Customer service is awesome. I called ahead to see if they had what I was looking for and I got very friendly, helpful service over the phone.
I went in for a very specific purpose. My new place of work doesn't allow nose piercings (sad!) so I needed a retainer of some kind to hide it. I use the neometal stud which they carry. I purchased one "flesh" colored neometal (ended up being too dark) and another glass retainer hoping one of them would accomplish what I needed. Both were very reasonably priced (less than I expected) and the guy up front at the counter was great. Super friendly and helpful. Not once did I feel like I was annoying him with less than exciting requests. I still had to order some flesh colored retainers online because the two I purchased are iffy. They have a good supply but could use a few more options for retainers/invisibility. I still gave 5 stars since this is obviously not their focus...
The place is very well done. It looks clean and legit. Very sterile and I wouldn't hesitate to come back for another piercing or tattoo in the future.
I visited Outer Limits two days ago to see about making an appointment for the next day, yesterday. I was greeted quickly and assisted in finding someone to tattoo me the next day. They had Russ available and since I'd never been there or heard anything about them, I said anyone was fine. Russ came and chatted with me about what I wanted, I put my deposit down and left in excitement for my tattoo to come! I went in for my appointment yesterday and Russ greeted me and went and got everything ready. He gave me a whole page full of font options I wanted for my quote and then set up the area after my decision. He got right to it and let me tell you, I am absolutely in LOVE with my tattoo!! It is gorgeous! The lines are perfect and font & lining of it all looks absolutely amazing.
Russ is very relaxed and chill, and made it a breeze. I would absolutely go back to him. He has art up on the walls in the shop so take a look around and see his detail...his tattoos will be nothing less brilliant. His personality isn't overwhelming and I enjoyed my experience.
The shop is very clean and well put together. They're also very informative and willing help with whatever you need. My friend got her nose pierced while I was there and was very impressed. He told her to come back in a month to check on it and see how it's doing. They also give you a lot of aftercare info for everything.
You won't be disappointed here! A+ guys! Thanks for the amazing tattoo! Couldn't be more thrilled! :)
This review has been delayed about 2 years. Since I first got tattooed here, I've had pieces done at Full Circle Tattoo in San Diego, Trusted Tattoo in Corona and will be getting 2 half sleeves finished at White Lotus Tattoo.
I've gone here a total of 4 times. I've been tattooed by Russ twice, Shorty and Paul.
Honestly, this place is ridiculously overpriced. They have an $80 minimum, so even something like a letter (which I did actually get) will be $80. If you're looking to get script, I would go somewhere else.
If you're a first timer getting a tattoo, I would avoid Russ. The review below me is absolutely right in saying he has a "I'm too good for this attitude". There is a look of annoyance on his face if you want something slightly adjusted, which I don't really understand seeing as how what you're getting is permanent.
Shorty is definitely on the chattier side and very friendly.
I don't know personally how well-rounded these artists are because I've never gotten anything aside from scripts, but the price is crazy. As far as the script that I've gotten, none of it is crooked and the lines are crisp to this day (first started coming here around winter 2011).
I just got my mother's full name tattooed on my right arm yesterday and Mario did a fantastic job. I love the fact that he has taken the time to make sure the words are lined up perfectly, and he has communicated very well about what I should/should not do.
I wanted to add a few things to my mom's full name but Mario suggested I shouldn't because it would have looked tacky, and he was right. The tattoo looks so much better without the new addition.
Mario especially did not rush through the process, he took the time to make sure I got what I wanted, paperwork filled out correctly, and was patient about positioning the tattoo. I had a great first tattoo experience with Mario. I truly value his patience to make sure that my tattoo has came out perfectly.
My tattoo took about 2.5 hours, and the total cost came out to $260; which I thought was costly, but honestly, cost should not be a factor in getting a tattoo because you would want the best artist doing your work, not some free tattoo artist around the corner.
My tattoo is my mom's full name, 4 words, fully wrapped around my right arm, around the biceps and triceps.
After going through yelp checking out local piercing shops, I decided to go to Outer Limits for a nose piercing after reading all the great reviews. Let me just say, the shop is as great as all the reviews said it is. Upon entering the shop, I noticed that it was really clean and nice looking. By the counter I was greeted by a girl named Elizabeth. I told her what I wanted, and she helped me pick out a stud. I was impressed by their wide variety of jewelry choices. I told Elizabeth that I was pretty nervous, and throughout my whole experience, she talked to me with a calm and reassuring tone. She reassured me that the piercing wasn't a big deal. She took me to the back room where she went over all the after care. Elizabeth was very informative, and definitely knew her stuff. Upon the piercing process, she talked me through every process before she did them. Letting me know what she was about to do definitely took away most of the anxiety. Elizabeth wasn't joking, the piercing was a quick pinch and it was done. I really had a great experience at this shop, and Elizabeth is a great piercer. If I ever summon up the courage to get another piercing, I'm definitely coming back to Outer Limits.
Review Source:This place was TOO good to me. I was nervous for my first tattoo and had called around to check prices and although they were a little more expensive than other places, they were super honest with me about tattoo placement and really good about helping me get the perfect design! Mario is awesome and I couldn't have gotten a better tattoo anywhere else! So pleased with my tattoo! Love it here!
Review Source:I had been wanting a tongue piercing for years and finally decided to get it done. I wanted to go to a place that was clean, people friendly and professional. I got all that and more. I called the shop and spoke w/Gregg over the phone he answered all of my questions and addressed all my concerns. I felt very comfortable with him over the phone and reading all of the previous yelp comments about other peoples experiences with Gregg confirmed this was my place.
My girlfriend came w/me and we both agree he was phenomenal! He took his time with me and explained everything in detail. During the procedure he walked me through everything  and he made the experience awesome. Would recommend to anyone who wants to get pierced, very clean place, professional quality service!
Thank you Gregg I will be back for more!!
I came in for my first tattoo and I already knew I wanted Paul to do it as I had seen his online portfolio. He was in the middle of a tattoo but took the time to talk to me and to find out what I wanted.
My appointment was set for a couple of days later and when I arrived he had the greatest custom piece for me! He executed it amazingly, was very nice and professional and was willing to stay a little past their closing time to finish up the outline. His dedication and professionalism was very comforting and I know I picked the right person to give me this awesome tattoo. Everyone else in the shop was also super friendly and willing to answer questions, and they made it fun to be there.
I am already planning my next piece for him to design! Thanks Paul :)
I'm on the verge of celebrating my two-year anniversary with the tattoo I got here. I came on a late Saturday night, it wasn't too busy. I asked for a quote going down my spine, and my tattoo artist, Jeff, was extremely patient in tweeking my script just the way I wanted.
He put the stencil on my back, asked my friend if she thought it was straight, and asked another employee at the store for their opinion as well. The only part that freaked me out was that the latter responded, "yeah sure. That looks straight to me." WHOA BRO, this is gonna be on my back for the rest of my life. Once I looked at it myself and made sure it was straight, we got crazy. I had gotten my first tattoo a year before, so I was familiar with the pain and was not looking forward to it. Surprisingly, it actually felt kind of good. Ten minutes into the piece, I think Jeff thought I fainted and asked if I was alright. I had actually fallen asleep and was just drooling on the bench (but I saw them disinfect the bench before I got on it, so I'm assuming they did the same after me, so you guys are fine). I wish the script was a little thinner like in my print out, but I know the ink behaves differently on the skin. I'm still in love with my tattoo!
A few months later, Â my same friend decided to get her piece done at Outer Limits as well. Hers was bigger than mine, so it took almost an hour, and they wouldn't let me sit with her like they let her when I got mine. So for an hour, I was standing on the other side of the cubicle wall talking to her since it was her first time. That was kind of annoying, and I understand if it's for health reasons, but some consistency enforcing these things would be nice. Plus, the year before when my other friend got her nose pierced there, they let three of us go in with her.
SO GLAD I CHOSE TO GET MY PIERCING HERE! Gregg is everything you could possibly want in a piercer. If I had known that getting my nose pierced would be so fun and easy, I would have done it years ago. Gregg made me feel so incredibly comfortable, safe, and calm. He took me after his last appointment of the day, and never once seemed like he was in a rush to get home. The whole place is very nice and very clean, and it was clear that sanitation is a serious priority here. The actual piercing was almost painless -which I was not expecting. Gregg was so thoughtful and careful in his every move, and is clearly an absolute expert at what he does. Outer Limits cares a great deal about their customers in the long term, and will encourage you to stop back in as often as you like to have your piercing checked for free. The total cost for the piercing and the small stud I chose was $40. Â Because I was so grateful for how wonderful the whole experience was, I gave Gregg an extra large tip, for which he was clearly very appreciative. Overall, I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE ENOUGH.
Review Source:5 stars for a perfect visit. I came on a Friday, around 1:30 (which seemed to be a peak hour). There were several people in the shop as well and immediately I was greeted by Mario, who then asked what I needed. He and Shorty worked out their schedule quickly and told me I'd be looking at about a 20 minute wait if their appointment fails to show. However, I waited a little less than hour since they did show. Shorty settled my paperwork and design. She then made a stencil and made sure I was perfectly fine with the placement. Since it was my first tattoo, she also made sure that I was comfortable and offered me as many breaks as I needed. I had a three word quote tattoo (alis volat propriis) which took no longer than 30 minutes and costed $100 + $15 tip.
I was entirely satisfied with my trip and will be bringing in a friend tomorrow for her first tattoo as well!
Love this place. Greg, you're awesome!
I had a HORRIBLE experience when I had my ears pierced at 17. It was with a gun and it was excruciating all the way up until the day they closed. No bueno. Fast forward 13 years. I decided to go get my ears pierced finally, the right way. I went and saw Greg and I was such a baby. I was extremely nervous, but he really calmed me down in talking to me about the process and talking about the recovery period.
I think it's great that they actually educate you on your piercing and Greg is very knowledgeable and professional. The pain was pretty minimal. Sure, it hurt more than a lil pinch, but honestly, it was over in the blink of an eye. If I can do it, anyone can do it. I had my month check up a couple weeks ago and he even gave me more sea salt for free. They don't charge you for the monthly check ins which is nice.
Overall, I'd recommend this place to anyone. Excellent service, friendly, professional, and knowledgeable staff, and great perks too with your piercings!
If you're gonna get something pierced, come here.
You will not find a cleaner or more professional tattoo shop anywhere. I've been collecting tattoos for over 20 years and I have never had a negative experience with ANY Outer Limits artist. Will, Russ and Shorty are all great people and well-rounded artists.
They take their piercing as seriously as tattooing and Gregg is the best around.
This is a shop full of talent!
This review is about a week overdue, but I'm definitely not skipping out to write it!
So I came in to get my ears pierced a week ago by Gregg. Honestly, all the other reviews are NOT an over-exaggeration. He is one of the nicest people I have ever met.
I got my lobes & cartilage pierced by him. I walked in with my friend & we went up to him. I told him I would like the piercings & he asked to look at my ears real quick to make sure I was able to. He said it was great. He even told me that my previous piercings were too close to my head, so he was going to pierce it more to the center of my lobs.
However, we caught him at a bad time when he was going to go out & quickly grab lunch. We said no worries at all. He was so nice about it & said that he would just quickly go out, scarf down the food, & get back to us. He suggested we walk around or wait, but it would only take about half an hour. Even though he said that, he suggested I look at what earrings I wanted. After choosing them, he helped me get those before he even went out to get his lunch.
My friend & I walked around for half an hour & came back. He was already set up by the time we got there. He thanked us for waiting & started getting me prepared with the waiver & the price quote for everything. $128 for three piercings that included titanium earrings? Not bad, not bad. He also let me know that he sterilized the jewelry & was all ready.
Afterwards, he took us to one of the rooms in the store. I have to honestly say that it looked like a doctor's office. SO SANITARY. That was amazing. So he guided me through everything (what would happen & what I should do with cleaning, etc). A lot of information, but he was really nice about it.
The sanitation cannot, I repeat CANNOT, compare to mall piercing areas. My friend said he changed the gloves about 5-6 times, each time to clean, clean some more, mark where the piercings will go, & pierce each other. DANG. He also wore a face mask the whole time. He told me to take deep breaths breathe for each piercings & he wouldn't trick me. He made the piercings easy peasy with the needles.
I'm so happy with my piercings. No infections & the swelling went down for the cartilage. I'm going to go in for a quick check up sometime next week, just to make sure, though! :)
I went in and got a tattoo a week and a half ago. I had been here before (got a tattoo eight years ago by Will and am still very happy with it), so I knew how clean and wonderful Outer Limits Costa Mesa is.
I had an appointment with Paul. He's great! Really friendly and takes his time working on you. I got a tattoo on the side of my right thigh and had to lay in a pretty uncomfortable position for a while. He made sure I was as comfortable as I was going to be and gave me little stretch breaks all throughout the session. I was coming down with a pretty bad cold at the time, so I felt bad I wasn't very conversational (lost my voice), but he didn't seem to mind.
I think the session took just under 5 hours and I couldn't be happier with the tattoo. It's gorgeous! Paul did a REALLY fantastic job. I totally recommend him. And of course Outer Limits. It's my favorite tattoo place in Orange County. You just can't beat how friendly they are and how clean the place is. I'll definitely be back for my next tattoo.
So I've been thinking about stopping by here for a while. When I finally talked myself into sucking it up and going, I couldn't find parking in the busy lot and called it quits. It just wasn't the right time I guess. But that's perfect coz if I did go that day, I may not have met Gregg!
I came in today at opening and he was there and super helpful. I walked in wanting an industrial bar, but he was totally professional and honest and told me that my anatomy wasn't going to work a traditional setup for an industrial and suggested different ear projects I could do. I decided to just go with a "basic helix" (my backup plan since I heard not everyone can get an industrial), since I didn't have a plan thought out for a different industrial bar setup.
He put up with me and my indecisiveness, and without even asking me my color preferences or my personality type, he suggested a color scheme that was TOTALLY ME! This guy man, he gets me. haha He is super chill and made me feel very comfortable and at ease, (which is kinda big for me coz it was my first cartilage piercing). He was very clean, very professional. He talked me through the procedure and after care and during the actual piercing he was very supportive and really, it barely hurt more than my mistake-of-a-Claire's-piercing on my lobes. He literally told me that everything they tell you at Claire's is bad, and really, what did I expect? I felt slightly dizzy (could've been adrenaline), but just to be safe, he told me to lie back down for a little until I felt better and gave me a (yummy) sugar tablet and water and I was good to go! Apparently they actually care about you here =] He sent me off with an after-care pamphlet and cleaning salt, and an awesome new piercing. He warned me to be careful of not just hitting it or sleeping on it, but when Im driving, EYES ON THE ROAD! Don't wanna crash from looking at my ear at the wrong time XP
If you're getting a piercing done. Go to Gregg. He's honest, helpful, and friendly. He told me I should go eat a candy bar in case I get dizzy from the piercing. And if it hurts some today, eating ice cream would make it all better.... who wouldn't love this guy?
I just came from getting my first(only) tattoo. I would like to start out by thanking all the Yelper's ahead of me that gave such good reviews and advice about Outer Limits. Initially I was going to walk over to a place close to our apt. It had good reviews, until I noticed all their reviews were from 2011. So I looked closer and saw all the recent positive things said here.
  I had seen Shorty mentioned with positive comments. So I called to make an appt. Found out that needs to be done in person and I need to leave a deposit. So I went in early this morning, figured it would be busy on a holiday weekend, to leave my deposit and make my appt. By the way, I did eat some peanut butter toast before I went, just in case I got it today. Since it was Shorty that I spoke with and she was available now. I got my tat.
  Ok, my tattoo is super small and simple. But she guided me on the size and location. Looking at all her tat's, I didn't really ask her how big I should get it. She was already joking the I should get a full back tat. Shorty made me feel comfortable from the get go. She did tell me if it hurt I was a wuss( ok my word). And she was right it was fairly pain free.
  My only regret, is I didn't ask her to take a picture before the bandage went on. Now I have to wait 2.5 more hours before I can share the tattoo with my friends.
Went here last night with Van D. and walked out with a new piercing on my ear by the end of the night.
I put off getting a new one for a long time and finally after meeting Gregg, I went all in for one.
Got my Double helix done ($50 with ear ring). Reasonably priced and the quality of his work is amazing.
Walked into the room with him and Van D. she got her work done first and then I was on the table. I honestly have to say he made it almost painless to put it in.
They also have excellent tattoo artists but thats too much commitment for me to get one.
Amazing selection of ear rings, belly button, gauges, you name it, they will have it. This is the place to go for your piercings.
I came to get my second tattoo after having such a great expirience with shorty. Unfortunatley she wasnt availble this night. I was forced to deal with russ, who was very unprofesional from the begining. He had the " im too good for this" Â attitude the entire time. After giving him suggestions on the art he drew up for me he seemed to get even more annoyed when I gave my feed back and wanted it a little different. long story short he kept being so rude to me that I was forced to walk out. I couldnt bring myself to sit there for an hour with that asshole plus pay him over 100 + tip.
about 20-30 minutes after I left. He showed up right out side of were i was eating yelling at the top of his lungs  threatening to bash my face in etc.etc... mind you im 5'5 and hes like 6'5...
So if you see a 30 something elitest "Goth" with a disgusting goatee, black nails and eyeliner. Id avoid him. Hes too cool for anything.
Just wanted to provide an update on my tattoo by Renan at Outer Limits Tattoo.
I have 3 tattoos and this tattoo is by far my favorite one. One of my many concerns about tattoos is whether or not the tattoo was completely filled in with ink. My tattoo was letters in Old English font so it took over an hour to complete the thick letters. Renan took his time and this tattoo is completely filled in with ink and still looking fresh!
Bottom line, it really does make a difference where you go so make sure you always do your research.
Went in to get pierced with 2 of my friends a while ago. We were all able to go in together since we were a little nervous. I sorta fibbed and told the guy that I had eaten but hadn't, needless to say I got a bit woozy after the piercing was done. They were really nice and let me chill out until I felt better. The guy was completely professional the entire time which was cool since it was a delicate area. Everything was sterilized or came from a package. He was knowledgeable and gave us good instructions on how to help with the healing process. Good experience overall.
Review Source:This is a review for Gregg
What a seriously awesome guy. Â He was really easy to talk to, patient (I had a bad case of nervous laughter), and I love how my piercing turned out and get compliments ALL the time!!
What this review is really about though is the level of care and service he continues to give several years after he pierced me.
I've had to go back a few times over the years because of irritation (darn you cheap Halloween make up!) or swelling (thank you crazy NYE that I don't quite remember...) and just generally not feeling right. Â And every single time he's taken time to talk to me and give me direction as far as getting my piercing back to normal. Â I've even gone in when he's preparing to pierce someone and he still takes his time to talk to me and make suggestions to get my piercing back on the right track.
Get pierced by this guy. Â He does a good job and he'll be there for you if anything goes estray!
I came here once for a cartilage piercing and once for my very first tattoo.
Great reviews and in a good area in the OC, how bad can it be? It was good. I liked the atmosphere and everything about Outer Limits. It was badass, without scaring customers away, which is usually the first thought I get about tattoo/piercing places. Usually I would get my piercings at a jewelry store or something, but my friend took me here to get it done.
Tara was the one who pierced my ear and gave me the run through for everything I needed to know. Some short paperwork I had to fill out.. But the wait time was just a bit too much for me and so was the time that she spent telling us about what she's exactly going to do and how to take care of it afterward. Yes, I trust you. You don't need to be spending 10 minutes letting me know all these things. I was honestly getting a bit bored and I wished she jabbed my ear already. But she was really nice. The cartilage piercing came out to be a little over $50 with the jewelry. I thought it was kind of expensive. OH WELLS... Now that I am more familiar with the store, I recommend getting your piercing(s) done on FRIDAY the 13th when they have deals for it (LIKE them on FB and see what they're offering). I remember seeing their fb status as $13 piercings (jewelry not included). Hopefully they keep this up every year.
Another time I came here was when I got my first tattoo by Mario. The place was empty and Mario had just finished up working on a sketch. He greeted me nicely and ask what he could do for me today and I told him I wanted a tattoo and handed him a print out of what I wanted (roman numerals and text... nothing too complicated). He gave me a rundown about getting some food in my body before he got started because he didn't want me to pass out. Prep time took about 30 minutes. The tattoo took about 2 hours and he would stop ever so often to make sure I wasn't in pain or to give me a break. To be honest, it wasn't painful at all. I think he prepared me well for it. I was a bit freaked out and nervous when I first walked in, but I think he calmed me down. Soon enough, we were done. I really appreciated his patience with me, especially since it was my first tattoo. We experimented a lot regarding where exactly on my back I wanted it. We probably moved it half an inch up, down, sideways about 10 times, but he never seemed annoyed. You could tell that he really wanted me to make the right decision and be 100% satisfied with what I was about to get done.
All in all, the tattoo came out to be $120 without tip. I really appreciated everything, so I just gave him a big tip. My friends told me I paid more than I should've and that I should have just gone to Barbella instead. But I trust Outer Limits to get it done for me.
I have been tatted here twice.. Once by henna (who no longer works there) and once by shorty..
Both artist were fabulous! They had an immense amount of comfort and welcoming personas .. Which in the tattoo world is a rare find.. Since most tattoo artists have a very intense personality and can be very intimatdating..I appreciated how they made me feel welcomed and not only the artists felt the need to be so attentive but the other employees as well .. Like the shoppe manager.. Etc..
Very clean location.. Parking may be a little problem but all around it's great.. I have never gone to the same tattoo shoppe twice.. Except for this one.. And I will certainly return to this location.. Give the other artists a look see..
Well done outer limits! You really know how to bring customer service and art together in such a alluring way.. Thank you!!
THIS REVIEW IS FOR GREGG:
After thinking about getting my nose pierced for years, I finally decided to go for it and do not regret choosing Outer Limits, all thanks to Gregg. I usually find myself feeling intimidated when walking into a tattoo and piercing place, but Gregg was so kind and made me and my fiancé feel welcomed. Gregg is very professional and courteous and takes his time making you feel comfortable while explaining the process and steps for taking care of your piercing. He is also funny which is a bonus. He was just so laid back and made me feel so relaxed. I am living in the bay area for a just a few months and he gave me a list of shops up north in case I need anything, and made it clear how this is his job and you can never bother him. I know he means it because the guy just exudes kindness and genuineness. Thank you Gregg, you're awesome! Love my nose piercing.
This place was absolutely awesome! It's extremely clean, the people who work there are very friendly, and they do fantastic work. It was my first tattoo and they made me feel totally comfortable when I didn't have any friends with me. I was also impressed when they turned down a girl because she didn't have the right form of ID, they do things the right way!! I'd recommend them to anyone :)
Review Source:This is a review for Gregg.
I came here just to get my right ear pierced again because the first time I got it pierced I was 2 years old and the lady effed up. Anyway, Gregg was super friendly and knowledgeable. I felt really at ease with him. Even when I did freak out, he was extremely quick with the piercing process which made me feel ridiculous for freaking out in the first place. All in all, he was so sweet.
I kind of have a small crush on him because he was so sweet! Such a likable personality!
LOL Shhhhh!! ;)
Anyway, it was pricey but I don't regret coming here at all. I forgot how much it cost for piercing but I bought two studs (a pair) which totaled to be $70 +tip.
I got my nose pierced at Outer Limits and I loved my experience. I've been pierced at other places. Gregg from OL fully explained the process to me and how to take care of the piercing, clean it, etc. I felt comfortable and at ease. It was very clean and sanitary.
Outer Limits also has great jewelry. A much bigger selection than most, and a great variety. The prices are good and staff is always friendly.
I got my 2nd tattoo here with Shorty. She made me feel comfortable despite the fact that I was getting a big piece on my ribs. I cringed, laughed, and sang throughout the session because it kinda really hurt. It really helped that she talked to me during the 2.5 hours I was laying there. She is an amazing artist and I definitely 100% recommend her to do your next tattoo.
This place is also very clean and friendly. It's not the cheapest place in the world, but quality and safety with a price is better than cheap and ugly. I really like that they made the place where you get tattooed in the lobby rather in a room because I feel it is safer.
I don't live in the area, and was in town visiting my brother for the weekend and we wanted to get matching tattoos. I had a pretty stern idea of what i wanted, so we came in and talked to an artist. He actually had better ideas of what i originally had, and put it together beautifully. At first i was a little weary about going to a place i didn't know much about, not being from the area, but checked it out first a little bit here on yelp.
The staff is all SUPER nice and friendly and make you feel really comfortable. Also, the place is SUPERRR CLEAN. They kinda scold you too even if you touch your body piercings in the shop, which i haven't ever seen a tattoo and piercing shop do before. Overall, this place is AWESOME. My tattoo took about 2 and half hours so we were there for about 6 for both, but it was definitely well worth it and i will definitely going back again if i'm ever down there! Also, if anyone goes in there, ask for Mario :)
BEWARE OF RUSS. Â
Came in to get two tattoos. The lady in the front desk was super nice. So was the piercing guy. Seemed everybody was having a good time....except one.
My first time at this parlor and I was told that an artist, Russ was still eating lunch. Â
When he came to greet me, he just stood with an angry face, as if I was bothering him. I asked, "What's the best process to get started?" I handed him print outs of what I wanted; a series of numbers on my wrist. He said they were too small. Ok, that's fine, I can get them bigger.
He goes to get a bigger print and comes out with the wrong set of numbers. Â I told him that I wanted the numbers facing me, rather than outward and he replied, "You're doing it backwards". I mentioned that's how I wanted it and he said, "Fine but it'll cost more". Â
Ok. I don't mind paying for quality. Â
I then mentioned that he did not print out the set of numbers that I wanted and he replied, "You're really making this hard for me". He told me to hang on and went to a back room. 20 minutes I waited and....I saw him still standing there.
Um, sorry. I must have had the wrong assumption that I was paying for your services - permanent ones on my body mind you. Â I'm not sure if he was just having a bad day or something, which I understand since I don't expect sunshine from you. However your blatant disregard for something so important to your client makes me wary of the quality of work you will deliver.
Granted, I did not ask for the most exciting thing, but to act like I'm bothering you. I would think of all industries, tattoo parlors would want to make their customers happy.
After waiting for the better part of half an hour, I took it as a sign he no longer wanted my business. Â I'm heading to a different parlor now and will definitely be a detractor to Outer Limits from now on.
I didn't mean to bother you Russ. And I will try my best to make sure no other client bothers you as well...
This shop is the cleanest salon I've ever visited. Â I've gotten previous work done in Seattle, Arizona, and another salon in Orange County, no other shop comes close to this one.
Went to Russ for a new Tattoo after consulting with him a few days earlier. Â I only came in with ideas and pictures of what I was looking for, nothing concrete. Â Russ was able to take my ideas/pictures and create a beautiful piece of art perfect for my body.
I am extremely happy after my first session with Russ and look forward to the second session to add color ad shading.
This review is specifically for Gregg!
I had heard about this place from talking to people and Yelp. I walked in to the shop and he took my information and had the jewelry ready in about 15 minutes of me arriving through the front door. When we went into the room in the back he just gave me some rules about aftercare (don't touch it, soak it in non-iodized salt, etc..). I was a bit nervous but he was super cool the whole time and was happy to answer any questions. The pain was very minimal and everything was sterile. I'm very happy with my new nose stud and would recommend Gregg to anyone. Thanks for the great service, Outer Limits!
I came in for a bead to my cartilage ring and I was surprised to see all the beautiful colors they had! Pink, green, two shades of blue...I LOVED THEM ALL!!! The guy at the front (didn't catch his name, but he had a pretty large hole in his nose and ears...lol) was super helpful and very friendly. He found a ball ($5 each) that fit my earring and I bought two and was on my way.
When I got home, the ball didn't fit my earring so I brought it back to him. He took me to the back and all I needed was my earring tightened. The ball fit right in! ;) I would love to go back and purchase some belly rings soon! They have the multi-colored rings with colored metals and various stones.
This is the best tattoo shop in OC. The tattoo artists are super friendly - Mario & Shorty are the BEST! They are really knowledgeable and make you feel comfortable spending several hours there. I've been back multiple times and would HIGHLY recommend this shop!
Cheers Mario & Shorty!
TARA!
I was at CSULB on my hour gap break between classes with two friends and we were trying to kill time. I've been wanting to get a nose piercing for years and decided last minute to get it. so we drove from Long Beach to Costa Mesa because I've heard so many great reviews at Outer Limits.
When I arrived, Tara was by the counter and she was very helpful with my questions. We went into a room, super clean and sterile as she walked me through the piercing procedure. She made everything very comfortable and quick. I was surprised how painless it was.
She gave me a bag of sea salt and a pamphlet for instructions on cleaning the piercing. A few months later, I stopped by to change my nose jewelry. Tara gladly changed it for me (free of charge)
Ended up being a couple of minutes late with my friends to our dance class but I was happy with my experience at Outer Limits!
Nose piercing $40
I've been pierced here several times (once with Tara; a few times with Gregg). The place is super clean and sterile, and the staff is great with everything--helping you pick out your jewelry, walking through the piercing process with you in full detail (never felt rushed; always felt welcome to ask questions without sounding stupid), and following up the piercing process with at-home care details. After you get pierced, they give you a little bag of sea salt and a pamphlet that outlines care instructions to take home.
Prices are reasonable and have ranged from $40 to $70 (piercing, jewelry, and tip included) for each piercing. It depends on what you get and what type of jewelry you select. There may be a bit of a wait when you get there if there's another customer...every time I've come, there's only ever been one piercer there. I don't mind the wait as much because there's a bunch of beautiful jewelry to oogle over in their front desk display.
One note: they'll ask you if you've eaten before coming in to get pierced. If you haven't, they recommend you do (even if you're not the type to get queasy). So, grab a quick bite or a snack before coming in.
I'll probably be back in the future if I need any more work done. They've helped me change jewelry as well (free of charge, but I usually tip them), so if you'd rather have someone change your jewelry for you, you can stop by for that as well.
I just came from my piercing with Tara and am so thrilled that I am sending in a Yelp review two minutes after I got home!
I had my earlobes pierced in a mall as a young tot, and my ears were so miserably painful afterward that I pleaded my mom to let them close. I had always assumed my ears were too sensitive, that I would never be a pierced girl, and that was that.
Jump to twenty years later, and I thought I'd give it a go again. When I first dropped in, Gregg was there. I told him my story and put on gloves JUST to examine my original closed piercings. From that moment, I knew this was a careful and cautious place. He also warned me that I shouldn't do it now if I was going to be in the water much this summer. He wasn't out for immediate $ - he wanted me to consider MY best option. And so I decided to wait.
And then I decided I didn't want to wait. So I came in again today, and Tara was the best. She was extreeeemely knowledgeable, kind, and put me at complete ease. She let me know about a lot of issues from the piercing at age 6 (piercing gun, position was too low, instructions to "twirl" the earrings constantly are WRONG and can be HARMFUL, grade of jewelry may not have been top notch, etc.), and I left with the feeling that my piercings from here will be healthy and beautiful. The price was also extremely reasonable ($20 + cost of jewelry) and the pain was minimal.
So, okay, they're just earlobes... but for me, I had waited a long time and this was a big deal. I couldn't have been happier with Tara and Outer Limits.
Gregg is awesome!! Â I've never had a tattoo done here but I've come here for piercings and check ups. My first trip here was to get a belly piercing checked that I had done at their anaheim location and Gregg was really thorough in asking me about my habits, and swapped out my barbell to a shorter one on the spot. Unfortunately, my body just didn't want to heal that piercing so i removed it. :
My second trip here was to get my ears re-pierced since I had them done at the mall before and they closed. Gregg helped me pick out the jewelry, sterilized it in the autoclave, and took the time to make sure the hole placements were even and I was satisfied. He walked me through the entire process and although it did hurt a little, it wasn't too bad. (p.s. -no piercing guns here! only needles!) He cleaned me up and gave me VERY thorough instructions on how to keep it clean! Â He even replied to my annoying paranoid e-mails ! Â Sadly, my body wouldn't heal these piercings after 6 months and he suggested I remove them and get them redone after awhile. He even told me I could get the piercings redone at no charge.
Overall, this outer limits is a very good place to get pierced. Gregg's laid back and friendly personality really puts you at ease. Oh and trust me, his piercing skills aren't the reason my piercings wouldn't heal. My body just doesn't take to piercings well even when they were done by different people. Â *sad face* Â Â So next time you wake up and decide to get holes poked through your skin, go see Gregg! :)
I got a lot of work done here by Shorty when I lived in this area during my externship from grad school.
I was a little sketchy of tattoo shops after getting one done on Hollywood Boulevard and searching for a spot that I felt clean enough not to get Hep C in :)
I read some reviews on Yelp about Outer Limits and decided to give it a try. Â I'm big on finding clean shops where I feel comfortable. Â And, I found it here. Â
I showed Shorty what I had done so far (beach theme, palm trees, etc) and asked her to try and wrap it all together and make it flow. Â She did an EXCELLENT job! Â She ended up finishing my entire right arm that had any non-tattooed skin on it. Â It took some time, and some pain (underside arm, ouch!) but it turned out great. Â I have never been so satisfied with any tattoo artist as I was with Shorty. Â I ended up with a tiki hut, a HUGE (tattoo size :) hula girl, sun, volcano, starts, and more. Â The price was a little more spendy than some shops but it was well worth it and very clean. Â
I would fly back just to get my tattoos there (if I could afford it).
I've been itching to get either a new piercing or tattoo for the past week or so. My final decision was to get inked. Considering I live so close to this spot and it had great reviews, I decided to call them for an appointment. To my dismay, they informed me that they didn't make tattoo appointments over the phone. It had to be done in person so that they can consult with you on the piece. It makes total sense... So later in the afternoon I headed over there.
Omg, the place was packed. I was a bit surprised considering its a Friday afternoon, I mean... Don't you people work or go to school? Apparently most of these people were here for piercings so the place did get less crowded. Upon arrival i was greeted by their piercer. Since I didn't have a particular artist in mind he told me to go through their portfolios and choose the artist I like.
Less than five minutes later, Â Mario asked if I've been helped and I told him I had a small piece that I wanted to get done. I showed him the piece, which is a Burmese writing. He asked when I wanted to get this done. I said whenever... He replays with "how about now". Awesome! Exactly what I wanted to hear.
So I had him redraw the writing because my sample was in italic font and I wanted regular. He took his time making sure it was exactly as I wanted, even having him alter a few things. He was real cool about it and finally I was ready to get inked. It took about  1.5 hours of wait and prep and another hour getting tatted.
Almost 3 hours later and $100.00 plus a $30.00 tip, I'm 100% satisfied. The black ink is obviously nice and dark, you can tell its quality work. I have other ink done on my body and this is one of my favorite thus far. I'm really glad they were able to squeeze me in that day!
The place is real clean, located inside the camp. The quality of their work is awesome, real friendly and the price is reasonable. I'm definitely hitting this spot again.
I went in to get my nose pierced by Gregg and though I had to wait awhile it was definitely worth it! He is very helpful and makes you feel comfortable and at ease. Even though I've had multiple piercings done before I was still nervous, and he guided me step by step. I was surprised at how quick and painless the piercing was and I had no swelling or bleeding the next day.
Definitely recommend coming here for any type of piercing! Gregg is great!!
800TH REVIEW, JERKS!!! Â And my mom's stomach just dropped seeing the kind of place I'm reviewing.
To be honest, I hadn't ever seriously entertained the idea of more piercings than the two unremarkable holes in each earlobe that I've had for 18 years, but then I randomly looked at Outer Limits's pics on Yelp and saw some of the custom industrials Gregg makes. Â I decided almost immediately that I wanted one, and two weeks later was getting holes punched through my ear. Â Mind you, I live over an hour away; I looked around online for local places that have these unique industrials, but didn't see anything resembling 'em (even at the other Outer Limits locations), so to Costa Mesa I went.
Gregg is awesome. Â He genuinely cares about what he's doing and that you're getting what you want, and he's honest about what will and won't work; after donning a glove and rooting around in my friend's snooter, he explained that my friend's septum is asymmetrical and a piercing through it would be crooked. Â My friend opted out, but Gregg could of course have said nothing about that, just Sure let's do it, and then I'd have a sad friend with an asymmetrical septum piercing. Â We also discussed what sort of design I'll want later to decide where my new holes would go (helix and conch), and Gregg explained what would be plausible to make.
I have no doubt this shop takes pride in how sterile everything is, from how the jewelry was physically handled (or pointed to under the glass with a pen, not a finger) to Gregg's wearing a surgical mask when piercing me. Â My jewelry went in the autoclave before it touched me, and there are various signs around the shop explaining why they don't want you to touch your own piercings, etc. Â Gregg said he even wears gloves when he pumps gas. Â THAT'S HOW CLEAN HE IS.
I'm sure Gregg has pierced labias that belong to women less nervous than I was about just my ear, but he was kind nevertheless about assuaging my fears and gave me a full explanation before a needle even touched me about proper aftercare, as well as recommending I come in about once monthly so he could see how I'm healing; he also invited me to stop in if I even vaguely suspect something might be going wrong. Â I got a wordy pamphlet as well in case I forgot what to do, and a bag of sea salt with instructions on how to mix it and soak my ear twice a day. Â
Gregg explained what he would be doing, carefully marked where the holes would go and got my approval on 'em, encouraged deep breathing, gave me as much time as I wanted between the two holes I got, and had me stay lying down when he was done to make sure I wouldn't pass out after the piercings were complete. Â I was cleaned up really well and sent along my way to go get a medicinal milkshake (his suggestion, that or tequila). Â Since then, I've emailed Gregg with questions, and he responded within a couple hours and said I could even email him pictures if I wanted so he could get a better idea of what was going on (which was nothing).
Totally stoked about the custom piece I'll get in a few months (he won't put it in until I'm 100% healed and we're going to discuss before then; he also prefers some time to perfect what he's making you so you're happy and he's confident he's giving you the best piece he can craft), and I'll update my review then. Â Thanks Gregg!!!!
P.S. There may be a line ahead of you, and the piercers don't take appointments; they also won't pierce you near to closing time because they need to clean up/sterilize/etc. Â Allot time accordingly if you're going in to get jabbed.
This is a review for the WONDERFUL Mario.This is the third tattoo I've gotten done by him and I don't think I could have anyone else do my tattoos in the future.
In December I emailed him a sketch and other pictures for a tattoo, a Russian nesting doll (matryoshka), Â that I wanted done on my right upper arm. He responded in less than a few days and thought it was cool. I dropped by to discuss specifics and other options and then set a date.
I came in for my appointment on the 23rd. He was still working on the stencil a bit when I got there and had to enlarge it a little in the end. It looked great and I couldn't believed that he turned my shitty sketch into something that good. I munched on a sandwich at milk + honey while he finished and got set up.
We did the outline and it took an hour and forty five. It turned out to be fucking awesome! All of the minor, but fine details were perfect--especially the eyes, hair, and yarn ball that dominated the stomach area. It healed really well like my other tattoos.
~
I came in for my Feb. 4th appointment to get it colored. We figured out what colors would look best and got right to it. This time around took an hour and thirty...
This is the first colored piece on my body and it went extremely well. Now it just needs to heal.
Like other times I've been here, the place was clean and everyone was friendly. Mario was personable and chill as always.
Thanks for my "old lady" tattoo, man. :]
Just going to post a quick note about getting pierced here..
Deal with Sarah. She is friendly, adorable and extremely understanding/ great ethics.
Had to get a replacement backing for my helix - came a few times and it wasn't available - she ordered it for me and when I went to pick it up she actually put it in for me ! Was very clean with the whole mask and gloves thing !
:) made my visit fun and felt good about dealing with someone who wasn't arrogant or stuck up about body art.
I went in there on a Saturday to get a tattoo that I had been deliberating on for the past year. On second thought, I should have made an appointment, but it was kind of one of those things I told my friend, "I'll get it done by this date" and so that's what happened. We went in 'round noon, and I wanted a session with Shorty because I wanted a girl to work on me. But that girl is super popular, and so if I was going to be spontaneous, I couldn't wait the week it would have taken to get an appointment with her.
I ended up going with Mario, and he's a super nice guy, was real with what was going to happen, patient with me, asked me questions about what I wanted, if I was sure and so on. But because he had an appointment in the afternoon, I decided to make an appointment with him for later in the day, so we had to hang around The Camp in order to pass the time. (The Camp is super awesome, by the way, I recommend checking that place out if you're already in the area).
To be honest, the wait was kind of ridiculous, even with my appointment, it probably took another hour and a half to get settled in. But because it was something I really wanted (and also maybe a little bit because it felt like they were challenging me to chicken out by making me wait so long) I toughed it out, and waited. Â
But in the end, when I went in the back to get it, it was worth the wait. Mario was super cool about informing me on how to treat it, asked me to call or make a follow up appointment just in case I had any questions or concerns about it, and I left knowing that I received quality service.
Also the place was super clean, well lit, gave you privacy, and the workers there are all friendly, personable, and look happy to be there and answer any questions.
If I decide to add on in the future, I will definitely think of this place, and really the only caveat I would offer to someone looking for a tattoo place is to be aware that this place can get really pricey, really fast. So, save up your lunch money, and it better not be pocket change you expect to pay. Oh, and be sure that you don't get a tattoo on your forehead or something equally ridiculous.
For the longest time I've always wanted to get my inner conch pierced. And now that I finally turned 18, I figured I would do this as a birthday present to myself (and as one of my few acts of teenage rebellion). Gregg was very friendly. He said that he had another customer at the moment and told me to walk around for a bit before coming back in half an hour. I expected this because I didn't set an appointment beforehand so in the meantime, I just went to Milk + Honey until the thirty minutes were up.
I signed some forms and picked out a piercing. I wanted to go with different jewelry for aesthetic purposes, but he suggested for me to get a rounded one so it fits within the curve of my ear and would heal quicker. And of course, I took his advice. You could tell that Gregg is very knowledgeable and that he cares for his customers very much. When I walked in and told him I planned on getting a conch, the first thing he did was check to see if my ear could fit it and ask me whether or not I ate beforehand. He also made sure I could see that everything was properly sterilized and that everything was sanitary.
It was pretty nerve-wracking. I could handle pain, but anticipating it? No, no, no. I can't do that. But he walked me through it and voiced what he was doing as he went through the procedures. "I'm just cleaning your ear." "You're going to feel a tiny bit of pressure". It was as though he was a doctor and quite honestly, if I'm going to be sticking a needle through my ear, he better be something akin to a doctor.
I'm going to admit, it's a tiny bit pricey, but if you're going to do it, you might as well do it right. I sure as hell ain't going to Claire's for something like this. And it's definitely worth it in the long run. Free sea salt and check ups for life. The jewelry is well-made too. The internal threads mean it won't cut your skin. And because it's 3-part jewelry, when buying here, you can just buy one part to make it cheaper. And Gregg will change it free for you too.
I told Gregg that I go to school in LA for college and won't be able to come back to him or checkups and he said it wasn't a problem. He wrote down numbers of piercing parlors around the LA area that he trusts. He's friendly, professional, and a fantastic piercer. Definitely recommend.
Went here on one of those random "I feel like getting another tattoo" days... and I'm so glad I chose this place. I've been wanting to get this quote for a really long time; just never gave much thought to what font, placement, and all the details in between.
Heard a lot of good things about this place... It was my first time at Outer Limits, and after this... I am never going anywhere else!!! The artists are all very friendly, helpful, and patient. Russ helped me make my final decision with all the details from the position to size and I seriously think my tattoo is perfect!!!
I came here earlier this week with two of my roommates and a co-worker to get a helix/cartilage piercing. I've been debating whether to get a cartilage of a rook, since I intend on getting both, but decided to go with the cartilage. (Ease myself into this whole piercing thing, y'know?) My co-worker recommended this place, saying that it was not intimidating at all like some tattoo parlors and that it's better to go to tattoo parlors for cartilage piercings as opposed to mall stores (using a gun v. needle).
Piercings are walk-in, first come first serve. Located in The Camp, I found that my co-worker was right: the entire place was clean, well-lit, and dividers were put up around the room so that the waiting area was separate from the tattoo area and piercing rooms, giving the customers some privacy. As we waited for Gregg, we looked over the store's selection of earrings; there is quite a selection!
When Gregg was ready for us (one of my roommates and I), he sat us down and proceeded to answer all of our questions and give us all the information we needed about taking care of our piercings afterward. He also gave us a pack of non-iodized salt and a pamphlet of everything he had said. I went first. As he was washing his hands, sterilizing the equipment, and disinfecting the earring, he told me how he was going to go about the piercing and how it was going to feel, from immediately after the piercing to a few weeks afterward. He was definitely very professional and experienced, which made me a lot less nervous about the whole thing.
My piercing came out to $50. A reasonable price and I'm very happy with the customer service. I'll be coming back for my rook in the next few months!
This review is for tattooist Shorty
I called pretty last minute and was able to get an appointment for the exact date I want. Â I needed to fill up this 3 x 3 area on my half sleeve, and needed something that was just right. Â I had a girl in mind, with flowing hair in black and white. Â Shorty was able to draw it up for me and fit her into that spot beautifully. Â The place is incredibly sterile, and tucked at the Camp. Â She was delightful to work with, and I love the fact I had a girl's work on my arm for the first time. Â Naturally, it turned out beautifully and everyone that sees it goes WOW. Â Shorty's amazing at classic tattoos, and faces... definitely would recommend.
Soooo I decided to go buy a ring/retainer/something pretty for my septum since i took it out a few months ago and lost the jewelry. :{
I ended up deciding to go to Outer Limits since its down the street from my house. Now, whenever I go into a tattoo parlor I always feel really intimidated because I feel like these places are secret societies where you have to be an uber elite member to even enter through the doors and the atmosphere just makes me feel like I'm not cool enough to be in there - yes I know that sounds weird.
Anyway, Outer Limits nonetheless makes me feel incredibly intimidated. I was totally expecting to meet a bitchy person who was waiting to just toss me out after they took my money. Nope, totally WRONG.
Tara was incredibly great in helping me decide on what I wanted and helping me gauge what size would be the best for me since my piercing was a lot smaller than it use to be. I ended up with a pretty little bull ring and walked out a happy camper. Prices are good and I would definitely come back for either another jewelry piece or maybe even a piercing...? Only time will tell.
Definitely recommend for your piercing jewelry needs. Vast selection.
Outer Limits is located in the CAMP, next to 118 Degrees and Milk + Honey, and a hair salon. Â Parking does get cramped, as it is located on busy Bristol St. across from the LAB, so I suggest parking in the back, where there's usually ample parking.
I came here because I wanted my tragus pierced and my friend pointed to this place. Â I was hoping to get it done, but alas, it was not meant to be. Â Gregg, who is the in house piercing specialist, told me I would be wasting my money if I did because it wouldn't stay and pop out. Â I really appreciate honesty and I hope I can pierce something else in the near future. Â He was such a friendly guy and really informative with all the questions I threw at him.
I did end up getting a captive bead earring for my cartilage piercing. Â I'm super happy with it. Â The chairs in the front are super comfy as well, so I didn't really mind the wait at all.
Gregg! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
The most care and amazing customer service experience ever!
This place is super immaculate, the cleanest shop ive ever been in!
I had just got my monroe pierced by Gregg,
Prior to signing anything etc. We talked a great deal about what piercing i wanted, what jewelry is appropriate. Â Sizing and after healing sizing. Where and why the positioning of the piercing is important.
I just had a really good experience by a "piercer" if thats the right term?
Gregg, had so much helpful tips, good examples of good aftercare and what could happen and will happen if you don't take your after care seriously.
He really takes his time with you, and makes you feel comfortable. Which as a customer i really appreciated it.
He made sure i was okay with the placement and also what is a better placement for my body and the healing process. Which i thought WOW this person really passionate about what they do/ happiness of the customer. So lets do this!!
I have had a lot of piercings, so i have a pretty good idea of aftercare/healing, but as long as you've had them, Â time does pass and you can easily forget how to clean/take care of what you got properly.
i was glad he explained that very clear to me.
i didn't feel rushed or forced into doing or buying something i didn't want. ( which in some places i feel all they want is a sell. : / Â i have had so many piercers just go "ok sign this and (do the piercing) and like "ok that will be x amount of dollars, k bye..."
Well you wont get that here!
Thank you. I will never go anywhere else!
I love outer limits.
GREGG!!!!
i got my nose pierced here a while back and i have to say, he is amazing! very professional, calm, and very vocal about what he is doing. Granted i have had many piercings in my lifetime but i'd like to say that Gregg did an amazing job! he marked a couple times as to where the nose rings would go and made sure i felt comfortable with where it was positioned. He was very professional as far as making sure the piercing process was sanitary and informed me in quite detail how to maintain a clean and well healing piercing.
Thank you! and i hope to stop by again for another piercing!
I have been to other tattoo and piercing shops, and this by far is the best i've experienced. Â I've gotten pierced here twice (eyebrow and industrial) and my girlfriend got her nose pierced here.
-Clean and professional. Everything is properly sterilized and they make sure to explain everything they are doing so you don't feel like someone is sticking a needle into you (which they are!). They are very clear with the after care instructions and really stress what you should look out for during the healing process.
-Great customer service. I've never felt like just another customer. I always feel like they take the time and make sure the piercing will work for you and your body.
all these posts about Gregg is true. He does live up to your expectations. He was
-clear (explained everything and answered every questions i had),
-super friendly (he was teasing and cracking jokes with my friend and i), Â
-SO CHARISMATIC (he told me everything he was doing through the whole piercing process and kept trying to relax me... and it worked)
i got my CONCH pierced and with the bag of salt he gave me, it healed in no time! yeah, my ear was throbbing for the first twenty minutes but after, it felt like nothing was there! my ear has fully healed and it's been about 2 months. a little pricey, but definitely worth the security. Â
wondering why its five stars? because Gregg is definitely as good as it gets. he loves answering questions so if you're unsure about anything just ask!
Gregg lived up to my expectation and i had a fantastic experience here. My friends and i came here for our first navel piercings (thanks to yelp and other reviewers) Â and he was so throughout in explaining all the procedure that we needed to do before and after the piercings.
Gregg truly cared about the customers' well being more than the money. If you're not a good candidate for the piercing, he will tell you and will not do it if it's bad for your body. He takes time answering all the questions and showed us that their autoclave has been tested for spore contamination and that it works properly. He also make sure you understand the procedure and suggest the jewelry that is best for your body shape, and skin texture so that it is best for the healing process.
There was this lady before me who wanted the navel piercing but hadn't eaten yet so Gregg told her to go eat and come back or else he would not do the piercing since it was going to be a bad experience for her. So remember to eat before you come. The food and Gregg's skill will give you the high when you get your piercing :D.
When i got mine, he let me relax and told me to take deep breath so that i didn't even feel the pain. I was so happy after the piercing was done due to the epinephrine rush and the painless process. It was awesome. My piercing was perfect with no redness and no pain around the area. The jewelry Gregg recommended was very nice and comfortable for the shape of my belly button.
Overall, i would recommend Gregg to anyone who wants a quality piercing on their body. The place was clean and Gregg's skill was definitely impressive.
The reviews about Gregg are no joke. Â This guy is as good as it gets when it comes to piercing!
He is kind, thoughtful, thorough, and GENTLE. Â I cannot say enough good things about someone who is gentle and patient with a procedure that most people are tense or frightened about.
He takes his time with every step of the process and even though I was in there an hour before closing he didnt treat me any different even though that means hed have to stay late to clean up.
I trust my fellow yelpers and they did not steer me wrong, if you are hesitating for a second about getting something done let Gregg's mature attitude and patient demeanor be the tipping point for you to come here. Â Everything is so sterile and clean its like a doctor's office! Trust me you will like this place versus some other jenky shop where you can get all sorts of bacteria all up in your holes!
Nasty! Â Its your body, treat it right and follow all the aftercare instructions....you only get one.
I've always passed by Outerlimits while en route to Native Foods or Milk and Honey at the Camp, and have heard great things. After a failed tragus piercing at another piercing parlor, I decided to try Outerlimits after reading great reviews on Yelp.
Gregg is an excellent piercer and very professional and knowledgeable! He has been doing work for about ten years, so he knows what he is doing. He is extremely thorough, and explains everything in detail and makes sure that you feel comfortable with the process. He has great technique and makes the process quick and as painless as possible.
I really like Outerlimits' facilities as well. It is very clean and orderly, and they have different rooms for piercing and tattooing etc. I also noticed that they use different types of earrings/stud for piercing, which I like better than the traditional screw in barbell.
I would definitely recommend this place to any novice piercer or veteran because it has a very clean and professional environment, and Gregg will take care of you for sure! A bit pricer than other piercers, but you get what you pay for!
I can't speak highly enough of my (continuing) experiences with Outer Limits and with Will Thompson in particular.
Will has been working on my Starry Night shoulder cap for almost a year now (mostly my fault as money has required long stretches in between sessions). Yes, you read that correct - he is replicating Vincent Van Gogh's masterpiece on my arm and is doing an AMAZING job. I searched for a long time to find an artist that I felt could do the subject matter justice and Will has completely blown me away. I can't tell you the amount of compliments and plain awestruck comments I get about my tattoo. I uploaded a photo of it - I think you can figure out which one is mine. :)
Will has been very professional and helpful throughout the process and always tries to make me laugh when he sees that I'm having a hard time with the pain. I will never go to anyone else for my tattoos again.
So I've been stretching my ears but I was at the point to where I couldn't just stick tapers through my ears in the shower anymore. I decided to go see Gregg and have him do the final jump from my 2g's to 0g's
Gregg had all his materials ready to go within 10 minutes. He did my left ear first (my "tricky" ear) and once the plug was in I knew we were on easy street for my right ear. The plugs came through nice and clean with just some initial swelling as predicted.
However a strange phenomenon took place, despite my clean stretches my left (tricky) ear stayed swollen for over a week with no signs of recovery. Being worried I went to see Gregg again for a follow up. What a bust!!! My left ear rejected the piercing and we had to take it out but Gregg made sure to give me plenty of salt to do soaks and was down to earth about it, he wanted me to call or check in with him within the week to make sure everything was healing properly
After another week or so I came into see Gregg for yet another follow up and in this case we found that my left ear had gone from a 0 back down to a 12. Yea I feel like less of a man now having such a small gauge but Gregg managed to salvage the piercing so right now I'm rockin a 12 in one ear and a 0 in the other. I'm lucky to have had someone as knowledgeable as Gregg to attend to my ear because had it not been for him I would have had to have surgical intervention for my left ear
I'll be seeing Gregg soon to start stretching my left ear
The people here are super nice, especially Tara, who pierced my earlobes. I originally got my ears pierced at Claire's over a decade ago. I even did a helix ear piercing 5+ years ago, but had to take it out because it swelled and developed a keloid. :(
Tara initially tried to sell me titanium push studs for $50-60/pair. I was quoted $10/ear and $10/earring over the phone, so I asked about cheaper ones and it turns out they only had stainless steel in hoops. Which I didn't want because I could picture the hilariously painful snagging and catching on who knows what!
I didn't really like any of the studs (plain silver ball or gem ones), but when I commented on how much I liked her round flat-head silver studs, she told me she could just flip the earrings around to reveal the flat-head ends.
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.painfulpleasures.com%2Fxcart%2Fcustomer%2Fproduct.php%3Fproductid%3D5790%26cat%3D8%26page%3D1&s=713499116b8f320d333b89ed38370506526ac34e58ac476f019f4c6e26993c4d" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.painfulpleasu…</a>
The process itself was awesome. Tara explained everything thoroughly (earring types, piercing care, piercing process, etc.). Everything was professional and hygienic, just like if you went to a good dentist.
At the end, she even took a picture of my ears (despite how boring they look) to add to her portfolio!
-1 star for long wait (I was told twice that the piercer "just stepped out to breakfast/lunch") and lack of stainless steel studs (I think they had screw backs but they were $6 MORE)
Although I've been pleased with Outer Limits as a whole (very clean, inviting, etc), this review is mostly about Gregg, my piercer. He works Thursday-Saturday as of this review, and is my favorite piercer that I've been to.
My girlfriend and I went in -- an orbital for me and double helix for her. Gregg was clearly busy and had a backlog of around 5 people after us, but I never felt rushed in any way, something I cannot say for some of the other parlors I've been to. He ended up recommending that my girlfriend only get one piercing, since there was not much room. Sad as it may be, I'm always happy to hear a piercer shoot down a piercing they think is unlikely to heal well, it means they are not just rubber stamping potentially damaging piercings for the income.
At any rate, Gregg took the time to discuss what we wanted, waited while we worked out the details, was very up front about the varying costs of piercings, and eventually took us into the back. His work was top notch, I barely felt the needle going through cartilage (not always the case) and his bedside manner is excellent. If you're nervous, he will help.
Best of all, he made a point of recommending we come back in to check up on the piercings, free of charge. This is a guy who is clearly in it for each individual customer, and it shows immensely. His work is impeccable, your safety and healing is his first priority, and I would recommend him without hesitation to anyone in the greater OC area who wants a piercing.
As an added bonus, he does some damn cool work with custom bent barbells. You can tell he loves to do it...don't be surprised if he gets a glint in his eye and starts talking about possibilities once you're there.
This place is located in the anti mall...or at least that's what I call it. It's in the same little center as Milk + Honey. The parking was plentiful, and the place didn't require an appointment.
And no, I wasn't the one that got a tattoo haha, BUT I did take my roommate.
What can I say roomie love right?
We did have to wait an hour (considering that the guy who helped us, Russ, had to resize the picture) wasn't that big of a deal though considering we walked around and checked out the shops. Initially I was going to leave the roomie and go shopping down the street at South Coast, but a part of me told me to stay with. So I did...for about 2 hours haha.
Russ was very thorough on explaining what exactly he was going to do, where he was going to place it, and even went back a couple times with the roomie to check the position in a mirror. I've only been in one other tattoo place, and this one seemed to know their stuff.
They don't use metal needles, they use the disposable ones (which is a very good thing) They each have a station, kind of like a hair salon, and the music they were playing in the background was freaking rad.
I think they are remodeling right now, but the place looked pretty clean cut. Like I said it took about 2 hours and I think the charge on that was about $150 an hour or so...but the tattoo came out pretty awesome looking. It did look a tad painful at times, but he was satisfied, and I was pretty much ready to take him home.
They do also offer piercings...so I will keep this in mind because I'm pretty sure I'll never get a tattoo.
This is a review from someone who has never been pierced, but came along with a friend.
All, right. Straight up. If I'm going to get pierced, I'm coming here.
Tara was amazing, ask for her. She knows her stuff like a panda knows bamboo. She took my friend and I to the back, made my friend comfortable, and before I knew it, she had already pierced my companions tongue. I didn't even have time to freak out about things going inside the human body. I mean, really, it's freaky if you think about it. But, no, if Tara were to pierce me I would be totally fine and relaxed. Hooray for body mod!
*This is my review for getting pierced here* :)
I waltzed in to get my nose pierced (my last ditch effort to have a facial piercing before I get a grown up job) and was delighted with Gregg. He was super nice and made me feel comfortable and welcome.
He was EXTREMELY clean and explained every aspect of my piercing to me. Plus, he was quick. I would definitely reccomend him when you are looking to put another hole in your body :)
Earlier today I got a monroe piercing done by Greg. Just like all the other reviewers said, he's pretty much the best. I've had my nose pierced before at Body Electric on Melrose, and this experience was so much better. He didn't rush and made sure that he explained all of the aftercare information to me well. He also made sure to answer all my questions with details.
A+ for excellence in facial piercing service! :)
JOE RILEY!! Â COME BACK!! Â I f#%$ing need you man!!
This tattoo/piercing joint is so ass-kickingly awesome, I felt compelled to bust my Yelp cherry for this place.
First off, I must say, Mr. Joe Riley does INCREDIBLE work. Â I had a ugly, decently-sized piece on my back that I needed dramatic alterations/cover-up done on, and he managed to pull a rabbit out of his butt and do what I thought was impossible: Â he made it look GOOD. Â I can now confidently roam the friendly local beaches without feeling like a freak. Â Sadly for us, though, he's moved to the apparent birthplace of cheesesteaks to be with his new kid and wife. Â Good for him.
But seriously, brass tacks: if you want high quality work, I suggest you take a gander here. Â Even without Joe here, I would still recommend this place without hesitation. Â Kody, Will, and Russ all do fantastic ink work.
Very clean, professional, and friendly. Â Well, as friendly as being stabbed in the back repeatedly with needles can be. Â All the Pantera, Slayer, Manson, and Killswitch that they play don't hurt, either. Â :)
For all you folks looking to get pierced, piercers doesn't get come any better than the resident, Gregg. Â Truly the best of the best of the best, sir! Â With honors.
Anyways, I'll be back! Â Once I save up enough lunch money to throw at a new piece of ink, that is. Â :)
I had contemplating an industrial for about a year, and finally decided to get one 2 days ago due to impulsive decisions =] ...also because my friend encouraged me to.
I was completely scared shitless because people had always said that cartilage piercings were more painful than regular piercings. I was also afraid that it would get infected, or that it wouldn't heal correctly. However, as soon as I talked to my piercer (Gregg), he reassured me of everything and that it's not a big deal as I had made it seem. He also took no chances in safety and encouraged me to get some food so that I wouldnt faint (just to play it safe). He's definately a GREAT piercer and a very professional one. He takes no chances at all.
After getting it done, I was happy =] Everything there was so professional (the clean atmosphere, jewelry, and materials they use) that my piercing does not hurt at ALL...and it has only been 2 days. I feel no swelling, or painful irritation, or bleeding. i only got slight redness if anything =D its as if its already healed! (but i know its not heh)
definately definately recommend this place if  you're looking for a piercing of any kind.
I got my first (and so far only) tattoo here from Russ. I chose him because his online portfolio showed a lot of unconventional designs that had a similar aesthetic to what I wanted.
I came in and chatted with him about my design--he had many helpful suggestions--and came back a week later to get tattooed.
Russ was dilligent, thorough, and friendly. He worked really hard (4 hours!) and gave every detail meticulous attention. I am THRILLED with the work he did--my tattoo looks beautiful, and I can't find a flaw in it. He did such a great job. I would absolutely come back for my next tattoo, whenever that is.
The price was $150 an hour--high, but I think thats the going rate around here. But it was worth it.
As my face has broadened, the labret holes I have had pierced here have remained the same since I was 18. I often wonder whether I'll put the jewelry back in because it makes me feel so different as if I was wearing all black with inappropriate shoes and pomade in my hair, stealing candy from Sweet Factory at the mall in the early 2000s, and being simultaneously yelled at by Trudy and Sherrie for looking incorrect at the mall job I worked at. I looked this way on purpose, fags.
Piercings gave me an air of confidence, in a way that is subliminal to the life I'm living right now. I miss my piercings. I miss the air of confidence that I had that wasn't forced. Now it's forced because I'm here. Here in a mainstream way. I miss the confidence I had when I went to places I should have stayed away from and got black eyes from kicks that weren't meant for me, smoke being blown in my face in Pomona, watching porn in prom limos and being committed to an inpatient facility because of aforementioned piercings.
I wasn't sick. I was rebellious. Micah, I believe his name was, from Outer Limits drew me a tattoo after I got pierced here. It was of a bonsai tree but it was a brutal bonsai tree. The tattoo would have covered my whole back. I didn't want it, so I flaked on going through with it. He moved to Washington and all my friends with their new tattoos were heartbroken. This was years ago, and I'm not sure whether they're satisfied with their tattoos still. For a lot of them, X does not equal what it did many years ago. if you know what I mean!
Today, I still like tattoos but I like full-bodied tattoos or sleeves in which there is no focal point but a flood like an intricate pattern. My friend had a race with his then wife/ex-girlfriend/whatever on who could get the most tattoos and now both have full sleeves and tattoos up to their necks/abdomen/legs. She went upward, he went downward. It's overwhelming but it's hot because I wouldn't even know if either of them had a "bad" tattoo. It's like looking at graffiti art at a venue or club and thinking, "this is so cool" when in reality, some of the designs are unremarkable but as a pattern they look so neat.
I've gotten a tattoo and a lip piercing (monroe) done here and the service was so great I've recommended Outer Limits to all my friends needing a body mod of some sort.
Greg and Kent are excellent piercers - they make sure the jewelry's properly placed and sterilize everything in front of you. I wore my monroe for two years and had no problems with placement or infections. A lip piercing will probably run you about $65, jewelry included.
My tattoo artist (Misha) is no longer there but the other artists' portfolios are pretty impressive. I think their standard rate for a tattoo is $120/hour. Don't cheap out on something that'll be on your body forever!
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