Crispy Aura Fine Line Tattoos — Attraction in West Chicago Township

Disclaimer: I worked with only one artist in the studio but I’m choosing to leave this review because the fact my experience was permitted is a reflection of the studio as a whole and its practices.

I got a tattoo from the shop several months ago. It was extremely simple and the artist themself said it was easy for them. This was a fine line piece and my artist specifically advertised themself as a fine line artist. I sent the artist my references and they only showed me the stencil at the appointment but since it is a fairly simple tattoo, I wasn’t overly concerned. The artist was pleasant and the shop was clean, I have no complaints regarding the initial experience of getting tattooed. However, the tattoo came out nothing like the reference. I wasn’t too angry at it because it still looked ok fresh and I’m honestly not insanely picky. However, my artist (not an apprentice) charged me nearly $300 for a tattoo that was not even 1 inch and ended up healing to look like any quick minute shop tattoo. I’ve received opinions from other tattoo artists and they’ve commented that the artist clearly had no understanding of the colors and techniques required for the reference. Also, the tattoo has scars in the middle which I’ve been told was because it was so heavy handed. It has become basically a scarred blob and has not lightened at all like the artist explained it would. I would be less upset about this if the artist took accountability but I had to repeatedly message them asking to get it fixed. I understand tattoos heal differently with everyone and wanted to give it a chance. It was only once I sent a long paragraph explaining how I just want a refund and that the work was improper that they responded. I only received a partial refund despite the tattoo being such poor quality that I was told I should be the one getting paid for having it on my body.

I think it is one thing if you genuinely accept an appointment believing you are capable of tattooing a design. It is another thing to ghost me and fail to take accountability for...

I’ll try to keep this short and sweet, but I have nothing but good things to say about Crispy Aura Studio (and plenty of it)—and after a year, I have finally seen all the artists, so I feel like I have a pretty good idea of the vibes 😉

Let’s start with the studio itself; I love that not just anyone can come into the building. It creates the feeling of a safe and secure place. Once you step inside, it feels home-y and equally lively and playful—and following Cate’s work for as long as I have, it felt very much like her aesthetic!

The artists are definitely what makes the studio as warm and welcoming as it is. Cate was not only able to build a team that radiates camaraderie, but they (as a team) have managed to create a family together—thus extending the energy to their clients.

Ash, Linh, Luna, Lexi, Jess, Kirstie, and Cate have all grown to develop their own distinct styles in their art, while somehow keeping it all cohesive with one another's. Getting a tattoo is such a vulnerable, and almost intimate, experience and each of the girls took the time to make sure I not only felt comfortable the entire appointment, but also to make sure that the tattoo and placement is perfect and exactly what I wanted. Getting my first tattoo here a year ago was not my first tattoo ever, but I almost wish it was. Not every tattoo shop functions the same/has the same vibes, but I have yet to come across one that comes remotely close to one that feels as comforting and welcoming as Crispy Aura.

Each of the artists’ work speaks for itself as you can see in the pictures of the few pieces I’ve gotten.

TLDR; 10/10 would recommend...

I saw Linh (@petitetats) earlier this week at CrispyAura for my second tattoo and wanted to share some thoughts:

(1) Design — I literally gave Linh such little to go off of with my tattoo booking 😅 but she ran with the designs and made something truly special. The differences in the leaf placement and petal design in the bulbs! These little details turned my extremely basic idea (“four colored tulips”) into something I’m truly SO excited to show off.

We picked the colors together on the day of and I really appreciated Linh’s knowledge on how the ink would show up on skin. I initially was hesitant on the initial green she picked and asked for other options— after she showed me the other options and talked through how they would look on skin, we went with her original rec and I couldn’t be happier.

(2) Consult — We spoke a lot about where the placement of this second tattoo should be on my arm. I really appreciated the care and insight Linh provided in the slanted placement of the tattoo. Even before that, Linh had designed a second, more-connected version of the tulips to provide additional options.

(3) Comfort — beyond tattoos and designs, it was so much fun just getting to chat with Linh. She was so great in conversation but also checked in to make sure I wasn’t getting too tired to talk. I think that level of care and attention for a client makes the experience even better.

Overall, this tattoo (3-4 inches?) was a really fun 2 hours. Linh is such a talented designer, artist, and overall makes the tattoo experience such a fun time. I cannot recommend her enough and can’t wait...