If you had told me a few years ago that body piercing would have me flying across the country for the APP Conference and then hopping on another plane to Barbados, I probably would’ve laughed.
Yet here we are.
People see the Instagram posts from the jewelry, the booth, the beach photos, and the late-night adventures; but they don’t always see everything that happens before that first airport selfie.
Before I even think about packing clothes, I think about my jewelry.
When you’re representing a jewelry company that you genuinely believe in, you’re more than just a piercer—you’re a walking representation of that brand. Every visible piercing is a chance to show off the craftsmanship, styling, and quality that made you fall in love with the jewelry in the first place. For this trip, I wanted something that screamed summer, so I went with floral titanium ends. Bold, bright, and still practical enough to survive long convention days.
Your jewelry should make people stop and ask, “Where did you get that?”
Here’s a tip every traveling piercer should know. Everyone is looking at your jewelry. Other piercers. Clients. Jewelry companies. Photographers. So when I say EVERYONE, I do mean EVERYONE..
My convention survival kit always includes:
- Hypochlorous acid spray (my personal favorite for hot/ sweaty days)
- Saline solution
- A tiny cleaning brush (an eyebrow spoolie works perfectly)
- Hemistats
Between airports, convention halls, humidity, sunscreen, and sweat, your jewelry deserves a quick refresh throughout the day. If you’re representing beautiful jewelry, let it do what it was made to do, which is to shine bright like a diamond.
APP Is Like a Giant Family Reunion
One of the best parts about the APP Conference isn’t just the education. It is about being surrounded by your people.
You reconnect with friends you only get to see once a year, finally meet people you’ve known through Instagram, geek out over new jewelry releases, and somehow end up talking about piercing techniques over dinner until the restaurant is closing.
There’s something really special about being surrounded by people who understand exactly why you’re excited about a new threadless end or a perfectly executed curation.
Booth Setup Is an Experience of Its Own
I’ll admit it…
I had no idea how much work went into building a booth for a conference like APP. I’d done smaller conventions before, where you travel with a few displays, set up some tables, and you’re good to go. This was completely different. Watching an empty convention space transform into a beautiful, thoughtfully designed booth was incredible. Every display, every light, every case, and every tray of jewelry had a purpose. It gave me a whole new appreciation for the people working behind the scenes to create an experience before the first attendee even walks through the doors.
Once the booth is finally set up, the real fun begins.
Now it’s time to know your inventory inside and out. Fellow piercers aren’t just stopping by to browse but to asking questions about materials, threading, sizing, styling, healing, and why you stand behind the jewelry you’re wearing. It’s your chance to flex your knowledge and passion with people who genuinely care about the craft.
Then there’s the social side of it all, which honestly never stops. You’re constantly taking photos, filming content, jumping into interviews, meeting new people, and reconnecting with friends you’ve made throughout the industry. Every conversation seems to lead to another introduction, another collaboration, or another opportunity to learn something new.
One of my favorite parts is getting to tell people why I advocate for the Invictus Body Jewelry. It’s one thing to wear beautiful jewelry—it’s another to genuinely believe in the quality, craftsmanship, and the people behind it. Being able to share how that jewelry has impacted my work as a piercer and helped elevate my clients’ experience makes every conversation feel authentic.
By the end of the weekend, your feet are exhausted, your voice is probably gone, your camera roll has doubled in size, and you’ve made connections that will last long after the convention is over. It’s busy, chaotic, and nonstop—but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Then Came Barbados
After the conference, I had the opportunity to travel to Barbados, and I promised myself I wasn’t going to spend the entire trip working. So I became a tourist.
I rode ATVs through the island, went zip lining, spent time relaxing on beautiful beaches, danced the night away, ate incredible food, and experienced my family culture that was so welcoming and full of life. Some of my favorite memories had nothing to do with work—they came from simply saying yes to the adventure.
One of the most unexpected parts of traveling was visiting family and experiencing a place with very different social norms surrounding body modification.
Working in the piercing industry, it’s easy to forget that we’re surrounded by people who celebrate heavily curated ears, facial piercings, and visible body jewelry. We spend our days with artists, clients, and friends who see piercings as art.
Not everywhere sees it that way.
Being around family and members of the public who aren’t immersed in our world was incredibly eye-opening. I noticed the second glances, the curiosity, the questions, and sometimes even the surprise. It reminded me that while body modification has become much more accepted, every community experiences it differently. Rather than feeling uncomfortable, I found it enlightening.
It gave me a chance to see how people outside of our industry perceive us, and it reminded me that every interaction is an opportunity to educate, inspire, and maybe even change someone’s perspective on what body modification can be.
A Career I’m Truly Grateful For
More than anything, this trip reminded me how incredibly grateful I am. Grateful that I get to call body piercing my career. Grateful that I’ve found a community that feels like family.
And especially grateful for the opportunity to represent a jewelry company that I don’t just wear—I genuinely advocate for.
There’s something incredibly rewarding about standing behind a brand you wholeheartedly believe in. When I recommend jewelry, wear it proudly, and talk about it with other piercers, it comes from real experience and real passion. That makes representing the company feel less like work and more like sharing something I truly love.
Not everyone gets to travel because of something they’re passionate about. Not everyone gets to spend their days surrounded by artists, innovators, and people who inspire them. And not everyone gets to end a work trip by watching the sunset over the Caribbean after spending the day exploring an island with family.
This industry has given me experiences I never imagined possible.
