Just as the name suggests, a tattoo numbing cream relieves some of the sharp pain while you’re getting inked. Applying numbing cream could not only make the tattoo session much more bearable for you, but it could also allow the tattoo artist to finish the tattoo in one session. Sometimes, especially if the person can’t stand the pain, tattoo artists will suggest they come back for a second session (or even a third) to finish the tattoo.