The tattoo ink manufacturing process is an extensive process requiring millions of dollars of production machinery. To be REACH compliant, and to regulate over 4,500 unsafe ingredients found in low-quality tattoo inks, choosing the safest and best tattoo ink can be a difficult process.
We've collated the Top 7 Tattoo Inks for 2023 based on:
Xtreme Ink: Known for its vibrant and long-lasting colors, Xtreme Ink is a brand that caters to tattoo artists looking to create eye-catching designs. With a wide range of hues available, their inks are highly pigmented and offer excellent coverage. Tattoo enthusiasts appreciate Xtreme Ink for its consistency and durability, as the colors remain bold and vibrant even after years of wear. Artists often commend the smooth application of this brand, making it a reliable choice for intricate and detailed tattoos.
One of Xtreme Inks' strengths is their comprehensive range of tonal values, allowing artists to create various shades and achieve precise color results. These inks are also ideal for mixing, enabling artists to explore and expand their color palette for endless creative possibilities.
The delivery of Xtreme Inks is spotless, ensuring consistent and reliable performance. The viscosity of their inks facilitates smooth and efficient application from any standard tattoo machine, resulting in a seamless tattooing process. With their extensive experience in designing and producing tattoo pigments, Xtreme Inks has gained valuable expertise in delivering high-quality products. Tattoos created with Xtreme Inks have been reported to heal quicker, which is beneficial for both artists and clients.
Safety is a top priority for Xtreme Inks. Their inks are formulated to be safe for customers, users, and the environment. They are developed in accordance with the latest European Union REACH regulations, ensuring compliance with stringent safety standards.
In line with ethical considerations, Xtreme Inks proudly offers vegan-friendly products that are not tested on animals. This commitment to cruelty-free practices resonates with artists and clients who value ethical and sustainable choices.
Raw Pigments: Renowned for its commitment to quality and safety, Raw Pigments is a brand trusted by professional tattoo artists worldwide. Artists appreciate Raw Pigments for their rich color selection and the ease with which their inks blend together. With their focus on both artistic expression and health-consciousness, Raw Pigments has become a go-to choice for artists who prioritize safety without compromising on vibrant and stunning tattoo designs.
Raw Pigments is an American tattoo brand that prides itself on several key qualities. First and foremost, their inks are acrylic-free, offering an alternative for artists and clients who prefer to avoid acrylic-based ingredients.
Raw Pigments are powder-based, providing a unique formulation that offers distinct advantages. The powder base allows for fast saturation, ensuring that the ink penetrates the skin effectively. Additionally, this formulation prevents the ink from drying out during long tattoo sessions, maintaining optimal consistency and performance.
Raw Pigments offer even viscosity, ensuring smooth application and consistent results. This consistency over time allows artists to rely on the ink's performance throughout their tattooing sessions.
Dynamic Colors: Dynamic is a trusted brand that has been delivering high-quality tattoo inks since 1990. Their inks are known for being much finer and more stable than other pigment-based inks on the market. Dynamic inks are created using premium pigments that are ideal for a wide range of tattoo styles, especially favored by new school tattoo artists.
Dynamic inks are highly regarded by both black and gray artists as well as color tattooers. They are easy to use and maintain their deep black color even after the healing process. The inks are blended with a carrier liquid to achieve a free-flowing and smooth consistency, ensuring a seamless tattooing experience.
One of the notable features of Dynamic inks is their ability to quickly and smoothly penetrate the skin when pre-dispersed. The particles of pigment powder are broken down to an exceptionally fine level, resulting in an efficient and precise application. This makes Dynamic inks highly regarded as some of the best outlining tattoo inks available, frequently recommended for lining and tribal designs.
Safety is a top priority for Dynamic. They utilize the purest hospital-grade water, which undergoes meticulous filtering, distillation, and UV sterilization processes in their facility. This ensures that the water used in their inks meets the highest standards of purity and quality.
Eternal Ink: Eternal Inks, developed by renowned artist Terry Welker from Michigan, USA, are trusted and used by many of the best tattoo artists worldwide. With over three decades of ink experience, Eternal Inks have become one of the industry's longest-standing tattoo suppliers.
As the name suggests, Eternal Ink is celebrated for its long-lasting properties, making it a preferred choice for artists who prioritize durability. Eternal Ink's reputation lies in its ability to withstand the test of time, as their inks retain their vibrancy even after years of exposure to sunlight and aging. Artists appreciate the reliable color consistency of Eternal Ink, which ensures that the artwork will remain true to its original vision.
Eternal Inks offer an ever-expanding palette of iconic, multi-colored options that cater to every artist's creativity. Their lineup includes a diverse spectrum of bright, eye-popping color tattoo inks, as well as reliable blacks, whites, and grey washes. This extensive selection has led some artists to consider Eternal Inks as the best color tattoo ink available.
Eternal Inks are delivered in sealed, medical-grade bottles, ensuring the highest hygiene standards and longevity.
Fusion Inks: are widely regarded as the best and brightest tattoo inks available in the industry today. These exceptional inks were born out of a collaboration between Adam Everett and Next Generation Tattoo, resulting in a product that sets a new standard for luminosity and intensity.
One of the standout features of Fusion Inks is their thickness, which is attributed to a high pigment load and the absence of fillers. This quality ensures that the colors are vibrant and long-lasting. Moreover, these inks are known to be among the most easily applied pigments, making the tattooing process smoother and more efficient.
The commitment to safety and quality is evident in Fusion Inks' formulation. They are free from preservatives, as well as carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic substances, providing peace of mind to both artists and clients. Before being shipped, these inks undergo a laboratory authorized certification process, further ensuring their reliability.
To maintain the highest standards of hygiene, Fusion Inks are supplied in medical-grade, sealed bottles. Each bottle is labeled with an expiry date, ensuring that the ink remains fresh and effective.
Solid Ink: Founded by a tattoo artist, Solid Ink has gained a strong reputation for its dedication to environmentally friendly practices.
Solid Ink is a tattoo ink brand founded by Federico Ferroni, a traditional-style tattoo artist based in Miami. This brand is known for its commitment to using only the highest quality organic pigments in their inks.
The inks are designed to be easy to work with and heal smoothly, ensuring a consistent and solid outcome. The brand offers a varied selection of carefully formulated colors, aiming for the best saturation and brightest healed results. The pigments used in Solid Ink are highly concentrated, resulting in super bright colors and maximum saturation.
Tattoo artists appreciate Solid Ink's commitment to sustainability, as the brand strives to minimize its impact on the environment while producing top-quality inks. With a focus on both artistic expression and ecological responsibility, Solid Ink appeals to artists seeking a conscientious choice for their tattoo creations.
Kokkai Sumi Ink: Recognized for its deep black ink, Kokkai Sumi Ink has become a staple in the tattoo industry, particularly for artists specializing in traditional Japanese tattoos. This brand's ink is derived from high-quality charcoal and other natural ingredients, resulting in a rich black hue that is both intense and long-lasting. Tattoo artists appreciate Kokkai Sumi Ink for its smooth consistency, allowing for precise and intricate linework. Renowned for its authenticity and connection to traditional Japanese tattooing, Kokkai Sumi Ink continues to be a trusted choice for artists seeking to honor the art form's heritage.
Kokka Sumi Ink is a renowned Japanese company that has established itself as a leader in the production of sumi ink, a traditional ink used in Japanese calligraphy and painting. With a rich history spanning over a century, Kokka Sumi Ink has become synonymous with high-quality ink that captures the essence of Japanese artistry.
Founded in 1913 by master ink maker Kojiro Nakayama, Kokka Sumi Ink has remained committed to preserving the ancient techniques and formulas used in the production of sumi ink. The company's dedication to craftsmanship and attention to detail has earned it a stellar reputation among artists and calligraphers worldwide. Kokka Sumi Ink's commitment to quality is evident in the meticulous selection of ingredients, including natural soot and animal glue, which are carefully processed to create ink that is smooth, durable, and rich in color.
Over the years, Kokka Sumi Ink has expanded its product range to cater to the diverse needs of artists. In addition to traditional sumi ink, the company now offers a variety of ink types, such as liquid sumi ink and colored sumi ink, which provide artists with more options for creative expression. Kokka Sumi Ink's products are known for their consistency, archival quality, and ability to produce deep, velvety blacks and vibrant colors that bring art to life.
Today, Kokka Sumi Ink continues to be at the forefront of ink manufacturing, combining time-honored traditions with modern innovation. The company's dedication to excellence has earned it numerous accolades and a loyal customer base. As artists around the world strive to preserve and evolve the art of calligraphy and painting, Kokka Sumi Ink remains a trusted companion, providing them with the highest quality inks to fuel their creative journeys.
In conclusion, selecting the best tattoo inks has become an exciting and inclusive journey. Overcoming the historical myths and misconceptions surrounding tattooing on darker skin tones, we now have a wide range of high-quality ink brands that cater to the unique needs and beauty of melanin-rich skin.
Through the offerings of Xtreme Ink, Raw Pigments, Dynamic Colors, Eternal Ink, Fusion Ink, Solid Ink, and Kokkai Sumi Ink, tattoo artists have found reliable companions in their quest to create stunning and long-lasting tattoos on darker skin. These brands have embraced the diversity of skin tones, providing vibrant pigments that enhance the natural richness of melanin.
To the talented artists who have shattered old beliefs, the ink brands that have stepped up their game, and the clients who proudly wear their tattoos... Together, we celebrate the progress made in the world of tattoo art, where inclusivity and appreciation for all skin tones help us decide what inks to create.
Remember, finding the best tattoo ink not only relies on the quality of the pigment but also the skill and artistry of the tattoo artist. With their expertise and creativity, they transform ink into a canvas of self-expression. Tattoos are not just ink-on-skin; they represent the celebration of personal identity and artistry.
By Paul Park