Jinx Proof Tattoo

Jinx Proof is my go-​to place for ink in the District. The parlor is clean and the work is phenomenal. I’ve gotten two of my nine tattoos here (one of which I just got today), and the one I got here is the most complimented out of my work — and the other seven came from another very reputable parlor!
It is expensive, but as the saying goes, «A good tattoo ain’t cheap, and a cheap tattoo ain’t good.» You are also factoring in that the parlor’s in Georgetown, and everyone has to pay their rent. That said, they will work with you on pricing, and you pay up front so there are no surprises. I was quoted on today’s tattoo, and when I sheepishly explained my budget was less than that, the artist worked to create a design that was in budget and yet matched the samples I brought in.
The work is also worth every penny. My most complimented tattoo is a peacock feather, inked by Dave. The detail on it is unmatched — beautiful shading and excellent line work. Seven years later, the colors are still vibrant. My new one, a hibiscus flower, is still healing; but on initial glance the work is the same. My artist today, Kevin, is skilled at shading and creating a 3D effect on the skin. I can’t wait to see what it looks like as it heals.
Both of my tattoos here cost over $ 200, so come in prepared to pay in the triple digits. They take credit card, and you can leave a tip on the credit card as well.
Definitely visit Jinx Proof if you are looking for good ink in the DC area.

So my first review was kind of quick and pretty soon after I had gotten the tattoo. My review still holds up. Tony is an excellent artist and the suggestions he provided me for the work are turning out excellent (it had to do with a shading technique to enhance the piece as it heals). I have gotten a ton of compliments on the piece as it was well designed and sits well on the arm and the elbow. I will most definitely be going back to Jinx Proof and Tony specifically for more new pieces.
If you are in the market for a new tattoo and want a steady handed great artist, than I would highly recommend Tony at Jinx Proof.

I’ve known of Jinx Proof for years and appreciated that they are one of the last remnants of punk/​alternative Georgetown. I had also mulled over getting a tattoo for years, so when I finally decided to go ahead with it, I didn’t consider anywhere besides Jinx Proof. I couldn’t be happier with the experience. First, it’s clear their priority is cleanliness, safety, and keeping a professional atmosphere. The front desk staff is also helpful and attitude-​free. They were able to help me design my tattoo and provided me with an accurate quote. My artist, Kevin McNutt, took time to put me at ease with the process. He’s a great artist and a kind person. He let me know exactly what to expect and as a result, I am thrilled with my first tattoo. As other reviewers have said, you do not want to cheap out on permanent body modifications, nor do you want to have the slightest shadow of a doubt about the cleanliness or safety protocol of your tattoo parlour. At Jinx Proof, you can put those concerns out of your mind.

Highly recommend. The artist Tad is great and helpful. The communication was very thorough and he definitely made what I desired! The store was clean and everything was in order. Super good experience!

After researching body piercing. I found Jinx on Unilocal and since I was coming from a meeting in DC I decided to call them. I spoke to Karl and she explained her experience and the process. I told her that I would be coming in that evening. I went in pretty late for the two piercings, and I must say the customer service I dealt with was fantastic. The young lady at the front desk was very pleasant, but «Karl» was amazing. She was very informative, knew exactly what she was doing and made the whole experience great. She made me feel very comfortable. I would recommend anyone who is doing any form of body piercing to her any day!

My experience with Jinx Proof has been great! I contacted the shop and scheduled a consultation with my artist of choice, Eric. I noticed that his portfolio included work similar to the tattoo I intended to have. I spoke to Eric and he was very helpful and honest.
During the tattoo session, Eric was calm and not overwhelming. He explained the procedure every step of the way. When I felt something was missing, Eric was happy to take care of my concerns immediately and afterwards.
The work I had done was a little bit more expensive than what I thought and more expensive than at other places, but you get what you pay for. This, and the fact that it took a month or more to schedule an appointment after my initial consultation is the reason for the –1 star.
I’d recommend this place every time.

I stopped in here on my first day in D.C. I was interested in a little one-​day vacation before my conference began, and Jinx Proof was nearby and had stellar reviews.
I will say this one time: YOU DO NOT WANT A DISCOUNT/​BARGAIN BASEMENT TATTOO. This place is pricey – a medium piece on my forearm was $ 350 plus tip – but a tattoo is more or less a surgical procedure. If you want quality work that doesn’t shred your skin or get infected (or worse, give you some kind of horrid disease) you need to go somewhere reputable, clean, and safe.
I arrived when the shop opened at noon on a Sunday. The piece I had in mind was simple (a minimalist snowflake outlined in black and filled in with shades of blue), and Jeff at the front desk helped me pick a simple outline online. We sized it, and then I waited a little while for Christian, my artist, to arrive. He came in the door and was ready to start 10 minutes later. He used vegan inks, which is important to me, and exercised a little creativity in coloring in the piece (the ombré was his idea). He let me lay down while he worked, which I’d never done before, and I won’t lie… after a red-​eye flight, that tattooing session was almost as good as a nap. He’s friendly but not too chatty, which I loved. Small talk stresses me out. I felt respected and listened to the whole time, which was a refreshing change from a lot of tattoo shops that might not feel so welcoming to a young woman.
I highly recommend this place and Christian’s work. Their flash is amazing too, and if I come back here, which I plan on doing, I would happily pick from any of the art framed and hung around the shop.
I wish six stars were possible.

Very clean, super-​professional, and non-​judgmental environment. Jinx Proof has talented artists who work very hard to make sure you get what you want and that what you want is going to work well. Can’t say enough positives about my experiences here.

I sat with Tad for my first professional tattoo tonight. I got a tattoo which will serve as a medical notice as well as a reminder of my diabetes and how important it is for me to take care of myself. This was a huge step for me.
Tad helped me perfect the design for the tattoo and helped me understand what the experience would be like. They worked with me on the price and helped me understand what the aftercare regimen would be like. I wasn’t surprised by anything and the whole experience was comfortable and positive.
I walked away from my visit having had a wonderful conversation, an amazing tattoo, and a very positive life experience.
Thanks Tad.

I can’t say enough about this shop — great atmosphere and fantastic (and extremely friendly) staff. You cannot go wrong with ANY of the artists there. I will never go to another place as long as I’m in DC.

as a youngster growing up in georgetown in the mid-​90s when jinx proof first opened their doors on m street, i told myself: when im old enough to get a tattoo, this is where im going.
unfortunately for me, my plans took a detour a few years later when a friend convinced me to get my first tattoo (and, subsequently, a few more) at another «highly rated» shop in dc. it took some growing up and several bad experiences for me to stop and realize that there must be something better out there. my previous tattoo experiences led me to become accustomed to an overwhelming lobby full of walk-​ins where counter staff and artists try to accommodate everyone. the process is rushed, thereby compromising (in my opinion) the quality of the artwork (in cases where you want your artwork cleaned up/​redrawn, or if you want the artist to draw something for you).
working with tim corun at jinx proof was an entirely different kind of experience. it was pretty eye-​opening for me, helping me see what the tattooing process *should* be like. from the moment i first walked in and spoke with the counter staff, to the scheduled consultations with tim, to the actual tattoo appointments, to discussing aftercare and walking out the door, the whole process was really pleasant and professional.
jinx proof has one day a week (saturday, i believe) that is strictly for walk-​ins, and the rest of the week i think they try to work mostly by appointment.
im really happy with my tattoo. thrilled, actually. in addition to the pleasant experience, this is the finest tattoo ive gotten thus far. its really delicate. i think this is one of tim corun’s great skills: tattooing very fine lines.
the bottom line is that my experience here has restored my faith in tattoo shops, and i wont be getting tattoos from anywhere other than jinx proof from now on.

I simply can’t say enough about Jinx Proof. I was fortunate to have Eric Doyle as my tattoo artist and to put it simply, I will definitely be back and would recommend him to anyone. This was my first tattoo and I had an idea of what I wanted but in all honesty, I wanted to leave it to the pro. I went through the Jinx website and was able to connect to Eric via the site. I was so impressed with his response time and we had a consultation set up in just a matter of days. I really enjoyed our consultation and from the first second of interaction, Eric was fantastic. I admitted up front that I didn’t know much about this process, it was my first tattoo and here were my thoughts. He never once made me feel dumb or stupid or uncomfortable. After talking about design and price, I paid my deposit and I opted to have a scheduled appointment and was able to get something booked about 6 weeks later.
Going forward 6 weeks… I had the most wonderful experience of getting my tattoo yesterday. Sure, I was nervous but again, Eric made me feel right at home. I always feel it’s best to leave the big decisions to the pros and honestly, if you are able to do that… do it. These guys know what’s going to look best. I was so impressed by the font and design of what he put together.
Once he took me back to do my tattoo, he explained every single step to me and it completely removed my nerves. After the first initial stroke, I realized it wasn’t bad at all and we ended up talking and having a great time during the process. He was so comforting and reassuring, we didn’t even take a break and before I knew it, he said we were done. I was even more reassured that he checked, rechecked and double checked before he said we were done. After I took a look at it, he was very thorough in telling me how to care for it and even gave me a bag of covers, tape and a cool little instruction card for care over the next few weeks. The part I loved most was he offered to have me come back in after a month or so for him to look at it and see if there was any touch-​up needed. That impressed me beyond belief because admittedly with this being my first tattoo, I wouldn’t really know, but the fact that he was so proud of his work really made a big difference for me.
I’ve already recommended Eric to several friends and I can’t wait to show off my new tattoo. Every part of this experience was absolutely incredible and I’m excited to go back!
P. S. As a bonus to this review, everyone I worked with (behind the desk) was a pleasure and so thorough in everything they did.

My wife and I went to Jinx Proof to get tattoos for our anniversary. I called the shop a week earlier to make an appointment but was told Saturdays were for walk-​ins only. No problem for us, we were told to show up early and we should be taken care of relatively quick. We showed up at noon and met with the staff at the front desk. They we really helpful with working on a design, gave us a pretty accurate estimate, and were great at coordinating walk-​in customers with artists and expected times. My wife and I both saw Tim Corun for our tattoos. He was a super friendly who kept you engaged throughout the process. The shop was really well kept and I felt the prices were fair, especially for the quality of work. Overall I am very happy with the experience and the tattoo. I would go back without hesitation.

Tim Corun is a very talented, friendly and professional tattoo artist. He did a great job on the tattoo which commemorated my late cousin. I couldn’t be happier with the outcome! I recommend Jinx Proof 100%!

Highly recommend. Downgraded a star only because it’s a bit pricey, but could just be a regional difference (Houstonian here). Very happy with the work though and bonus points for having a walk-​in only day on Saturdays.
Front desk girl was very helpful in scheduling, quoting, and more or less finalizing the concept before meeting with Susan. Coordinated artists so my Mom could get one done simultaneously, too! Ah, mother/​son bonding. Anyway, great work guys!

I got pierced here about a week ago… week agoooo… Lol sorry that song is stuck in my head. Wanted to give it a week to see how the start of the healing process took and to be a lil more objective, because I think emotions run high when you’re excited or upset. Overall it was a textbook piercing experience. Which is good, all things Considered. I came in as a walk in on a Tuesday afternoon. They weren’t all that busy buuuuut they kinda addressed me like they were. I wanted an industrial and had some questions about some pretty basic ink. And Idk, it wasn’t bad but it was Kindve snooty and stuck up. There were 2 ppl behind the counter doing something, i guess and i just felt really rushed and brushed off when I’m trying to give them my money. Call me crazy, but maybe look at me and inform me about your artists as opposed to telling me «go online, pick an artist, print something out and we’ll schedule a consult.» Man at this rate it would take months to get this ink and nobody has that Kindve time. My ADHD doesn’t have the patience nor the drugs, when all he had to do was look at my pic i had and quote me a damn price. Not hard.
Dude that did my piercing was fast, efficient, but had sh** customer service. Most ppl that are about to put holes in your body or even permanent ink might think to at LEAST tell you their name. He was more like, «ok sit here, let’s do this». I asked him who the fudge he was and I hate to say it but I don’t even remember. Tall slim white dude, last booth on the right. Zero personality which I’m sure is just peaches and puppies comforting to first timers. Smh… nevertheless my piercing was fast, placed well and is healing with very little pain.
Sooo just based on my end result which was quality I will give this place 4 stars because at the end of the day I don’t give a doodle as long as I got what I wanted. An industrial is 70 bux, 75 with the cleanser which I think is pricey, but it’s in Georgetown. Fussing is futile. Lol Anyhoo, tattoo spots are a crap shoot and everyone leaves feeling differently. I’d say they are capable which makes up for the personalities of Buckingham palace guards. See for yourself.

I got my first tattoo here and couldn’t have been happier with my experience. I didn’t make a reservation, but called ahead on a Friday night to see if the tattoo artist I wanted was booked throughout the night. Lucky for me, he wasn’t! I waited 20 minutes or so while he prepped his space and re-​drew and slightly modified the text I brought in.
I specifically requested Tim because he does beautiful script work and I had a small, elaborate font I wanted done on my ribs. I was SO nervous, as I have a low pain tolerance and I had heard the ribs can be quite painful, but Tim was SO calming and understanding. He talked me through the whole process and made sure I felt 1000% comfortable. When I didn’t exactly like the placement of the appliqué, he took it off and redid it to my preferred location. He also did a little test stroke so I could see what it felt like, and honestly, it did not hurt as bad as I expected it to. Tim was so friendly and casually and easily conversed with me through the entire tattoo.
I am utterly in love with my ink and receive so many compliments on the delicate line work. I will say that it was a little more than I expected to pay based on quotes I received at other DC parlors, but I knew the quality of the tattoo would be high and that Tim really knew what he was doing, so I didn’t mind coughing up more money for something so important to me and permanent. Plus, they’re located on M St. in Georgetown, where everything is overpriced.
Regardless, I literally could not have had a better experience or with more professional and friendly staff. I highly recommend them, especially if it’s your first tattoo and you are nervous!

I am very happy with my recent industrial peircing.
I’ve had a number of different peircings done at various places and I’ve also walked away from places that don’t meet the sanitary and proper practice of peircing. I do my research before I run out and get poked with needles. What I appreciated most was the consult I had with him before deciding to get the peircing done. I’ve been to some places where I feel like an assembly line; get in, stab, and go – no discussion. I had a helix peircing already, and I wear behind-​the-​ear hearing aids and wasn’t sure if it would work. At first he didn’t think it would work because of the hole I already had (thank you for the honesty!) He measured the area around the helix for alternative placement and showed me where it could be placed. I was happy with the placement and agreed to have it done. All the equipment was sterile and the procedure was done properly with a minimal amount of pain.
I saw someone on here complain about being asked to lay down for a peircing. You should want to lay down for this… you’re less likely to jerk your head away, it gives the peircer a better angle to work from and it puts you in a more relaxing position. Research.
It’s been a few days now and my peircing is healing well with no signs of infection or complication from the procedure. Does it still hurt? Yes, but if you do any research on industrial peircings (or any modifications you do to yourself) you’d know that already.

I should have written this review years ago and I’m sure I’ll have more amazing things to say in the future, BUT Jinx Proof is hands down the best tattoo shop I’ve ever been to and I have yet to see a single tattoo that was done there that isn’t phenomenal. I’ve been getting tattooed since age 14 (not at Jinx, mind you, they do not tattoo le underage) so needless to say I’m pretty covered at this point.
I have two tattoos that were done at Jinx and hands down they are the best tattoos on my entire body. I got tattooed about 3 years ago by Susan and HOLY HELL SHE IS AMAZING. Zero fallout, super clean linework, perfect shading, great quality machine, light handed, no scar tissue, it’s perfect! I don’t think I’ll ever have to get that tattoo touched up, it is still as awesome as when it first healed (which is also literally exactly as it looked the day it was done). Her appointments run months in advance, but I got lucky with a walk-​in so you could always try that.
With that said every artist at Jinx has an awesome portfolio and they don’t hire your every day Joe Shmo. I also went back about a year and a half ago and got a much bigger piece done by an artist who’s name I can’t remember (male artist, directly across from Susan’s station) which is also phenomenal. For one, let me just say, the artist is a frickin champ for sitting there and tattooing me for 6 hours straight. Over half of the tattoo is SOLID black. If you have tattoos you should know how rare it is to have so much solid color in one area and not have to have a single touch up after it heals. There is literally not a single spot on the tattoo that isn’t perfectly shaded or colored in. I get countless compliments on that one tattoo regardless of the rest of my arm being covered.
Anyways I’ll stop my blabbing, but just trust me — this place kicks the crap out of any DC shop I’ve ever encountered. It’s worth the price to have something gorgeous on your body for eternity, don’t settle for less.

I got my very first tattoo on Friday and was pleased with my experience.
Actually, I did very nearly got this tattoo when I was in college. I mustered all my courage, waltzed into a tattoo shop, and made an appointment. I even put down a deposit! But that didn’t stop me from chickening out. So, flash forward another five, six years, and here we are. I figured that the fact that I still desperately wanted this tattoo meant that I probably wouldn’t end up regretting it – at least not for a long, long time, haha.
And so, on Friday, I walked into Jinx Proof Tattoos in Georgetown with my blessedly patient friend Lara, and I took the plunge.
I’m sure that any of you already sporting some ink probably think it’s absolutely ridiculous that I made such a big deal out of getting a tiny little word on my wrist, but you have to remember that I’m a crazy person, and my mental capacity for imagining worst-​possible-​case scenarios is truly something to behold.
Soooo, though I was wracked with nerves from imagining that the pain would be akin to having my skin slowly sliced open, I managed to hide my neuroses long enough to talk to Christina, the girl at the front, about what I was looking for. I knew I wanted the word «Always» with the three stars from every page of the Harry Potter books worked in somehow.
I already had a font picked out, so my tattoo artist, Tim, simply drew up the word in that style with the stars bookending the «S» at the end, and when I saw it, I knew it was perfect. Simple, clean, subtle, whimsical, and, most importantly, meaningful.
Off I went to Tim’s station, where he cleaned my wrist, shaved my hair a smidge, and then applied the tattoo appliqué so we could see exactly where it was going to go. After I signed off on its placement, he had me lay down on the table, wrist up, and went to work.
Tim was awesome. He talked me through exactly what he was going to do at the beginning, giving me one test stroke to get acclimated to the feel of the needle. And, of course, since I had been imagining excruciating pain the entire time I was sitting out in the waiting room, it was like, nothing. Compared to what I had been fearing, the pain was so, so manageable. Obviously I’m not going to say that it didn’t hurt at all, but there were honestly only one or two spots where I actively reacted to the pain with an intake of breath or a facial wince.
I’d tried asking numerous friends with tattoos what it feels like, and I can now understand why it always seemed difficult for them to describe — because it IS difficult to describe! It feels somewhere between a burn (but not like, a super painful, run your finger under the water, it’s gonna blister up burn) and a scratch, I’d say.
Tim worked in small strokes so even when it did hurt, I always got a second to wind down from the pain, and it was honestly over in a flash. I mean, I know my tattoo is very small, but it seriously flew by. Before I knew it, he was cleaning it off, rubbing a little ointment on it, and indulging me by taking a photo on my phone of it before bandaging it up!
I’ve been taking my aftercare pretty seriously, since I’m paranoid that I’m still somehow going to mess it up and ruin it forever, but as of right now, it seems to be healing up really nicely and I couldn’t be happier.
I obviously had a very good experience at Jinx Proof, however, I do have to say I was pretty surprised when the price I was quoted for my little wrist word was over $ 130 — $ 150, even though they said their shop minimum is $ 60. Mine ended up being $ 130, so it just makes me wonder how small of a tattoo you’d have to get to fall into the $ 60 range, hahaha. I’m happy that I went somewhere clean, experienced, and professional for my first tattoo, but clearly tattoos in DC are outrageously expensive, so that’s just something to keep in mind. **Update: After receiving my second tattoo at Patriots Tattoo in Fairfax, I can confirm that Jinxproof is VERY expensive comparatively.