Pinku DIY Studio — Local services in Los Angeles

Loved this wholesome activity!

My friends took me and treated me for my bday, had an amazing time! Make a reservation, show up on time. They give you the explanation for everything and they’re super nice about it, very patient.

We went specifically to do cell phone covers. You tell them what type of phone you have. You pick your 2 gel colors then you move on to pick your charms. With the phones, you got 10 main charms and the smaller table of charms is unlimited. Plus the tiny fillers at your table are unlimited as well. I went with a cutesy food theme for mine.

Took us about 2 hours. Honestly deciding on the main charms was the longest part! Then they give you a quick piping tutorial for the gel and you’re on your own! They check on you here and there. Give tips or advice if you ask. But you just let your creative vibes flow. We pre-mapped our charms and took a pic so we remembered where we wanted everything. And just keep in mind, it takes about a week for it to completely dry before using it!

Pro-tip: when the gel dries, it shrinks. So I see holes/gaps on my phone case. Either over pipe so hopefully it doesn’t dry with gaps or (what I wish I did) ask them to take the gel piping bags home with you to fill in the gaps later.

Parking - they’re located inside a little strip plaza with a paid parking lot. We got lucky and there was parking lot construction so we got to park there for the day for free! If you know DTLA Jtown, you know that’s a rare commodity.

Side note -...

Visiting Pinku allowed me to cross decoden off my bucket list--after more than 15 years.

I made a reservation for phone cases and worried 2 hours wouldn't be enough time, but it was more than adequate. The selection of large charms is pretty good with fun surprises, though I hope they do expand it in the future. You also get unlimited smaller charms/beads and sequins, and 2 colors of decoden cream. The alphabet beads I used are part of the "unlimited" category. You get a discount of $2 when you bring your own case and another $5 if you share a story on Instagram and tag Pinku's account. If you're bringing your own case like I did then I would recommend bringing an additional case for your phone as you need to wait a few days for the decoden to dry completely, so your phone will be unprotected otherwise. Your item is placed into a box at checkout so you don't have to worry about it being knocked around.

The owner and staff are very sweet and helpful, there's great music playing, and there's also quite a few examples of projects that you can look at for inspiration.

Thankfully there's also a parking lot for the plaza and Pinku validates which makes the whole experience even more enjoyable. I'm so glad I remembered Pinku when I was planning my trip to Los Angeles so I could come here and finally live out my...

I have been ACHING for a decoden studio to open in LA, and Pinku DIY Studio has answered my prayers!! First off, the owner was so sweet and friendly and helped my friends and I through each step of the process with expert instructions! Second, they have the cutest charm selection and SO MANY OPTIONS. They have everything from Ghibli, Sanrio, and Nintendo charms, to fruits, gummies, hearts, candy, and the list goes on! They seriously have every aesthetic covered. Third, the studio was so clean and organized and parking was super convenient in the lot right out front. Also, they share an entrance with a new Japanese style doggy salon called Apricot Dog Grooming, and the 2 pups I saw go in for their appointment got the cutest haircuts and looked like literal dolls when they came out so def check them out if your pup is in need of a groom! All in all, this is my new kawaii Disneyland and I will be back again and again and I...