Lady Gaga’s Tattoo Artist on How to Keep Your Ink Looking Fresh

Hiked Runyon Canyon? Check. Dinner at Chateau Marmont? Check. Now it seems that getting a single-needle fine-line tattoo from Daniel Winter, aka Winter Stone, is another box that must be checked off any cool girl’s Los Angeles itinerary. Like Shamrock Social Club and Doctor Woo before him, Winter is the latest in a line of sought-after celebrity tattoo artists in a town that has an unquenchable thirst for ink. (Although the city’s not alone—according to Pew Research, more young people in America are getting tattoos than ever before.)

A Beverly Hills native, Winter has worked on everyone from Miley Cyrus (a smiley face on her inner arm) and Sophie Turner (a flame on her index finger) to Emma Roberts (a horseshoe on her thigh) and most recently, Lady Gaga (he spent two hours creating a tribute to the Édith Piaf anthem “La Vie en Rose” along the length of her spine). And thanks to a massive social media following, he also has clients booking with him from as far afield as Australia, Japan, France, Italy, Brazil—the list goes on—apparently undeterred by the year-long waiting list for one of his delicate, minimalist drawings of waves, flowers, and stars. It is his rendering of the iconic SoCal palm tree, however—inspired by the street he grew up on—that has really captured the imaginations of ink addicts. “People all over the world come to get that tattoo,” he says. “It’s like a souvenir of L.A.”

Working out of a private, appointment-only studio in Westwood (with occasional residences at Bang Bang in NYC), Winter’s philosophy is, when it comes to body art, small can be powerful. “You don’t have to get a huge tattoo,” he says. “A small, fine piece of artwork on your finger or wrist gives a bit of an edge without being too edgy.” Unsurprisingly, with this less-is-more aesthetic, he’s not a fan of of colored ink and advises staying away from fleeting trends. “I really try to separate what I think is cool from the work,” he says. “I focus on each client individually and, if anything, just try to lead them to a better design and something that is more meaningful to them.” Here, his tips on caring for your tattoo if you decide to go under the needle.