart.