Using lotions and moisturizing your tattoos are an essential part of your tattoo aftercare process. Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion is known to be a very simple, accessible, and effective moisturizer that combats drying skin, so you may be wondering: Can I use Aveeno on my tattoos?
This fragrance-free option might be exactly what you need in your aftercare routine. Read on to find out if it’s right for your healing journey.
Table of Contents (clickable)
How To Use Aveeno on Your Tattoo
Aveeno Daily Moisturizer has been known as a tool to help combat everything from daily dry skin to eczema. It’s often recommended by dermatologists because it’s made from natural ingredients, is unscented, and is even non-comedogenic which means that it doesn’t block pores. This is a fundamental factor in your tattoo aftercare game because your freshly inked skin needs moisturization while simultaneously ensuring that it’s able to breathe to properly heal.
Since you should always reach for fragrance-free lotions when moisturizing your tattoos, to ensure you don’t have allergic reactions or cause irritation, Aveeno is a great lotion to use on your tattoo.
It’s important that your tattoo is washed thoroughly before ever applying your moisturizer. Wash your tattoo with lukewarm water and unscented soap and ensure that you pat it dry prior to applying any Aveeno lotion. We always recommend using a high-quality paper towel to pat your new tattoo dry, one that doesn’t shed paper fragments, or a fresh towel that hasn’t yet been used. This helps combat any bacteria or infection growth during a crucial stage in your healing process. Patting your tattoo dry, rather than rubbing it, helps ensure you don’t tear the skin.
After your tattoo is washed and dried, you can apply your Aveeno moisturizer in a thin layer. Formulated specifically for sensitive skin and made with colloidal oatmeal, Aveeno is sure to moisturize your tattoo safely and soothe your skin, as well.
How Often Should You Apply It?
Moisturizing your tattoo helps you prevent tattoo peeling and tattoo cracking and makes sure that your tattoo heals with minor defects in the art work, and less pain overall.
Of course, new tattoos need a few days to breathe prior to applying lotions and moisturizers. Part of the healing process of a tattoo includes weeping - this is when the tattoo pushes out excess ink, blood, and plasma during the first two to four days.
During these days, it’s recommended that you thoroughly wash your tattoo with a fragrance-free cleanser, pat it dry, and let it breathe. After two to four days, you’ll notice your tattoo is no longer weeping but seems dry to the touch. At this point, you can add Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Cream to your aftercare routine.
After washing and drying your new tattoo as usual, you can use your clean hands to apply a thin layer of Aveeno to your tattoo. Josh Kohn, artist and owner of Immortal Ink, says that moisturization is an essential part of the aftercare process after the first three days, and that “fragrance-free lotion [keeps] tattoos looking fresh.”
The colloidal oatmeal in Aveeno is known as the “miracle ingredient” of the lotion, and it helps encourage moisture retention when your tattoo needs it most. It’s best to apply the lotion every five to six hours during the first two weeks of your tattoo. After which, you can apply Aveeno on your tattoos whenever you’d like to keep your tattoos looking their brightest and best.
So, always remember these steps:
- Wash your tattoo with a non-scented soap or cleanser
- Pat dry with a paper towel or a fresh towel - never rub your tattoo dry
- With clean hands, apply a thin layer of Aveeno on your tattoo
- Reapply every five or six hours
How Much Should You Apply?
Whenever you apply lotion to a new or existing tattoo, it’s always recommended that you only apply a thin layer, enough to ensure that the moisturizer is being absorbed by the skin and isn’t sitting on top of and blocking your pores.
While Aveeno is non-comedogenic, meaning it’s formulated in a way that doesn’t block pores, it’s still important that your tattoo is allowed to breathe through an application of a thin layer or lotion that is immediately absorbed. Allowing lotion to sit on the surface of your new tattoo could trap bacteria or cause an infection.
How Long Should You Use It?
You should consider using lotion on your tattoo throughout the entire life of your tattoo! Keeping your skin moisturized not only ensures that it is free from irritation but also keeps your tattoos looking healthy and bright.
It’s always recommended that if you decide to go out into the sun that you switch to a fragrance-free lotion that also has a high SPF content, as the sun can cause your tattoos to fade. Aveeno also makes moisturizers that contain broad-spectrum SPF, so it may be a good and safe option for skin sensitivities.
Our Final Thoughts
Aveeno is a safe, dermatologist-recommended, and fragrance-free option for your tattoo aftercare process. It not only contains ingredients that will help soothe your skin when it needs it most, but it also doesn’t clog your pores during the crucial moments when your new tattoo needs to breathe. In addition, it will help you combat the peeling and cracking of your healing tattoo.
Aveeno can also become a reliable tool in the daily care of your tattoos, keeping your skin hydrated and your tattoos looking bright long term. With non-scented options and no harmful chemicals, Aveeno is definitely a reliable option for your tattoo care regimen.
