Hornet is a Spanish brand that, like many others, was born from a market need—although in this case it was more of a creative need. A breath of fresh air, even if that might sound a bit pretentious.
For years, we saw the tattoo industry offering the same solution to the same problem. And as we all know,
“if you want something different to happen, you have to do things differently.”
So we decided to try to innovate in a more creative way.
Our first product was Hornet Stencil, launched around 2019. We were obsessed with the scent of honey, but we also understood that smell goes hand in hand with sight and touch.
That’s why we chose packaging inspired by traditional honey containers, along with a gel texture and a golden yellow color.
During the process, we discovered that honey is a long-lasting product with extraordinary skin-healing properties, and that it had been used for the same purposes since ancient times.
When designing the packaging, we closely observed the tattoo industry at the time. Most competitors were still using classic 90s-style designs—functional, but nothing you’d want to showcase in a Polaroid of your studio or workspace (without taking anything away from the great brands that came before us).
We worked on a clean yet bold design, with an attractive logo that moved away from overused Victorian lettering, while still maintaining the symmetry and structural elements so common in studio branding.
The product began to take off at the end of 2022, after years of consistent effort—mailing, calls, visits, samples, conventions…
There was always one driving belief: “if they try it, they switch.”
The product worked, the image stood out, and the customer experience was unique.
Once that growth began, the second innovation followed: we reinvented Instagram. Once again, brands were static—posting basic content without a distinct voice. We chose to focus on each artist’s image combined with our branding, creating exclusive and carefully crafted content for every story and post, for every artist, for every convention (something we still maintain today).
We created a system of stories, stickers, and GIFs designed specifically for tattoo artists, where the artist’s work and the brand existed in a true symbiosis—neither more important than the other. That’s how mutual trust between artist and brand was built, something we value deeply today.
Shortly after, we launched Honey Butter, a product packed with nutrients for the skin, followed by its companion product, Honey Foam. Alongside these launches, we introduced peripheral products like the apron and spray bottle, which often became a visual statement of those using the full Hornet range.
Not long after, we launched Black Cover Roll—one of those innovations in workspace setup that, like the stencil, tends to build strong loyalty once tried.
After many tests, changes, and refinements, we introduced our healing range in 10ml and 30ml formats, along with piercing aftercare and a spray sunscreen.
Today, we are present in more than 30 countries, working closely with suppliers and artists around the world, attending international conventions, and continuously striving to contribute as much as possible to our community.
