Came as a walk in, and mike was very helpful with what i wanted. I'll definitely be going back in…read morethe near future for work to be done. The environment was clean and I'm very happy with what i got.

I had a great time with Britt this weekend getting my second tattoo (first with her). She drew up a…read morebeautiful mandala for me and did a fantastic job with it. Her lines are so crisp and perfect, I really don't know how she has such a precise hand so early in her career. I met Mike while I was there and he seems like a standup guy. Two professional, personable tattooers who bring very different strengths to Artifact. I got an appointment in a reasonable amount of time and paid a fair price. Already recommending all my CT folks stop in for their ink needs!

I recently got a tattoo from this place. The entire process was great. My tattoo is awesome. Dales…read morewas my artist. He did a phenomenal job

Dale is awesome! My first tattoo I was nervous and he was gentle worked with me changed things and…read moretalked with us (my husband had experience) he was great and l love kf

I had an amazing experience with Michael at Cardinal Tattoo. Phenomenal communication from reaching…read moreout to making an appointment to designing the piece to completion. All questions were answered. The studio is gorgeous. Really spacious and comfortable. Michael's work is absolutely amazing-- he did a photorealistic hibiscus flower on my ribs. The piece exceeded my expectations! I highly recommend Michael and Cardinal.

I wish I knew about these guys years ago. The shop is clean, the artists are friendly, and the…read moreatmosphere is so much more welcoming than any tattoo place I've been to. Ed is great and extremely talented. They all are. Can't say enough great things about this place! Give them your money.

Stephanie's work is absolutely amazing! This was my first time in Rocky Hill and she exceeded my…read moreexpectations. I'm so happy with the results! Can't wait to book another.

The staff's approach when I tried to book an appointment didn't feel very welcoming, which was…read moredisappointing. I think I'll look for a different place that might offer a warmer experience.

This was my third tattoo with Kenny. Once again, his precision and detail are impeccable. Kenny's…read moretechnique and abilities are consistently outstanding and he continues to exceeded my expectations. He is the consummate professional in his field. Overall customer service was outstanding. The establishment was very clean and safety precautions were utilized. After care discussion was informative. Another great experience. Highly recommend. MB

Went in to get another tattoo and was treated like a stranger even though the owner knew me and my…read moreboyfriend. Felt like I was bothering him and did not feel welcome at all.

Was very pleased with my tattoo experience at Vanity Rites last night!…read more Katie was awesome! She really paid attention to the little details and made sure I was comfortable and knew what was going on (as it was on my back) The shop has a very relaxing, welcoming vibe and everyone was very personable One piece of advice, if Jo offers you some beet juice just drink it ;) Will absolutely go back again for more work!

Ted was fantastic, he did an amazing job on my finger tattoo. Highly recommend getting an…read moreappointment with him

I wanted to get a double helix done, but since this is my first time getting a piercing that's on…read morethe upper part of the ear, I was very nervous about finding a piercer. I've heard so many horror stories of people getting their cartilage pierced, so I was very particular in where I went. Safe to say, I am so so so glad I came to Stay True. When I come in, everyone is so welcoming. They were very kind and professional throughout the whole process. And there were so many piercing choices omg. I found one that perfectly fit my vision. My piercer was so incredibly knowledgeable of what he was doing that all of my anxiety went away. He also addressed my questions with a lot of care. I'm so incredibly happy my new piercings!! My new favorite place to talk about.

I really wanted to love this place based on its reputation, but unfortunately my experience has…read morebeen disappointing from start to finish. On April 10th, I spent $785.08 on three piercings: my second lobes and a conch. Before the appointment, I showed inspiration photos and explained my vision to the person at the front, including that my long-term goal was a double conch. However, there was clearly a breakdown in communication between the front desk and the piercer. It was not until after the conch had already been pierced that I was told double conches are normally planned and pierced together. Had that been explained beforehand, I would have made a different decision. I was also unhappy with the placement of my second lobe piercings. I was wearing larger diamond studs that day, so the spacing looked fine in the mirror. Once I got home and wore hoops, I realized the second holes were placed much farther away than I wanted. The photos also show an old, partially closed hole near that area, which makes me wonder whether the piercer may have thought I already had a second lobe and placed the new one more like a third. I cannot know that for certain, but because I explained everything and showed my photos to the front desk rather than directly to the piercer, it adds to my concern that the information was never properly communicated. For the amount I paid, I expected a much more thorough consultation, better communication, and more education about placement, jewelry, and aftercare. On June 8th, I returned because I had an MRI and needed my conch jewelry replaced with a retainer. I also told the front desk that I needed my lobe jewelry downsized. Once again, that information was not passed along. After the piercer finished changing the conch jewelry and began packing up, I had to remind him about the lobes. He sighed and said he had not been told. The appointment again felt rushed. I had to ask how the retainer worked, how to put my original jewelry back in, and whether it was threaded or threadless. I was not told what material the retainer was made from, how long it should stay in, whether it was appropriate to leave in a healing piercing, or what warning signs to watch for. Because no instructions were given, I assumed it was fine to leave it in. When I later went to clean the piercing, I realized the skin had grown over the O-ring and it had become embedded in the back of my ear. When I pushed the jewelry slightly, the area began bleeding heavily. My husband had to use a flashlight while I pushed the jewelry forward hard enough for the embedded O-ring to come back through the skin. We then removed the O-ring and took the retainer out completely. I have included photos showing the retainer immediately after it was placed, the skin covering the O-ring, the bleeding, the retainer after removal, and the condition of my ear after I had to force it out. I cannot say whether the retainer was meant to be left in long-term because that was never explained to me. That is exactly the problem. I should not have had to guess how to manage a healing cartilage piercing after paying a professional studio to change the jewelry. After spending nearly $900 between the original piercings, jewelry, downsizing, and the retainer, I expected professional guidance and confidence that my piercings were being handled correctly. Instead, the retainer became embedded, I had no choice but to remove the conch completely, and I now have to let the area heal before it can be repierced. I lost the piercing and the hundreds of dollars I spent on it. After everything that happened, I felt I had no choice but to write this review.