We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lexi Petersen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lexi below.

Lexi, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

One thing that really sets Ink Oil apart is how we bring a fun and approachable vibe to the often bold and intimidating world of tattoo aftercare. Our brand story is pretty unique—a conservative mom (KP) and her shy daughter jumping into an industry that’s traditionally seen as rough and edgy. It took us a while to find our place in this space, and in many ways, we’re still figuring it out. But that’s what makes us stand out—we don’t fit into one specific mold, and we’re totally okay with that.

A great example of this is watching KP (my conservative mom) go from being uncomfortable around the tattoo scene to confidently chatting with big dudes with face tattoos at conventions. Meanwhile, I’ve found my niche connecting with dog owners, effortlessly talking about our products and how they work for both their tattoos and their pups. We’re truly all-encompassing—not just in our products, but in the wide range of people we connect with.

The biggest difference for us is offering two seemingly unrelated products—tattoo aftercare and dog essential oils—under one brand. It’s been a challenge, but also a joy, because we’ve realized we’re not alone. There’s a whole community of tattooed dog parents who take both their ink and their pets’ health seriously. We’re proud to cater to them with products that reflect their unique lifestyle.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Ink Oil started as a passion project between me, a tattooed daughter, and my once-skeptical but incredibly supportive mom, KP. At first, I was struggling with tattoo healing, and that inspired us to create an all-natural, effective tattoo aftercare product just for me. With the help of my pharmacist brother, we developed a blend of essential oils that not only healed my skin faster but felt amazing too! From there, our little project grew into a thriving small business with a unique twist—we now cater to tattooed dog parents!

The journey didn’t stop at tattoo aftercare. We were already using essential oils with our dogs (Bishop, DaVinci, and Xen) and knew firsthand the benefits. That’s when we decided to bring our passion for pups into the mix, launching our Pup Oils line, designed with the same care and dedication we give to our tattoos. Our goal was to create products that could support our pets’ health naturally, just like we do for ourselves.

Over time, we’ve expanded our offerings to fit different stages of life. We created Bump Oil for pregnancy, Beard Oil for the guys, and even a Scent Kit to help dogs learn scent work. Our product line now reflects all the things we love—tattoos, dogs, and even a bit of self-care for everyone in the family!

What really sets us apart is how we combine two very different passions—tattoos and dogs—into one business. It’s not just about products; it’s about a lifestyle that tattooed dog owners take seriously. They’re passionate about their ink, but they also want the best for their pups, and we’re proud to offer solutions for both.

I think what I’m most proud of is how far we’ve come, especially the personal growth it’s brought to me and my mom. KP went from being uncomfortable with tattoos to becoming a tattooed woman herself, and now we run this business together. We’re not just making products, we’re building something special, something that resonates with people who share our passions. Whether it’s healing fresh ink or supporting a dog’s well-being, we’re here to help.

At the end of the day, Ink Oil is about caring for the things that matter most—your tattoos, your dogs, and yourself. We’re proud to create products that reflect that love and care.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

Yes, we manufacture all of our products at Ink Oil! When we first started, it was a lot of trial and error. We didn’t have any formal experience in manufacturing, but we were determined to create high-quality, all-natural tattoo aftercare products.

My brother, who’s a pharmacist, helped us understand how to properly blend essential oils and natural ingredients to ensure our products were both safe and effective. In the beginning, we mixed everything ourselves in small batches, learning and adjusting as we went.

One of the big lessons we learned early on was the importance of consistency. When you’re making products by hand, especially with essential oils, you need to make sure every batch is as perfect as the last. We refined our process and developed a method we could trust.

As we grew, some of our most popular products, like Ink Soap, became popular enough that we needed to scale up. That’s when we partnered with an amazing company in Colorado, Sample Solutions, to help us with larger-scale production. They share our commitment to using only high-quality, natural ingredients, and it’s allowed us to meet demand without sacrificing quality. Meanwhile, some of our newer or smaller batch products are still made by us in-house.

Through it all, the biggest lesson has been understanding every aspect of the manufacturing process—whether we’re making the products ourselves or outsourcing. We ensure that every ingredient and method aligns with our mission of providing safe, effective, and all natural products.

What started as a small kitchen experiment has grown into something much bigger, and we’re proud of the manufacturing process we’ve built. It allows us to keep offering the products our customers love, whether it’s for tattoo aftercare, dog health, or self-care like our beard oil!

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

We started by selling at local markets and through our own website. While this gave us a good start, we quickly realized it was hard to get found without spending a lot on advertising. That’s when we began exploring other platforms to reach a wider audience.

Getting on Amazon was a game-changer for us. It was a long process, especially because essential oils are considered hazardous materials. We had to do a lot of work to ensure our products were safe and met their standards. But once we got approved, I felt really proud—it was a huge milestone for us to be recognized in that category. Amazon has been awesome for increasing our visibility and reaching new customers.

We also expanded to Etsy after I took a class from Monica Little, which taught me how to optimize our shop on the platform. Etsy has been another great avenue for us, and I’ve been happy with the success we’ve had there.

In my view, it’s important to be in as many stores, sites, and platforms as possible. Everyone shops differently, and you want to make it easy for them to find you no matter where they are. Whether it’s Amazon, Etsy, or our own website, we aim to meet customers wherever they feel most comfortable shopping.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shopinkoil.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/shopinkoil
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/shopinkoil

Image Credits

Scott with The Photo Box
Utah