Blog
What Happens at a Tattoo Consultation?
You’ve got half an idea, a rough spot on your arm where you think it might go, and a quiet worry that someone’s about to make you feel dumb for not knowing more than that. Music’s playing. Somebody looks up and says hey. Your stomach does the thing. That’s where a consultation starts. At Enigma ... Read more
Ear Piercing Chart: Every Type, Pain Level & Healing Time
Somebody walks in with their phone already out. On the screen is a photo of an ear stacked with six or seven pieces of jewelry, and they say some version of “I want this.” Great. The only problem is that nobody knows the names, so we end up standing there pointing at the picture together. ... Read more
Can You Get a Tattoo While Pregnant or Breastfeeding?
You want a new tattoo, and you’re pregnant or nursing, and the internet has already served you ten horror stories and zero straight answers. We talk to people in this exact spot, so let’s be honest and clear about it. As a tattoo studio, we’re not your doctor, and nothing here is medical advice. The ... Read more
The Tattoo Healing Process: What to Expect Day-by-Day
You just got tattooed. You’re home, the excitement is wearing off a little, and now you’re staring at it wondering if what you’re seeing is normal. It looks shiny. Maybe it’s a little puffy. In a few days it might get crusty and weird, and you’ll wonder if you did something wrong. You probably didn’t. ... Read more
Working Out After a Tattoo: How Long to Wait (and How to Ease Back In)
If you train regularly, the hardest part of a new tattoo isn’t the needle. It’s the week or two afterward when you’re told to sit still. We get it, and we’re not going to pretend a couple of rest days won’t bug you. But rushing back to the gym is one of the most common ... Read more
How to Choose a Tattoo Shop in St. Louis
You’ve got a tattoo idea and a whole city of shops to get it done at. The good news is that St. Louis has a deep, genuinely talented tattoo scene, so you can afford to be choosy. The trick is knowing what to be choosy about, especially if this is your first tattoo. Cleanliness and ... Read more
Japanese Traditional Tattoos
A tiger crouched on a thigh, body curled to follow the line of the muscle. Wind bars cutting clean diagonals across the calf. A dragon’s tail wrapping the shoulder and disappearing under a sleeve of cherry blossoms. None of it is decoration. Each element sits where it does because the body told it to. That’s ... Read more
Sailor Jerry Tattoos
Before Norman Collins set up shop on Hotel Street in Honolulu, American tattooing was a scattered, scrappy trade with no real standard of quality. Collins changed that. Working under the name Sailor Jerry, he built a visual language that defined what most people still picture when they hear the word “tattoo”: thick black lines, punchy ... Read more
Your First Tattoo in St. Louis: What You Actually Need to Know
Most people spend more time thinking about their first tattoo than they’d like to admit. They save references for months, scroll Instagram at midnight, second-guess every idea, and still feel unprepared the moment they walk through a shop door. That’s normal. Getting your first tattoo is a real decision. It also doesn’t have to be ... Read more
Proper Tattoo Aftercare Instructions (the real cheat sheet)
Most people walk out of a tattoo shop riding a high, then immediately go home and do something wrong. Not out of carelessness, out of conflicting advice. A friend swears by one method. A YouTube video says the opposite. Your tattoo artist handed you a card you lost before you got to your car. Here’s ... Read more