The Tattoo Healing Cream I Put On My Face

I put a lot of things on my face. It’s part of my job, and because I’m blessed with skin that’s as resilient as J.Lo’s career, I happily slather on serums, oils, creams, clays, muds, and lotions without any fear of irritation. Sadly, the skin on my body is a different story. It’s Pisces-level sensitive and dry as a desert — which also makes it highly reactive to potentially-irritating things like tattoos. And yet, there are some things in life you just don’t say no to — including receiving a tattoo from artist Mira Mariah, otherwise known as Girl Knew York. If you don’t recognize her name, you’ve definitely seen her work; her signature lithe lines and femme shapes are instantly recognizable on the clients like Ariana Grande and Ilana Glazer.

I had been admiring Mira’s work for years, so when an opportunity came to receive my very own tattoo from her, I said yes in a heartbeat. The Girl Knew York loft space in Soho is inviting and cozy, with eclectic touches like a neon sign and an antique landline phone in the shape of a jade horse (“From eBay!” says Mira, when I inquire). Mira herself is inviting as well, giving off a warmth that puts you instantly at ease — which is probably the best quality a tattoo artist can have, as someone who is quite literally leaving their mark on your body. An hour later, I left with a deep appreciation for her artistry, a new favorite tattoo, and a product recommendation from Mira that I haven’t stopped using since: a creamy, soothing lotion called Avène Cicalfate+ Hydrating Skin Recovery Emulsion.

Read on to find out about the French tattoo recovery cream I can’t stop slathering from head to toe.

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Fast Facts:

• Price: $34
• Best for: Tattoo recovery, post-procedure skin, or dry skin
• Your rating: 4.8/5
• Brand: Avène
• Formula: Fragrance-free
• What we like: Heals tattoos, sinks in instantly, can be used anywhere else on face or body
• What we don't like: Could be more affordable

What Is Avène Cicalfate+ Hydrating Skin Recovery Emulsion?

The name of this product is certainly a mouthful, but at the end of the day, I’d describe it best as a healing balm with the consistency of a light, soothing lotion. It’s marketed as a “recovery emulsion,” and a treatment for post-tattoo care or post-procedure skin (think the red, raw state your skin is in after a laser treatment or microneedling). That might sound like a very specific and niche use case, but the great thing about this lotion that is that it’s actually great for all-around skin-soothing. Beyond using it for my tattoo healing process, I also reached for it when I had a random itchy patch on my leg and it cooled the area down instantly, then I used it as a hand and cuticle cream when my nails were looking particularly ragged. I even used it on my face when I went overboard with a sulfur spot treatment and woke up with a red patch on my forehead; it brought the redness down instantly.

The Science

The reason Avène’s product is a step up from other tattoo healing balms, which simply provide a shield between your healing tattoo and the elements, is all in the ingredients. Like all Avène products, it’s made with the brand’s thermal spring water, which is rich in healing minerals. It’s also made with C+ Restore, the brand’s proprietary postbiotic, protein-rich restorative ingredient meant to help speed up skin healing. Hyaluronic acid draws in moisture; niacinamide helps calm redness. All in all, it’s a deeply soothing product that helps restore your skin’s moisture barrier without feeling heavy, thick, or oily.

How To Use

After my inking my inner arm with a supine, curvy tulip — my favorite tattoo to date — Mira wrapped it with a medical bandage and instructed me to not remove it until bedtime, when I was supposed to wash it with antibacterial soap and water, then apply Avène’s Cicalfate+. “You should continuously apply the healing cream anytime your tattoo is totally dry over the next few days,” she says. She recommended that I continue using it until the tattoo completely healed.

The lotion itself is unscented and sinks in instantly, which I loved — instead of other healing balms that leave a greasy layer on your skin after you apply, this product sinks in after a few minutes, no matter how much you apply (I would pile on a thick layer, like I was icing a cake).

“I really like that it’s fragrant free and has a protein in it that promotes tattoo healing,” Mira says. “The average healing time for one of my tattoos is about two weeks and I think this will probably get it to about 10 days.” She also gave me the tip of using Avène’s Thermal Spring Water mist on the tattoo anytime it would feel itchy, then layer on the Cicalfate+ over for added hydration.

The Results

My tattoo definitely got itchy the first week after the tattoo, which has been my experience every time I get a tattoo. However, this was the largest tattoo I’ve ever gotten, and I was impressed with how quickly it healed compared to others. Anytime I experienced redness or itchiness, I’d spritz the area with Avène’s Thermal Spring Water, then apply a thick layer of Cicalfate+ Recovery Emulsion — it felt like the equivalent of icing a burn, and my skin was instantly soothed. In less than two weeks, it felt like my tattoo had completely healed — no scabbing, redness, or itchiness to be found.

Worth It?

At $34, this product isn’t a steal — in fact, I wish that it was slightly cheaper so that it could be more accessible to more people. But that’s only because I think it’s think it’s a skin care staple anyone can use, whether you get tattoos or facial procedures or not. At the end of the day, it’s a healing, do-it-all cream with a light consistency that sinks in instantly — so the use case is, well, never-ending (cuts, burns, dry cuticles, allergic reactions — the list goes on). As for its ability to heal tattoos? I’m thoroughly impressed — I used it a few times each day anytime my tattoo felt itchy or irritated, and it delivered and instant cooling affect. My new tulip tattoo and I are grateful for its part in our journey.