Pete normally does not get nervous filming a product review, but he says this one was different. The product was a tattoo numbing cream, and it was about to play a real role in his next tattoo session. He already had a few tattoos, yet this time he wanted to find out whether a cream could take the sensation away before the needle even started.
The cream he chose contains 5 percent lidocaine. Based on the reviews he had read, the idea was simple: apply it properly and your skin should go numb, so you feel nothing, or very little, during a tattoo. Pete found this one on Amazon, noting there are quite a few brands, and it came highly recommended. What followed was a real test, and then a twist at the shop.
Watch the video above for the full application process, the hour under plastic wrap, Pete’s reaction when the wrap came off at Revolt Tattoo, and the conversation that stopped the original plan.
How Pete applied the cream
The tube includes a small spatula, and Pete explains why it matters: you use it to spread the cream so your hand does not end up numb as well. His wife Zuzana applied it to his arm, and neither of them went light on it. Pete’s view was that if you are going to numb an area, you should use a liberal amount, and he describes what went on as a very thick layer.
Because they were not yet sure how large the tattoo would be, they covered the whole arm just in case. Zuzana used a makeshift glove made from the plastic wrap to rub the cream in evenly, then wrapped the arm fully in standard household cellophane. Pete jokes it looks like a Christmas ham, held carefully almost like it is in a splint.
The hour under plastic wrap
The plan, as Pete lays it out, was to leave the cream on under the wrap for an hour, wipe it off, wait 15 minutes, and then head in for what he hoped would be a pain free tattoo. In his account, the wrap helps the cream work into the skin and keeps the thick layer where it is supposed to be while you wait.
The session was booked at Revolt Tattoo, inside the Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas. Pete notes the shop has an Ink Master connection, saying he believes two of its owners were on, or won, Ink Master, which made it seem like a good place to go.
What his arm felt like after an hour
Once the hour was up, Pete removed the wrap and wiped off the remaining cream, and his reaction was immediate. His arm was numb, and he repeats the point because he is genuinely surprised by how strong it feels. He compares it to leaving the dentist after a shot, that heavy, deadened feeling in the treated area.
He is careful, though, about what that proves. He says outright that he is not sure how numbness to the touch will translate to the tattoo itself, and admits he is now feeling really nervous about whether he is numb enough.
The twist at Revolt Tattoo
The video turned out differently than Pete planned. When it came time to start, the artist told him he does not tattoo anyone using numbing cream. Pete explains in the description that it was the artist’s personal preference and he was not comfortable with it, while in the video Pete adds the artist said it was apparently not very good for the tattoo. Either way, the cream test could not continue into an actual tattoo session as planned.
Pete did still get his tattoo, and he shows it in the video, but he could not record the cream being tested under the needle, so this review cannot honestly claim it made a tattoo painless. His big lesson is simple: talk to your tattoo artist beforehand and confirm they are okay with numbing cream before you show up with a wrapped arm, or you risk the same surprise.
Frequently asked questions
What numbing cream did Pete test in the video? He tested a tattoo numbing cream containing 5 percent lidocaine that he found on Amazon after reading reviews. He notes there are many brands, and this one came highly recommended.
How did Pete apply the numbing cream? Zuzana used the included spatula to spread a thick, even layer over his whole arm, then wrapped it in plastic wrap for about an hour before the remaining cream was wiped off.
Did the cream actually numb Pete’s arm? Yes, by Pete’s own account. After an hour he said his arm felt very numb, comparing it to the feeling after a dentist’s shot, and later said he could not feel anything in the area.
Did Pete get tattooed while using the cream? No. The artist at Revolt Tattoo said he does not tattoo people using numbing cream, so Pete could not test it during the session. His advice is to check with your artist beforehand.
Verdict
On numbing power alone, Pete’s verdict is clear. He gives the cream two thumbs up and says he believes it works, because after an hour his arm was, in his words, numb as hell and he could not feel anything. The honest limit of this test is just as clear: thanks to the artist’s policy, the cream was never put through an actual tattoo in this video, so what it proved was surface numbness, not a pain free tattoo session.
If you want to try the same cream Pete tested, talk to your artist first, then you can find the tattoo numbing cream here and run your own test the right way round.