Vegan Ink

For Vegans, sticking to an animal-free lifestyle is more than just watching what they eat. The most dedicated vegans are also cautious about what's in the products they use, including the ingredients of their tattoo ink.

Because vegans strictly avoid anything created from animals, tattoo ink with any animal product in it would be going against vegan beliefs.

Jason Wynn, a UA graduate and employee of Scapegoat Tattoo, an all-vegan tattoo parlor in Portland, Ore., said most tattoo ink is considered vegan, but there are certain colors that are by-products of animals.

"Black is a tough color because it is often derived either from burnt bones or from the resin of shellac bugs," Wynn said.

He also pointed out that most tattoo parlors use soaps or ointments in the treatment of tattoos that contain animal by-products. Even if customers were able to use vegan-friendly ink, such as ink of the brand Starbrite, they would still have to be cautious about what to use to treat the tattoo.

For vegans in the Valley, it can be difficult to find a vegan-friendly tattoo parlor.

Fritz Andrews, a tattoo artist at No Regrets Tattoo Parlor located on the corner of University and Hardy drives, said that although his shop offers Starbrite ink, he doesn't like the idea of giving a vegan tattoo to someone because he worries the quality might not be the best.

"I'm not comfortable with only using certain inks, because some ink has better pigment quality than others," he said. "I wouldn't want to use an ink I'm not familiar with because I want to give my customer the best art possible."

Though he said he has never had a request for a vegan tattoo, he does have some customers who ask for all-natural tattoo ink.

He said that it's hard to fulfill these requests, as ink companies aren't obligated to list all their ingredients on the ink bottles. So in reality, companies could be putting whatever they want into the ink.

Because of the lack of information about ingredients, Scapegoat Tattoo does a lot of research to ensure the ink they use is vegan, Wynn said.

He said that the quality of vegan-friendly ink is on par with other inks and there isn't a significant price difference between vegan and non-vegan ink.

Andrew Stravers, 21, a vegan for five years in Tempe, said that he sought out a vegan-friendly tattoo shop after hearing that some tattoo ink used squid ink as one of its ingredients.

He chose to go to No Regrets Tattoo Parlor to get his four tattoos done because he heard they use Starbrite ink there.

Stravers said it's hard to be 100-percent vegan in a non-vegan world, but it's important to him to stick to the tenants of veganism.

Valentines Day Love

When it comes to Valentine's Day, the lads and lasses in love do not seem to have dearth of innovative ideas.

To strengthen the emotional bond, lovebirds have been lining up at a city's tattoo studio for the past week to get the names of their beloved tattooed on their body.

The craze for showing off even their lover's picture's on body has suddenly caught up with them in a big way. Even costly tattoos are in great demand.

Girls have got tattooed names of their boyfriends. The boys, too, have got names of their girlfriends tattooed on their bodies." However, when contacted, the lovebirds refused to be named.

Alex Finch (Poké Ball Tattoos/Subdermal Implants.)

Pokémon fan Alex Finch displayed his tattoo of six Poké Balls, supplemented by six subdermal implants to create the effect of three-dimensional Poké Balls implanted into his arm. Finch spoke with ANN and stated that he has been a fan of the Pokémon videogame and anime franchise since he was in third or fourth grade, and that he chose to get six Poké Ball tattoos in reference to the number of Poké Balls which can be carried in the original videogames. He also noted that the tattoos shown are "just the beginning" as he plans to get additional tattoos of videogame, cartoon, and anime icons on the rest of the arm, including more Poké Balls.

In the franchise, the Poké Ball (or Monster Ball in the original Japanese version) is a spherical device used to capture and store wild Pokémon, to be released in battle. There are several varieties of the Poké Ball, including the Super Ball, Ultra Ball (Hyper Ball in the Japanese version), and Master Ball, which have higher rates of capture success than the standard Poké Ball. Later additions to the game franchise such as Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver added more varieties of Poké Balls.

The tattoos shown depict the original Poké Ball.

Lip Rings (Studs).

Lip rings and studs happen to be a dynamite alternative for body modification. While these kinds of piercings demand attentive carefulness and hygiene maintenance specifically for the first couple months following the piercings, they are still one of the best, most favored body piercing options possible. Lip rings and studs remain one of the most sought after body modifications for numerous reasons.

First, the mouth is very observable to anybody that you might come in contact with. contrary to earrings, which happen to be oftentimes hiding behind the hair and unnoticed, lip rings and studs happen to be frequently more easy to visualize. Likewise, earrings happen to be so common and commonly worn that they are frequently considered a typically established adornment.

Nevertheless, lip rings and studs provide a lot more of an adventurous way of expressing oneself, and is a more high-spirited decision. Depending on your sociocultural norms, and your age group however, as it is a much more normal jewelry alternative for younger age groups than older.

When it comes to lip ring and stud placement, before getting your piercing, make sure that you understand: the reasons why you happen to be gaining it, how you wish to use your piercing, and if there could be any social or job-related problems with lip ring placement, size, or type.

In the enthusiasm of gaining a fresh body modification, lots of people get tied up in the hoopla, and might not remember all the outcomes. That doesn't signify you should not get a lip ring, only be willing to appreciate that parents, employers, and other people besides friends may not appreciate or agree with your preference.

After considering these ideas, it may assist you in making an alternative of what styles of lip rings and studs you're interested in, as well as the placement of them.

If you labor in a more conventional occupation, make sure to review your employee manual on what kind of facial jewelry is customary in the workplace. Many employers allow discreet, low-profile lip studs, if it is not inserted in the employee manual make sure to ask your employer beforehand.

If you're lucky and your boss is more fashionable and fresh, then lip rings are perhaps acceptable in any type. Make sure and check your employee manual beforehand.

If all lip rings and studs are approved then there happen to be so many pleasurable and wonderful choices through facial adornment. It all depends on what kind of statement you would have a preference for to make and what your individualism is.

Genital Piercings

Genital piercings are another trend on the rise.

"A lot of people who are interested in body modification but have careers, families; they get curious about modifying their body, but don't have to worry about how people will react," said Matt Funaiole, a body piercer at Imperial Body Art.

In an interview with WebMD.com, Elayne Angel, a professional piercer in New Orleans and Medical Coordinator for the Association of Professional Piercers, reported that most people get genital piercings to bring increased stimulation for both parties during sex.

If the idea of piercing your "Johnson" makes your head spin, don't worry. According to Funaiole, it's actually more awkward than painful. Most men aren't used to having their package handled by a stranger, much less having it pierced.

Funaiole also said the frenum and Prince Albert are the two most common types of piercings. The frenum piercing is located on the underside of the shaft, and is usually perpendicular to the frenulum. The Prince Albert goes through the frenulum and into the urethra.

"Most people who do get below-the-belt piercings are comfortable with their sexuality," Funaiole said. "A lot of piercings increase sensitivity. Sometimes it's just strictly ornamental to decorate the area."

If genital piercings are properly done and cared for, the risk of infection is low.

"Both male and female anatomy has lots of blood flow to the area," Funaiole said. "Fluid exchange during the healing process is the biggest problem. Use protection."

Funaiole also advised that people be cautious of where they go to get pierced.

"If a piercer says they're a certified body piercer, they're lying," Funaiole warned. "There is no such thing."

If your pain threshold is low, but you still want to sparkle up your manly bits, there is the option of penazzling — adding jewels to decorate the area around the penis. Vagazzling was originally endorsed by Jennifer Love Hewitt, but has been adapted to fit males, too. They can be applied at a salon or at home.

Kayan Women

Women of the various Kayan tribes identify themselves by their different form of dress. The Kayan Lahwi tribe are the most renowned as they wear ornaments known as neck rings, brass coils that are placed around the neck. The women wearing these coils are known as giraffe women to tourists. These coils are first applied to young girls when they are around five years old.

Each coil is replaced with longer coil, as the weight of the brass pushes the collar bone down and compresses the rib cage. Contrary to popular belief, the neck is not actually lengthened; the illusion of a stretched neck is created by the deformation of the clavicle.

Many ideas regarding why the coils are worn have been suggested, often formed by visiting anthropologists, who have hypothesized that the rings protected women from becoming slaves by making them less attractive to other tribes. Contrastingly it has been theorized that the coils originate from the desire to look more attractive by exaggerating sexual dimorphism, as women have more slender necks than men.

It has also been suggested that the coils give the women resemblance to a dragon, an important figure in Kayan folklore. The coils might be meant to protect from tiger bites, perhaps literally, but probably symbolically.

Kayan women, when asked, acknowledge these ideas, but often say that their purpose for wearing the rings is cultural identity (one associated with beauty). The rings, once on, are seldom removed, as the coiling and uncoiling is a somewhat lengthy procedure. They are usually only removed to be replaced by a new or longer set of coils. The women do not suffocate if the rings are removed, though the muscles covered by them are weakened.

Many women have removed the rings for medical examinations. Most women prefer to wear the rings once their necks are elongated, as their necks and collar bones are often bruised and discolored from being hidden behind brass for so long. Additionally, the collar feels like an integral part of the body after ten or more years of continuous wear.

T-Pain "Like" Tattoo

T-Pain recently got some fresh Ink, he decided to go for a Facebook "Like" Tattoo (actually it looks better than having an Ice Cream Cone stamped on the face).

Lately some Celebrities have been going from "underground" to "pop" when it comes to their tattoo. To each its own, if you like it then it is your problem the same way if you regret it will be your problem as well.

Each person got their own personal reasons to choose a design therefore it shouldn't be anyone's business but at the same time freedom of speech allows anyone to agree or disagree on anything.
I would've preferred Gucci's Ice Cream Cone to be slightly smaller and perhaps what make it look a bit hideous might be the size of such Ice Cream cone or perhaps the location, people are used to see tiny Tattoos on the face.