GOING to a piercing or tattoo studio is a very different process than having your hair cut or your manicure polished up before an event.

Tipping for a tattoo or piercing is actually fairly similar – but there are certain rules staff would love for you to follow.

Piercing pro Lynn Loheide, who uses the pronouns they/them, demystifies piercing and tattoos on their YouTube channe.

In one recent video, they revealed the surprising etiquette behind tipping at a piercing studio, where tips sometimes make up half of an artist's income.

"I would say that, if you are planning getting a tattoo or a piercing, budget a tip into that," Loheide said, explaining that gratuities factor more heavily into a piercer's or tattoo artist's wage than in other industries.

During their apprenticeship, Loheide actually didn't receive an hourly wage. Tips represented their sole income while they were still learning their craft.

In many cases, the studio you visit will make things easy, and provide percentages on the receipt at check-out so you can tip with card or cash.

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If you've had a great experience, Loheide said, you might consider tipping 20 to 30 percent.

Tipping 10 to 15 percent of the service's cost is more appropriate if your piercer was running behind, the tattoo artist was less than friendly, or there was another problem with the service.

According to Loheide, it's also totally fine to adjust the tip based on what you can afford.

"I've had clients who come and spend thousands of dollars with me, and hours and hours with me, and still leave a 20 or 30 percent tip," they said.

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"If you can afford to spend like that, it's often polite to tip your artist in a way that reflects that," they noted. "Now, on the flip side, I understand some clients simply can't afford to tip on the whole transaction."

For example, they might not receive a proportional tip from students, lower-income people, or minors who are getting their first piercing with an adult's permission. And that's okay, Loheide said.

"I don't expect people to give me the money they'd spend on food that week for a tip," they stated clearly.

A good way to gauge what's appropriate is to think about how long your piercing took. Some piercings, like helix piercings, are quick and uncomplicated.

In those instances, Loheide said, "$10 to $20 is fine," even if the total cost of your jewelry and services is higher.

There are also ways to show appreciation besides a monetary tip.

Loheide said that receiving longer-format, more thorough reviews from customers is hugely beneficial.

If you can't afford the tip you'd like to give for exceptional service, take 20 minutes to write a detailed review of your piercing experience, from the technical aspect to your artist's bedside manner.

"That would be more valuable for me than quite a lot of monetary tips," said Loheide, who saves customer testimonials to feature on their website.

Generous reviews are a great way to help your tattoo artist or piercer build a web presence and boost their portfolio online.

"Another great way is to make your money go thoughtfully," Loheide continued. What if after budgeting carefully for a piercing or tattoo, you can only afford to spend $5 on a tip?

Loheide said you can spend that money on a personal kindness for your artist. Reach out ahead of your appointment, and ask if you can bring their go-to coffee order or a favorite snack.

Because Loheide has several cats, they said some clients have brought store-bought or custom-made cat toys in lieu of tips.

Even though those clients often spend a relatively small amount of money on the item, the personal touch makes it well worth it.

"If I do a $400 service and receive a $5 tip, sometimes it might be a little bit of a bummer," Loheide explained.

But if, instead, the client thinks, "I'm going to make this $4 go way further and give them a little toy for their cat," the artist said they're "stoked" that the client did something thoughtful.

If you have a hobby, you could also bring in baked goods, or a piece of your crafting or artwork customized for the artist.

Loheide also said that returning to the studio once your piercing or tattoo is healed, and allowing your artist to take detailed portfolio photos, is a phenomenal way to show appreciation.

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These are all things Loheide did early in their own career, when they often couldn't afford to tip on the level they thought would be appropriate.

"I tipped them with my time," they recalled. "They're all things that I feel evoke the service of tipping."

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