I took a hot shower to open my pores, applied this for 2 hours and then was tattooed for 4 hours. I had some pretty major shading done and it’s right on my hip and down my thigh. I am absolutely 100% honest when I say that I did not feel the tattoo being done at all. The outline was painful at the last tattoo so I gave this a go for the shading and it was absurd how much I couldn’t feel. I applied it to most of the tattoo, left some of the easy areas with no cream as I wasn’t worried about the pain there. Well, no joke, I fell asleep while she was tattooing me and then she went to the unmediated part and I jumped because it woke me up. The numbness lasted about 5-6 hours. I will use it again for the 3rd session. This shit is incredible.