Use Essential Oils for Tattoo Healing & Aftercare

By Caryn Gehlmann

You may have put a lot of thought into your tattoo. It may have special meaning and significance to you. But now that you have it, how do you take care of it? This is important because when you open the skin, there’s the potential of scars or infections if you don’t care for your skin. We’ve identified three ways that you can use essential oils for tattoo healing and aftercare, keeping your tats looking fine for years to come!

A word of caution, not just any essential oil will do, you need the right kind of oil and the right method of application so you don’t do more harm than good. And essential oils do not heal, that’s your body’s job. But they can help promote the natural healing process of your body. So we’ll also take a look at which essential oils are the best options and easy ways to use them. I’ll share a simple recipe followed by the reasons why I chose these particular essential oils. Knowledge is power!

Reason #1: Use Essential Oils to Ease the Initial Pain and Stop the Itch

Some people have their skin numbed before getting a tattoo. Although, not all tattoo artists recommend numbing. So chances are it’s going to hurt, at least after the numbing wears off! And once it starts healing it will also probably start itching. Here’s a recipe that I recommend for sunburns and it also works for the first few days after getting a tattoo.

e3 Skin Soothing Spritzer 

20-30 drops of Lavender or Peppermint essential oil (or a combination of both)

1 ounce of water in a mister bottle

Shake well before each use and avoid getting it into the eyes. Keep your spritzer in the fridge to create a wonderfully soothing and cooling spritzer.

Why Lavender essential oil? It’s known for its calming properties and can help reduce inflammation and promote healing in the skin. Pain can elevate stress and lavender affects the parasympathetic nervous system. It can help your body get to a more relaxed, neutral state which involves lowering the heart rate, and adrenaline levels, and slowing the breath.

Why Peppermint essential oil? Peppermint can create a lovely cooling sensation that can lessen your skin’s initial irritation. This can help reduce your inclination to itch and with its analgesic, astringent, and anti-inflammatory properties, it can minimize pain and inflammation, and promote healing. (Warning: Never use Peppermint essential oil directly on your skin! Always dilute it.)

Reason #2: Use Essential Oils for Tattoo Healing — Reduce Inflammation and Prevent Scarring

This combination has skin benefits without being harsh. Daily, very gently massage this blend over the tattoo area for the first few weeks. It’s a good idea to do a patch test on a small area of skin before using any new essential oil to ensure that you don’t have an allergic reaction.

e3 Skin Recovery Recipe 

1 ounce of Tamanu carrier oil

5 drops Helichrysum

5 drops Lavender, French

Daily, gently massage the tattoo area. If you have any scarring you’re concerned about, check out my blog posts on Scar Massage: When & How To Use It.

Why Tamanu carrier oil? It’s really important that you dilute essential oils so you don’t aggravate your skin. There are a variety of carrier oils to choose from but for soothing skin after a tattoo, I’d recommend Tamanu. You can learn more about the Health Benefits of Tamanu Oil on Web MD, but in a nutshell, it fights bacteria, reduces inflammation, and promotes the formation of new tissue.

Why Helichrysum essential oil? This oil is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which can help soothe and protect the skin. The antimicrobial properties of helichrysum can also help prevent infection. This is a fabulous oil for renewing your skin so it both looks and feels healthy.

Reason #3: Use Essential Oils on Your Tattoo to Keep It Looking Fresh for Years

If your skin isn’t healthy your tattoo won’t look good. So the right blend of essential oils even revive an older tattoo so that it can continue to look fresh and new.

e3 Skin Care Maintenance Recipe

1 ounce of e3’s All Natural Lotion

5 drops of e3’s Skin Care Blend

Daily apply this blend after you bathe or shower to help repair and renew your skin. Even for areas where you don’t have tattoos, your skin will love it!

Why e3’s All Natural Lotion? It’s 100% junk-free and is handmade in small batches. It contains gentle, skin-nourishing, antioxidant-rich ingredients and is free of petrochemicals, waxes, synthetics, emulsifiers, and parabens. So nurturing for your skin!

Why e3’s Skin Care Blend? The dynamic combo of essential oils in e3’s Skin Care Blend gently soothes stressed skin. It contains Carrot Seed, Frankincense (a superstar) Lavender, Orange/Sweet, NI Rosewood, Sandalwood, and Ylang Ylang.

Let us know if you have success using essential oils for tattoo healing and aftercare. It can help minimize symptoms as it heals, such as pain, inflammation, and itching. And showing your tattooed skin some love for years to come can keep it looking fresh and new. If you want to give one of these recipes a try, make sure to sign-up for our newsletter to get a 20% coupon you can use right away.

Photo by Felipe Vieira on Unsplash