Ms. Emerald Ink Offers an Inviting Space at Emerald Ink Parlor
Wanting to create a safe, comfortable space for artists and clients alike, permanent makeup and tattoo artist Michon Martinez, A.K.A. Ms. Emerald Ink, opened her own tattoo shop. At Emerald Ink Parlor, all are welcome.
Practicing permanent makeup for 11 years and tattooing for almost a year and a half, Martinez opened Emerald Ink Parlor in January 2024. After having a revelation that something needed to change in her life, she felt inspired to open her own business doing what she loved.
“I wanted to create a safe space for my artists and colleagues in the industry to come and create art. And I wanted to create a space to dress freely, speak freely, create an open space for them and their clients,” she said. “My vision was of a positive place where people felt comfortable to get tattooed, have a great, time, create good memories, and tell everyone else about their experience.”
As the owner of a unique tattoo shop, Martinez shared some feedback she’s received from people.
“My clients have told me they feel super comfortable here where they’re not afraid to touch or look at things like how it feels at a lot of shops,” she said.
Walking around the shop, it’s easy to see why it’s so well received. The space is bright and open, with vibrant pops of color, and lots of beautiful art and fun decorations. And, the staff there are very friendly and easy to talk to, with clients laughing along with conversations being had between everyone.
The shop is also LGBTQIA+ friendly and easily accessible to people with disabilities. Anyone would feel welcome and at home at Emerald Ink Parlor!
What Emerald Ink Parlor Has to Offer
From permanent makeup to tattooing, Ms. Emerald Ink and her team offer their clientele a wide range of services. The shop has performed over 4,500 procedures to date.
In addition to body art tattoos, you can get permanent makeup for your eyebrows, eyeliner, and lips, as well as freckles and other beauty marks. The shop also offers saline tattoo removal.
For permanent makeup, services cost between $400-$700 depending on the service. For body art, tattoos start at $100 and range over $1,000 depending on the size, with color costing extra. (Does location matter, and are there any places you don’t tattoo on people?)
While most of the artists at the shop specialize in permanent makeup, a couple offer that as well as body art. Martinez shared that another artist will be starting in March as the shop expands.
Booking a Session
Located at 5410 S. Cameron St. Suite 102, down the street from the Orleans Casino, Emerald Ink Parlor is typically open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 6 PM. While the shop occasionally accepts walk-ins, services are usually by appointment only.
To book an appointment with Ms. Emerald Ink, visit Vagaro. You can view the entire list of services offered here. You can also message Michon Martinez or Emerald Ink Parlor on Instagram.
Please note that the shop requests no children be brought with you to your appointment due to the limited space, so leave the kids at home during your service.
Parking is free, and a snack bar and TV are available.
Martinez’s Advice to People Looking for Permanent Makeup
Martinez advised those seeking permanent makeup to “look for healed results.”
“It’s definitely a red flag with an artist who has beautiful work but no healed work shown,” she said. “I don’t edit my client’s photos. I want future clients to see the reality of what may happen or what the end result looks like, so there are no edited photos.”
Moreover, she added, “You get what you pay for. It’s expensive but you don’t have to pay for makeup anymore.”
“I don’t want my clients to come back often,” Martinez explained. “In fact, I shouldn’t have to see clients for one to three years after their initial service. I want that longevity. If you’re coming back every six months that would say a lot about what I’m not doing right.”
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The Challenges of Opening Up Emerald Ink Parlor
Finding a location was one of Martinez’s biggest challenges in starting her own business.
“I had leased a space upstairs and fell in love with it. But it was gonna cost $30-40K in renovations,” she said. In addition, she struggled to find a contractor to look at the space to provide an estimate. “When I did, they ghosted me.”
As luck would have it, she ended up with the space she has now downstairs in the same building.
“I was on a call with a friend telling me the space upstairs was a money pit. Five minutes later, the building owner called me and said that the tattoo shop downstairs wasn’t renewing their lease, and asked if I wanted to look at it,” Martinez explained. “It was $60 more a month, but it had a private entry and private bathroom, so it was well worth it.”
Acquiring the space in October of 2023, Martinez spent the next few months renovating it. On January 29th, 2024, Emerald Ink Parlor opened its doors. Ms. Emerald Ink just celebrated the one-year anniversary of opening her shop.
The Shop’s Growth Over the Past Year
Since opening, Martinez shared that Emerald Ink Parlor has grown a lot.
“I have five girls working off and on, some full-time, some part-time, and some daily renters. I also have two apprentices I’m training right now,” she said. “Going from just me to more people in the shop is really nice. It feels more like home now.”
Martinez also shared that most of the artists she works with came from the previous shop she worked at before opening her own. There was one person she didn’t previously work with but knew from the permanent makeup world.
As she looks towards the future, Martinez shared that she wants to hire another full-time artist in the shop.
“In this economy and world, my biggest goal is to survive,” she said. “I want the shop to become more known, and for people to know we’re here.”
Emerald Ink Parlor – A Space for Community
Martinez reiterated her support for community, and also how she wants to continue community care in the future as the shop grows.
“We support the LGBTQIA+ community here. This is a safe space, and everyone is welcome,” she said. “We have a strict shop rule: No politics, just love.”
In addition, Martinez shared that she wants to personally train for areola tattooing to help survivors of breast cancer.
“I would love for the shop to be open a few days in October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month to provide pro-bono work to survivors, and offer them free areola tattoos,” she said.
Martinez’s Favorite Part About Her Work and Lessons She’s Learned
Ms. Emerald Ink shared that besides creating art, she loves helping people feel better about themselves.
“I enjoy getting my clients to like how they look. We’re kinda like a therapist, as we see them through hard times. And, we make memories with them through beautiful tattoos,” she explained. “People often come into the industry and just think about money; that was never my goal. It’s always been about ‘how can we create and make people feel better?’”
Through opening her own business, Martinez shared that she’s learned what to do, and what not to do, and how to be more organized.
“I’ve run a couple of businesses before doing permanent makeup, so that helped with keeping a schedule and inventory,” she said. “I was already tapped into those things when opening the shop, but learning to be more organized and the financial side of things too was a challenge to overcome.”
#GetinMotion with Ms. Emerald Ink and Emerald Ink Parlor
Martinez shared a few ways for the community to support her and her business. In addition to word-of-mouth recommendations, sharing the shop’s posts on social media is very helpful.
“We’d love to have you, even just to check the place out!” she said.
Follow Ms. Emerald Ink on her Instagram and Facebook, as well as Emerald Ink Parlor’s Instagram and Facebook.
Schedule an appointment for a permanent makeup session or your next tattoo via Vagaro or DM.
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, $25 exclusive love-themed flash tattoo designs can be booked through the end of February! These are limited availability and are perfect for lovers, besties, or self-love ink.
“Valentine’s Flash Tattoos are here at The Emerald Ink Parlor, and they’re as sweet as love itself!” – Ms. Emerald Ink IG.
Martinez said she also plans to do some nostalgic $25 flash tattoos for March such as Reptar, Rocco’s modern, and more!
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