Zensa Numbing Cream 5% Lidocaine – Maximum Strength Topical Anesthetic with Vitamin E for Pain Relief from Hemorrhoids – Vegan, Cruelty-Free, Water-Based, Physiologic pH for Sensitive Skin – 30g

I LOVE this product however, please note that it doesn’t last more than a couple hours. If you have a long tattoo session, this might not be the best product but it helps for outline work or smaller pieces. Apply as directed and a couple hours prior to your appointment but apply enough to to cover the area! Super important. I have sensitive skin too and have had no issues. Just got a second tattoo with this product, so I’m satisfied. It’s expensive but helps big time!

Best numbing for PMU and medical tattooing! I've been using Zensa for years and its always been such an effective and reliable product. I don't trust anything else when tattooing sensitive areas like lips.

Long review, leaving application tips , I'd wish I'd seen and stuff from HOURS of reading reviews /watching YY. I found the instructions to be lacking. TLDR It works! I felt the pressure of the needle but not the pain. If you've ever had a tooth removed using novacaine, I'd liken it to that. A few spots I did feel it, it felt greatly diminished in discomfort, more like being rubbed with medium grit sandpaper. I got a 3x 2 tattoo on my lower bicep above elbow, took 1 hr 10 minutes. The areas where the application was thinner began to wear off in the last 20ish mins. The sanitation, and tattoo ointment/ rubbing/wiping didn't affect the numbing where I'd applied it thickly, but it may have on the areas I didn't apply as thickly. The instructions could be more helpful to maximize potential potency. This is what I did and it worked really well. How I applied for tattoo( YMMV , everybody's nerves are mapped a little differently) - Clean, exfoliate, and gently shave the intended area 1-2 days before session. - Using gloves (cuz didn't want numb fingers) smooth a thick coating across the area. I'd suggest going a little outside of the intended area to make sure the nearby nerves also go night night. On the areas not in the direct path, I patted it on. Popcorn ceiling style. I used about 1/3 -2/3 of my tube. - I applied the cream about 1 hr 45 mins before my appt. It says 45 mins before for a tattoo on the instructions but I wanted to be for sure for sure. My last session was 13 yrs ago and I wanted to ease nerves and discomfort so I could sit well. - Cover area with a tegaderm bandage, get larger than you think you need. The more area you can cover with one bandage, the better. You can get them at CVS or Walmart, you want to increase contact with the skin but also limit oxygen to the area so your skin " breathes" in the cream. Also causes you to sweat and open the pores, getting it deeper. More on this in a moment. You may think, oh, I'll cling wrap myself, cheaper. TRUST, you won't get even enough coverage and unless you are going to medical tape over it, oxygen is still getting in. The more cream touches more of your skin the better. - After applying the bandage, I ran a medium temp blow dryer over the area until my arm felt like it was warming up. You may get a tingle sensation from the cream. Then I wrapped a warm towel around it until the towel cooled off. - Waited an hr. Took off bandage ( most of it will have absorbed into your skin) applied about a quarter sized amout to the area and didn't cover. Wore it to the shop and wiped it off before starting. When the artist started I had to look at my arm cuz I couldn't feel it. Post procedure pros - When I wiped it off my skin wasn't tacky, sticky, clammy, or anything unpleasant feeling. It was still soft -Great ingredients, I have quite sensitive skin ( can't do perfumes, have to get dye free everything or I'm moving to rashville, keratitis is a thing for me including near where I got inked) and it didn't irritate me AT all. - Skin in much better condition post tattoo. Used it for my 3rd tattoo, never used numbing cream before and my skin ( brown skin) was barely even red. It was a little angry in spots but no more than say, over exfoliating. - Post tattoo muscle soreness also disminished. - Color and saturation of ink/ application wasn't affected. I didn't tell my artist but it didn't seem like it hindered their progress. Nice smooth lines , and didn't seem to have to load needle endlessly.

I’m gonna give this 4 stars only bc it’s a hit or miss. I’ve purchased a lot over the course of my sessions and out of like 6 tubes one didn’t work at all, but other than that one bad tube that they refunded me for, the numbing cream works. 6 hour sessions, wrapped for an hour….

Waste of money. I have used this product a few times thinking that this time would be different, but NOPE, pain is the same. This cream is not a numbing cream at all, it has zero lidocaine, or the amount that is has it causes no numbing at all. I do not know why people are giving this a 5 star, it clearly does not work.

Mkay. So I never leave reviews, in fact, this might be my first one. (No, I do NOT work for this company or make anything from this lol) I am a baby, and when I say a baby, I mean a baby. I am 36, and I got 2 tattoos done yesterday, by 2 different artists and places. One was on my side breast/rib cage, other was on my foot. (inspo pics attached, as mine are similar, just red and still bandaged up, its that fresh lol. I originally bought this Zensa cream from their website.... stated it would be in 4-6 business days.... I'm on a month later, still not here. So I resorted to buying a tube of it on here (Amazon) for a saving grace, (which I used)..... Now let me tell you, when I tell you, I couldn't feel a thing, I mean it. Legit could dang near sleep through the appt. I mean, not one hint of anything. I looked like the total bad a$$, I wasn't lol. Application: I researched what to do from others, this is what I came up with for myself: I live about 1.45-2hrs away from these appointments. directions said apply 30-45m prior. I didn't have that choice, as I'm in a car driving.... My process: I scrubbed my skin with a sugar scrub. Then shaved. Then blotted it on. really don't need a ton. I semi rubbed in a tish, not much, semi just blotted the entire area and then some... I then saran wrapped myself tight. Nothing fancy. I was literally in a hurry and just praying that even the slightest anything would work..... 2hrs later in the car, I got to my appt 2hrs later, unwrapped my rib cage, BRIGHT RED. a little reaction from me scrubbing so hard, that I probably didn't need to do, but was still fine enough to tattoo and go forward thankfully... rib cage was done within 2hrs. Couldn't feel a thing, didn't wear off, nothing..... 2nd tattoo later, 1hour in between appts. I went to lunch, brought my bag of things with. Went to the bathroom, scrubbed my foot, redid the same process. shaved, wrapped it up.... went to my next appt 1 hr later on my foot..... took about another 2hrs, again, nothing. notta. PAINLESS. Legit Miracle in a tube. You wont regret buying this.... Feel free to call me a bad ass going forward, for all the pain I "didn't" receive. hahaha

I was pleased with it. I applied 2 times 1.5 hours before my appointment. Wrapped with saran wrap. My artist mentioned it looks numb. Definitely was. Lasted about an hour from when the product was wiped off. Tattoo was on my inner bicep. Only felt the areas I couldn’t reach as I had no help applying.

Love tattoos but not a fan of the "pain"? Of that's you then this is the cream to buy. Works like a charm. Just keep in mind that you need to apply it about 20-30mins before your appointment and wrap the area with plastic wrap. The cream will work for about an hour, maybe a bit more but then it will ware off and you will need to reapply if you're getting a bigger piece done and want the whole experience to be easy peasy 😉 Tried and true, this is the only Brand I use😊

The short review: it worked for 1.5 hours The long review: I took these steps - I took a long hot shower and shaved the area in the shower. I got out, dried off and immediately applied a generous, very thick coat over the area and wrapped it tightly with suran wrap 1hr before my tattoo was to begin… I drove to my appointment and once there while waiting for my artist to set up I put a heat pack on the area (over my shirt) for the last 10 minutes before we started… I unwrapped and let it air out for about 5 minutes, then the artist wiped it off and we began… The first line was 100% pain free, it felt like a vibrating ball point pen. From then on it progressively wore off, the first 45 minutes being mostly pain free, then it started to rapidly wear off… at about the 1hr mark it became painful, and by 1.5” hours the effect was almost completely gone… Some other notes: - This was my second session on this tattoo on my stomach/front rib cage, the first session I did not use any numbing agents, so this review is a direct comparison to the same areas of the same tattoo, with and without this numbing cream. - I experienced swelling when using the numbing cream that I didn’t in the first session without it, the artist noted having to work the ink in a little bit more that last time because of this. - after it wore off, I felt the pain of the current needle stokes along with a rapid onset of the pain from all the work done up to that point… if you’re not cognizant of this it can make it seem like the cream is now making the pain worse than “normal”, but it’s not. In conclusion: I’d definitely use it again for short and medium appointments, short appointments will be easy as pie and for medium appointments it will give you a good head start … long appointments I don’t think it will make much better in the end as the swelling it causes may end up making it longer and harder anyway… I’m 35 years old now and not trying to be a tough guy anymore so 2-3 hour appointments are manageable and the logical option for quality work anyways.

Best tattoo numbing cream out there!

This is hands-down the best numbing cream I’ve used. It kicked in quickly and lasted throughout my entire session. It didn't affect the skin texture or ink absorption at all. Highly recommend for anyone looking to stay comfortable during a long procedure.

Used for a tattoo on upper thigh. Followed directions perfectly. Lasted a couple hours max. I purchased my tube 6 weeks ago for $32 and now it's $44! This is crazy to go up this much. I would definitely find something else for this price