Came for a mid ear piercing by J Colby Smith. First of all what a cutie.
Now, I waited about 2 hours. That's crazy! I mean I had just come from brunch and had been wanting this piercing forever so I just sucked it up. I knew I had to come here because they use needle rather then gun and the location I wanted was super small.
It took me about two hours to find the earring I wanted, they are sooo expensive. Maybe it was the fact that I waited so long but I ended up choosing the tiniest diamond known to man for a whopping $250. Â No matter it looked super cute.
Then it was time for me to change my earring to a super cute inital earring from catbird that was the whole reason for this piercing. Well no one mentioned this earring screwed off. I had the hardest time pulling. I googled, I checked the website - nothing. Cut to the diamond stuck inside my ear and blood. Not too much blood, but enough to make me internally panic. I got the earring out and was nervous that the hole stretched too much but it was ok.
Now i can't get the earring back in because the tube is too thick. I now have a $250 diamond earring that is so small it isn't even worth getting a regular post put on. I wish I would have known. Â
BUT i do love my piercing!
Got my septum pierced here and had an overall great experience. The store is busy- which is a good sign. And i was given a 30 minute wait time and was received by Colby right on time. Colby is AWESOME. Really cool, personable guy with a sense of humor. I had 2 friends with me and without me even asking, he invited them both in with me for moral support. He talked me through what would happen. Explained the things i would possibly feel. And then got to piercing me, which was seamless, painless, and really quick. If you are going to get pierced at NY Adorned, I highly recommend Colby. I give 4 stars because the front desk chick was unnecessarily annoying and rude. Thought she was way too cool and actually wasn't. I'd understand if she was smoking hot or just like a pierced tattooed goddess. But she just looked like a sad quasi hipster thing. Cant be sure what her deal was.
Review Source:I had gone elsewhere about three weeks ago to get a septum piercing and was disappointed. The piercer did it pretty crooked to the point where it was painful and unattractive. I took it out and waited for it to heal and started searching for another piercer to do a better job. Saw the positive reviews on Yelp and went to NY Adorned today.
I must agree - the process was smooth, quick, and comforting. I didn't have the negative experience with the woman at the reception desk so either she got a clue, it's a different person, or she had a good day. I signed my paperwork and was taken to a clean room for a piercing by Cassi. Cassi is not only super cute but she was pleasant. My nose was a little difficult to pierce but she took her time to find my "sweet spot" and did the job right. Cassi's piercing even hurt less than the one I had weeks ago. At the end, she handed me aftercare instructions and her card so that I could call with any concerns or questions.
Yes, this piercing cost more than the one I had before -- $70 at NY Adorned ($30 for piercing, $40 for steel jewelry) and $40 at the first place I went. However, after the bad experience I had for the cheaper price I was willing to pay more for better care - which I feel that I received. I saw some other jewelry I'd like at a later date but it's like $300 (albeit for 10K gold). So we'll see about that. But overall I guess you pay for what you get.
Got my septum pierced by Colby - very happy with the experience. Quick, easy, gentle, painless. He answered all my questions and I was very happy with the result. I wanted to make sure I could hide it at work and no one even knows it's there. So I definitely recommend him.
The overall experience? The girl at the front desk is a space cadet. She initially had me fill out the paperwork and told me it'd be about 20 min. No problem. 20 minutes had passed and I realized people that arrived after me, were going in. So I asked her. She looked at me like she's never seen me before and was confused as to whether I even filled out paperwork. Seems like she forgot to process it. I was also sitting almost across from her the entire time. Not a huge deal but that's like 10-20 minutes of wasted time I could have spent drinking at Coyote Ugly. A bit lacking in the customer service department.
Coldy was cool although I didn't get pierced by him, the front desk girl is a total biitch ugght she is nasty like a yeast infection. She is showing me the earrings and I pointed to the ones I liked and she states" ohh that's $300 too expensive" and I just had to think really stupid hoe, I guess $300 is too much money for a Latina  but not enough for white trash, stupid hoe as if you know my budget or how much money I got , matta of fact I got $305 so I can spare $300 and be left off with $5 for a combo  at MCD duh , ugght anyways I left  and walked over to Venus  and got my conch pierced by Ashley  You would think people working at NYA would be less condescending, and  non stereotypical.
Review Source:NYA was recommended to me by pierced and tattooed friends - reading the raving reviews Colby has on Yelp did the rest.
This place is really amazing - nice, laid-back, friendly yet super clean and professional.
I got my nose pierced, went back to *browse* jewellery, ended up with a fresh jewel for my belly button (that had closed) - Colby is just the best - reassuring, calm, friendly, and poof, you're pierced and did not even feel a thing. Yeah, he's that good.
I'm hurting for a new tattoo. I have found the right place already!
Would definitely come back here again. I came in with a friend to make a tattoo appointment, and the people at the front desk were very friendly. They said I could even get my tattoo done later that day; I would have, but I had a busy schedule until the day I set my appointment for.
My artist was Ashley. I had a simple design for my tattoo in mind, but she made it even better and I fell in love! My tattoo only took about 15 minutes and I was comfortable the whole time. My friend also had her tattoo done here and we're recommending it to our friends! The only downside was that it was a bit on the pricier side, but I loved it nonetheless.
Colby was really great to work with. Â Changed out my belly button piercing for me and answered all my questions. Â I ended up with a 14k rose gold piece that he made himself (quite impressive). Â Although I came in there not wanting to spend as much money, I am really pleased with my new piercing and the friendly service received. Â I just wish I could say that I felt like the girl behind the counter was awesome, but she just sort of had a vibe that you were annoying her. I guess that's the tattoo/piercing culture for most people, but I still believe in good, friendly service when you're there to spend money. Â I'm from the south, what can i say? I would have given this place 5 stars but I just can't ignore girls that act a little bitchy just because they work at a tattoo shop.
Review Source:Fantasic place. With piercings and tattoos, you get what you pay for. Colby is an expert, and you can tell this is what he loves in life. My piercings were fast, he was super kind, and somehow NY Adorned managed to make the entire atmosphere really relaxing and calm despite getting my nipples pierced. The jewelry is expensive, but I'd gladly pay a little more to support the incredible staff here. Definitely going back.
Review Source:My tattoo appointment was at 1pm and I was sat waiting until 2.10pm, with absolutely no apology of any form. I was barely acknowledged, to be honest.
I paid $150 deposit on paypal.
My original idea was changed in quite a patronising way, and despite being told before that it'd cost me $450 in total for 3 hours (for a bigger design than I ended up with), I ended up having to pay $550 in total (for a 2 hour session), due to 'sales tax' and the $200 hourly rate ("I probably should have told you" - yeah, especially when I'm travelling from the UK and have saved money for all sorts of other things.. you know, like hotel.. food.. travel..)- when someone is travelling from the UK where things are different re: taxes etc, you can't tell them a total price, Â and then add on an extra 100 and loads of excuses when the time comes to actually hand the money over. Luckily, I had it in my wallet, but that was the last of my money. I was left with 2 days left in NYC with only $20 which was pretty stressful......
It actually only took 2 hours to do both my feet, so I feel like I was overcharged, but I just wanted to get out and chill. I had plans and seeing as I was kept waiting for over an hour, I had less time to fit everything in.
Inconsiderate. I'm happy with my tattoos though. If you're booking in from the UK make sure they give you the total with all taxes included..
I had to re-insert my jewelry today after an MRI scan, and also to re-pierce my nipple, which I'd had to let close up several months ago, because the piercing had migrated and begun to tear.
I've been coming to New York Adorned for several years for different issues--just for piercings--and have always been helped by skilled, experienced piercers. On a couple of occasions, I even had a quasi-emergency and the seen-it-all piercers were able to calm me down and stabilize the situation. (There are actually no piercing emergencies, fortunately.)
The main reason I've never had a tattoo done here is that all my tattoos were done as outlaw tats, well before tattooing was legalized in New York State. (That's right, kiddies: there was a time--probably before you were born--when it was illegal to get a tattoo done in New York State. That is, if you were caught.) All my tattoos are old enough to vote, and probably to drink.
NYA is an excellent place, and I'm grateful it's so close to my house.
I've had two great experiences with NYA's piercing staff. Â
First was with Evan, who re-pierced my ears after I let my holes close up. Very personable, professional, and dare I say it, sexy. Â Piercings healed very nicely and the jewelry they have is top-notch.
Second was with Colby, who took my body piercings out before an MRI. Â (People, do NOT leave your rings in, they heat up and can BURN you. Â The first time I went for an MRI I wasn't prepared, and, well, let's just say it wasn't fun.)
Colby was so sweet and comforting, way better than my doctor with his bedside manner. Â I felt completely taken care of, in an incredibly compassionate manner.
I have to give these guys five stars. Â Best piercing shop in NYC.
I've been here on two separate occasions for piercings. Colby did two piercings in my ear cartilage (when they heal, I'll join them with a hoop to make an orbital) and Autumn did my tragus a couple of weeks back. Both are incredibly skilled (much less pain than anticipated), very nice, communicative, and chill. I wasn't made to feel like a total square by anyone. Which, if you know me in real life, I kinda am, so, thanks for indulging me, guys.
When I got my tragus done, I came by when it was slow (seriously like no wait!!) and the people working there were joking around and having a really good time with one another. The jewelry prices may be a little bit steep but I'll pay for quality and to keep a really awesome establishment in my neighborhood. I'm looking forward to going to town on my other ear at NY Adorned once these ones are healed!
*5 Things I Love About Adorned*
1) Pimped out interior. Vibrant walls with delicately drawn images in gold ink and insanely cozy sofas.
2) Girls at the register are knowledgeable, patient, and friendly.
3) Most beautiful selection of delicate jewelry. Easily customizable pieces.
4) Cleaner than a hospital.
5) The piercers. Evan is a demigod. He's extremely hygienic, gentle, and respectful. Getting pierced by him was stress-free and nearly painless. I've never been pierced by Colby but he's switched out some of my jewelry and he's A+ as well.
I love this place and when I figure out what I should pierce I will go back here again. It was $85.00 to get the piercing that I got and well worth it. I don't feel comfortable telling what I did but if you need to know shoot me a message. The person who pierced me was very knowledgeable(Evan McKnight). He made me feel comfortable and that is very good with the type of piercing that I received. I admit I did get a little dizzy after and he gave me water immediately and candy because my sugar dropped.
:::BATHROOM ALERT:::
Very clean for a tat/piercing place. Made me feel like I was in good hands.
Overall the experience here was an exceptional one. I like the forms that I had to fill out it made it feel more professional. I wish I would have done my other piercings here. I highly recommend them and with someone who now has 17 piercings that means a lot. Plus it did help that the person (EVAN) was cute and easy on the eyes.
THE NUMBER ONE THING I LOVE IS HE GAVE ME A BUSINESS CARD TO E-MAIL HIM WITH CONCERNS.
I decided to get a VCH piercing in late August 2012 in celebration of my birthday. Â In anticipation, I started researching several places that do this piercing in NYC. Â When NY Adorned came up I decided to go and scope the place out. Â I went in one evening to check the place out.
I spoke with Colby and asked about the process, sterilization, etc. Â Colby sat and explained the whole process to me (which by the way was the exact proper process that was outlined on a piercing website). Â I was not ready that day to do it but said I would be back later in the week to get it done. Â He said the piercer who would be there the day I intended to return would be Evan. Â I was a little sad but I said okay.
I came back the day I said I would and was happily surprised to see Colby was there! Â He is very calm and zen-like. He did the piercing well and it looks "super cute" like he said it would. Â People cite the prices as being high but I don't mind when it comes to my body because you get what you pay for.
Note: Â Please remember to tip your piercer. Â You trusted your body to them. When they do right tipping is proper to show your appreciation of their treatment of your body. Â
Extra Note: Â I included the piercing type in this review because I know when I was looking for places that performed this service I was only able to find them because people indicated the piercing type in their review.
They have great jewelry selections here. The level of care taken (I think I saw Colby change his gloves at least 5 times--every time he touched something else he changed them!) My cartilage piercings (I got 3 piercings in one day) are healing up with no pain and no infection so far. I have a couple more to wait until I can change the jewelry out!
Review Source:Went to Colby 6 months ago for a labret piercing. Â He was very gentle and informative. Â Did not hurt at all and answered all of my concerned questions. Â Went back to him a month after to get my nose pierced. Â Now I am going to go back to switch to a shorter labret bar. Â Highly recommended! Â Took a star away due to some over priced jewelry that they had. Â You definitely can find cheaper ones online.
Review Source:Call me a nerd, but before I make a pretty pivotal choice like getting pierced, I do tons of research. So maybe, dag, nine years or so ago, when I'd decided to treat myself (for a healthy weight loss) with a navel piercing, I was NOT going to go to just any crusty ol' spot to get it done. Everything I read online praised Adorned for its cleanliness, professionalism, gorgeous jewelry and skilled piercers. I was sold. When my rookie ass showed up with nothing more than my ear lobes pierced, I was treated just as warmly as if I'd strolled in with ink and piercings galore. My piercer (sadly, I don't recall his name, but it was Adorned BC= Before Colby  ;-) ) was totally patient with me... When I missed the moment when he opened up the packet with the sterile tools, he opened and used another one just to assuage any worries. Awesome. Nearly ten years (and a "few", ahem, pounds) later, my navel piercing is still the bees knees. Adorned is the only place I go and recommend for piercing in NYC.
Fast forward to 2011- I'm lucky enough to get my nostril piercing done by the fabulous J. Colby Smith. Everything you've read is true, guys- he was very gentle, talked me through the piercing with humor and patience, and made sure I understood and agreed with everything before he pierced me. Another perfectly healed piercing that I LOVE.
I'll trek to Adorned even for a jewelry change- thank you, Autumn Swisher for tapering in my slightly larger-gauge circular barbells (lobes). Yes, "Dragon Tattoo" Autumn Swisher- only the best staff and guest piercers!
Are they pricier than other nearby spots? Maybe... But I'll gladly pay more for ethical, professional piercing and high quality jewelry. I love Adorned, period.
Based on the good Yelp reviews, I got a small subtle tragus piercing here.
It was well done, indeed. Â Major props (to Evan, in my case). Â Professional, painless, and it looks like I've had it forever, Â
It was pricey - $30 piercing + $80 *tiny* gold stud. Â The level of care in doing the piercing is well worth the money, but the jewelry can stand to be a little closer to market price. Â Â
I would wholeheartedly recommend this place for piercings.
Came here for a consultation on my ominous nose ring bump.
Colby is the greatest and definitely the most knowledgeable here. His fingers are pure magic and definitely know their way around in the most painless manner. He's very laid back and receptive to your needs/wants.
I could also tell that this place is very clean and hygenic.
I have to say , I was definitely impressed by their selection of nose rings. They even had traditional Indian nose rings and only high quality metals. Prices are standard and reasonable for the quality of metals and service.
If you plan on walking in , you will have to arrive a half hour before they close .
This place has got me wrapped around their finger. I will definitely be back for some more piercings and possibly for a tattoo in the very far future.
Definitely feel free to visit the coffee shop across the street. They are not too shabby.
I left my statistics class early one winter's eve and decided to get my nose pierced on a whim. I had wanted a nose piercing ever since I was a little girl and finally decided there was nothing holding me back from getting one. And so I did.
Colby did it and was every bit as nice and awesome as other reviewers have said. He spoke to me the entire time and (almost) made me forget the long metal bar protruding from my nostril as he went to fetch my diamond nose stud from the supplies table.
I've had this piercing for over two years now with no complications. Once, a few months ago, my nose skrew fell out while I was sleeping and I woke up to it laying next to me on my pillow (wild dreams, much?). I went back and Colby put it back in my nose after telling me that I somehow drilled a second hole in my nostril by attempting to do so myself, haha.
If you want to get a piercing, go here! They're kinda pricey, but it's worth it. Colby is a dream and I can't recommend him highly enough.
I made an account just to write this review lmao. Anyway, I had been wanting to get my nipples pierced for a couple of months now but didn't want to go to just anybody. After a lot of research, I stumbled upon New York adorned on yelp & read all the rave reviews on Colby. I checked out his work, read up on him lol did all my homework for the sake of my nipples & I decided Colby was it. A little over 2 weeks ago, I drove down to the shop to get them done. Colby was very calming & professional. I was in & out in about 10 mins with both nipples done. Worth the wait of finding Colby & worth every penny lol.
Review Source:I went here recently for a nose piercing and had a pretty positive experience. I read several Yelp reviews for this place before deciding to go, so I had a good idea of what to expect. Thankfully the infamous "bitchy front desk chick" wasn't there (or at least she wasn't working the front desk when I was there), rather Evan was. He was very nice, helpful in helping me pick out the jewelry (which is just as expensive as the reviews said but it seems to be good quality), courteous, and good about communicating w/customers when the wait time got a little long and sincerely apologizing for the inconvenience.
Colby did the piercing and was nice as well. He did a great job and I love my new piercing!
The only reason I didn't give the place 5 stars is because I was somehow skipped over in the service queue. I noticed that at least two people that came after me were served before me. They need to be more organized about that process but otherwise, everything was all good.
EVAN IS FREAKING AMAZING!
Two nights ago I went in to get a VCH piercing. I was a little skeptical/nervous because I read so much about how awesome Colby was and I knew he wasn't going to be in that night. NYA is well decorated and had a cozy feel to it, not like the shops you find in the west village.
My first impression of Evan was wow he's really nice and very polite (and not to mention good lookin). He was talking to another customer and answered her questions thoroughly. This made me feel at ease. When it was my turn he introduced himself and I knew I was going to have a positive experience. I was really anxious and nervous about getting the piercing and he assured me that it was nothing to be afraid of. He made me feel even more comfortable by giving me a run down of his résumé. Evan has the type of personality where you feel like you've known each other for a long time, which made the situation a whole lot less awkward. He was very professional and supportive (I went by myself) and coached me in my breathing. This made the actual piercing less painful. The piercing itself is pretty dope, I haven't had any swelling or bleeding.
Some might say that NYA is pricey but I am a firm believer in you pay for what you get. I am glad I decided to come here than the west village. I am 100% positive that i wouldn't have had the same experience. I highly recommend NYA and Evan. I have three tattoos and three piercings and this is by far the best experience.
I got my nose pierced here about a month ago because it's my first piercing since I had my earlobes done as an infant and I was freaked out at the thought of getting an infection on my face so I didn't want to go to one of those divey places on St. Marks (for the love of god don't go to a place on St. Marks). Anyways, it was kind of on a whim so it was on a Wednesday evening and we were the only people inside that I could see, unless someone was getting a tattoo at the back. The woman at the counter was very nice, her name was something like Catherine or Cathleen and she was from South Africa. Â She showed me the jewelry and complimented my choice (gold, flat stud) and rang me up. I was a little surprised at the price -- $50 for the jewelry, $30 for the piercing, making this little thing quite possibly the most expensive piece of jewelry I own. But I was happy to pay for solid gold as I know it won't cause an infection. The dude who pierced me, whose name escapes me now, was awesome. He was very easy-going and helped me pick the right spot on my nose, even explaining why putting it directly in the crease would look bad. He took his time and was fine with my nit-pickily asking about cleaning regimen and infection stuff. I really wanted a nice experience since I am not a fan of needles and I got one. Â
I'd give it 5 stars except that I do think it was a bit overpriced. Otherwise, fantastic and honestly, when people are sticking you with needles and giving you a semi-permanent piece, you probably don't want to be cheap.
So pretty much I've had so many positive experiences here that my review could go on forever, but I'll try to keep it to the point. I've had many piercings done here over the years, including numerous ear cartilage piercings, multiple nostril piercings, a lip piercing, and re-piercing my earlobes, which I had had pierced since I was a toddler but which closed after a terrible gross reaction to some jewelry that wasn't supposed to have nickel in it. I've also had piercings that I hadn't worn jewelry in for awhile tapered open and had the jewelry replaced. Basically, I've spent too much money here on piercings alone, forget the tattoos (which I'll get to in a minute). Both of NY Adorned's piercers--Evan and Colby--are super excellent, way skillful, generally awesome dudes who will definitely do right by you. If you are thinking about getting your first piercing, this is the place to go because I seriously don't think anybody could do it better. As for the jewelry, yes, it's expensive, but the quality makes it worth every penny. There are a number of factors that makes some body piercing jewelry more expensive, which I could list, but basically you're getting the best (and prettiest!) stuff at NY Adorned. I've taken most of my piercings out and currently only wear one inner conch piercing, two hoops in each ear (jewelry for my sensitive ears from NY Adorned with lovely beads), and a nostril screw. My nostril jewelry is this whole gold Indian situation, and it is beautiful, and I get compliments on it daily.
Okay, tattoos. I have had a not insignificant amount of work done at this place. Most of my tattoos that are visible in public were done by Virginia, who absolutely rules, and since I have tattoos on my arms/shoulder, warmer months are a barrage of "Who did your tattoos?" from total strangers. I really appreciate the work she did. I also have some tattoos done by Damion, also a very cool person, and they turned out great as well. Extremely happy with his work. If you have an idea for a tattoo, definitely check out all the artists' portfolios and set up a consultation--you'll end up getting something better than whatever it is you're picturing.
Cannot say enough good things!
I got my piercing done here 2 years ago. Â The piercing staff was incredibly friendly, and made me feel very at ease. Â Evan in particular. Â That's why this place gets the stars. Â And they have some cool jewelry. Â If I were basing my review solely on that they'd have 6 stars.
On the flip side, the staff behind the counter has never been friendly.  They are almost ... aloof.  I've been back many times to get new jewelry for my piercing and every time the girls behind the counter act as if I'm SUCH an inconvenience.  Every time I buy something I have to wait to be fitted by the piercing person, and they've sent me away  3 different times because they didn't have the time before closing.  The East Village is SO inconvenient for me to get to and I don't even get a smile, or an "I'm so sorry."  I ask, "What can I do?  Can you recommend a place closer to me, if it's just for fitting new jewelry?"  Their response, "Come here at 1pm on a weekday."  Gee... thanks? Â
It totally blows, since the piercing guys are so friendly and helpful. Â I wish I could at least make an appointment. Â Overall, they need to put friendlier people up front instead of the tattooed, pierced chicks with the attitudes of Duane Reade employees.
Evan. McKnight. Just saved. My life.
OK, maybe not. But I got my nose pierced for the second time elsewhere and while on the bus back to NYC ripped it out. There was blood. There was a "bump" that became very oozy. It was late, so I was forced to put in an alternate piece of jewelry and do a salt soak in the hopes that it wouldn't get too infected/close up.
The next day I went into NY Adorned (where I'd bought a kick ass nose ring for my first piercing a few months before) and explained my sitch to Evan. The man cleaned my old jewelry, gave me new aftercare instructions, and sent me on my way -- all with a smile on his adorbs face. Seriously -- helpful, honest, and cool. Go here.
Plus the jewelry selection is AMAZING. Incredible, even.
I decided a while ago I would get my cartilage pierced. A friend recommended this place, so I headed over after work one day.
I won't lie, I was by myself, so when I found the place, I stalled a little by wandering around outside. But I man-ed up, and went inside. I was probably only in there for at most 15 minutes. The guy was quick, the piercing itself was done in under a minute. I was very nervous, so I tried to make a little small talk, and the guy seemed polite enough, but seemed to just want to pierce me, which ended up being fine. It was pretty painless and now I'm super excited for my tiny little hole that isn't even that obvious.
a cartilage piercing in nyc? a check off my bucket list!
5 stars for a quick-almost-painless piercing!
My friend and I decided it was time to get our septum's pierced. After trying to get it done (and failing, see other review) close to home in white plains we decided that if we're going to venture into NYC we better go to the best. Naturally we tuned to yelp and found this place. I have to say that I'm so glad we went here.
We called ahead to make sure that we could get it done on a Saturday, and were told "sure come on in, we do walk ins all Saturday." Cool!
We took the train and subway in,it was such a gorgeous day. We nervously walked in and went to the counter. We had to wait a bit for some help but it was a beautiful enviorment to hang out in and we were really enjoying the air conditioning. The young lady told us the pricing and asked us for our IDs and to fill out forms- the usual for any body mod. Then we waited. The wait wasn't really that long, which was great but we were people watching and trying to psych each other out about if we thought it was going to hurt or not.
Then Colby came out and invited us back to his room. *dun dun dun* His room was super clean and awesomely decorated. It had this antique style table with the pretty brass tacks holding on the well seasoned leather. My favorite part was the apothecary cabinets that had all the different autoclave-bagged jewelry etc.
Anyway- My friend went first he could tell we were ribbing each other about if it was going to hurt. He said that we shouldn't worry and that it wont hurt very much. He was very calm and laid back. He took out all the tools and asked if we had any questions- answered all our questions very well. Then had my friend lay down on the table and he then carefully did the piercing. She right away said, "that's it?" I knew then it would be a walk in the park.
So it was my turn. I got up on the table and he did all the neccesary sterile procedures (new gloves, everything came out of clean autoclave bags, etc.) He cleaned my nose, made a mark where he was going to pierce, put the clamp on, had me take a breath, put the needle thru and then the jewelry. I MUST SAY that it was the least painful body modification I have ever gotten.
I know that piercing isn't just about shoving a needle in someones body- There really is a technique and skill. I think that Colby has it for sure, His attitude is awesome and he certainly is in the right profession. We were joking with him and asked him if he knew he was "Yelp famous" he laughed modestly about it. I think that was what made me want to write this review- This man is good, and he's humble. I will forever be going here for all my piercings, and I fully intend to send everyone I know there as well.
TL;DR version: Colby rocks, go to him.
AWESOME PLACE! i got my nose pierced out of state for my bday 4 days ago (bad idea).when it started to sink into my nose i called ny adorned and the guy on the phone was super awesome telling me to come on in and they would check it out and guide me in the right direction. i got there and saw the piercer within 5 minutes. he adjusted my ring and provided me with a more efficient cleaning method for cleaning and caring for my piercing. i was in and out in 10 minutes. evan (the piercer) was super nice, very knowledgeable, and totally fixed the problem. FREE OF CHARGE! Â the shop itself is clean and classy. i totally recommend this place.
Review Source:Staff was really nice. The woman at the counter immediately asked if I needed any help. Set me up with paperwork right away. She said the wait time was about 40 minutes, and it really only took about 15, if that. REALLY quick!
As for my first nose piercing, Colby did a fantastic job. Even though it did not entirely go correctly the first time, he quickly fixed it. My nostrils are small, I guess and he was trying the best he could. There was a little discomfort, but honestly it's not rainbows when you're getting pierced anyways.
Colby also told me if I ever needed help in Boston, I should just shoot him and e-mail and he could send me to a couple of piercers/shops in town. Super cool dude. I would definitely go back if I ever needed a change in jewelry!
Got my first tattoo here, with my brother who has had quite a few. The staff where friendly and somewhat helpful but completely RIPPED me off. For a fairly simple tattoo that lasted only 40 minutes they charged me $400 ( $420 with tax ) without  cutting a receipt.  I was told before hand the tattoo would last at least 3 hours and was incredibly difficult to do (it was just a few straight lines inside two rings, sort of a native american stripe), to fool me into this price, one guy came by whilst the tattoo was being finished and exclaimed how shocked he was with how brilliantly such a difficult tattoo had ben executed.  The only reason we paid up, was because it was christmas, it was my first tatoo, I was in NY for holidays, and it actually looked really awesome and we where in no mood to argue, besides i was super excited and in a really good mood.
The only reason they got 3 stars is because the tattoo artist, Bart, was really good and accommodating. I was satisfied with the result and he was careful with hygiene. It was also a really relaxing environment for a first tattoo,
Overall I would recommend it, just don't let these guys rip you off, clarify you're not paying more than a $200 per hour rate, and ask for receipt when paying tax, or else youre paying no tax (obviously)!
Very professional, and fairly priced.
Bart, my artist did a fantastic job and was very accommodating to small changes I wanted and had an incredible eye for detail. The tiny detail work he did is fantastic and I love how it came out.
This is probably the only tattoo I'll get, but I'm happy I went to Bart at Adorned.
Front desk girl is a complete b***h. Although I am aware of NYC piercing laws, and the age laws, I (at 17) wanted to get a simple nose piercing. I understand if they have their own special rules on piercing a minor and what not. The law is that with parental consent and with a parent/guardian present, OR a lot of places with a notarized letter, piercing a minor is, in fact legal. As long as it isn't of course anything below the waist or inappropriate. But I do respect that certain shops go with their own rules, and that's okay.
I LOVE Venus, right down the street. They are clean, friendly, knowledgable. My mother took me to get my ears pierced at 10g, to start stretching. I have a terrible fear of needles, but when I got them done when I was 15, they did an amazing job at making me feel comfortable, and were very patient. The only place i would trust. When I went there to get my nose pierced they were out of the cheaper nostril jewlery, and i wanted a double nostril so it would have been over 300 dollars for both. Which I would have done if i had the money since they do such a good job. I had a NOTARIZED note from my mother and my 24 yr old sister with me. NOTARIZED PEOPLE. Venus is very strict as well but would have taken a notarized letter since my mother was unable to take me.
Long story short, I couldn't get my nose pierced at the place I wanted, so I knew that Adorned had a good rep and was also close by. We go in, my sister asks VERY nicely about the nose piercing. The woman said "I don't know what notarized means, but we don't accept that, and we only pierce minors ear lobes, and you aren't even her guardian" with the worst attitude, and we were still friendly. She then says "you can try st. marks". Um, excuse me? I can try st marks? for those of you that don't know, st marks will pierce anyone without a parent even 11 yr olds just for money. They re-use needles and only care about money. Everyone knows this. The way she said it made it almost as though she was a really nice boutique telling us to try sears or kmart because they didn't sell our size or something.
very rude, bitchy, would never ever go back. Stupid too.
I mean I could totally respect and understand their rules, but don't be rude about it. That's what pissed me off.
These guys have been here for years and they're great. Â They were here when this stretch of 2nd avenue was desolate, and it felt sketchy to walk in!
If you're looking for jewelry to match your new aperture, they have a really really nice selection. Â It is not exactly on the moderately priced side, but what I will say is that it is curated. Â What do I mean by this? Â Curated, as in someone with a great sense of taste and style is going through the catalogs online, and finding the very best qualities and styles to match what they like. Â As you might enjoy going to a small bookstore or gallery that is also curated, you'll enjoy buying jewelry here 1000 times more than the places on St Marks because someone spent the time to find nice stuff.
I recommend them for that reason above all else.
Got my cartilage pierced in two places by J. Colby (at the sister shop, Love Adorned) a couple of weeks ago.
Colby and the guy at the counter (also a piercer I believe) were super friendly and helpful. Colby gave me some ink and a toothpick and let me pick out the exact locations I wanted the piercings in and then suggested shifting one of them a bit to cut down on healing time. The process was relatively quick and low on pain and it took place (at the sister shop) in a wonderfully calming white cubicle like room with an open ceiling.
I didn't mind the total price as I feel tattoos and piercings are serious modifications that shouldn't be incredibly cheap BUT I did think the price of the plain and basic metal jewelry I picked out was too high, hence the 4 stars. My piercings are healing fine and I will definitely be back there for more.
I first came across NY Adorned many moons ago when Lori, the owner, did Henna tattoos out of the shop.  The henna tattoo was amazing and a few years later I went back to  pierce my nose .
I had foolishly tattooed my ex's name on my right ankle in my early twenties at another shop and was long overdo for a cover up. Â When I walked into to make my appointment I brought in a rough sketch of a lotus and was told they would definitely work with me. Â When I went in a week later for my appointment I had changed my mind and decided a rose might be a better option. Â I was glad my artist Kris Magnotti agreed and was more than willing to rework his sketch. Â
You can't see any trace of the original tattoo and the color work and shading on the rose is superb. Â I've already received numerous compliments and I only got it done this past Friday. Â
Some of the other reviews said the staff isn't friendly but I couldn't disagree more. Â I would definitely go back to Kris Magnotti at NY Adorned.
I've only gone to NY Adorned for piercings and not tattoos. Colby has to be one of the nicest people I have ever met and would win the World's Nicest Piercer Award if such a thing existed. I've been to a few different piercers around the city, and I think If you're going to get a piercing you should definitely go see Colby.
The reason I didn't give New York Adorned 5 stars is because the people who work at the front desk have been consistently rude to me every time I have been there. Their attitude always makes me feel extremely uncomfortable, which is rather unwanted right before you're about to get holes poked in your skin. I'd say they are probably the rudest people I have had to deal with out of all the piercing shops I've been to. So while you have the world's nicest piercer, you also have really rude people that you have to deal with prior to getting pierced.
The bad attitudes of the people I've dealt with at the desk aren't going to deter me from returning to NY Adorned, though. Colby is just too awesome. Their prices are also pretty fair.
Want a piercing? Ask for Colby. I've been to him a few times, and referred several friends. He's friendly and precise. His advice for aftercare is also better than other piercers I've seen... for example, for hypertrophic scarring he recommends more natural products, like tea tree oil, instead of hydrogen peroxide, which is what another piercer recommended for me. Colby also took a look at my jewelry and adjusted it; combined with the tea tree oil treatments, the problem went away within a week.
NY Adorned is pricier than some other places, but I'd rather have what amounts to a medical procedure in a nice shop as opposed to a shithole place that also sells bongs and dildos. You want quality, you gots to pay for that.
Anyway, Colby's great. I'd send my friends to him.
I'd send my enemies to the peroxide guy.
Didn't get anything done here, have no desire to. Went with three friends: one was quoted $200 for tiny additions to an existing tattoo (part of which required the artist to draw a circle), one was called "retarded" by the artist about to tattoo her, & one was dealt the most impatient artist I'd ever seen. I don't know how he wasn't falling down dizzy from all the eye-rolling he was doing.
Pretty storefront aside, this place was too much money & too much ridiculous.
Had my lip and nip pierced in college a few years ago but took them out. Really wanted my nose pierced but never got around to it. Fast forward to 2011, heard about the jewelry at NY Adorned, read rave reviews about Sir J Colby Smith on yelp :)
Before I knew it I was at New York Adorned picking out a nose stud with Evan (choosing the right jewelry for such piercing's very important, thanks Evan!) I don't let just anyone put holes in my face so I did my research beforehand and ended up on Colbys blog so I knew I was in good hands. I don't have to reiterate anything since its all been said but Colby was/is fantastic, patient and all the good things you've read. Â I wouldn't go to or recommend anyone else for the job, Colby's awesome.
2 months after my piercing (which healed beautifully) I brought my sister in to get Adorned by Colby (I also wanted a new stud :))but they were at their temp location "Love Adorned" (their sister company) on Elizabeth Street due to renovations. Lovely place but the cunt at the front w.the black hair, double nostril piercing with that rat in a chubaka suit looking dog was a rude b!tch and left a nasty impression. She's the one that's ugly on the inside and hideous on the outside (she could very well be nice and was just on her period that day, which is no excuse)
Still Colby was worth the trip (^_^) Yaaay Colby...Evan's also pretty cool so check him out
Beautiful unique jewelry, great artists who care about the art of piercing and tattoos, super clean sterilized needles and equipment makes for a place worth raving about. I'm a fan!
In July of 2010 I finally mustered up the nerve to get a cover-up for an old tattoo. A picky, detail-oriented friend with a great eye for art pointed in me the direction of New York Adorned. Much thanks to her because my experience was nothing but positive!
Unlike other reviewers, I found the staff completely professional and totally accommodating. I'm over 30 and look a bit preppy - that alone refutes the notion that the staff here only has love for those in the "scene."
On the other hand: I called ahead for an appointment. I came in with a serious mindset, looking for solid advice and wanting to make sure I ended up with something that would make me completely happy for years to come. I also researched heavily so I knew that an exacting, skilled artist in NYC was going to come with a hefty price-tag, particularly when dealing with a well-known shop. In short, I knew just what I was in for.
The desk matched me up with Jonah. He was so incredibly laid-back that he put me at ease. On the day I got my tattoo, his attitude made me comfortable to the point where I totally zoned out! He quickly noticed when a particular section was starting to get painful and alternated back and forth from that area to lessen my discomfort. All in all, it took about 2.5 hours, and only the last 15 minutes had me a teensy bit on edge.
The tattoo matches up perfectly with the art I provided. His line work was amazing (dragon scales are tedious, man). The colors are incredibly vibrant. The healing process went by without a hitch. My experience was great, and I won't hesitate to go back there in the future for another piece.
Came here 3 weeks ago, and got my nose pierced by Evan. He was such a sweetheart, he even helped me decide what side I should get my nose pierced. "what side do you normally part your bang, choose the opposite side it'll keep your face balanced"
ladies: isn't that so cute and considerate?
Price : it cost me $60 ($40 for the jewelry and $20 for the piercing)
Wait time: I went on a Wednesday afternoon so I didn't have a problem waiting at all. I was in and out within a matter of 20 mins.
Aftercare: they are great in returning phone calls and answering any questions I had about my piercing. This was great for me because I'm a worrywart.
Thumbs up from me.
Unfortunately I went in for that new tattoo I was talking about (by a different artist -- not Bart or Virginia, who both do excellent work) and even if I liked it initially after I got it done, I went home and took off the bandage after a day and realized that the tattoo was somewhat uneven. It looks ok, I suppose, but I don't want anything on my body to just look passable -- it was a tattoo with a lot of significance to me, and I was sorely disappointed.
I'm going tomorrow to East Side Ink to get it fixed up; wish me luck.
I might visit Bart or Virginia again, but I will definitely stick to the artists I know from now on.
Thank you, Yelpers, for pointing me in the right direction! I've been wanting to get my lip pierced for as long as I can remember. Now that I work at a piercing-friendly workplace, tonight was the night to face the needle.
New York Adorned is very conveniently located. The couches in the waiting room are TO DIE FOR comfortable. What I wouldn't have done to be able to take a nap on one of 'em! The studio is gorgeous, and the room that I was pierced in was incredibly clean.
I have nothing but positive things to say about my piercing experience. Colby was my piercer, and he was amazing. Colby was super friendly and professional. He told me everything he was doing as he was doing it, which I greatly appreciated. He also asked me a bunch of questions before and after he pierced me to be sure that I would be the happiest with the end result. He was extremely gentle with both the lip clamp and the piercing...I barely felt either! Colby was also nice enough to change my nose stud to a nose ring.
The customer service at New York Adorned is top-notch. Both Colby and the person that rang me out repeatedly reassured me that I could call or come in at anytime if I had any questions or concerns. The piercing itself, the two pieces of jewelry, and a hefty tip ended up costing me well under $100.00. I was expecting to pay at least $50.00 more than I did. Comfortable, clean studio + amazing staff + super reasonable prices means that I'll definitely be coming back for more.
At first I was going to give this place 4 stars, only because my nose piercing hurt. But then I thought "duh its a needle doing through your face, it won't tickle!"
I gotta say I had a great experience here, I went yesterday to get my nose pierced mainly based on Sara. K's 10-26-10 experience. She convinced me that this was the place for me.
Evan pierced me and he was very knowledgeable about the piercing's aftercare. He even gave me a little insight about a past piercing I let close because I thought it was infected.
I would definitely go here again, the entire staff is so willing to help. I actually have a consult coming up for a tattoo cover up.
P.S the couches are soooo comfortable
This place is great for a few reasons:
1. They are more sterile than most hospitals - my piercer (Colby)probably changed gloves 4 times, all tools were in sealed packages, and everything was super clean. That's probably the most important factor to think about when getting anything pierced or tattooed.
2. Their service is great - everyone is really helpful and friendly, and Colby was awesome - explained everything thoroughly, was very nice, clearly a pro.
3. Their jewelry selection ranges from classic to eclectic- you've got some good options.
You should note that they are definitely on the pricier side, but here, I'd say you're definitely getting what you pay for! I'd go back anytime.
Came here to get an old piercing "re-done." Colby was my piercer, and helped out with re-opening the navel-piercing I had had and let go.
The place is clean and professional. The woman behind the counter was very friendly and not snooty at all, so your results may vary?
I had no wait (though it was the middle of a weekday, so that's not unexpected) and was ushered into the back right away.
They have a nice selection of jewelry to chose from - stainless steel to gold to rose gold etc. I'm boring though, and picked the plainest stainless steel they offered, hah.
Overall, an experience I would repeat if I ever wanted to get another piercing. (The magic eight ball says 4 + ears is enough though.) It's clean (the most important thing!) and the staff there is skilled at what they do.
A friend of mine recommended this tattoo parlor to me so we decided to get our tattoos on the same day together. She called the parlor to make appointments for the tattoo artists that we wanted but since we're getting it on a Saturday, they told us that we couldn't make appointments on weekends (which makes NO sense) and that we had to walk in and wait.
It was my 3rd tattoo here. My first two I got at Whatever Tattoo in St Marks and the location near W4th. Now with my 1st two tattoos, I LOVED. My 3rd.. not so much. It's actually smudged, meaning while it was bandaged, the ink ran. What am I supposed to do with it now? I don't want to go back and pay for it to be fixed up. It's so ugly smudged though! Their prices was SO expensive.. it's definitely NOT worth it looking like the way it does now!
My tattoo artist was new, I believe. Ugh shouldn't have went with the newbie. I waited a long while for him to attend to me.. even though he wasn't even busy with a customer at all! At least he was friendly.. but TOO friendly. The whole time he was working on me, he was chatting up with the tattoo artist next to him and the girl he was working on as well. I was so afraid that he might mess up the tattoo. Maybe that's what happened and that's why it's so smudged!
Never again. I will always be a Whatever Tattoo loyal customer. This was NOT worth the money I paid for. At Whatever Tattoo, the pricing was so much cheaper and I was so much happier with my tattoos.
Recently I got a very 90's piercing here and today it feels completely healed.
No, it wasn't a tongue piercing, which is the fastest healing. However, I can barely notice I got something done. J. Colby Smith has the technique and touch of an angel. If any of my friends ever wanted to get a piercing--- this is the only person I'd recommend. He is very zen and has been doing piercings for ten years. "I've seen it all..." he said.
Also, to get anything done forever on your body, this is the only place I'd ever recommend. Not only is it clean, safe, and professional---- it's beautiful!
I've passed this place so many times and had no clue it was a tattoo/piercing place because of its lack of cliched neon and grunge. New York Adorned is gorgeous, from the outside it simply looks like a high-end jewelry store. Indeed they do carry very unique and sophisticated jewelry.
"When you walked in here I knew these would be good for you," said the exquisitely tattooed lady with a British accent. She held up the most exquisite rose gold jewelry I've ever seen.
Hmm, how did she know I was going to get that particular piercing as I walked in? Nevertheless, I was totally sold. It's $400 dollars of spectacular and I bought it. Rose gold is gold mixed with copper, "copper is actually good for your body, it improves circulation," said Colby.
I'll wear it forever--- seriously, I legit never want to take this out. It's so classic and looks different to everyone.
"It is truly beautiful," said my friend Laila
"Oooh, it looks antiquey," said my friend Kate
"I like it, it looks Indian," said my friend Vivek
"OH GIRL," said my friend Liz
"WHAT?! Wow, it's actually gorgeous," said my friend Nicole
This place is wonderful. Take care of yourself and come here instead of a sketched out joint.
I have to say, I agree with Kate down there. Â I also saw Damein, I was the last appointment and I know that can be annoying so I asked if I should book an earlier appointment on a different day (I'd much rather have a nice tattoo even if that means rescheduling) Â He seemed super impatient, the tattoo isn't straight, wasn't done with a steady hand and now I am going to a different artist to see if she can fix it. Â Keep your figures crossed. Â
The upside: Â everyone was super nice at the front desk and very helpful, clean digs, artsy feel. Â I'll go back to visit another artist I am sure.
Last summer out of dire boredom, I decided to get my naval pierced. Â I looked into a real good place to go (definitely don't want to go to St. Mark's, lol). Â I found NY Adorned.
The day I went in for my appointment, I'll never forget it, I was scared out of my mind. Â I've only ever gotten my ears pierced and that was when I was about 5 months old.. so yeah...
Everyone at the store was really nice and I didn't have to wait too long (although it felt like eternity). Â I finally got called to the back and I was told I was getting pierced by Colby. Â He's a really great guy lol. Â
Anyways, everything was pristine clean. Â He probably changed gloves and disinfected everything at least 4-5 times. Â The needle and all instruments were all enclosed in plastic before using them on me. Â He put little dots on my tummy to make sure everything was even. Â Explained to me that I have to keep breathing; he was very reassuring. Â I'm sure he gets much more freaked out patients than me lol.
So I lay on the table and I get to stare up at this really pretty oriental umbrella hanging on the ceiling so that I may be distracted (but what can distract you from a relatively thick needle through your stomach??). Â He told me to breathe.. Â he didn't take forever.. Â Just got it done... Owww it hurt.. Â But then it was over! Â There was no blood and I hopped off the table within seconds with my new piercing. Â He asked if I was ok (I was fine, are you kidding? Â It was over, yey!). Â He explained to me in detail how to take care of it, types of soaps I should look for, the kinds of problems I might have if something does go wrong, etc. Â Answered all questions I had about healing times, can I go swimming, etc. Â I got a little pamphlet explaining even more about my new piercing and he gave me his card. Â Told me to give him a call if anything happens. Â
It healed in about 4-5 months. Â I didn't change the piercing until maybe.. 6-7 months after. Â I've had absolutely no complications whatsoever. Â I'm really glad I went there. Â And, perhaps, if I get really bored this coming summer, maybe I'll go back and get a tattoo?
Ok, so just this weekend I went over to NY Adorned with 3 friends--3/4 of us wanted to get inked and, according to my fellow yelp-ers, this seemed like a good spot. Â I have been to 3 other shops in the city, so I figured I'd experiment with another! Â Here's how it went.
The place itself is gorgeous--clean, artistic, lots to look at while you wait (and wait we did--about an hour). Â The behind-the-desk staff was polite, if a bit reserved. Â My friend decided she wanted a piece with a hummingbird dipping into a flower. Â I was getting a compass. Â My other friend was adding to an existing tat--3 stars and a full moon. Â 1st friend got quoted $400!! Â WHOA BABY!! Â I was quoted $160 - not unreasonable. Â My other friend? Â $200--for 3 TINY stars and a moon! Â Add to the fact that one of the artists said that he didn't know HOW to draw a moon. Â Seriously.
So my 2 friends bailed and I went for it. Â I wanted to talk to the artist (Damien) about location for my new tat. Â I was unsure about getting on either my forearm or on my ankle. Â He was HELLA impatient and basically rolled his eyes when I asked for his advice. Â Gee thanks. Â Finally decided on the ankle and the rest is history. Â The art is beautiful. Â I'm really happy with the results. Â
The attitudes? Â No thanks.
Strolled in here a few weeks ago to get my vertical labret re-pierced after taking it out about 5 years ago. After reading everyone's review about the place here I thought I'd give it a try.
The place was pretty packed (which I took as a good sign). We put our names on a list and had about a 45 minute wait. Soon J. Colby  called my name and the rest is history.
J. was VERY good. He took his time in making sure everything was straight and to my liking. Even though I've been getting pierced for 15+ years he still made me feel at home and completely comfortable. He was probably one of the friendliest piercers I've ever had. Very professional, highly recommended ... cute too! :P
The piercing looks great, is healing fast and is getting tons of compliments. I will definitely be back soon!
Virginia Elwood, in addition to having a ferocious, classy, grand-dame name, is a ferocious, classy, grand-dame tattoo artist.
I was, I admit, a little thrown off by the fact that after the consulation (and deposit), I'd have to wait until the day of the tattoo appt to see the design. I'm a certified Type-A, New York City Bitch, so to not see what I'm paying for/scheduling to permanently put on my body until I'm sitting down in the chair--that takes some trust. The kind of trust I'm usually lacking.
So for the next few weeks...
I fretted.
I meditated.
Actually, that's bullshit, I didn't meditate.
I had...faith, yeah, something like faith.
Then I came in, saw Virginia's drawing (I really want to call her Virgie--that was my great-grandma's name), and felt those chips falling right off my shoulder, a-tumblin' down. She had listened to what I had wanted, managed to take two different reference pieces and combine the best of both into one. Three hours later, I had myself a bad-ass, gorgeous tattoo, with intricate shading and an amazing palette of colors.
The point of this story? Trust women. Especially inspired ones who come recommended from exacting, pushy broads like me.
J. Colby is the best if you want to get piercing done - professional, easy, and painless. I had my belly botton pierced twice before and it was a disaster with infections, pain, blood, etc so I had to take it out and instead got two scars....
Colby not only did a superb job when I didn't feel any pain and my piericing after a few days looks like I have been wearing it for a few years but also hided scars - I love my new look and thank Cobly. Highly recommend!
Trusted my fellow yelpers and chose this place to get my rook pierced. Â Colby was fantastic! Â He was so nice, eased my fears, and talked me through every step. Â I was surprised at the price (hey I am from Texas where I would have paid half as much!) but I definitely got what a paid for. Â
Ask for Colby for your piercing!
There are two types of tattoo folks: the individualists and the individuals who need to a lot of people to support their individualism.
NY Adorned is the PERFECT place to get a tattoo that matches your hoodie.
If any NY tattoo parlor ever goes nationwide with outlets in malls and food courts, it will be Adorned.
Great for the traveling student seeking a 'neo-tribal' armband or a random Asian picto-gram for 'power' or 'strength'.
I think they might offer a discount on 8-ball tattoos.....ask the very much cooler than you desk person about it!
Okay, I'm a little starstruck here, but I was looking at a tattoo book in Border's and quite a bit of work in the book was done at Adorned. Woo!
But anyways, I got my nose pierced here last year. They have a BEAUTIFUL selection of jewelry! It was between this opal or turquoise stud...I chose opal cause I figured it'd go with more things, but lately I've been thinking of going back to get the turquoise for a change :) It was a bit pricey, but definitely worth it. I had had my nose pierced before with some cheapo jewelry and the gem kept falling out, so not having to go out and buy a new piece every 2 months is fantastic. Also, the piercer did such a great job twisting it that it NEVER sticks out from the bottom of my nose which my old one used to do. It's SO comfortable that I forget that it's there!
Also, the piercer (forgot his name...sorry :( ) was super cute. I think he may have been flirting with me, but I'm so aloof, I don't notice these things until the moment has passed. Curse my luck. Dear piercer, if you see this, holla at cha gurl ;-)
Went to get my nose pierced. Read about the place on Yelp and saw how everyone loved Colby.
He was really patient and understanding re: my concerns (am I going to be able to sneeze?) before the piercing and was just as nice after the piercing (got me a cup of water because I was lightheaded from getting a hole in my head and getting up too quickly).
He custom fits the ring and will do free adjustments after 8 weeks (once the swelling goes down) so it's definitely worth it.
Great experience - and Colby is awesome. He's really approachable and willing to kid around and set the atmosphere light ... which is a very nice and refreshing approach from other shops where everyone who works there thinks he is too good for you.
Nothing bad to say except for the fact that it was a tad expensive compared to other downtown shops, but you definitely get what you pay for.
This. Place. Is. AWESOME!!!
So after wanting to get my nose pierced for YEARS, I finally decided to give in to the urge. I went here after reading the reviews on Yelp and I was not disappointed.
Colby was amazing and very helpful as far as explaining the procedure and how to care for my piercing afterward. Extra points because he really helped me calm down... (yeah yeah yeah, I'm a wuss!)
I definitely recommend this place to anyone looking to get a piercing.
So after making the first big decision of getting my lip pierced, I was brought to my next big decision of where to get it done. Â Being in NY I knew my options were limitless, but I knew I wanted it to be a reputable place (not me just walking down a street and seeing a sign about piercing). Â Doing my research (yelp, citysearch, etc.) I picked NY Adorned and do not regret it at all. Â I walked in yesterday (Saturday) a little before nine and the place was relatively empty, a few people in the store besides employees, and I was warmly greeted. Â I felt no attitude from the staff, they were really friendly. Â And I told them what I wanted and the lady just kind of asked me to fill out the paper work and if I wanted a ring or a stud. Â
After the paperwork, she told me I was third in line so I could just hang out till they were ready. Â My roomie and I just kinda talked and looked at the portfolios of the tattoo artists there. Â When they called me in Colby introduced himself as my piercer and was very informative and professional. Â He took out all the tools in front of me and they were all sealed and clean. Â He changed his gloves numerous times and explained everything he was doing (from cleaning out my mouth to marking the lip with the pen). Â He then told me exactly what he was going to do to me before actually doing it. Â It was a very quick process and I felt completely comfortable. Â
When he was all done he gave me the after care instructions and pamphlet and told me to give him a call if I had any questions or concerns. Â I would definitely recommend this place to everyone! yayyy for clean sanitary places that aren't snobby!
** Note: Â Review is for Stephanie Tamez only. **
I'd been thinking about getting a tattoo for some time, but couldn't ever settle on a design or where I'd put it. Â A sequence of events led me to an idea for my first tattoo , and a co-worker led me to Stephanie (back when she was in SF).
I explained the idea and what meaning it had for me, and returned to find that she had amazingly captured every single bit of it in her sketch. Â It was love at first sight. Â A few years later, I wanted a companion piece, and she did the same thing -- transformed a dear dream into exactly the custom art piece I wanted.
Stephanie was great to work with, and her style was relaxed and gentle. Â I still have an old business card of hers tucked away for my next tattoo. Â I don't care if I have to fly to New York to get it -- I'm just happy Yelp helped me track her down again...
Got my nose re-pierced here about 6 months ago.
They have beautiful jewelry - I love the stud I was pierced in.
Also the place is super sanitary.
I agree with the g.'s review.. Colby was amazing. He was so nice, knowledgeable and professional. I went back a couple months later and he recognized me which is always nice too.
This is the place to go in New York for piercing, questions or jewelry!
Pricey but damn worth every penny!
In the 21 years I have lived without pierced ears (yes, you read that correctly!), I have nevertheless accumulated a small collection of earrings. Â When my roommate saw these yesterday afternoon, she said, "Okay, this is a little pathetic. Â You're getting your ears pierced tonight."
"No, not tonight!" I protest.
"The sooner you get them pierced, the sooner you can wear these kick-ass peacock feather earrings Tyra would wear on a judging session of America's Next Top Model," she reasons, pointing to a pair in my collection.
See, it's not needles that I'm afraid of. Â I don't mind getting shots at the doctor at all. Â It's the idea of someone punching holes in me that terrifies me. Â Still, I look up "piercing" on Yelp and CItysearch and come across New York Adorned. Â It has excellent ratings, so later that evening we head down there.
As my pictures of Yelp clearly depict, I do not fit in with the scene of NYA at all. Â My roommate and I walk in; I'm wearing a silk wrap dress and boots and my hair is extremely straight and extremely blonde. Â My roommate is similarly attired. Â Still, the very tattooed woman working at the front desk (also named Danielle, holler!) is totally nice and helps me pick out the piercing and answers all my questions. Â She doesn't mind that I change my mind about four times and am like, "actually, what about this one? Â Can you look up the cost for this one?" Â I finally pick the perfect pair of small hoops and Colby, the piercer, takes me (and my roommate, for support) into the back room.
Like Danielle, he is surprised that I've never had pierced ears but assures me that it doesn't hurt, that it's an exciting thing, that I'll be so happy with the results. Â He unwraps all the new equipment, cleans my ears, marks where the holes will go, and lets me check to make sure I like the placement. Â Finally, I lie down on the table. Â He lets my roommate hold my hand. Â He has me take some deep breaths, and on an exhale, pierces my ear. Â It's totally painless.
By this point, I'm like "Yeah, I'm a rockstar." Â He pierces my other ear, and I'm like, "Pshah, that's nothing." Â The whole time he's telling me what he's doing, telling me it looks great, etc. Â I get up to check, and they look awesome.
So yeah, go to NYA. Â I figure that if they're this nice to a 21-year-old who is terrified to get her earlobes pierced, they'll be as nice to someone getting a tattoo or a more intense piercing. Â They're extremely clean and extremely good.
Ten minutes later, my roommate and I are walking down Saint Mark's and this creepy guy is like, "Ladies! Â Body piercing!" and she's like, "Aren't you glad you didn't go to these guys?" Â Yup.
So I've been going through this weird one-third life crisis... smoking pot for the first time at 29 years old... drinking a little too much... and more recently getting my ears pierced. The idea had been running on my mind for a little while, never too seriously, until last week when I made up my mind for good. I had yet to find the right place... Sure, I could have gone to Claire's, but I thought doing a little bit of research on Yelp might be a better way to go.
That's how I found NY Adorned, and I must say that was a great choice. Apparently they're really big for their tattoos, but they also do piercings. I went with Maritess Z, and after a little bit of browsing in their fancy front lounge (cool couches!), we talked to Greg, who was very friendly, and helped up pick jewelry etc. 10 minutes later, I was sitting in the back of the store with Greg sticking a needle through my ear... easy, pain free, and he obviously knew what he was doing. Btw, I'm glad they use needles and cork for piercings rather than the scary gun they use in a lot of places.
So here I am... with two ears pierced, looking gayer than ever, as if I needed that. Jokes aside: I'm by no means a specialist, but I'd recommend NY Adorned to anyone interested getting a piercing, and I'd definitely go again if I ever decided to get another one.
First off, the prices is high, but that should never be a factor when getting a tattoo. Â It will be on your body forever, don't skimp out because of the price. Â Save up, then get your tattoo.
This place is amazing. Â I was tattooed at the BK shop on the first day it opened. Â I've had the opportunity to see the place transform into an amazing place. Â I am almost done with my sleeve that Timothy Hoyer is working on. Â He is amazing. Â The staff is great, they are helpful, chill and always there to help you. Â Timothy is a great artist. Â He's cool, nice, and makes you feel comfortable while getting tattooed.
I reccomend this place to anyone who is interested in getting work done. Â So far a few people have listened to me and no one has been dissappointed!
Once upon a time, a fair (not kidding about this one, have you seen my skin tone? I'm translucent!) young lady from the west coast dreamt of a beautiful text tattoo. She searched high and low, near and far, and each search led her back to Stephanie Tamez of NY Adorned. But! the young lady thought, I live in L.A.! I can't just get a tattoo in New York! So the young lady continued her search, getting a few other tattoos along the way, but not finding anyone who thrilled her with text and design like that online portfolio of Stephanie's.
She finally struck up an online conversation with Stephanie, who did profess to be in L.A., but only occasionally. The young lady hoped that sometime her dream of this text tattoo by Stephanie would come true, but she'd sadly given up a little hope.
Then a miracle happened! Well, not so much a miracle but an awesome sale at Jet Blue. The first thing this thoughtful young lady did after booking her trip (and reserving a couple of couches at a couple of friends' places) was make an appointment at NY Adorned. But! the young lady found out, Stephanie books up at least four months in advance!
The young lady did a little crying, and did a little accepting it might never happen. But Stephanie and John of NY Adorned were more determined, and they kept the young lady at the top of the cancellation charts. And she was called with the first available slot, and when that one didn't work, they switched someone around just because she was going through the trouble of traveling.
After all of that, one might wonder if the tattoo could ever live up to the young lady's expectations. (The young lady was certainly getting concerned.) But she took one step into the studio, saw the design Stephanie had drawn up, and nearly started to cry, because Stephanie with her skill and craft and artist's brain had replicated what was in the young lady's brainskull without the young lady making one suggestion.
The process was better than any the young lady had gone through before with her previous nine tattoos. She really felt a part of the tattooing, caught up in conversation with Stephanie and dizzy from the giddiness at finally getting this beautiful piece of artwork she'd been dreaming about for two years now. Stephanie went over each section painstakingly, time after time, making sure everything was as perfect as it could be... and it was.
The fair young lady from L.A. hugged her tattoo artist goodbye and skipped out into the world, more tattooed and infinitely happier. NY Adorned and Stephanie Tamez, you couldn't be more awesome!
I went in here a couple weeks ago to get my nose pierced. It was a Saturday afternoon and I got lucky and only had to wait about 10 minutes. Colby did my piercing and he was great. He explained everything that he was doing and made me a lot less nervous. The place was very clean and you watch them unwrap all of the sterilized equipment. After the piercing I was given after-care instructions. I also liked that you were able to by the Satin cleaner there. This place was a little expensive, the piercing, jewelry and cleaner cost me about $75 but in my opinion you get what you pay for and I would rather pay a little more to go to a good, clean place.
FYI: They also have lots of really cool ethnic jewelry for sale...
I've had my tattoo here many years ago. I've been going back to check on the guest artist list. There's this one particular artist I want to re-do and add another tat on my back.
It's a hit & miss with the attitude. For SERVICE I am only giving it 3-Stars. For tattoo quality it would be all FIVE.
So, getting off work I am in khakis with button collar shirt. I looked business casual. The guys were pretty snooty to me. Basically the way I was dressed I guess I didn't look like the "cultured" type for a tattoo. Aren't customers supposed to be treated equally and not by the way they dress or look?
I went back another time and this time I was more dressed down: torn baggy jeans, t-shirt and sneaks and a girl actually said Hi and welcomed me in.
Like I said, it's a hit & miss with the customer service.
Even though I was sweating bullets (it was the dead of summer, about 1000% humidity and I sweat when I'm in pain!) and shaking while getting tattooed here a few years back, I would return in a heartbeat. In fact, I've thought about getting another one, but will wait for a trip to NYC.
This place is clean, comfortable, and lacking the attitude that many other places are experts at providing.
While I'm not into piercings, I would also trust NY Adorned to puncture my skin in bizarre places if I were into that sort of thing.
Very professional, sanitary, and knowledgeable.
Went on a monday night to get a few piercings removed. Even though I didn't get my piercings done at New York Adorned, the piercer was nice enough to remove my piercings free of charge. That was a really nice surprise.
Wish I'd caught his name. In any case, he was very professional, put me at ease, and the place was spotless.
Some tattoo and piercing shops have staff with attitude who judge you based on how similar you look to them, but I was impressed by this place's non-judgmental staff. Coming straight from work, I was in a suit.
I'm very picky and if a place looks even slightly unhygienic or the staff a little spacey, I'm out the door. This place is spotless though.
A couple months ago I got my septum pierced in Berkeley (see my review for Industrial Strength). Â The piercer put in a septum retainer. Â It had been a fair amount of time, so I figured I would get the retainer replaced with a ring.
I stopped by NYA and asked them if they had a 14g ring that might do the trick. Â The piercer (Colby) took me in the back and showed me what they had. Â We decided they didn't have what I was looking for, so he suggested I look at one or two other places, otherwise he could order it for me.
I took his advice and looked around a few other places. Â I then realized that I needed a 12g, not a 14g ring. Â So I went back to NYA and asked Colby if he had something in a 12g. Â He went back and looked and found something perfect.
He then sold it to me and offered to put it in if I would like. Â I almost said no, but figured I might as well. Â So we went in the back to the piercing room.
I will spare you all the "fun" details, but suffice it to say, it took awhile and hurt a bit more than I was expecting. Â In the end though, we got it in and it looked awesome. Â I am SO glad I had him put it in for me, there was no way I was going to get it in...
I really appreciated the assistance, and even though I didn't get pierced, I still got changed and gave him a tip - you have to support your local piercers!
I am thinking about getting a tattoo in the near future, and as I left I saw the pretty extensive sets of books they have of previous tattoos and Dover clip art for ideas - I was impressed. Â I haven't even THOUGHT of those Dover clip art books in like a decade.
One of my all-time favs in NYC. It's kind of upscale compared with other tat/piercing shops in the city, which is more expensive, yes, but comforting. Seriously, if you're going to get tattooed (or pierced) why wouldn't you want to go to the best?
Also I've got a penchant for Indian, middle eastern and eastern inspired jewelry and design so if you like that stuff you're in for a treat! They've also got some modern designs that are quite different and compliment enducing when worn!! ;) This place could even exist solely as a jewelry shop.
Also I got my first tattoo here by Stephanie Tamez who totally rocked it, the piece is gorgeous!! Stephanie's work is really strong in detail and her blacks are amazing...also if you're into getting words or type she does the cleanest looking type i've ever seen. Looks like a computer printed out words on skin! Any artists you work with there will be good.
GAWD, i'm so cheese. I should just work for them or something. ha! :)