I made a decision to get my tongue pierced one day and went straight away after work to this shop.I walked in and was greeted in moments. Â Daniel provided great service and was very informative with what to expect and how to care for my piercing. Â I'm definitely returning for more piercings here when I decide what the heck I want a hole in.
Review Source:First off, when I spend my money in your shop, you better go out of your way to kiss my ass! Â RUDE customer service. The dirty guy behind the, "very few counters" that they have had extremely greasy hair! Â They really have a piss poor selection of body jewelry for a piercing shop. The one good thing I saw about this place? It was clean. Next time you have customers come in, acknowledge them and try treating them like people. The whole piercing/tattoo "I'm cooler than you attitude" doesn't fly! And take a fucking bath YO!
Review Source:First time at this shop. Good pricing. Remember you get what you pay for. Â i got a industrial bar. Good clean place. I liked that they used iodine and cleaned the area very well. I've had a good amount of piercings and I'm very happy with this place. The piercer who did the work selected a great spot on my ear and was quick. They are set up like a doctor clinic. Well lit with clean table. They do not let "company" back with you when you get pierced . This is good practice on their part most likely to prevent someone from passing out or being in the way. I would go back :)
Review Source:This has to be one the best piercing places I've been to. (I have a couple of piercings)
so on tuesday afternoon (11/20/12) I went in *no appt needed* and asked if it was possible to get my back dermals removed. The guy that was at the front desk, I forgot to ask for his name was really nice. He was helpful and told me that he would do it for 80 bucks! So I did. The procedure was a bit painful but he was so gentle about what he was doing. I loved the way he explained all that he was doing and kept me talking so it would be a bit less painful.
I loved this place! ill make sure to come back here if i ever want another piercing!
Daniel did my nose piercing, and did a fantastic job making the whole experience as comfortable and easy as could be. They have high quality jewelry and a helpful staff. They even wrote me a personal email thanking me for my business and offering me a discount on my next piercing.-If that's not great customer service then I don't know what is. Great job Body Exotic, you have a customer for life with this girl!
Review Source:came here about a week ago to get my rook pierced with my best friend.The place was very clean; i really liked that. The people that worked there were nice and informative except for the fact that when i called before hand and asked how much, they said 45 WITH jewelry but somehow it ended up being 55? and then my friends was 50? ....and we got the same piercing...(so confused)...anyways the piercer was very friendly and made me feel super comfortable.
At the end, after getting told all the instructions for taking care of it the lady at the front asked if i wanted to buy their piercing care solution it was only $5 so i bought it....its now been a week and i've been using their solution and BOY did it mess up my ear...my ear got swollen , red and it hurt sooooooo bad ...i have 8 piercings and NONE have ever ended up like this. i text my friend asking if her piercing was the same way and she said no and that she hadn't been using the solution..so me figuring out that it was the solution that was irritating it, i sprayed it with H2Ocean and no joke, an hour later it felt better, the redness was disappearing and so was the swelling...i'm throwing their solution away because its honestly crap.
This place is cool, but their after care isn't great at all.
I felt like I was in a doctors office, and that is a good thing because you want to be able to know that things are sterilized.  The lady at the front desk was very helpful in aiding  me making a choice between the gauge sizes and style.
The piercing was done rather quickly and I had a piercing on my navel that had closed he asked if I wanted it in the same place. I answered yes, come to find out that the previous piercing was crocked! That is why I had an issue trying to put the ring back in before. So he fixed it so it was straight :-). Cant wait to go back and get the lower navel done.
Best experience ever. For a first time or not this is a great place to go. Only issue is parking if it is a busy night.
I have gone to body exotic twice now. First for my septum about a year ago, and today for my nipples. I gotta say this place is kick arse! Daniel put me right at ease, and did a wonderful job! I really couldn't ask for any better.
When I had my septum done, it was quick and virtually painless. The day after I got it I had to "flip" it up to hide it. When I was ready to put the ball back in I just couldn't get it in. I went in frustrated and Daniel helped me out right away, totally understanding and nice about it. Reassuring me that I'd get the hang of it.
Today  was an equally awesome experience.  Ariel was very friendly and sweet. :) AMAZING customer service! And Daniel gave me 2 more awesome piercings.  Thanks guys!
I got my cartilage pierced here three years ago. The man who did it (I do not remember his name, but he was the only one there) did such an amazing job. He sterilized everything very carefully, and he made sure that the piercing was right where I wanted it to be before he pierced it, and he moved it around without complaining when I asked it to be a little bit higher.
The actual piercing process was quick and efficient and it didn't hurt nearly as much as I was expecting. The man made me feel extremely comfortable, and I was very happy with the whole process. He gave me careful instructions on keeping the piercing clean. Later, it became slightly infected, but I still kept cleaning the way he told me to, and the infection went away and my ear is still pierced.
I can't remember the exact price, but I want to say it was around $50, which I think is a great price for this kind of procedure.
I COME HERE FOR ALL MY PIERCINGS!!! the staff is clean and professional, always friendly! even when my kids messed up one of my piercings they had no problem helping me out with that. i hate finding parking but the shop it self is amazing and i love it. been going here for years and will continue for sure.
you can trust them and thats hard to find in this industry, i have never had a bad experiance there, i even take family and friends there!
I have been going here for all my piercing needs for years!
As a person who takes cleanliness and body modification seriously, Body Exotic is amazing.
Though the parking is challenging, this is a great place to go for anything regarding piercings. They are very professional and clean! In the actual area where the piercing is being conducted, it's like being in a doctor's office.
Ok, I knew I was dumb for initially piercing my navel at a mall (Body Jewlz at Valley Fair..NEVER again), but after coming here and getting it redone, I have concluded that I was REAALLY dumb for trusting my belly with some bimbo piercer dude I didn't even get along with lol.
I believe Daniel pierced me. He's pretty cool, kinda nerdy but in a cute way with this little action figures you can stare at while being pierced. He could tell I was nervous, he answered all my questions without making me feel dumb or annoying. He even told me he'd pierced penises before! Awesome! He REALLY took his time marking where he'd pierce to make sure it was absolutely perfect. And although I was leaning towards a more expensive titanium ring (afraid the others would infect me like last time, but really I blame the last piercer lol) he actually discouraged it since the sizes they had were apparently too big for me. I didn't even know belly rings had different sizes, so that's probably why my first piercing at the damn mall was rejected because it didn't even fit me.
Total came out to $65 but I purchased the Yelp $10 for $15 deal so it was $55 for me :) He gave me a sheet that had proper cleaning instructions and most importantly, my belly isn't sore right now. I'm not sure if it's because I had it pierced before, but the first time I pierced it I couldn't even walk comfortably because every little movement ached. Right now I can't even feel it there. Piercing was fast, clean, professional, and even though the location was kinda in the ghetto where I had Mexicanos hollering "china (cheena)" at me, I actually felt comfortable here. I don't pierce much, but if I ever have a change of heart I will come back!
THIS PLACE IS AN ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE! DO NOT GET PIERCED HERE!!!!
let me start by saying i do not typically write yelp reviews... in fact, i created this account solely to review body exotic.
the first thing i noticed when i walked in was that the jewelry selection sucked and the people working were not very attentive. after choosing my jewelry DANIEL (the guy who pierced me) called me into the piercing room i noticed that he already had gloves on. he and his employee/ coworker then proceeded to have a 5 minute argument about the color she was going to paint the walls. DANIEL walked in and out of the room while they bickered and then he continued to help me without changing his gloves. i described to him what i was looking to get done. i wanted my septum pierced but i wanted to jewelry to be really dainty and fairly flush to my nose (not all big and out there). DANIEL explained to me that my septum was really thick and that i had to use bigger jewelry. he showed me what itd look like and i think he could see that i was going to back out (since i wasnt going to receive the piercing i desired) when he proposed that he pierce further up on my septum where it was thinner so that he could use the smaller jewelry. i asked DANIEL 3 times if it would at all change the piercing or healing process and he insisted it wouldnt. DANIEL asked me to lay down and started to pierce me. it took about 3 pushes to get the needle most of the way in and then he struggled with the last bit so much that i thought something had gone wrong. i asked "is it in yet" and DANIEL proceeded to call me a "pain in the ass" and told me that i chose the hardest place for him to pierce (his idea). DANIEL then struggled to attach the ring to the needle so he could finish pulling it through and realized that the needle he originally used wasnt compatible with the jewelry i chose, he sent his co worker to fetch multiple tools in different sizes of which they either didnt carry, were dirty, or lost. DANIEL then resorted to shoving the next gauge up through the hole he just created. he huffed and puffed under his breath and then called me a pain in the ass again, only this time he blamed it on the jewelry i chose. i have been pierced upwards of 12 times and have never had an experience as terrible as this.
now this isnt where it ends. i called the shop two days later to ask for the owners email addy. i wanted to take this up with him before jumping straight to yelp. DANIEL answered the phone and insisted that the owner "doesnt respond to emails" and that hes been living in so cal for 2 years and left him in charge of the shop. it was clear to me that DANIEL was scared of what i might bring up to the owner and tried to get me to explain to him my problem. i refused and told him that he couldnt help me and that id like to contact the owner. he absolutely refused to help me with that so now here i am yelping away and prepared to take the next step... better business bureau... health dept....
overall body exotic and especially DANIEL was rude, unprofessional, unsanitary, unqualified, and unprepared.
AND SERIOUSLY ANYONE WHO EVEN CONSIDERS LEAVING THIS GUY IN CHARGE OF HIS SHOP PROBABLY HOLDS THE SAME VALUES AS THIS BRO. AND WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS OWNER MANAGES HIS COMPANY FROM A DISTANCE AND DOESNT RESPOND TO EMAILS!?!?!?!
I had my septum done here by some guy who looked Native American with long hair. Even though I've had my eyebrow, labret (twice), and ear piercings, I was a little worried due to the notorious cartilage pain of the septum. But I was really itching for a piercing that would be work-safe for my job in sales.
I was greeted by a girl behind the counter. She was fairly helpful. I asked many many questions because this was something I decided to do at the moment. I was still trying to decide whether or not a septum would look good on me. She answered all my questions about costs, jewelry, and whatnot. There was not a whole lot of selection, but I just wanted a simple horseshoe.
As I sat in the back room and watched him get his supplies ready, the piercer talked to me a little bit. Not too chatty, not too quiet. He took a look at my septum and told me, "You're going to need the little one" referring to the horseshoe jewelry diameter (I picked a 14 gauge). The process was quick: a sharp sting to my nose, a tear came out, jewelry goes in, and the piercer handed me a tissue. I told him I was not expecting the piercing to be just a sting and the painful stories. He told me that there is a spot where it's not so painful if you know what you're doing. He certainly did know what he was doing! I paid a total of about $60. I asked many questions about cleaning, as it seemed convoluted to clean out the nostrils. He was very professional and patient with me and did not try to sell me materials. I ended up buying either the ear care solution or the salt. I really cannot remember, as this was a few years ago.
I walked out to my car and took pictures of my new septum to send to my boyfriend. Then I realized that I needed to see my mom and I didn't want to put up with her drama about how I'm ruining my body (I'm past college age). I attempted to push up the jewelry into my nose, but the balls at the ends did not have enough clearance in between to clear my septum to flip up. I freaked and ran back inside the shop. The piercer was patient and did not make me feel like an idiot. He used pliers to pull it slightly apart and said that once I've gone down in swelling I should be able to push it up. I thanked him, embarrassed.
I've had my septum for several years now and if I hadn't had the piercer pull apart the ends a little bit more, I still would not be able to clear my septum. That said, I still had a great experience! I will be sure to be back for my future piercings.
I've come here twice, and I won't be coming back a third time. Â The first time was two years ago when I was contemplating getting an industrial piercing. Â I had gone to a few shops to ask around, but wanted to check out Body Exotic as well, just to get another opinion. Â I walked in and was greeted by Daniel. Â He asked what I wanted, and I inquired about an industrial.
"Oh yeah, we do those. Â It would cost $45, and I can do it right now!" he said.
No mention of paperwork, no asking for ID, nothing. Plus, $45 seemed frighteningly cheap for an industrial. Â I thanked him and said I didn't want to get it done today, but was just asking, and then quickly left.
The second time was earlier this spring. Â I was in a crunch for time, and needed to get some new jewelry for my at the time 10g holes (I've since stretched up to 8, with a goal size of 6). Â I didn't have enough time to run down to Pierced Out, and decided to stop in here to see if I could get something.
He didn't have any CBR's or eyelets or single flares. He only had 10g earrings that had the diamond circle thing on two sides, and the back side screwed off. Â It was either that or an acrylic taper :/
I decided to pick the lesser of the two evils, and went with the externally threaded earring (shudder). Â I asked Daniel about would it be a worry due to the fact that it's externally threaded.
"all that stuff about extern
ally vs. internally threaded is crap. Â I mean, seriously, if someone knows how to do it right, they can put in the jewelry and there won't be any tearing or damage. I don't have any internally threaded jewelry here, sorry."
Yep, he actually said that. Â Word for word. I kid you not.
I was shocked, but needed jewelry (my glass single flare plugs had gotten lost in the sink in the bathroom at uni earlier that day, I was taking them out to oil my lobes during the day), and I was afraid of my holes starting to downsize as I had stretched them to 10g a few weeks prior, and went ahead and got the externally threaded earrings. I forget how much it was, but it wasn't too expensive.
To make a long story short, I'm not going back here again. Â If I happen to be in the Bay Area and need jewelry, I'll either go to Pierced Out if I'm in SJ, or head to Industrial in Berkeley if I'm up and or near there.
I visited body exotic a few years back. I wanted to get my septum pierced for my 17th birthday. After dealing with multiple hassles because my parent has a different last name than I- therefore they gave me shit for an hour about having, " A real parent come sign the waver" I finally got my butt into that seat. The over sized, gross, sweaty, tight gym clothes wearing- piercer was so rude when I told him I wanted my septum pierced. He told me, " This piercing is hard and I've never done it perfect. So if that's a problem, don't get it." I got a little nervous because his energy was so irritable I felt maybe it was a bad idea. I asked him to, "wait!" and he told me," of you're gonna get it, get . If not , then don't... But figure it out.."
We finally came to the agreement for him to do it, and it came out STRAIGHT!
Would have been my favorite best done piercing I've received, besides the fact that the piercer/ co-owner was a total tool an did NOT make me feel comfortable WHAT SO EVER. So last month web I wAnted my industrial done I figured I would give them a second chance.... But when I walked in and the Bratty Betty working the counter gave me a curled lip and a little bit of attitude, I left immediately. I will never return to this place. I have many, many tattoos and piercings an this was by far the worst, most disrespectful, ignorantly run place I have stepped into and I will not recommend them to anyone.
This place is right by my house, I've been coming here for many years. Sometimes the jewelry selection is small, but they usually have good stuff. I've had different parts of my ears pierced and they did a great job! I had my navel pierced somewhere else where they did a terrible job, but several years later, the guy at Body Exotic re-pierced it and it was totally perfect!! Very professional and clean facility, sterile instruments, knowledgeable staff, and reasonable prices (quality piercings shouldn't be cheap)...
I highly recommend this place. :)
1st off: after reading the reviews I have to say I am a tad surprised & have to agree w Teresa- I honestly couldn't imagine Daniel saying the things that he's been accused of. I know a handful of people who go to this shop & have never had a problem (known of this shop 4-5 years). Ive been in a couple times & have always had a nice & professional experience. He's very professional, clean, & polite. It took me over an hour to finally decide where i wanted my piercings- which had him in the shop past 8 on a sunday night when they close @ 7. He never rushed me, haggled me, never made any inappropriate or unprofessional comments. I think he did a great job on my piercings & I love them :)
5 stars for cleanliness, customer service, the peircings, advice & aftercare instructions.
Before coming here, I was hoping to get a lower navel piercing but was told my lower belly button did not have enough of a lip. I was super sad but I had researched other types of piercings ahead of time and I was very set on getting my piercing before my birthday.
With the help of the lady in the front, I suggested a dermal instead, having the look of the jewel in the place I wanted, without fully piercing. It took a little while to get set up but everyone was really nice, friendly, and everything was sterile. The guy, (didn't catch his name I was so nervous), just told me to relax and it would come out great and with a little pain, it did come out outrageously cute! For $50, not bad I suppose and I'd love to get another piercing! Great ambiance, what you'd expect from a piercing parlor! I love all the cute details they have and the pierced dolls.
So this place gets a good 3.5 stars.
I got my nape pierced last night. Â For those of you who don't know what this is... it's essentially the back of my neck. Â Yeah... a little extreme. Â But I've been wanting it since i was 18, and this year I turn 26 on Friday. Â It's about damn time. Â
Anyways... the piercing is cool. Â Slightly painful, but it's barely been 24 hours latter since a metal bar was shoved through my skin.
I'm not quite sure of what I think of the piercing... perhaps I'm a little old for the body mods? Hell, I don't know.
Anyways Daniel was my piercer... he was very informative, and even listened to my sob story about how I recently regretted making an a** out of myself. Anyways... he was patient with respect to lining up my bar and listening to my feedback with respect to it's positioning.
I think it's straight?! Â
So... any words of advice I have for getting pierced start with; "don't go alone". Â I wish I had a friend along side of me when I had a gar driven through my neck. OMG, the horror. Â
Anyways the place would get 5 stars if the bathroom was cleaner. Â All the calcified stuff in the toilet made me second guess, getting my work done here. Â I had to remind myself of all the great things I had heard, and how obviously the health inspectors approved-before I could allow Daniel to touch me.
As far as my piercing goes... we'll see if I keep it in a full month.
PS: Parking sucks like none other. Â I know "suck" isn't a particularly political term, but there's really no other word for it. Â
Blows... Hurts... Yeah... Suck really get's the point across.
I've had my tongue, ears (x4), eyebrow and lips (x2) pierced so I know what it means to have a clean job done.
After going to another place called Pierced Out in San Jose this place (Body Exotic) made it all good. I wasn't overcharged whatsoever ($10 1st stretch $5 thereafter) and the place simply had a good aura. Super sanitary rooms, not over done. One particular thing was that they asked me to lay down to do the work because it would keep me still. That to me is a genuine sign that they want to do it right. Plus the combo of stainless steel needle, rubber gloves and sterilizing solution topped the cleanliness of the station off. They did it right.
Definitely didn't get the idea that they were looking for a haggle either. These were conscious folks.
The extra money sign is for the cartilage piercing prices they gave me (I think $40 per) but I don't know anything about that process and I'd assume it's more expensive everywhere because it's less common. Either way I trust these guys.
I came in because I wanted to get my septum double pierced. When I asked the man behind the counter (did not get a name) for the price and whether or not he could do it he was extremely rude and made a comment about how I "didn't want that" and that "every girl who walks in wants that piercing." I felt that it was very unprofessional and rude of him to say something like that, where I decide to pierce myself is ONLY up to me and if they have a problem with where girls decide to get pierced I think it's time for a new profession.
Well, I left after that and won't be coming back! Let all my friends know too not to come to these pompous a-holes for anything.
Pro's: Clean, professional, & friendly staff.
Con's: Parking.
I wanted to redo my review due to the great customer service I received at this shop. I've been coming here since 04' for all my piercings (with the exception of one, which was all bad): Tragus, nape, lip, and my tongue. The piercing itself was almost painless and a fast process. The price is fair, honestly I'd rather pay more for someone who knows what they're doing than going to a cheap place that just does it for extra business. The customer service is great, in my tongue piercing case, I had some issues with the balls. But it's an isolated incident, I've never had any issues with the previous piercings. Also, every time I went back they replaced the balls for free and offered to exchange my tongue bar when it was time to change it in two weeks.
Don't let the bad reviews discourage you, this place is legit and even though the workers look intimidating, they're really nice people. Rest assured that they take what they do seriously.
Overall, this is the only place I'll go to get pierced, I have a couple more I want to do and this is where I'll go. Don't forget to check in, you'll get $10 off and it'll help if you're trying to save some dollars.
I love this place. Â They are professional, they are serious about what they do and very clean. Â I have had 2 piercing myself done here and had friends get theirs done here too. Â We have never had any problems with their piercings and the staff was always friendly and answered any questions we had.
During my healing time I called a few times to ask questions and they answered them and gave me piece of mind.
I recently had a bad experience with my nose piercing coming out and going to a local shop and having them 're pierce' it and put in new jewelry that was way too big. Â I was unhappy with how that all went down so I dove 1 hour 1 way here because I trust them and they took a look, cleaned it up and fitted me with new jewelry and even re bent my new jewelry that was too big so I could use it as a spare in a pinch.
The piercings are a little expensive as is the jewelry but for me, the knowledge and helpfulness of the staff totally make that worth the extra money. Â If I ever get another piercing or have any problem with my existing ones, I will be call them an coming here!
*A very belated review.
Number of stars: Very clean and professional.
Experience: A few people had told me they got pierced here. So i came here to get my navel done (this was a few years ago now). I can't remember my piercers name, but I believe he was a guest piercer. He was great. Talked me through everything and was very professional.
A few weeks after I was pierced my navel became infected. I did follow the necessary aftercare instructions. I looked up alternatives to the soap and water method and found sea salt, which cleared the infection right up. About a year after I realized that they use externally threaded barbells and from what I've herd they're more painful and can damage your tissue. I wish I had researched just a tad bit better. I regret not going to Pierced Out for my navel. I believe it would have been a better and safer experience.
Cost: Can't recall.
I have been pierced here twice and have had a couple of friends pierced here as well. I recommend this place to anyone who wants to get a piercing. The staff is helpful, knowledgeable, and comfortable with what they're doing. They also do pretty much every type of piercing at reasonable prices.
The place is spotless and I've always been a walk in and never had a problem with having to wait.
The piercings were all quick and painless and everyone I know who has been pierced there has agreed with me.
I got pierced back in 2007 and then again a couple of months ago and I don't plan on ever going anywhere else for a piercing job.
I won't go anywhere else to get pierced. Period. Daniel is my piercer and he has done perfect piercings on me from ears to dermals to everything else in between. He really knows what he's doing and it shows because I've never once had a complication from any piercing, just perfectly placed piercings how I wanted them. (I'm superrrrrrrr specific and particular about detail.) At first the staff can seem intimidating, but once you start conversation and get to know them I promise they don't bite ;)
Review Source:Got my belly button pierced here when I was 16. My mom took me here because she got hers done here & my aunts as well. Everyone was really nice and made me feel really comfortable. It went really fast and the guy who did it was really nice, although I don't remember his name. He was making jokes and talking to me which was a great distraction from the gigantic needle. Everything seemed really clean here.
After a couple months my body rejected the piercing and we came back here and they took it out.
First off to Rachael L, I'm sorry you experienced that at Body Exotic... not knowing much about piercings. Â Maybe the piercer Daniel was having a bad day. Â
But I give this place 5 stars, and here's why. Â The quality work that is done here is actually really good. Â I've been a fan of body art for quite some time, and I found this place, specifically looking for a piercing-only studio. Â I tried to save a few dollars at other places, when in the end, I got messed up piercings. (not centered, incorrect size jewelry inserted, which led to complications on healing, etc.) Â I would rather come here to pay what I get for, because when I go somewhere else and try to save, I end up getting disappointed. And messed up looking piercings. Â Yes, it's the responsibility of the person getting pierced to handle the after-care and all, but it's also the responsibility of the piercer to KNOW how to do correct piercings, have the knowledge of whatever type of piercing you want, and make the jewelry attractive on your body, with correct placement. Â I learned the hard way that my tragus done somewhere else, was not centered. (to me, that does not look attractive, even though I can't see it..I know that's not cute!)
Also, this place was the first piercing studio where I learned that the piercer can do dermal anchors. Â (Not many places know how to do those.) Â I was interested to learn more about it, and learning from a piercing-only place, gives me the confidence that the staff knows what they're doing. Â They also have nice jewelry displays showcased, compared to other shops, where the jewelry is just placed on fabric, and showcased in any old way.
And people, don't get so defensive when the staff says things, k? Just laugh it off. =) They're really cool people.
Have a nice day!
This place is clean, quick, and in the worst area possible. Seems like everything around it is run down and a little dirty.
I got a few piercings here and I would come back if I wanted anything pierced. The staff is friendly, very knowledgeable, and the most important thing is... they make you feel comfortable while they're piercing you.
I got my nose and navel pierced here and had great experiences both times. This place is very, very clean and the piercers are pros. They wear gloves and masks and sanitize everything, which I love because I'm a registered nurse :). Jewelry is a bit pricey, but I can't really complain because they're high quality...I love their nose studs which cost about 19.99 and tried buying similar studs elsewhere, but the studs I found aren't the same as the ones at body exotic. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking to pierce.
Review Source:thanks to jaye c's ROTD, it got me thinking that my review for this place needs to be updated.
it's been a really long time since i've been here but i've been here a total of 3 times. one was to get my navel re-pierced. the second to make my friend get his nipple pierced. the last was to get replacement rings for my navel since i lost one. every time has been quick and easy. my friend even got a piece of cake when he came here since it was his birthday and it was the girl in front's birthday too. so to soothe his pain, he got treated with cake. i forget how much it cost but it wasn't too bad...i think? i don't even remember the guy who pierced me but he was pretty nice and told me that my last piercing was crooked. goof thing i took it out way back when. it's been years since i got re-pierced and it's still going strong. nothing wrong. that says a lot.
I guess they have their good days and bad days, and I must admit I can't find any body modification place who's as professional, clean, and straight forward as these folks here. I was being a tad unfair and based the entire experience off one person whose main job isn't even to pierce me but rather to welcome me to their store. Then I got to thinking: maybe it wasn't even her that was being rude, maybe I was the one who had the stick up mine. She is still here and I think she may be the owner. Unfortunately asking for her name slipped my mind.
After two+ years of not visiting this place, I came here last night to get a friend her piercing as a birthday present. I decided to get my tragus done too - finally after years of talking about it. Two things you need to know about this piercing: 1) it's going through thicker cartilage which means your pain threshold may or may not stand it, & 2) i heard a crunch as the needle passed through. It's mind over matter, breathing deeply helps!
$45 for a hole and a plain silver ring hanging off my tragus now, pricing wasn't as bad as I thought. The Madonna piercing cost more when I got it done here a while back ($72). My piercer was Daniel who's done work for five of my friends, and he's great, very gentle, professional, and has been in the body modification industry for over a decade, so rest assure he knows what he's doing.
Bonus points: the front desk lady and Daniel are gamers, we geeked out on the latest games while waiting to finish up paper work. It's an awesome ice breaker :)
Best place to get pierced at in San Jose, I would not recommend people else where.
I got my nose pierced here a while back and I was not impressed. Â The place seemed clean and the girl working behind the counter was nice enough but the man who did my piercing was rude to me and was creepy. Â It was my first piercing besides my ears and I was a little freaked out, so to have some weird not-so-nice guy push a needle through my nose kind of sucked. Â After this, my nose kept getting infected so I went to Staircase Tattoo and Piercing in Santa Cruz to get help and they told me I needed to do salt soaks, which the people at Body Exotic didn't tell me anything about. Â I ended up letting the piercing heal up after a year. Â I would not recommend this place to anyone who wants a pleasant and knowledgeable experience.
Review Source:This place always takes care of me. :) They've done two of my friend's navel piercings and a friend's eyebrow piercing.
The people are always friendly, helpful and patient.
I've lost two piercings and come in with a nearly healed hole, and they always help me out. I don't know what I'd do without this place. :)
Dont go here, they suck. Â The people who pierce suck. okay, who pierces something and pushes the needle through hella slow? Â the set up of the waiting room sucks. BLAH. Â dont go here!! They dont even give you sea salt to soak your new piercings in, they just say wipe it with the cleaning solution. Â and obviously, that doesnt work for all piercings.
Review Source:The place itself is very dark and creepy but their method of piercing is very clean and professional. Â They use sterile needles instead of the infectious guns that claire and other crappy piercing place uses. Â The guy who helped me was a bit quiet and soft spoken but seemed like a nice guy. Â The pricing is a bit steep, but I had a $5 off coupon printed out from online so that helped make it a bit cheaper, but the piercing (cartilage) I got still cost me around $45
Review Source:I went to Body Exotic with my boyfriend. He was getting his ear pierced, and me my navel. I have never pierced anything except my ears so I was definitely nervous. I had Daniel and he was very polite and calm and answered all my questions. The room was very clean and he did a thorough job cleaning the site before he pierced. Now I did not look while he pierced but I saw that the tools were sterile as well. Haha, I grabbed his arm a little in the middle of the piercing from the pain and he didn't say anything so it wasn't as embarrassing as it could have been. He did a wonderful job and was monitoring me after to make sure I was okay. I had a great experience! My boyfriend was very pleased as well.
(My piercing had to be removed because it was healing improperly... rejecting. It's impossible to know exactly why. I just thought I would state it.)
So I went with my daughter even though she is 18. Â Hey, I'm a mom what can I say. Â Don't know the girl's name working at the front but was cool and helpful. Â Daniel is a total sweatheart and took time to explain things to her. Â When she was all done, they took time to explan her after care and had her sit for a bit as she was a little dizzy. Â Shop is clean with a good selection. Â Parking wasn't the greatest but not bad. Â I would definitely recommend Daniel and Body Exotic without hesitation.
Review Source:In 2006, I got my navel re-pierced here on the spur of the moment. After dinner, I called and got an appointment for that night. The guy that did my piercing (Daniel, I think) was super nice and helped me relax. The tools and rooms seemed sanitary. He recommended a smaller curved barbell (gauge and length) than I'd had previously. Good selection of jewelry. My old piercing had been done crooked and he noted it before I had to say anything. It wasn't very painful at all and healed without any issues.
While I'm not interested in getting anything pierced, I'd go back here in a heartbeat if I was.
i got my nose pieced here in 2007.  i must say i was completely freaked out and nervous, but the staff was really friend & the piercer was really patient-allowing me to take my time to relax.  the entire piercing process was super fast and painless. i felt like they left me with good directions for  keeping the piercing clean. great service!
Review Source:Boo hiss. Â
The people here are rude, and the jewelry is expensive. Â I've come here in years past to get my tongue stud shoved back in and also to get replacement jewelry. Â
BTW, I wear a really short tongue stud, and I have been for YEARS. Â I've had no problem with it. Â Last time I came here to get a replacement stud, the salesperson REFUSED to let me buy my stud in my size, and insisted that I get a longer version as well as the size I normally wear. Â Seriously, he wouldn't sell it to me if I didn't buy both sizes. Â
Professionals who can accurately and (relatively) painlessly pierce a hole in your body are a dime a dozen in the bay. Â That's what their job is, that's why you're paying them a ton of money instead of doing it yourself. Â The fact that Body Exotic can (gasp!) do their job is nothing special. Â When there are other, nicer piercing studios to take your business to, why shouldn't you?
I got my nose pierced here and my belly button pierced and overall it's a really good place for piercings! The jewelry is a little pricey in my opinion but the excellent piercing job makes up for it. The same guy has pierced me both times and he's really good at what he does. They even put in a nose hoop for me and I couldn't get it out a few weeks later and I went in all stressed out and he took it out in like 2 Â seconds.
Review Source:i went here to get my very first piercing ever, my tongue. i put off getting it for almost a year because i was unsure of where to go to get it. i finally settled on this place because of its reviews and a couple suggestions from close friends.
i walked in expecting decor along the lines of fun and unique (i mean the outside is bright purple...), but i find a pretty bland room similar to my doctors office except darker. the girl at the counter was less than helpful and kind of only gave me one choice when it came to what jewelry i could use. she didn't show me any options and i had a ton of questions (it was my first time!) but she failed to answer any of them effectively. it was a very awkward experience. i kind of, sort of, felt like i was talking to myself.
aside from that though, the piercer was really good. he made sure i was comfortable and did it quick and easy. and it was super clean!! the only thing i realized afterwards that kind of irked me was that he didn't show me the placement before he did it... he just... did it. i was too nervous to notice at the time and i mean, the placement is good but what if it wasn't?
whatever. its healed up nicely since and is very straight! i love it ;]
all in all, if you want a good piercing and have patience (it'll come in handy when you deal with that awkward receptionist? is that what shes called?) this is the place to goooo.
oh, and its a little pricey.
I got my belly button pierced here with my friend (who also got her belly button pierced here) so let me break down the experience.
** Customer Service: F **
we called in asking if we could walk in and they would have time for a belly button piercing...they say yes. so we drive over and they say, "we meant ONE, both of you...no." Â ...it took less than 5 minutes when the piercing actually happened, so making us come back the next day was ridiculous. the attitude they gave us about our call in was completely uncalled for...not to mention the girl behind the counter was not friendly in the slightest.
** Price: C **
the prices were expensive, but everything is hypoallergenic and neither i (nor my 4 girlfriends that have gotten belly buttons pierced there) have gotten a piercing infection. so maybe paying a little bit more is okay since you don't get the gross aftermath...
** The Piercing Itself: A **
not painful. and my friend has NO pain threshold whatsoever. He did it quick, and considering how manual the belly pierce is, he was definitely precise. There was little to no blood at all and it was nice to have this done in a sterile looking environment--I didn't feel like gross like I have before in seedy tattoo parlors.
** Overall Experience...C **
This is why its 3 stars. the piercing itself was enough quality to make this place decent. Its top 3 qualities were: piercing efficiency/comfort, sterile & cleanliness, speed. You were in and out without a bunch of wasted time...
If you are looking for a crazy & cool parlor, this is definitely not the place for you. However, its for sure clean and that's what you are really paying for. If you call ahead, make sure you are specific with your questions...but HOORAY for a 0/5 infection ratio!
I am shocked and horrified by the insanely bad reviews this place has gotten because this is the only piercing shop I will go to!! I have had Daniel do 5 piercings for me on 2 separate trips and I am so happy with the results. He has always made me feel comfortable and I've never had any issues with healing. I've gone to other shops and gotten piercings that never healed, so I'm willing to pay a little bit more money to ensure that I have no problems in the long run. Their selection of jewelry has always been fine for me, but I guess I'm into the simple stuff. I've never seen this redheaded girl that everyone is complaining about, so maybe she really is a bitch but I can't vouch for that. Hope I never have to deal with her. Anyway, for what it's worth I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place and won't go anywhere else!!!
Review Source:I think this place is past is prime. Â I took my wife there to get her navel piercing and the people there just seemed so much into themselves that they forgot the #1 rule in business. They just tend to think that you should know everything about piercing so if you ask questions they look at you like an idiot. Â The piercer is very unfriendly, communicates like an orangutang, and sorta looks like one too. Â Anyway, his social skills are like the "Soup Nazi" from Seinfeld. Â I would avoid this place if I were you.
Review Source:My daughter wanted an industrial done so my sister looked up a couple places and I settled on this one purely due to the location.
Can't miss the bright lavender building so we found it just fine. Â You walk into this place and although it was clean I felt like I was in a Asian Brothel......Apparently someone has a hard-on for purple :-p
The skinny lil redhead is a bitch but since she wasn't worth getting upset at...I mean I'd be pissed if I had to work in there all day too.
I thought $60 was a bit pricey but we were there already so let it rip!
The procedure was quick and from what my daughter said fairly painless. Â
I can't say that I would take her there again due to Lil Miss Attitude but I dont have anything bad to say about the piercer.
my personal experience here was just unbelievable.
first of all the guy dissed on my buddy's shop
right at the beggining of our conversation.
dissing the piercers and the artists.
the reason i even went in there was because
my buddys shop didnt have what i needed at the time.
so anyways im in there looking for the jewlery
and the guy tells me one price for a lip ring
that is just downright a rip off.
so i told him to shove it
and i will wait for my buddy to get
his shipment in...
then he says oh.. well what do you pay there?
and he charged me like 5 bucks more.
i dont play that fucking rip off game.
i do not suggest this shop.
go to players ink instead.
Ok, maybe I was there on a really good day, but I liked the place. The guy who did my ears was nice - took care of me and was just mellow I guess. I suppose I appreciate that more than the people who are just up in my business. Not to mention the place was super duper clean. Parking is kind of hard especially if it's later in the day and area is busy.
Grant it there selection isn't the most varied but what counts is that they had what I wanted.
I've gotten two lobe piercings, one cartilage, and my navel done by Daniel, and purchased all of my navel done here. Â I will never, ever go anywhere else. Â I trust him implicitly. He also did my mom's and my friend's nipples.
I love getting pierced, but I have a tendency to nearly pass out afterwards, and Daniel has always been incredibly patient with me in making sure that I stay conscious and don't fall over.  I was freaked out when I did my navel, but he was really sweet and told me funny stories to relax me.  My earlobes are a mess of scar tissue from 4 bad experiences at Claire's - but now they are strait, perfect, and in the right damn place  He spent about 20 minutes planning out where he would put each hole, how to deal with the scar tissue, working around the holes that were already there and 1/2 healed... and did a fabulous job.
I'm a slow healer, and I get infected easily, but my ears and navel are perfectly healed and look great. Â He told me what to do, what not to do, how to take care of everything.....When I thought my navel wasn't healing, he stayed late a few extra minutes one night to check it. Â He's awesome.
I don't know what everyone else is talking about - all people have bad days and attitudes, personally, I like to see people being real... but I've sent countless friends and family members to Daniel and they've all been happy. Â My sister-in-law is getting her ears pierced for the first time next month by him!
As for over-priced jewelry - it's clean, sanitized... and I know what it is... which is more that I can say for the crap at Hot Topic!
i love the cleanliness of this place. it was recommended to me by a friend. worth the drive from union city. they were nice, sweet, patient, and understanding when i got my tongue pierced here. and they must have done a really good job or some shit cuz i haven't worn it in years, but surprisingly i can still get a ring in there.
Review Source:The first time i went to this place was about 2 years ago... i love daniel...
i think there are people here hating...cause i talked to him today about the reviews he's been getting and from the looks of it seems like theres this new place around his area and they've been saying really horrible things about body exotic so the other place will get their business...
well before all this DRAMA began, i got pierced at body exotic...and it was once of the best experiences ive had.
i went there 2 years ago to get my first piercing and got my nipples pierced. and trust me i did my research before i even stepped foot in that place..from asking people and seeing that it was voted best palce to get pierced in the bay area. Daniel pierced me and he was super nice about the whole thing. gave me enough time to collect myself and go through with it. he has a great rapport with his customers. extremely nice and helpful. he's very upfront, but you have to appreciate the honesty.
He doesn't allow anyone in the room cause they make it actually worse for the client getting pierced. i mean, people would say shit like "OH DAMN THAT THING IS HUGE" which causes the client to be more nervous.
overall he is a great piercer with great experience.
After that first and GREAT experience...i went TODAY to get my nose pierced...
again super nice and friendly. after i got my piercing i ended up talking to him for a good 30 minutes about piercings and about special discounts....
got my friend and i a discount. WOOT!
daniel has been there for so long and that shows love and dedication for his work. i would definitely recommend this place...
this is the ONLY piercing shop i would go too...
This place is terrible - the people that work here are jerks and have no customer service skills.
I went here and got my belly button pierced by Daniel and the experience was nothing special.
The second time I went in was about a year later - my hole had shrunk due to the jewelry falling out, so I wanted to see if they could get a ring back in. I waited by the jewelry case, and a girl (customer) came out from the back to tell her mom in the waiting area that she couldn't go through with getting her belly button pierced.
They left, then a few minutes later Daniel came out from the back and said "stupid little bitch wasted my time." I couldn't believe that he said that in front of me.
He then asked me what I needed and I explained to him my situation. I was uncomfortable and no longer wanted him to try to get the ring back in so I told him I would just buy jewelry and try at home myself. He got very angry that I didn't want him to do it, and wouldn't even look at my belly button to try to help me pick out the right size. I just bought one I thought would work, then right when I got outside I realized the balls he gave me for the ends were bigger than the ones I had asked for. I went right back inside to tell him and he said that was too bad because they can't return or exchange jewelry. It had been only a matter of seconds and I never opened the bag!
This business does not deserve the one star I am giving them. Every time I have come in to look/shop for jewelery or inquire about prices, the staff has been nothing but rude to me. They act as if my questions are dumb or invalid, because I do not have a million visible tattoos covering my body. They have treated a few of my friends the same way, as if coming in to simply waste their time. I honestly must say, I have never gotten a piercing at Body Exotic as a result of their notable demeanor.
Review Source:ill suggest anyone go here for their piercing needs!!! Â - seriously, they will pierce whatever you want them to with the right mindset, and daniel is the best! Â =P Â he pierced me and my friends when he first started out, and we still go to him close to a decade later... its a clean professional enviroment ...
its hard for a piercer to answer people's question - or a tattoo artist as well... many questions could be asked and answered via phone/internet... but ive heard my friend say its annoying to ask a tattoo artist [he is one] - too many questions about the tattoo... because it shows they havent really thought it out thoroughly enough to be dedicated enough for a body mod... i get where he is coming from, so i usually restrict myself to three important questions to ask in person - so we can move along quickly and get the sheer fun of ink and hole stuff done smoothly... i thought it was our right to question, since some body mods are a lifetime commitment, but then he said as an artist, he hated the idea of giving something to someone that they would regret for the rest of their lives... ah, hah - touche, my good friend...
common sense would tell anyone not to piss off any tattoo or piercer because for those few moments you commit yourself, you are giving them total and complete control... dont mess with that... respect it... ever catch that episode of miami ink where that boy's mom pissed off garver, so he gave him a pink cherry blossom on his shoulder just to get back at him? Â tattoos and piercings are totally different things aesthetically, but theyre both body mods you must put careful thought into obtaining.
...as for them not allowing other people in the booths with you, haha... i dont think you would want to see your friend's reaction/grimace when you feel that needle go through you... or i doubt you would want them talking mad smack until you chicken out of doing what you came in there to do...
as for those with questions, talk to others with piercings or tatts for info - then look it up online... the internet is a wonderous thing, so use it. Â =)
This place is really clean!
I've gotten my tongue pierced here and they were able to get it as straight and in the middle as possible because I have an especially difficult tongue to pierce.
I also had to come here to have my naval ring re-done because the place I originally got it done in Santa Cruz left it infected. Apparently they used the wrong size bar that was too long or something so it kept getting caught on my clothes. The experts at Body Exotic got me hooked up with the size and no infection after that! They even straightened it out for me!
This place is clean and professional! Â I've gotten all my deep tissue & cartilage piercings here and they were all done by Daniel. Â He's great. Â He's calm and pretty much gets you to relax. Â They have a wide selection of jewelry and they make sure to sanitize everything! Â I've gotten one of my piercings undone and went all the way to San Jose from San Francisco just so it can be replaced and put back in by them. Â Trust, cleanliness and a great comforting experience. Â That's what all piercings should be like!
Review Source:If you want something done right, you need to come here.... The owner has attitude, but he knows his shit... I've been going here since it was on Meridian across from Paramount Imports... They have a great selection of jewelry and an extremely clean environment. Â I've watched the guys here go from apprentices to full blown body piercers... I love this place and they have yet to make me say anything bad about them, I swear by them... Anyone who asks me where to go I send them directly to Body Exotic! Â Love em!
Review Source:I first went to Body Exotic when they were on Meridian by Paramount. My labret piercing had begun to wear down my gums. They fit me with a long bent 'fish'? Totally solved the problem.
A few years later I had my tongue done for the 3rd time and belly button pierced a 2nd time (in the same places). They also reopened my labret by just pushing the jewelry through again (that was an experience). Â
Out of all the places I've gone (that's a lot) this one is the most professional and cleanly. Â The owner is the best piercer I've had. The last time I was disappointed because it didn't even hurt. Isn't that the point? Â When I complained, he said he could make it hurt next time.
If you enjoying having needles shoved through parts of your body where needles normally shouldn't be and like to wear jewelry where jewelry wouldn't most commonly be worn like myself, this place is for you!!
Not only is Body Exotic the cleanest of all the body piercing placest i've been to in the bay area (and believe me i've been to quite a few) it has the widest selection of jewelry as well.
The staff is well educated (a little "know it all"ish" but with good reason i guess), the facilities are always *very* clean (think doctors office-like) and they allow you to make appointments if you're not one of those fly by the seat of your pants "Hey let's go get pierced because we're drunk and high" kind of people. They also specialize in piercings ONLY so you wont hear "Oh yeah, let me finish up with this tattoo and i'll pierce your nipples right after" so i guess that's always  a big plus. I've been pierced at Body Exotic 3 times and never had an infection from any of their piercings but have had problems with ALL of my other piercings... what does THAT tell you??? I give them 5 stars!!!
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