2nd Skin

What 2nd Skin does

2nd Skin AG is a Zürich-based, Swiss corporation operating as a tattoo and piercing "art collective" with four physical studios across the Zurich metropolitan area and Aargau (Altstetten headquarters, Zurich HB, Shoppi Tivoli in Spreitenbach, and Dietikon/Limmattal). Founded in 2009 and operating as 2nd Skin Tattoo & Piercing, the company aggregates national and international member-artists who work as self-employed professionals under the 2nd Skin brand and infrastructure, offering custom tattoos, minimal tattoos, cover-ups, permanent make-up, henna, tattoo removal, body piercings, ear stretching, intimate piercings, migraine/therapeutic piercings, and children's ear piercing.

The business generates revenue across multiple streams: per-service fees for tattoos and piercings (standard body piercings CHF 69, intimate piercings CHF 129, minimal tattoos from CHF 96), sales of high-quality titanium piercing jewelry (first-insert jewelry included, plus a 20% follow-on voucher), proprietary branded aftercare products, gift vouchers valid for one year, professional tattoo courses, and installment payment plans for tattoos. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer with an online booking system at booking.2ndskn.com, supplemented by walk-in services at the Altstetten location, multilingual website presence (DE/EN/IT/ES/FR), and active social media engagement on Instagram and Facebook.

2nd Skin's operating model is built around a curated talent bench and multi-location convenience in the Swiss German-speaking market. Distribution is exclusively physical (four studios) with no e-commerce channel for products. The company has no disclosed funding rounds, no institutional investors, and no disclosed revenue, suggesting founder- or independently-owned operations with steady regional growth rather than venture-backed scale.

Name

2nd Skin

Legal name

2nd Skin AG

Website

https://2ndskn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

2nd Skin AG is a Swiss art collective operating four tattoo and piercing studios across the Zurich metropolitan area and Aargau, serving individual consumers with custom tattoos, body piercings, ear stretching, therapeutic piercings, jewelry, aftercare products, and professional tattoo courses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tattoo and Piercing Services

NAICS

Hair, Nail, and Skin Care Services (81211)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSALAKAL

Permanent Makeup Consultation, Design & Patch Testing Services

Home & Personal Services/Personal Care & Beauty Services/Cosmetic Tattooing & Permanent Makeup Services

SECONDARYHSALAKAE

Eyeliner Tattooing Services (Upper/Lower/Winged)

Home & Personal Services/Personal Care & Beauty Services/Cosmetic Tattooing & Permanent Makeup Services

Keywords

• Tattoo services
• Body piercing
• Permanent makeup
• Piercing jewelry
• Tattoo training

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tattoo services: One-time fees for custom tattoos, minimal tattoos, and cover-up tattoos. Tattoos are priced individually based on size, complexity, and artist. Minimal tattoos offered from CHF 96, with charity special (INK 4 CHARITY) at CHF 69.
2. Piercing services: One-time fees for body piercings. Standard piercings (except intimate) at CHF 69 including first titanium jewelry. Intimate piercings at CHF 129 including titanium jewelry. Ear piercing gun service for children from CHF 25-50.
3. Ear stretching services: Ear stretching services priced from CHF 37-59 per single ear, CHF 39-59 per double ear, including first-use jewelry. Prices vary by stretch size.
4. Piercing jewelry sales: Sales of high-quality piercing jewelry. First insertion jewelry included in piercing price (titanium). Customers receive 20% voucher on new jewelry after healing. Jewelry exchange with third-party jewelry CHF 10.
5. Aftercare products: Sales of 2nd Skin proprietary aftercare products for tattoo and piercing care. Customers are recommended to use 2nd Skin care products exclusively.
6. Gift vouchers: Gift vouchers sold in any quantity, valid for up to 1 year, redeemable only at the studio where purchased.
7. Tattoo courses: Professional tattoo courses in Zurich for entry into the tattoo industry.
8. Tattoo payment plans: Installment payment options (Ratenzahlung) for tattoos, allowing customers to pay over time.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

2nd Skin operates a Swiss art collective of national and international member-artists delivering professional tattoo and piercing services across four studios in the Zurich and Aargau regions. Core services include custom and minimal tattoos, cover-ups, permanent make-up, henna tattoos, tattoo removal, body piercings, ear stretching, intimate and therapeutic piercings (migraine/daith), and children's ear piercing, with first-insert titanium jewelry included. Complementary offerings comprise professional tattoo training courses, tattoo payment plans, gift vouchers, prepay for distant customers, and proprietary 2nd Skin aftercare products.

Product overview

2nd Skin Tattoo & Piercing is a Swiss art collective offering tattoo and piercing services across multiple locations in Zurich and Aargau. The core offering includes professional tattoo services (custom designs, cover-ups, permanent make-up, henna tattoos, tattoo removal) and piercing services (body piercings, ear stretching, intimate piercings, migraine piercings, children's ear piercings). Supporting services include tattoo courses, gift vouchers, payment plans, prepay options, and proprietary aftercare products. The studio also runs promotional campaigns including INK 4 CHARITY and First Class Deals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tattoo Services Custom tattoo services including individual tattoo designs, cover-ups, fineline, realistic, and freehand styles, performed by national and international member-artists at the four 2nd Skin studios in Zurich and Aargau. Targeted at individual adult consumers seeking personalised, professional body art.
• Piercing Services Body piercing services for adult consumers including standard body piercings (CHF 69 including first titanium jewelry), intimate piercings (CHF 129 with titanium jewelry), and earlobe needle piercings (CHF 39). Targeted at individuals seeking hygienic, professional piercings with titanium starter jewelry and proprietary aftercare.
• Permanent Make-Up (PMU) Semi-permanent cosmetic tattooing for eyebrows, lips, and other facial features. Targeted at individual adult consumers seeking cosmetic enhancements performed by professional PMU artists.
• Henna Tattoo Temporary henna-based body art services performed by specialized artists. Targeted at individual consumers and event/occasion customers wanting non-permanent body decoration.
• Tattoo Removal Professional tattoo removal services to eliminate unwanted tattoos. Targeted at individual consumers seeking removal of existing tattoos, with dedicated FAQ and aftercare guidance.
• Tattoo Courses Professional tattoo training courses held in Zurich for individuals seeking to enter the tattoo industry. Targeted at aspiring tattoo artists seeking structured professional training from experienced member-artists.
• Baby and Children's Ear Piercing Ear piercing service for children aged 6 months to 12 years using piercing guns, with pure titanium first-insert jewelry and optional Kids Special simultaneous double-ear shot. Priced from CHF 25 (single ear) to CHF 50 (Kids Special double). Targeted at parents of young children seeking hygienic, professional, child-friendly ear piercing.
• Ear Stretching Services Professional earlobe stretching services starting from 2mm in 2mm increments, with first-use jewelry included. Priced CHF 37-45 per single ear and CHF 39-59 per double ear depending on stretch size. Targeted at body modification enthusiasts.
• 2nd Skin Piercing Care Products Proprietary wound disinfectant and care products formulated for piercing aftercare, designed not to burn during wound healing and suitable for all piercing types. Sold in-studio at the four 2nd Skin locations for use by 2nd Skin customers and external piercing clients.
• Gift Vouchers Gift vouchers sold in any quantity, valid for up to one year and redeemable only at the studio where purchased. Targeted at gift buyers and existing customers purchasing for friends/family.

Quantifiable outcome

• Migraine/dauith piercings have shown significant reduction in migraine symptoms - customers report 9 years of chronic headaches resolved after procedure

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Claire's: Global specialty retailer offering ear piercing (including children's ear piercing) and body jewelry at scale. Competes with 2nd Skin specifically for the children's ear piercing and entry-level ear-piercing segments.

Regional players

• Wildcat Tattoo & Piercing: Swiss tattoo and piercing studio operating in a different Swiss region. Comparable service menu and pricing, but geographically separated from 2nd Skin's Zurich/Aargau footprint.

Direct peers

• Akademie Tattoo & Piercing: Swiss tattoo and piercing studio chain operating multiple locations in the Zurich area with comparable service menus (custom tattoos, body piercings, jewelry retail). Closest direct competitor on Swiss home turf.
• Inkaholics Tattoo & Piercing Studio: Swiss tattoo/piercing studio with similar service model — multi-artist collective, walk-ins, and broad piercing/tattoo offerings. Comparable Swiss regional peer.
• BodyCult Tattoo & Piercing: Established Swiss chain with multiple locations offering tattoos, piercings, and body modification services. Closest peer on multi-location, multi-artist collective business model.
• Tattoo Lucky Star: Zurich-based tattoo and piercing studio offering similar body-modification services, comparable pricing structure, and walk-in availability. Direct Swiss regional competitor.
• Pride Tattoo & Piercing Zürich: Zurich studio offering professional tattoos, piercings, and jewelry with multi-artist roster. Competes for the same Zurich-based tattoo/piercing customer segment.
• Holy Tattoo Zürich: Swiss tattoo and piercing studio with comparable service breadth including custom tattoos, piercings, and jewelry sales. Regional competitor in the broader Zurich/Swiss German market.
• Piercing Mania: Specialty body piercing retailer/brand focused on piercing jewelry and piercing-specific services. Comparable on piercing jewelry curation and piercing-aftercare product positioning.

Emerging players

• Aurélie Collas Permanent Makeup: Specialized permanent makeup (PMU) provider focusing on cosmetic tattooing services. Comparable on the PMU service line within 2nd Skin's broader tattoo offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/2ndskn
• Instagraminstagram.com/2ndskintattoo
• Xx.com/2ndskinonline

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 2nd Skin