Welcome back to the blog, and welcome to quite a complex topic! Today we are talking about the intersection between female genital piercing, female genital mutilation (FGM), the UK Government, and the formation of the UKAPP. So, first things first: Did you know that consenting intimate piercings on female clients was considered Female Genital Mutilation, and carried a potential jail term of up to 14 years?
Wait, What?
Yes! In April 2015, new UK NHS guidelines were brought into effect after months of serious pressure from the Crown Prosecution Service. These guidelines added new rules for a wide range of medical professionals who are subject to Mandatory Reporting guides. In short, this meant that professionals like Doctors, Ob Gyns, Nurses etc, would be required by law to report any observations of potentially altered vulvas. This including reporting any female adult who had consented to a western-style (modern day) body piercing as Female Genital Mutilation. This would then open up the piercer to prosecution under UK law!
The FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) offences were set out in the 2003 FGM Act, which were then later amended in 2015 by the Serious Crime Act. There were 4 offences set out, including “assisting a girl to mutilate her own genitals”. Self-mutilation is not an offence, but assisting someone to do so is.
“A person is guilty of an offence if it is proved that:
a girl has excised, infibulated or otherwise mutilated the whole or any part of her own labia majora, labia minora or clitoris, and
the suspect has aided, abetted, counselled or procured this.” 1
At this point you may be thinking that surely we’ve over reacted to this? There’s’ no mention of piercing! Well, if we take a look at the World Health Organisation (WHO), they broke down FGM into 4 categories, the 4th one was the one that became detrimental to female genital piercings. “Type 4: This includes all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, e.g., pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterizing the genital area.”2
Due to this, female genital piercings became illegal overnight in the UK. It was safer for piercers to stop practicing intimate piercings. This protected both them and their clients.3
When did this change?
As of current (April 2024), we are now allowed to pierce the genitals of consenting adults once again! This is down to a lot of hard work from charities and piercers across the UK lobbying the government. The UKAPP was born out of the UK Piercer Meet Up (UKPMU). The UKPMU came together because of the change in the UK law of FGM. It was in Newcastle that a group of piercers grouped an informal meet-up to discuss what was needed to protect both our industry and peoples rights.4 This was the start of the United Kingdom Association of Professional Piercers (UKAPP). And from there they helped campaign to allow adult consenting women the freedom to have the choice of piercing their own bodies.
The first UKAPP meet-up. Including our very own Aiden!
It was late 2019 (right before the pandemic) that piercers were once again allowed to pierce vulvas after the CPS released fresh guidance information. “The piercing of the female genitalia to adorn it with jewellery or other accessories purely for the purpose of personal decoration or in order to enhance the sensation of sexual contact, as commonly understood and practised, is unlikely to involve excision, infibulation or mutilation.”5
This meant that piercing Vulva’s was not likely to cause harm or mutilation to the consenting adult, allowing piercers to once again offer this wonderful service. And for that we can thank the tireless work of piercers, including the UKAPP and especially Lola Slider. Lola Slider (of Forest Piercing in Glasgow) was a massive voice and driving force behind the legislative change. Around the time of this change, Lola was the UKAPP president, and before then was nominated as Medical Liaison, and honestly did some amazing work during her time on the organisations board.
What happens now?
Despite the fact we now have the green light from the UK government to offer these services once again, doesn’t mean there isn’t limitations involved. Some local councils still refuse to allow studios to offer intimate piercings, and some have by-laws that will effect the process. This means that depending where in the country you get pierced, the appointment may look different or follow a different procedure.
For example: At Rogue, each client looking for intimate work has to have an intimate consultation a minimum of 24 hours before they get piercing. At this appointment, one of our piercers will thoroughly discuss with you the history of intimate piercings and the law changes, the aftercare, and what to expect during the heal.
However, the main limitation for intimate piercings, is that we are not allowed to pierce for function. We are only allowed to pierce for aesthetical reasons. This means we walk a fine line with our clients each and every appointment.
As adults, we are all aware that if you place metal into a sensitive part of your body (where it wasn’t before), then sensations might change. We are not allowed to discuss this with you. “purely for the purpose of personal decoration”5 We have clients get intimate piercings that come from all walks of lives and have so many different reasons to get pierced. Some want it purely for the looks, some want it for kink dynamics, some want it to reclaim ownership of their body. However, the minute a client may mention they want to ‘use’ the piercing, we can no longer pierce.
If you would like to know more about intimate piercings or the process here at Rogue, here are some attached links!
So, on the 27th of February 2024, I got my cheek piercings. Well… sort of? Gemma coined the term ‘Deek Piercings’ because they are a midway placement between Cheeks and Dahlias. The reasoning for this was my anatomy! And with cheeks regaining popularity, and them being a fan favourite, I thought I’d tell you all how my piercing experience went!
Now, I have to preface this by saying I am only two weeks into my healing, and cheeks can take up to 2 years before they finally Settle down and get comfortable. You can read a deep dive and overview of cheek piercings here! But, I definitely think those first two weeks are A) the most important and B) the absolute worst.
On my own personal scale of 1-10, the actual pain of having them pierced was quite low, maybe around a 4? I can definitely remember my tragus piercing hurting way more in the moment. They were pierced by Gemma as part of her training, under direct supervision of Aiden. The beautiful thing about it was that Gemma had done her first set only 2 hours prior! Aiden held my hand and was super supportive of us both, as you can imagine we were both nervous but for very different reasons!
Before
After
The after feeling of the piercing was amazing, I had an immediate rush of excitement and happiness, especially when I got to look at them in the mirror. They just looked great and I couldn’t have been happier, I couldn’t stop laughing for a solid 5 minutes. And then came the difficult bit – eating. We were having a film night at Rogue that evening, and we collectively ordered Wagamama’s together. I realised the 24mm bars in my mouth, and the tight constrictive feeling that was happening, meant that eating was going to be difficult. I played it safe and had some soft bread and katsu curry!
The next day I went ahead and got myself a bunch of meal replacement shakes. To be quite honest, I think the first week was possibly the most nutrients and vitamins my body has ever had! I’d also bought a ton of water, and easy to eat soft foods, such as instant mash and plenty of tinned foods. I just needed something easy to swallow. I also ate a lot of rice!
1st Morning!
We headed off to the Edinburgh expo on the Saturday, and on Monday and Tuesday I was starting to fill my face again! I started off with pizza (and I cannot tell you how good it was to eat solid food, plus they had the best garlic sauce I’d ever tasted). By Tuesday night, the swelling had started to decrease and the bars were starting to poke out of my face and move as I ate! I had to take a bite of food, and then hold the bars while I chewed. Definitely looked a bit funny!
Ready for their first downsize!
I returned back to work on Friday, so only three days later, and it felt absolutely horrible to talk, and I couldn’t even smile at people! I had to keep apologising to people and say “Hey, I promise i’m smiling, my face just hurts a lot right now!” Thankfully, most people were incredibly understanding! We also did the first downsize! 24mm initially pierced, dropped down to 18mm! The relief was amazing! We also upsized the balls on the inside of my mouth to 5mm. This was because the balls had started digging into the swelling on the inside of my cheek and was creating a lot of uncomfortable pressure and soreness!
By the the following week I was mostly back to normal, drinking and eating as I had been before, although I definitely chomped down on the larger balls a few times. There is still a mild bit of swelling happening (although I definitely didn’t look as puffy as I did the first week) and a lot of of localised redness. They’re also incredibly crusty, and every time I eat it pushes out more lymph node ( I keep just telling people my face is leaking), but It’s definitely a good sign that everything is healing and doing what it needs to. And just before the 3 week mark, we downsized the 5mm balls back down to 4mm, and my mouth has never felt so spacious!
Healing!
Overall look!
I am still healing and making gradual downsizes, week by week, but the hard part is definitely over! There’s still quite a bit of localised swelling/pinching around the bars, as well as redness and many crusties each day, but for me it’s definitely worth it.
I decided to write this blog as when I was looking into other people’s experiences with cheek piercings, there wasn’t much out there. I’m very much a person who likes to know exactly what to expect. And so hopefully it might be helpful to someone else! Now of course, please keep in mind that everyone heals differently, and so your experience could be totally different! If you also want to see a day-by-day highlight of the healing process, check out my Instagram highlights for a close up view!
If you are interested in booking your own cheek piercings, book a consultation with Aiden or Gemma here!
Some say that diamond’s are a girl’s best friend, and we’re definitely a fan of them over here at Rogue. As April begins, and we’re starting the embrace Spring once again, let’s take a look at one of the most well-known gemstones in history! Those born in Aprils, definitely have an exciting celebratory stone.
April only has one birthstone, which we can completely understand why! It’d be very hard to compete against the famous diamond. For the months that are lucky enough to have more than a singular birthstone, these are separated into two lists: Modern and Traditional. The more common of the two is the modern birthstones, which were defined in 1912 by the Jewelers of America in an attempt to standardise (and commercialise) birthstones. This was further updated in the 1950s, to include gemstones such as Citrine for November, or Alexandrite for June. Modern stones are based on what’s easier to sell in large quantities (making it the more affordable choice).
The vast majority of diamonds are colourless and transparent. They show an amazing display of colours and flashes of white under the light. However, they can rarely come in a rainbow array of colours, including green, yellow, black, blue and so on. The colour of a diamond stone is dependant on the impurities present in the stone. Chemical elements such as Nitrogen, Sulphur, and Boron can cause the colour changes (for example yellow diamonds have traces of nitrogen.) Colourless diamonds (that have less amounts of colour) are much rarer, thus much more valuable. The precise levels of colours present (if any) have such a drastic effect on the price-per-carat value. The standardized scale describing the exact amount of colour in a stone (the D-Z colour scale) was developed by the GIA and is now accepted globally. Diamonds with a colour of ‘D’ have absolutely no colour in them, while gems graded ‘Z’ have the most colour allowed to still be considered colourless.
BVLA ‘Oasis’ – 14k Rose Gold – 6x VS Ocean Blue Diamond
It is speculated that Diamonds have been around since the biblical times, when the breastplate of a high priest (also known as Adams’ Breastplate) was decorated with 12 stones. As time continued moving forward, these stones became connected to Zodiac symbols and then birthstones.
April’s birthstone is now mined all over the world. By the early 2000s, South Africa had been joined by other African nations (such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Botswana) as major producers of rough diamonds. Diamonds mined in Botswana are typically found in the hot and dry eastern region of the country. The mines have brought a massive increase to the economy, which has resulted in creating a growing middle class society.
Russia is also now one of the biggest producers, opening its first major mine in the 1960’s, and the opening of the Argyle mine in Australia (1983) expanded the mining of diamonds massively, and are the primary source for the rare red and pink diamonds.
However, one of the original sources for diamonds, was India! They were credited for being the ones to introducing diamond mining into the world, and was the only major source of diamond mining until the 18th century. Now a days, most diamonds you come across on the market will not be from India, but instead one of the many major sources globally, but there is an estimate that 90% of these diamonds are processed there!
The current Diamond collection at Rogue!
Those who are April born are lucky to have this gem as their birthstone! Often seen as a symbol of clarity and strength! Diamond is actually so strong and durable, it’s name actually comes from the Greek word “Adamas” which means invincible or unbreakable. They have been a representation of love and life across many religions and centuries. It is also the gift of choice for 60th and 75th wedding anniversaries! Alongside being a symbol of love, Diamonds have been thought to be an antidote to poison (although we wouldn’t recommend any self treatment with a doctor, if you think you have been poisoned please see doctor!).
Diamond is a 10 on the Moh’s Scale of Hardness, making it incredibly durable! You do not want to store a diamond amongst others as they can scratch each other. We also wouldn’t recommend storing them with other gemstones as Diamonds can scratch and damage those too. They can be placed in an ultrasonic to be cleaned, however if it has any inclusions or has been treated it is best to clean with a lint-free cloth and some mild soapy warm water. You can also choose to use a soft bristled toothbrush and a commercial jewellery cleaner!
BVLA ‘Afghan’ + 2x ‘Prongs’ – White Diamond
We stock jewellery from brands from across the world, and can source items in all birthstones imaginable! If you would like to treat yourself to some meaningful pieces, just get in contact with us.
Make sure to follow us on social media for regular updates, and keep an eye out as we post new blogs every single Friday!
Today we’re moving onto a favourite colour at Rogue – Blue gemstones! Your choices for blue gemstones are wide, varied, and in a huge array of tones. From the palest sky blues, to the richest oceanic colours. There’s a blue for every season!
Ocean Blue Diamond
Ocean Blue Diamonds are hard-wearing, rich in colour, and truly beautiful. These are available in the widest range of cuts and sizes, so are the most versatile when it comes to designs.
They are a really lovely option for a blue gemstone!
Ice Blue Diamond
Ice Blue Diamonds are hard-wearing, lighter in colour, and are a really gorgeous aqua tone. Diamonds are available in the widest range of cuts and sizes, so are the most versatile when it comes to designs. They are also guaranteed to be the sparkliest genuine gemstones on the market!
They are a really lovely option for a blue gemstone!
London Blue Topaz
We work with a tonne of London Blue Topaz. We love it for it’s rich colour and versatility! This is a more affordable alternative to Ocean Blue Diamonds. It looks amazing in Yellow, White, and Rose Gold too! London Blue Topaz is a rich, deep, sea blue colour. It is a really good option if you want to branch out into colour if you generally wear a lot of black.
Swiss Blue Topaz
Swiss Blue Topaz is the light, breezy cousin of London Blue Topaz. With a slight grey-blue hint, this super pale blue is a really nice choice if you’re struggling to break away from White gemstones but still want something a little bit different! It also looks brilliant when it is sandblasted, but we will talk about that process in a different video.
Turquoise
Turquoise is a vibrant, opaque gemstone that works best in Yellow Gold – This is where it truly shines! Turquoise is available as both a genuine and synthetic gemstone. The synthetic option is generally the better choice, as it is much more hardwearing and can be used in both fresh and healed piercings.
Polar Sapphire
Polar Sapphire is practically lilac-blue, and is definitely on the lavender side of things. This is a really gorgeous gemstone, whose tone works really well in all colours of Gold. We love pairing Polar Sapphire with bright pinks for a pastel, spring-time look that is a little bit unexpected!
Aquamarine
Aquamarine is the green-blue to true blue variety of the mineral beryl. Its colour is usually a light pastel greenish blue, but in smaller cuts used in body jewellery tends to be quite a pretty sky-blue.
We find that Aquamarine works best in a cabochon cut, where it can truly shine in all of its soap-bubble glory! Yellow Gold tends to bring out the best in Aquamarine, allowing its pale blue to really pop.
Blue Sapphire
If you are looking for a classic ‘true blue,’ then Blue Sapphire is definitely the one for you! This rich, primary blue is definitely up there amongst our favourites.
In Rogue we pride our selves with our vast collection of jewellery. However with limited space in the studio, there is only so much we can hold, and with the 7 main jewellery companies we stock plus all the others that are available, we certainly cannot hold one of every single piece. This is why we offer custom orders! By doing this we can offer every single piece of jewellery, in every single size and colour of gold and gemstones the company allows! We can order custom fitting lengths and gauges of jewellery that we don’t normally carry. We can order a full curation of beautiful pieces for that special event, or just because you want to!
With the next BVLA custom order deadline looming over us, I thought I’d show you some of my personal favourites from the pieces you guys have chose to order through BVLA with us!
My first favourite is this gorgeous 14k Yellow Gold Marquise Crown Charm with Green Tourmaline. Delicately paired with a 14k Gold Seam ring from APEX jewellery, this was perfectly positioned in an incredibly well healed rook piercing.
Next up is this stunning ‘Dino’. 14k White gold with impeccable details all round. This was pierced straight into a fresh flat by the wonderful Breo.
How could we miss this beautiful rook! 2x gummy bear green Chrysoprase gems set in 14k Yellow Gold. It’s not often people order custom rook pieces, but we’d definitely love to do more. This Bezel with Tri Bead rook curve was perfectly pierced by Gemma!
I may be a little bias with this one, as I pierced this myself! But how cute is this Pear Prong Ring in this fresh Daith! 14k Yellow Gold with Green Tourmaline! (I’m definitely starting to see a reoccurring theme of yellow gold and green gems here).
Mini Kandy’s will always be a fan favourite, they are perfect for any position, including this super cute Forward Helix By Aiden. 14k White Gold with Rose Cut Swiss Blue Topaz! Super cute.
We’d absolutely love to order some more fun shapes and designs, as well as more charms and chains for that extra movement! Here’s some of my personal favourites that I’d love to see get ordered from BVLA!
Call Me! Seam Ring
Anarchy End
Double Bullet Chain Charm
Delicate Snake End
Trillion Bell Barbells
If you’d like to enquiry about any of the above pieces, or any of your own ideas or designs, just shoot us an email at customorder@roguepiercing.co.uk and we can work with you to find your perfect piece of jewellery! If you’d like to know more about or custom ordering process, have quick read of this blog that details how the process works! And to stay up to date with our deadlines for custom orders, follow us on Instagram!
Happy Friday! Today we’ll give you an overview of our favourite part of the rainbow: Black and grey gemstones! The black gemstone is a classic option, and can work well as a standalone or as part of a wider curation. If in doubt, order it in black…
Black Diamonds
Triple Flat inspiration using BVLA – White Gold, Black Diamonds. From left to right: Afghan, Mini Kandy, and Tiny Quadbead.
Black Diamonds are the eponymous black gemstone. Hard-wearing, intensely sparkly, and richly dark, Black Diamonds are by far our favourite black gemstone to use in our curations.
Black Diamonds are available in a huge amount of sizes and cuts, making them a versatile option for pretty much any jewellery design and placement. They are one of the only black gemstones available in super-tiny 1mm and 0.8mm cuts, which means they can be used in a lot of different ways.
Onyx
Yellow Gold and Onyx setup from BVLA.
Onyx is another classic black gemstone option. It is Black Diamonds more affordable cousin! It is not available in as many sizes and cuts, but it can look really really cool! We love how inky black it is.
Onyx is also available as a Cabochon cut, which means it can look really smooth. It can also be sandblasted for a matt finish!
Pyrite
BVLA ‘Captain’ End.
Pyrite is an incredible gemstone, with lots of natural variation. It is available in a limited range of cuts, but is available in unique shapes like the Kite cut you see in the photo above!
We like Pyrite as a masculine, industrial-looking option. Its glossy matte finish makes it the perfect choice for a dark and understated look.
Grey Diamond
BVLA ‘Oaktier’ Ring
Not sure whether to go with White or Black Diamonds? Grey Diamonds might just be the answer. These are the sparkliest truly grey gemstones! Hard-wearing, you will be able to enjoy their understated look for a lifetime.
Grey Sapphire
BVLA ‘Beaded Marquise’ End.
Grey Sapphire is a good way to add some monochrome colour to your curation. The sibling of Grey Diamond, Grey Sapphires are a slightly softer, slightly less sparkly option. The main think to keep in mind with Grey Sapphire, which you can see in the photo above if you have an artists eye for colour, is that Grey Sapphires are not perfectly grey. They have a very slight blue tint, which gets more obvious as the gemstone gets larger. If that is actually an attractive choice for you, then amazing!
Grey Sapphires are available in a lot of different cuts, which makes them quite a versatile and affordable gemstone option.
Marcasite
BVLA ‘Shaman’ Ring
Marcasite is a really fun option for a grey gemstone! It is a very metallic, almost mercury coloured natural gemstone. We love using it in more masculine, edgy curations for its not-sparkly sparkle.
Tourmalinated Quartz
Anatometal ‘King Bullet’ End
Tourmalinated Quartz might be one of our favourite monochrome ‘Black and Grey’ gemstones. Naturally occurring, this type of quartz has rods of black tourmaline shooting through the gem, which gives it a very interesting and spiky look. We love this gem because it is often cabochon or bullet-cut, meaning that its smooth profile can work well alone or as a foil to super sparkly pieces within a larger curation.
Black Pearl
BVLA ‘Bead Prong’ Navel Bar
And finally, you have Black Pearls. They are not cursed, we promise! Black Pearls are incredibly unique, and there really isn’t anything like them.
Their only downside is, like all pearls, they are very soft and very delicate. Keep them for special occasions, like the goth wedding night of your dreams… And don’t let your hairdresser get bleach on them!
Inner Labia and Fourchette piercing and variations thereof are not super common, but we love them anyway! Although we go through genital aftercare advice multiple times before your appointment, we know it can be quite a nerve-wracking time and so it’s always handy to have a written aftercare advice to refer back to. The aftercare leaflets we provide are pretty bare-bones, as each intimate piercing can have very different care requirements! So how does Inner Labia or Fourchette piercing aftercare work?
What To Expect After The Piercing
Bleeding – You may expect bleeding from the Inner labia or Fourchette piercing for 3-5 days afterwards. This is totally normal! The most important thing is to keep calm. It will stop on its own. We recommend purchasing a pack of fragrance free sanitary towels to wear to protect your underwear. Please ensure that you are changing them regularly – At least once every 6 hours!
Urination – We recommend over-hydrating for the first few weeks. This means drinking plenty of water! As urine is slightly acidic, it can be a little bit stingy to go to the bathroom for the first couple of days. Staying super hydrated dilutes your urine and makes urinating much more comfortable. It also helps keep the inside of your piercing nice and clean!
Adrenaline – Having a rush of adrenaline is part and parcel of having any piercing, but this rush can be a little bit more intense with intimate work. We always recommend leaving your schedule free for the day of your piercing, so that you can take your time and take any rest you might need. You may feel a little tired or drained afterwards – Make sure to bring a carby, sugary snack and a sugary drink to sip on after your piercing.
Cleaning
It is super important to keep your new piercing clean, whilst not causing irritation by over-cleaning what is quite a delicate area of your body. Soft tissue intimate piercing aftercare is minimal and neutral.
We recommend cleaning twice daily, in the morning and evening. It can be quite handy to tie this in with when you brush your teeth, so that you get a good routine going.
To clean your piercing, first wash your hands. Spray a small amount of Neilmed Saline Aftercare on the entrance and exit points of the piercing. Wait 30 seconds to allow this to fully soak in.
Once any crusties or buildup on the jewellery have softened, gently wipe them away with a clean piece of folded kitchen roll. Be extra gentle during the first 3-5 days, as cleaning too aggressively may cause you to experience a spot of bleeding.
Once you have cleaned the piercing, dry the area to remove any excess moisture.
Keeping the Piercing Dry
We recommend avoiding soaking and submerging the piercing in still or stagnant water for 4 weeks after getting pierced. This means no swimming, bathing in bathtubs, or other water-based activities.
It is highly recommended you shower as normal – Clean running water is a great way to rinse away any buildup in a very gentle way. VCH aftercare requires little in the way of active cleaning. The only thing to keep in mind is that you want to avoid any harsh or strongly scented shower gels – These can cause irritation. Some people use fragrance-free washes to clean the vulva. You can continue as normal. Just make sure you are rinsing well afterwards to remove any remaining soap suds. We do not recommend douching at any stage!
When you are finished in the shower, it is best practice to dry the piercing site with paper towel. Avoid the area with your bath towel – Snagging the jewellery on a fresh piercing is not fun!
Did you know that a single litre of pool or sea water can contain up to 1 million bacterial cells?
Leave It Alone!
This rule is the cover-all that prevents undue damage to your new piercing.
Clothing, Lifestyle and Bad Habits
Do not touch, fiddle with, or twist the jewellery.
Do not pick at, itch or scratch the piercing!
Wear loose, comfortable underwear and outer clothing. You may want to change your underwear twice a day for the first week to maintain extra cleanliness.
Do not touch your piercing with dirty hands!
Sex and Masturbation
In order to heal well and last a lifetime, it is vital to avoid mistreating your new piercing in its first few weeks of life. Even if the piercing feels good and comfortable, it is not fully healed yet! Having sex or masturbating can cause serious damage to the piercing.
Do not have sex or masturbate for at least 4 weeks after getting pierced.
After four weeks, you may feel comfortable and ready to have sex. Please, take it slow. Wear a condom or use a dental dam to prevent sharing body fluids, and listen to your body. If it hurts or is uncomfortable in any way – Stop!
And most importantly… COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR PARTNER(S). What might feel good for you might not feel good for them, and vice versa. Be a considerate partner.
Healing Times
Checkup – 2 Weeks
We recommend booking a checkup 2 weeks after your piercing. At this stage, any swelling you have will have come down and you may need a smaller diameter ring. At this stage, we may also like some feedback on the style of jewellery and we can make any adjustments that you think will make the piercing more comfortable! This includes having larger captive balls, smaller captive balls, etc.
Fully Healed – 8-12 weeks
After 8-12 weeks, you can expect your piercing to be fully healed. This is obviously just an estimate, as many things can impact your unique healing journey.
Ready to Stretch – 6 months
Some people aim to stretch their intimate piercings to a larger size, especially inner labia piercings. We recommend waiting 6 months to allow any scar tissue inside the piercing to heal, soften, and become more elastic. You may even notice that after 6 months, your piercing has naturally stretched and the next size up can simply slot in without any problems at all!
Maturation and Rejection
It’s important to note that the Fourchette piercing especially, can carry a relatively high risk of rejection. This is because the tissue it is pierced through is very thin and very elastic. The area also receives a lot more mechanical stress than any other vulva piercing, especially during penetrative sex. This means that the Fourchette piercing can migrate over time!
It is important to keep an eye on the piercing, and book in for a checkup if you notice any movement. We can assess the piercing, and let you know when it is time to remove.
Keep In Contact
Keeping in touch with your studio is so important! We are open 7 days a week and always have an intimate piercing specialist available on the team. If you have any issues with your piercing, any problems or anything isn’t looking quite how you expected, then you are always welcome to contact us or book in for a checkup.
No matter how far along your healing journey you are, we are always there to support you. That’s what makes Rogue such a great studio!
Today we’re going to give an overview of some of the most popular gemstones within the most popular colour category. The White Gemstone, or Clear gemstones, are probably the most common choice from the whole rainbow. They are crisp, sparkly, and match any colour scheme. So what choices do you have within the White category?
If you see anything you like, or want to explore the infinite jewellery options available to you, then definitely look into custom ordering!
White Diamonds
Amazing BVLA Inside-Out Eden Pear set with Genuine Diamonds.
White Diamonds are potentially the most well-known white gemstone. Crisp, intensely shiny and very long-wearing, Diamonds have a reputation as the perfect gemstone for body jewellery! Diamonds are composed of pure carbon – The fewer inclusions (dots of non-Diamond), the higher the quality. Diamonds are rated on Clarity and Size. Clarity is graded on a number and letter system (from Fl to I). Most smaller diamonds, such as those used in body jewellery, rate at VVS1 or VS1 which means that they contain very few inclusions. The less inclusions, the clearer and sparklier the gemstone is!
White Diamonds are available in body jewellery from a number of brands, however we love BVLA for our diamond collection.
White Sapphire
BVLA ‘Mini Marquise Fan’ End
White Sapphires are another classic white gemstone – We use a lot of White Sapphire in our jewellery curations! The main benefit of White Sapphire is that it is a lot more affordable than White Diamonds whilst still being a genuine gemstone! When it comes to bespoke Gold jewellery, we always aim to use genuine gemstones to be in keeping with how special these pieces are to our clients. Interestingly, a White Sapphire is often only 5% more expensive than a White CZ – So why not, right?
Rainbow Moonstone
Yellow Gold – Rainbow Moonstone
Rainbow Moonstone is a really fun alternative to traditional white gemstones, and is the perfect way to branch out whilst still ‘playing it safe,’ so to speak! Rainbow Moonstone has a really subtle blue flash to it – It can be hard to catch in photographs, but is really obvious in natural light!
Pearls
Cosmic BVLA Pearl cabochons.
Pearls are relatively rare in body jewellery – Currently only BVLA works with genuine White Pearls! This is because they are a very fragile naturally occurring material which is not suited for permanent wear in many positions. We recommend White Pearl in special pieces, like wedding curations!
Despite being high maintenance, White Pearls are STUNNING when it comes to jewellery. There truly is nothing like it!
White Opals
Yellow Gold – Genuine White Opal
White Opals are another classic option. These can be purchased in both Genuine and Synthetic options, however genuine White Opals are by far the more interesting and aesthetically pleasing of the two!
White Opals are again, relatively soft and fragile in comparison to other gemstones. You need to exercise common sense when wearing them – Don’t let your hairdresser douse them in peroxide, for example!
Mercury Mist Topaz
Mercury Mist Topaz is a treated gemstone with an opalescent, rainbow flash! It’s a really fun way to add a pop of colour whilst keeping with a natural gemstone.
The main thing to note with Mercury Mist is that it is a coating, which can wear away over time. Keep this in mind, however BVLA will replace worn gemstones!
So there you have it, some fabulous white gemstone options! What colour of the rainbow should we cover next?
March is full to the brim this year with both a very early Easter weekend and mothers day happening. And what better way to celebrate than gifting a very beautiful shiny gemstone. This month we are specifically looking at the gemstone Aquamarine, which is March’s birthstone.
Now technically, March does have two birthstones: Aquamarine and Bloodstone, however bloodstone isn’t typically used in body jewellery so we wont be going into great depths this blog post. For the months that are lucky enough to have more than a singular birthstone, these are separated into two lists: Modern and Traditional. The more common of the two is the modern birthstones, which were defined in 1912 by the Jewelers of America in an attempt to standardise (and commercialise) birthstones. This was further updated in the 1950s, to include gemstones such as Citrine for November, or Alexandrite for June. Modern stones are based on what’s easier to sell in large quantities (making it the more affordable choice).
BVLA – Miel
Aquamarine is a gorgeous light toned crystal, often seen in pale blues but can range between greenish-blues and blue/greens. It typically doesn’t achieve dark tones or deep saturations, but the few that do can be compared to that of Sapphire, but still being lighter. The intensity of the colour is determined by the size of the stone, typically being the larger the stone the deeper the tones and saturations.
It is a pale/lighter version of Beryl, and the colour can be changed through heat treatment. This actually means it is a close cousin of Emerald!
BVLA – Becky Crossan
Buddha – Becky Crossan
The Brazilian state of Minas Gerais has been a predominant root of sourcing aquamarine for the last two centuries. Aquamarine is found in hard rock and weathered pegmatite deposits in the eastern portion of the state. Pegmatite is the host rock for many rare mineral deposits. Often composed of quartz , mica and feldspar. More often than not, the mining processes is quite small with less than a dozen employees.
Aquamarine can also be found in the Karakorum foothills of Pakistan. To reach the deposits, miners must climb steep paths to elevations, around 3,000 to more than 4,000 meters, and work the sides of forbidding cliffs. Below this uninviting rocky world lay valleys, rivers and small towns. Aquamarine from this area has been described as “water clear” due to their incredibly pale colour.
There is also many other sources of Aquamarine though, including Kenya, Madagascar, Zambia and many more countries.
This ocean coloured stone has some beautiful history behind it. Often thought to protect sailors at sea and calm the waves for a smooth journey, the stones name is a direct reference to its colour. Originating from Latin, “Aqua” meaning water, and “Marina” meaning “of the sea”, there’s no question on why there is much ocean lore surrounding the beauty of a gem. This March birthstone was also believed to have brought happiness into marriage, which is no surprise that while also celebrating march births, it is the gem is also given as a present for the 19th year of marriage.
It also has some famous history as well! In 1963, the First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt received a deep blue, rectangular cut piece of Aquamarine that weighed in at 1’298 Carats. This was gifted by the government of Brazil when both the president and the first lady stopped in Rio De Janeiro where they met Brazilian President Getúlio Vargas. The gift was actually the larger of two pieces that had been faceted from a much larger piece of aquamarine rough that and weighed 1.3kg! The stone is now held at the ‘Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum’ in Hyde Park, New York.
Lady Roosevelts Aquamarine gift.
This sea tone stone scores a hardness of 7.5-8 on the Moh’s Hardness scale, meaning it is durable for everyday wear. The cleaning of this stone is easy too, with mild and warm soapy water, and a toothbrush. This will also help clean out dirt from those tricky to reach places. And as long as there isn’t any fractures in the gem, both ultrasonic and steam cleaners are absolutely fine to be used!
We stock jewellery from brands from across the world, and can source items in all birthstones imaginable! If you would like to treat yourself to some meaningful pieces, just get in contact with us.
Make sure to follow us on social media for regular updates, and keep an eye out as we post new blogs every single Friday!
As the evenings slowly start to get lighter again, and that frosty chill is starting a steady exit, we begin to make our way into the spring season, which i’m sure we’re all ready for. However, before we say our goodbyes just yet to the winter months I thought we’d have a quick look at how 2024 has started for Rogue, from piercings to jewellery it’s definitely been a fun one.
Aiden started his year with a nice long break from the studio, using his annual leave for a fun adventure. Upon return to the studio though, you guys definitely didn’t make it easy for him! From 2g cheeks to intimate projects Aiden’s been working hard to fulfil all the piercing dreams you guys have given him!
A fresh set of 2g Cheek Piercings.
Breo is another one who has been taking some plentiful time away from the studio, and taking a much needed trip back to his home town in Spain. He was definitely missed though, upon arrival back in the studio his first day back was busy with rooks and helix piercings, and even a large gauge set of lobes chucked in there.
A forehead surface piercing for Phebe!
Gemma’s had a an interesting start to 2024, and has begun to take on more responsibility within the studio! She has been putting out some excellent work, from a classic helix’s, lower navels and fun intimate projects. Next month is Gemma’s turn away from the studio as she embarks on a week long journey to visit Andre in Germany, and progress her body modification journey.
Lower Navel Piericing!
Jay’s 2024 has started off with lots of training, from tongue piercings and septum’s, to VCH and Prince Albert piercings, Jay has started the ‘weird and wonderful’ and has been producing some amazing work. She also put some of her own training into practice when Kade shadowed in the studio, and helped pass on knowledge of bevel theory and blade needles.
A fresh set of paired central eyebrows!
Kat has been working alongside clients to continue to bring their jewellery dreams alive! From placing custom orders and helping put together that one unique piece, to helping curate ears, Kat has been kept on their toes. They’ve also taken a further step into the jewellery side of piercing and is now assisting FLUX Jewelellry!
A Custom BVLA Septum Jewellery
We’ve also had a few guests and shadows join us this year!
We ended January with a two day visit from Phebe, who came up to shadow septum piercings! Phebe is an absolute delight to work with, and we can’t wait to have her back, hopefully to guest next time and put her skills into practice. While she was here, Breo pierced her and gave Phebe a gorgeous forehead surface piercing which suited her set up brilliantly.
A sweet forehead piercing for Phebe!
February started with a week long visit from the wonderful Hika, who came and guested while Breo was travelling to Spain. She helped assist Jay on apprentice piercings and fed her some new knowledge, while also producing her own amazing work. She also got pierced by Aiden and left with a shiny new tragus and lobe duo.
Hika in action! Marking a bridge piercing!
Last but not least, we had Kade come and stay for a week too. He came to do some shadowing, and was an absolute delight to have in the studio, and we can’t wait for him to return. He left with some knew found knowledge and a new best friend (Jay). Not only did he get pierced while he visited, but Jay, Aiden and Gemma all pierced him as part of an ear project consisting of 5 vertical helix’s around his ear. Between them, they pierced three, leaving four and five for his next visit.
Kade putting knowledge into practice with Jay’s help.
Overall it has been an absolute whirlwind of a start to 2024, and hopefully we will see this continue through the warmer months! With two more guests planned in March and a conference, the Rogues are definitely going to be kept on their toes. Don’t forget you can book your own appointment with us here, and discuss anything from piercings to jewellery with us and fulfil your own dreams.
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