I've had all of my piercings (apart from my septum) done at Holier Than Thou. Most recent is my…read moreeyebrow, so in the selfie it's a bit bruised but it's healing great. Never had any problems, people are always super nice and I love the atmosphere in the shop, the prices are totally reasonable (my septum is my most expensive piercing because it was at a convention, none of my others were over £30), and whoever pierces me always makes sure to be respectful, letting me know what's happening the whole time and making sure I know how to do aftercare. I've had 3 tattoos done here: my semicolon on my wrist, the text on my ankle, and my stomach runes. I'm also hoping to go there for a thigh piece in the future; I fully trust the artists and their quality, and I know that anything I get there I'm going to be happy with. The minimum charge of £60 is alright for most tattoos, though I admit it was quite a lot for my little semicolon. BUT, since that was my first tattoo and I wanted it to be perfect, I didn't really mind. I freaking love this place tbh, and several of my friends do too, and my sister loves them for piercings. I've never had a bad experience or felt uncomfortable whatsoever, 10/10 would definitely recommend!

Last year, being a fresher in university and enjoying freedom at its best coupled with the will to…read moretry something new every other day, my best friend and I, decided that it was time to stop piercing the ears (which off course had been punctured way too many times!) and go for the navel! The idea was way too thrilling. We were on the hunt and while taking a walk on the Oldham Street, we stood in front of this piercing parlour-'Holier than thou'; the name and its graphics instantly attracted me as a customer and we had finally picked our place. It's very neat and spacious when one glances from the outside, in contrast to many other dingy places in the city which give the idea of it not being safe somehow, if you're new to the constant 'piercing' world. The insides are full with shelves with any type of tiny jewellery you are looking for and this will definitely catch your eye and make you look forward to the experience. The staff was very polite and assuring, almost like the assuring nurses in a clinic! There is a separate room for the piercing which looks too clean for anyone to imagine, and thus puts the customer's fears to a rest, especially at a piercing parlour! My friend and I sat through it sequentially and the guy doing it, very skilfully engages us in flowery conversation and the job is done even before you can feel it! This place is complete in itself with a large collection of jewellery and is very helpful in case you need to go back for any questions or changes. You're also given a paper with all sorts of instructions to follow for 100% safety- very professional must say! Since then, I have been suggesting and sometimes even dragging friends for piercings here and none have left without a smile or thrill swept across their face! So if you're looking for a bit of body art and are unsure about hygiene, staff and jewellery, look no further and step right in!

Tattoo #2 took two years of planning followed by a further two years of panicking over the right…read moretattoo parlour combined with a helluva lot of "should I/ shouldn't I" brain-stress (new word, add it to the dictionary). But 4 years on, I finally have the little pink flower I've been yearning for. And I have Manchester Ink to thank for it. My hairdresser has a lot of lovely ink, and when questioned, recommended this place to me. So off I went to investigate, and I liked what I saw, booked in, a bit of to-ing and fro-ing with the artist and voilà. There is a little reception area with a coffee machine and chilled drinks on sale, along with a computer in case you want to look up any images to discuss with the artist. The second room is where the business happens. It's super clean and sterile there. There are few places where the smell of bleach and disinfectant can be so pleasant and reassuring, but I reckon a tattoo parlour is one of them. They also have their own autoclave - the machine that sterilises all the equipment. From my experience, the staff all seemed very approachable and friendly. Yes, some of them are indeed covered head to toe in beautiful ink, but there was none of the stand-offish, superior behaviour that I was certainly concerned about when I went to get my first tattoo as a timid girl of 19. Because my tattoo was so small, and also quite simple, they said juste to arrive 10 minutes before the appointment to work with the artist. Initially I was a bit uncomfortable because I like to agree on a design before making the commitment (a £20 deposit at the time of booking). But actually it worked out pretty well: I mean there's no way I would have let anyone near me with a needle until I was totally satisfied anyway. I emailed some I ages over before I arrived, went through them with the artist, asked him to make a few changes, then a few more changes, and he seemed to be quite patient with me. The actual tattooing process was fine, and the guy listened to what I said about colouring etc as we went along. At the end I was given a sheet with my aftercare instructions on: handy as I have a brain like a sieve. I would definitely recommend this place. But do be careful if you're fickle or prone to changing your mind: ideally I would have liked to at least be able to sleep on it after choosing the final design to make sure it was definitely what I wanted. I don't think I would have changed anything, but it would have been more comforting!

I sent my sketches to them via email and I was contacted very quickly by a member of staff offering…read moreappointment slots and prices. I called to confirm my booking and put down a £20 deposit. A quick and hassle free way to book in for my tattoo. One of the tattoo artists had called in sick the day I was booked in so they were running a little behind schedule, but there were vending machines and a seating area to chill out in and browse some of their previous works prior to heading in. Plese note, their website also offers portfolios for most of the staff members so you know which artist to book with prior to going, depending on your style. The tattooing area was extremely clean and the staff prepare all of the equipment in front of you so you know it's safe. They have chairs and full beds so that you can be as comfortable as possible whilst getting inked. All staff were happy and friendly. Clearly they love what they do and take care to ensure that all customers go away satisfied. I will certainly be heading back again for my next tattoo!!

Without a doubt Manchester's premiere tattoo parlour. Though you know the staff love their mums and…read morethat the equipment is clean and sterile, Made In Manchester manages to retain that air and menace that you want from a tattoo parlour- not a place for little Beckhams, here be pirates arrrrr!! Though not the cheapest tats, the prices reflect the quality of the work and as your body art/mutilation is going to last at least until you can afford a years worth of laser surgery I'd imagine getting a good job is high on your list of priorities. Saying that, if you are the type of person who writes up priority lists then tattoos probably aren't for you.

I'm gonna keep this one short and sweet, people; don't go to Made In Manchester. In a previous…read morereview I wrote of Metalmorphosis, the piercing and tattoo heaven in Selfridges, I mentioned that I'd had a pretty cruddy experience when getting my second tattoo. That experience was here, Made In Manchester. From the word go, it doesn't look the best; it's a careworn shopfront on the edge of the Northern Quarter, and the interior is pretty bleak too. The closest comparison I can draw is with the waiting rooms in Northern train stations, but with peeling yellowing 'flash' posters on the walls. The 'stdio' space is a weird narrow side room that did not look clean (though I am not casting aspersions on the health and safety conditions here; I am sure that it is kept clean). The surroundings didn't put me at ease, and nor did the tattoo artist, who was gruff and had taken it upon himself to re-jig my sketched design. The tattoo itself didn't turn out great, for a simple black and white line drawing it has a few too many flaws for my liking. Which kind of sucks when it's permanently etched onto your skin. All in all, this is not the place to go if you want to feel confident, and if you want a friendly service. I cannot vouch for the quality of other tattoos, but in my personal opinion, my tattoo was a huge disappointment. Steer clear, go to Metalmorphosis instead.

Heres my tip: If your thinking about getting a tattoo but not sure what to get go to Wax Works. You…read morecan get a henna tattoo of it and try living with it for a week or two. To be honest I am not rebellious enough to get a tattoo so I would only get a henna to try and sock the 'rents but hey. The staff are great here and very very talented so if you want a bit fun have a go on one Saturday afternoon; No pain, no permanence and no regrets.

A fantastic Afflecks Palace resource for any emo kids who want a tattoo but are:-…read more A. Not as bad ass as they'd like to imagine. B. Not allowed by their mums. C. Quietly quite academic and likely to follow up their schooling with a career in law. Wax Works offers a huge range of Henna (coughs to disguise the word 'pussy') tattoos and also does ear piercing- you know, the socially acceptable type. If we were to call neighbouring tattoo parlour 'Holier Than Thou' black coffee in an expresso cup, then Wax Works would be warm milk in a mug. If I ever have kids and I find out they've been here I'll blow my top. What kind of pathetic teenage rebellion is that supposed to be?

I've been here twice (September and October) and each time I'm impressed by the skills of Alex…read more I will fly 10 hours on a direct flight, take a 2.5 hour train ride and then walk a half hour just to come here to see Alex. He did seven (7) small tattoos with no judgment and questions. I'm so thrilled with his artistry. I'm really glad that I have one of his designs in a prominent place so I can admire it every day. I want to add that Jess on Bridge street is a delight to correspond with: she made all my appointments in advance for me. So glad that I finally got to meet her! Thank you Jess and Alex for making my tattoo dreams come true!

Was a little apprehensive about this one but which didn't take as long as anticipated. Now very…read morehappy with this individual stylised dandelion tattoo!!