Walk-ins are always welcome at Inksmith Tattoo & Piercing! While we prefer to book appointments to give both you and one of our artists/piercers enough time to work together, there are days we have more flexibility in our schedule. Please give our shop a call at 720-985-4259 to check our availability, or keep an eye on our social medias for availability as well.

We understand that with the rise in popularity of tattooing and piercing, there are a lot of amateurs out there giving “great deals”. We at Inksmith strongly suggest you see a professional. When you pay for a tattoo or a piercing at our shop, you’re paying for experienced, quality work. On top of that, you’re also getting the option for a free touch-up for up to six months after you’ve gotten your tattoo to make sure it is perfect. You’re also getting peace of mind knowing we use American made (and regulated!) ink, single-use needles, machines, and equipment provided from American distributors that only do business with professional shops. Most home tattoo kits are imported replicas that have no regulations for sterilization or quality. Every artist, piercer, and front-of-house staff are all certified in blood-borne pathogens and sterilization overseen by the Boulder County Health Department, whereas others offering “at-home” tattoos & piercings are not.

1. Upon arrival, you will be asked to file a hold harmless agreement on a digital device. For minors, Inksmith requires a parent/guardian to be with the child throughout the duration of the piercing appointment, as well as you to provide identification for both parent/child. Please bring a state-issued or federal-issued ID for yourself. Children 12 years of age and under will need an original birth certificate or passport showing matching last names with the parent/guardian present. Ages 13-17 must bring a form of photo identification. This can be a state-issued ID, passport, school ID, or Infinite Campus. If the last names connecting the parent/guardian to the child do not match, a birth certificate or legal documentation claiming guardianship will need to be shown. For any and all inquiries in regards to Little Lobe piercings or piercings for minors at our shop, please call us at 720-985-4259 or email inksmithcolorado@gmail.com.
2. Once you’re all checked in and paperwork has been completed, one of our piercers will help you look at all our jewelry options! If you’re looking for a specific type, color, brand of jewelry, or if you’d like help selecting the perfect piece, our piercers are here to help! After the jewelry has been selected, a piercer will have you wait while the jewelry is sterilized. The process to sterilize takes about 10 minutes. 
3. After your new jewelry has been sterilized, your piercer will explain the step-by-step process of how the piercing will be completed. From there, the piercer will mark the placement of the jewelry. During this time, if you would like to change the placement or have any questions/feedback, now is the opportunity to speak up. 
4. Once everything is all even and you are ready, it’s time to pierce! Our piercers will move at the speed and comfort of the client. When you are finished being pierced, your piercer will go through our aftercare instructions with you.

Everyone is different in terms of what they consider painful or non-painful piercings. Placement and overall pain tolerance give you a great idea of what the experience of getting a piercing will be will be like. However, the sensation from even the most painful piercing only lasts as long as a single exhale! The best way to prepare for your piercing is to eat a good meal before your appointment and stay hydrated all day. The healing process could potentially be uncomfortable, including swelling, bruising, discharge, and sensitivity, but properly following our aftercare instructions will help reduce issues and discomfort.

• Our piercers charge a $40 service fee for most piercings, aside from nipples, surface work, and genitals. This price is per individual piercing, and does not include jewelry.
• Jewelry starts at $40 a piece for a threadless flat back titanium post with a basic decorative end, and goes up depending on construction, style, and material. All of our basics and ends are made of ASTM F136 implant-grade titanium, or 14k-18k gold from APP approved suppliers.
• Downsizes, removals, and other services involving contact with your piercings carry a $10-$20 tray setup fee, depending on the amount of labor performed. Removals for surface work (dermals, surface bars, etc) start at $30, as the process can be more time consuming and labor intensive than a simple jewelry change.
• If you have a particular budget you’d like to stay within the lines of, our piercers are always willing to work with it! Everyone should be able to afford the perfect piercing, and our piercers at Inksmith take pride in our reputation for having reasonable, industry-standard pricing while providing high-quality jewelry as well as quality work. For specific jewelry and pricing inquiries, please call our studio at 720-985-4259 or email us at inksmithcolorado@gmail.com.

When you get a piercing at Inksmith, our piercers will talk you through each step of how to heal your new piercing. You’ll also receive a copy of our aftercare instructions via email but just in case you forget, please read the instructions below. 

1. For your new piercing, some sensitivity, inflammation, and discharge is normal and acceptable. It is important to the healing process that you show your new piercing proper care. Clean your piercing with saline solution, Q-tips, and/or non-woven gauze 2-3 times a day for the first week, and then twice a day for the remainder of your healing process. DO NOT use any kind of alcohol, peroxide, bactine, bacitracin, or soap.
2. Please DO NOT submerge your piercing in any bodies of water such as pools, lakes, oceans, hot tubs, or baths for at least two weeks. Showers are great and can be taken right away. Make sure your piercing is the last thing you rinse off to ensure no soaps or conditioners are left on your piercing. 
3. DO NOT twist or turn your jewelry. The more you leave it alone and keep it clean, the faster it will heal. In the case that you must touch your piercing, make sure you thoroughly wash your hands before and after.  
4. DO NOT sleep on your fresh piercing. If you’ve received an ear piercing, try a travel pillow (horseshoe pillow or airline pillow) to sleep on. Instead of the pillow going around your neck, slide it into a pillowcase. When you lie on it, your ear will go in the little hole, relieving pressure, while still supporting your head.  
5. Most piercings are done with a post that is a bit longer than what you need, to allow room for swelling and cleaning. At about 3-6 weeks, swelling should have subsided, allowing your jewelry to be downsized. Downsizing is a crucial part of healing; if jewelry is left without downsizing, migration and other issues may occur. Piercings can take anywhere from 10 weeks to a full year to heal, so please be patient.

For any inquiries or concerns regarding healing your new piercing, please contact Inksmith directly at 720-985-4259 or email inksmithcolorado@gmail.com.

If your child is between the ages of 2 months to 12 years old, please consult our Little Lobes section for how to go about booking with us.

For minors aged 13-17, we do not perform every piercing for every age. Consult our requirements for piercing minors and confirm you can meet them before booking any of the following:

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  • 2 months – 12 years : earlobes only.
  • 13+ : Earlobes, nostrils, helix piercings (the outer edge of the ear).
  • 14+ : Forward helix, conch, flat helix, daith, rook, tragus, eyebrow, septum, bridge, lip, and navel piercings.
  • 16+ : High nostril, mantis, and smiley piercings.
  • 18+ : Surface work such as dermals and surface bars, tongue, nipple, genital, and industrial piercings. An exception may be made for industrial piercings if you have at least one well-healed helix piercing.

For minors, Inksmith requires a parent/guardian to be with the child throughout the duration of the piercing appointment, as well as you to provide identification for both parent/child. Please bring a state-issued or federal-issued ID for yourself. Children 12 years of age and under will need an original birth certificate or passport showing matching last names with the parent/guardian present. Ages 13-17 must bring a form of photo identification. This can be a state-issued ID, passport, School ID, or Infinite Campus. If the last names connecting the parent/guardian to the child do not match, a birth certificate or legal documentation claiming guardianship will need to be shown.

Our piercers will need to perform an anatomy check for certain piercings. This usually involves a quick visual examination of the site you’d like pierced, and potentially a physical examination with gloved hands. Everyone’s bodies are laid out differently- even immediate family members will have differently shaped ears, for example. If our piercers determine you do not have suitable anatomy for the piercing you want, they will tell you that we are unable to perform the piercing. It is never due to weight, age, or lifestyle- it is simply the varied natural anatomy of the human body, and whether or not we believe the piercing you want can be safely performed there. 

The following piercings require anatomy checks. Anatomy checks alone are never charged. We advise you to have a backup piercing in mind if you are coming in for any of these services.

• Industrial
• Navel
• Rook
• Daith
• Forward Helix
• Nipples
• All genital piercings

Since the jewelry that we carry is guaranteed to be implant-grade, hypoallergenic, and biocompatible, we do not perform fresh piercings with outside jewelry- you will have to purchase your initial jewelry from us. We have a wide selection of styles and decorative ends, and also offer in-house anodization for an extra layer of customization. 

The only exception to this policy is if you’ve purchased jewelry from another studio that gets its jewelry from an APP approved supplier, and have a receipt for it; or, if you’ve gotten pierced with us before and would like to reuse your initial jewelry. As long as the jewelry has only ever been worn by you, we are more than happy to reprocess and sterilize it for your fresh piercing! However, this process takes about 25 minutes, so please mention this as early as possible while booking your appointment, so we can properly account for time.

If your piercing is well healed, and you have jewelry purchased elsewhere you would like to wear, we can definitely perform that jewelry change for you. However, keep in mind that if your new jewelry is of lesser quality, it may cause issues, even in a well healed piercing. We will also insert jewelry purchased elsewhere for piercings you have that might be closed up and need reopened. Of course, you’re always more than welcome to pick up something new!

We do not. Horizontal tongue piercings not only have a high risk of rejection, they also make tooth and gum damage unavoidable. No reputable studio should be offering this piercing. We can simulate the visual effect of this piercing with paired vertical tongue piercings (often called venom piercings), or with paired lower lip piercings (snakebites).

For custom designs, large-scale pieces, etc, we recommend starting off by booking a free consultation with the artist of your choice. During this consultation, you and one of our artists will discuss your ideas, style, and design of your tattoo. If you’re interested in booking with one of our artists following the consultation, our front desk staff will help schedule an appointment for your tattoo. During the booking process, the artist will require a deposit. This deposit is the artist’s drawing fee, will secure your appointment, and will be deducted from the end total of the tattoo. If there are any design changes you want to make between the consultation and tattoo appointment, the artist may require a new deposit since they will have to redraw a new design for your appointment. Regarding cancelling or rescheduling your appointment, we ask that you please let us know at least 48 hours prior to your appointment. If you don’t call or email to notify us 48 hours before the appointment, or fail to show up entirely, you will lose your deposit. Frequent reschedules will also result in larger deposits. We understand “life happens” and a tattoo is not a necessity, but please be courteous and let us know if you can’t make your appointment as soon as possible, and we can happily reschedule when you’re ready!

Depending on the placement and your pain tolerance, everyone is different in terms of what they consider painful or non-painful spots to tattoo. If it’s your first tattoo, we recommend getting something simple and avoiding the highly sensitive areas (ribs, center chest, stomach, elbows, knees). Our artists like to describe the feeling of a tattoo like getting a cat scratch over and over. The best way to prepare for your tattoo is to eat a good meal before your appointment and stay hydrated all day. Larger pieces can also be broken up into multiple appointments to avoid one lengthy, painful session. This is usually done for large full-color pieces, sleeves, back pieces, etc.

Our shop minimum is $100, but our prices are determined by factors such as size, placement, style, and the amount of detail. If you have a particular budget you’d like to stay within the lines of, our artists are always willing to work around it! Everyone should be able to afford the perfect tattoo, and our artists at Inksmith take pride in our reputation for having reasonable, industry-standard pricing while providing quality work.

Yes, you can use numbing cream for your tattoo appointment. Please consult with one of our artists before your appointment so they can recommend a numbing cream that would work best for your skin, as well as going through the step-by-step process of how to apply it and how it works. If you’d like to learn more about numbing cream for your tattoo appointment, please give us a call at 720-985-4259 or email inksmithcolorado@gmail.com .

When you get a tattoo at Inksmith, our artists will talk you through each step of how to heal your new tattoo. You’ll also receive a copy of our aftercare instructions via email but just in case you forget, please read the instructions below. 

1. For your new tattoo, Inksmith artists will place a sterile, breathable, waterproof, and germ-free second skin bandage called Saniderm over the tattoo. Please leave the Saniderm on for the next 3-4 days, and do not lift it, change it, or remove it during this time. The Saniderm bandage is there to protect your tattoo from infection, abrasion, irritation, and contamination while it’s going through the most important part of its healing. It will also protect your clothes, sheets, and loved ones from coming into contact with the excess ink, blood, and fluid that are the normal by-products of healing a tattoo.
2. You can perform all your usual activities (including exercise) while the tattoo is covered with Saniderm. Be sure not to bump or rub your new tattoo excessively, or do anything that will scrape or peel off the covering.
3. Showering normally while healing your new tattoo is highly encouraged, and luckily Saniderm is reasonably waterproof. Once the Saniderm has been removed, we always advise our clients NOT to swim, take baths, or submerge their tattoo in any bodies of water until it is fully healed.
4. After 3-4 days, remove the Saniderm by carefully peeling it off your skin. Do NOT quickly tear it off, as this could cause skin irritation. The easiest way to soften the adhesive is to stand in a warm shower for several minutes and remove the covering in the shower.
5. Once the bandage is removed, please rinse the tattoo thoroughly with warm water, rinse, and follow up by cleaning the tattoo with antibacterial soap. Gently work any excess material from the Saniderm off the surface of your skin using the palm of your hand. DO NOT use wash-cloths, sponges, or brushes.
6. After patting your tattoo with a clean towel, the skin should be shiny and dry. For the next 7-10 days, apply a thin layer of the artist-recommended aftercare product or unscented lotion such as Aveeno, Jergens, Lubriderm, or Nivea when your tattoo feels dry, tight, or itchy. Products that are petroleum-based such as Vaseline and Aquaphor, are NOT recommended products and we like to deter our clients away from them, due to it leaving a barrier that doesn’t allow the skin to breathe, causing improper healing. As the tattoo heals, you may notice a few layers of flaky skin peeling off. This is completely normal. Do not help it along. 

For any and all inquiries in regards to healing your new tattoo, please contact Inksmith directly at 720-985-4259 or email inksmithcolorado@gmail.com.

Inksmith requires a parent or guardian to be with them throughout the duration of the tattoo appointment, as well as provide a state-issued ID for both parent and child. If the last names connecting the parent or guardian to the minor do not match, we will need to see a form of legal documentation claiming guardianship on top of the state-issued IDs, ex: birth certificate. For any and all inquiries in regards to tattoos for minors at our shop, please call us at 720-985-4259 or email inksmithcolorado@gmail.com.

Per Inksmith Tattoo & Piercing’s shop policy, the youngest age to get a tattoo is 16 years old. Our artists will not tattoo minors in places from the elbows down, or from the collarbone up. If the area can’t be easily covered by a t-shirt, then we won’t be able to tattoo that location. Areas like the legs, ribs, and shoulders are all great alternative places where our artists will tattoo a minor. 

Inksmith requires a parent or guardian to be with them throughout the duration of the tattoo appointment, as well as provide a state-issued ID for both parent and child. If the last names connecting the parent or guardian to the minor do not match, we will need to see a form of legal documentation claiming guardianship on top of the state-issued IDs, ex: birth certificate. For any and all inquiries in regards to tattoos for minors at our shop, please call us at 720-985-4259 or email inksmithcolorado@gmail.com.