Dr Pickles and Hustle Butter Deluxe are the two premium tattoo aftercare balms most Australian artists will recommend. They're both excellent. The question is which one you actually need.
TL;DR - **Hustle Butter Deluxe** — used during AND after the session. American brand. Smells like coconut. Premium price. - **Dr Pickles** — used after the session. Australian-made. Neutral smell. More affordable.
If you want one product that does both pre- and post-tattoo care, get Hustle Butter. If you only need aftercare and prefer Australian-made, Dr Pickles is the better value.
Side by side
| | Dr Pickles 50g | Hustle Butter Deluxe 5oz | |---|---|---| | Price (AUD) | $24.95 | $39.95 | | Made in | Brisbane, Australia | Brooklyn, USA | | Use during tattooing | No (separate Glide product) | Yes | | Use as aftercare | Yes (this is the primary use) | Yes | | Vegan | Yes | Yes | | Active ingredients | Pawpaw + D-Panthenol + Safflower Seed Oil | Shea, mango, aloe + coconut, papaya | | Smell | Neutral | Coconut + tropical |
When Hustle Butter wins You want one product. Your artist uses it during the session anyway. You like the coconut scent. You don't mind paying premium for the convenience.
When Dr Pickles wins You're Australian and want to support a local Australian Made business. You don't want any scent. You want a more affordable per-gram price. You already have a barrier cream for the session itself, or your artist provides one.
The real answer For 90% of Australian tattoo clients, Dr Pickles is the better value purchase. Hustle Butter is excellent — but you're paying a premium for the during-session capability that you don't actually use as a client (your artist does, on their own product).
What artists actually do Most working Australian artists keep Hustle Butter at the chair (or their own preferred glide) and recommend Dr Pickles to clients for take-home aftercare. It's the most cost-effective combination.
For the full Dr Pickles review, see our [in-depth review](/articles/dr-pickles-tattoo-balm-review). For our 2026 ranking of every Australian aftercare balm, see the [buyer guide](/best-tattoo-aftercare-australia).