Happy & Healthy
Mooi in inkt
One of my first writing assignments ever, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, was for the magazine ELLE about the latest craze: tattoos. Yes, I already said: it was some time ago. Back then, it was still quite exceptional if you had a tattoo and you weren't a biker or a construction worker. Now it's exceptional if you're still completely blank – but look at Dame Judi Dench, who only got her first tattoo at 81, so you're never too old to start. And also goddess Cate Blanchett has a tattoo (done the day after she won the Oscar for Blue Jasmine, in white ink on her wrist, very beautiful – I've seen it in real life, pardon the name dropping), so you could say it's even damn classy. Hop hop to the tattoo shop!
I wanted a tattoo for twenty years, I already knew what (a star) and where (on my wrist), but for some reason I still didn't dare to commit to eternity. After a round of therapy to get over my fear of commitment (kidding), I was finally ready. And then suddenly everyone was walking around with a star on their wrist. Yes, of course you could have it tattooed: ‘I thought of this twenty years ago, but really!’ but that's a bit crazy too. I then spent at least a year complaining about how important stars were in my life and that my crib was already covered with them. My friend S. tried to talk me out of it that year, because she thinks tattoos are stupid, but when I finally made the decision, she resignedly said: ‘Well, at least you've thought about it for twenty years.’
”I now feel like an expert in the field”
The trouble with tattoos is that once you start, you immediately want another one. It's addictive: I got my fourth one two weeks ago (I already said it, in my Guilty Pleasures from last week, something you wouldn't expect from me so quickly). So I now feel like an expert in the field. And I say: small is fine – the tattoo trends are minimalist tattoos with thin lines. And these are the trendsetting tattoo artists:
*In LA it's Brian ‘Dr’ Woo at the famous Shamrock Social Club in West Hollywood (where the Sex Pistols and Tupac used to hang out). Specialty: precision work and geometric shapes; he started the fine-lining trend in black and gray, including the now much imitated arrows with dots (fans call them ‘Woo arrows’). Famous clients: Cara Delevingne, Drake, David Beckham, Ellie Goulding, and Brad Pitt. There is a waiting list of at least six months.
”Knowing what and where you want it is half the battle”
*In NY it's JonBoy at West 4 Tattoo. Specialty: texts and minimalist ‘micro’ tattoos, which especially celebrities come for, because they are easy to cover up with makeup. Famous clients: Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Hailey and Ireland Baldwin, Justin Bieber, and Jaden Smith. The waiting list is so long that they actually don't take new clients, but walk-ins are welcome.
Wait, I hear you say, can't it be a bit closer to home? Of course, but Insta-inspiration is always fun; knowing what and where you want it is half the battle. Finding the right man/woman for the job is the other half. If you see something beautiful, ask who did it. That's how I found my favorite: Joey de Boer , who works in the basement of the Haarbarbaar in Amsterdam's Rosmarijnsteeg. 80% of his clients is female, and they all want tiny tats at the moment. So you don't have to be ashamed of your mini palm tree, he genuinely enjoys it and maybe finds it even more challenging than the big work.
Your tattoo artist will tell you how to best care for your fresh tattoo. But this is my tip: Cicaplast Baume BS SPF 50 from La Roche Posay, available at the pharmacy. It also protects your design in the sun.
Geschreven door Ilonka Leenheer
