Are henna tattoo artists in downtown Myrtle Beach scamming customers? What to know.
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While on vacation in Myrtle Beach in April 2024, Ari Deery decided to get a henna tattoo near the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk.
When she walked past the University of Rock and Roll store, 918 North Ocean Boulevard, the artist there said he would do a tattoo for $15, Deery said. She decided to work with him, getting a henna tattoo on her hand. When she went to the cash register to pay, Deery couldn’t believe the price: $135.
“I cried on the inside and paid it,” Deery said. “I’m not the kind of person that is going to try and fight it.”
While a recent social media post about the University of Rock and Roll gained attention, this appears to happen at multiple henna places along North Ocean Boulevard. Google Reviews show people complaining about being quoted $10 to $20 for a henna tattoo but were later charged upwards of $100 at various henna tattoo businesses.
Gary Delgado, a worker at the University of Rock and Roll, said the prices begin at $15 and increase depending on the complexity and size of the tattoo.
“Some people start with one finger then, ‘Oh, I like it. Can I put a whole hand there?’ That’s extra work,” Delgado said.
Delgado encourages people to bring their complaints directly to the store and not online. This way the company can help the customer rather than having them leave dissatisfied.
“I’m telling you, anybody who complains about anything, we will refund their money. We are not here to make anybody upset,” Delgado said
Deery said she heard the $15 price and did not ask more questions about the cost while getting the tattoo. She did not realize the price would increase.
Myrtle Beach city ordinances state that before beginning the tattoo, henna artists must create a written receipt with the “final cost.” The customer, or the customer’s guardian, must sign the receipt before the service. Based on reviews, this is not done by all henna tattoo artists along North Ocean Boulevard.
Along with the receipt, the henna businesses must clearly display prices. The University of Rock and Roll did not have prices attached to examples of art hung up on the wall.
Violating these ordinances results in a misdemeanor.
In an email to The Sun News, city spokesperson Meredith Denari and Myrtle Beach Police spokesperson Randolph Angotti said they had not heard about any “scams” at the University of Rock and Roll.
Customers also claimed the henna tattoo did not last very long, with Deery saying hers wore off by the time she got home less than a week later. University of Rock and Roll uses jagua, which can last up to two weeks, according to multiple online retailers.
This story was originally published April 23, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
