During my best friend's freshman year of college, he got a tattoo after a night of drinking that he probably wouldn't have gotten had he been sober. Senior beauty editor Alix Tunell did the same, and ended up with a misshapen black horse on her neck that she's been in the process of removing for over a year. Needless to say, drunk tattoos are never a good idea — not just because of the potential danger, but because ink is permanent and going into the salon prepared and clear-headed raises your chances of not regretting the decision.
Getting your first tattoo is an intimate, significant, even life-changing experience. Of course, it should be fun and exciting, but there's a lot to consider, too. If you're contemplating ink, you'll want to watch the video above, in which Lauren Riihimaki, of the lifestyle YouTube channel LaurDIY, walks Eliza Baron, a tattoo virgin, through her first one.
Before Baron goes under the gun with tattoo artist Romeo Lacoste, she talks with Riihimaki about her inspiration for the art (David Bowie) and the two make a vision board that brings together various visual elements associated with the music icon. Once they've landed on a design, Riihimaki encourages Baron to put it on a piece of tape and place it exactly where she wants it on her body to get an idea of what living with it will actually be like.
Curious to see the final Bowie-inspired tat, and how Baron fared under the needle? Check out the video above to see the entire process.