We Made This Tattoo Balm for Skin that Tells a Story
Rooted in Ritual: Why Our Tattoo Balm Was Made for Inked Skin
Tattoos are more than ink—they’re memories, milestones, tributes, and truths worn proudly. And once your artist puts the machine down, the care you give your skin becomes part of that story too.
Caring for tattooed skin, both new and healed, can shape how tattoos age. That’s why we created Meadowlark Made’s Tattoo Balm: a skin-supportive blend of tallow, herbs, beeswax, and a touch of essential oils designed to nourish and comfort inked skin the slow, intentional way.
Aftercare Matters
Tattooing creates a controlled trauma to the skin; especially in the early days, when it’s red, tender, and adjusting. But even healed tattoos can benefit from regular support. Moisture, elasticity, and tone all play a role in how ink looks over time.
Many conventional aftercare products use petroleum jelly or lab-made butters to seal the skin but not all tattoos respond well to synthetic occlusives. And what do fresh tattoos NOT need? Harsh preservatives. Petroleum. Artificial fragrances. Mystery “butters” with no ancestral grounding.
That’s where our Tattoo Balm comes in. It’s farm-formulated with simple, skin-loving ingredients that offer breathable support while your skin goes through its natural renewal process.
Our Approach: Herbal Care Rooted in the Prairie
At Meadowlark Made, we reach for ingredients that have stood the test of time—ingredients our great-grandmothers might have used, reimagined with modern wisdom.
Here’s what we use in our Tattoo Balm, and why each one matters:
Pork Tallow (Kunekune)
Pork tallow as the base – We render this ourselves from our pasture-raised Kunekune pigs. Tallow mimics the structure of our skin’s natural oils and is rich in vitamins A, D, E, and K—nutrients that nourish the skin barrier and promote elasticity.
Bioavailable and easily absorbed (our skin recognizes it!)
Naturally soothing for dry, tight, or flaking skin.
Calendula
Known for its gentle, skin-loving nature. Calendula helps maintain a comfortable skin environment during healing and supports a smooth appearance as tattoos settle.
Bright golden flower with a long folk history of skin affinity.
Comfrey Root & Leaf
Used for generations to support the skin’s natural renewal process. A favorite herb for encouraging strong, resilient skin after minor scrapes or irritation.
Often called “knitbone” in old herbal texts for its skin-soothing properties.
Yarrow
This prairie native has a long history of traditional use for skin care. In tattoo aftercare, it helps keep the area calm and balanced while the skin does its renewing.
Often paired with calendula in traditional skin salves.
What About Essential Oils?
We get asked sometimes: Is it safe to use essential oils on a healing tattoo?
The short answer? Yes—with care and intention.
At Meadowlark Made, we never use artificial fragrances. Instead, we scent our Tattoo Balm with a very low concentration of essential oils selected for their gentle aromatic and skin-supportive properties. Every batch is carefully measured to ensure skin stays the star, and never irritated or overwhelmed.
We’ve had dozens of customers (and our own team!) use this balm successfully on fresh tattoos. But we believe in transparency, so we always recommend listening to your body and your artist, and patch-testing if you’re unsure about essential oils during early recovery.
How to Use Meadowlark Made Tattoo Balm
Cleanse: Follow your artist’s aftercare instructions. Gently wash with mild soap and pat dry.
Apply: Using clean hands or a spatula, warm a small amount between fingers. A little goes a long way.
Massage: Lightly smooth over tattooed skin. Allow to absorb.
Repeat: Reapply 1–2 times daily as needed during the recovery phase or whenever skin feels dry.
Continue using as a moisturizing layer to enhance the clarity and vibrancy of healed designs.
From Our Farm to Your Skin
Every batch of this balm is handcrafted on our small Iowa farm—from rendering the tallow to infusing the herbs. We don’t outsource, over-scent, or compromise.
We make this balm the way we care for our own ink: with reverence, rhythm, and real ingredients.
What Customers Say
“A work of art. I will never heal a tattoo without it. It melts into the skin without a greasy mess, and my tattoo is healing faster than normal.”
“I love knowing what’s in this. So many balms have ingredients I can’t pronounce but this is simple, and my skin looks and feels amazing.”
Tattoos are art—but they’re also skin. And skin deserves care that honors its needs.
Meadowlark Made’s Tattoo Balm is more than just moisture. It’s a heritage-based, skin-smart salve built for those who treasure the stories their skin tells.
Try it for your next piece, or revisit a favorite design and give it the care it’s long deserved.
