We Follow A Singaporean Getting Her First Tattoo

Welcome to the second instalment of Open Up: Ink On Skin, our series where we shed light on the tattoo culture in Singapore. We spoke with Singaporeans — from tattoo virgins to tattoo enthusiasts to tattoo artists — on everything you can ask about their body art, from their stories of getting their first tattoo to their thoughts on the stigma surrounding tattoos.

In this episode, we follow 24-year-old financial advisor Venearse as she gets her very first tattoo. Read on and find out what it's like getting your first tattoo in Singapore.

Venearse shares why she decided to get her first tattoo, a compass, on her ribs and the factors that led to making that decision. "It serves as a reminder of certain values and meanings that I uphold in life," she said.

Fun fact: Venearse’s mum didn’t believe that she’d really get a tattoo and was even a little resistant to the idea. This is a typical reaction among older generations in Singapore. A survey among 1,075 Singaporeans found that half of the participants are less likely to hire a job candidate with visible tattoos. Venearse even shared that she had an older client who explicitly said he won’t hire a financial adviser who “drinks, smokes, and has tattoos”. Despite that, she still decided to get a tattoo. Watch the video above as Venearse receives her first — but definitely not last — tattoo as a young woman living in Singapore. 

TheBeauLife Original's 'Open Up' video series is a safe, non-judgement space that explores if there is room for stereotypes in our contemporary society.

Curious to know more about tattoo culture in Singapore? Catch the first episode here.