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The quality of a tattoo isn’t limited to the skill of the artists – the equipment used, especially the tattoo ink plays a vital role. Choosing the right ink can be the difference between a good tattoo and a superior tattoo. Of course, the quality of the ink will influence how long your tattoo lasts. Will it wear off faster than expected or will it look fresh as new for years? It all depends on the ink you use.
Don’t worry, after reading this article, you will know the names of the 10 best tattoo ink brands on the market in 2023.
But before we get to the list, what criteria do we look at when choosing the best ink for tattoos?
How to Choose the Best Tattoo Ink
The first thing is to look at where the ink was made. Tattoo ink from the European Union and the USA is regulated, which means these products have strict health and safety requirements to meet before hitting the shelves. Interestingly enough, tattoo inks in California are held to even higher standards. Japan, the United States, Italy and other regions in Europe are known to have extremely high safety and manufacturing standards.
All in all, you want to buy your tattoo ink from a location that sources high-quality ingredients.
Talking about ingredients, they should be meticulously tested – preferably not on animals – to ensure that they’re safe to use on the skin and provide long-lasting results. Knowing the ingredients in tattoo ink is very important since you don’t want your client to have an allergic reaction; for example, heavy metals in the ink is a big no-no.
Ingredients should be sterilized, non-toxic, cruelty-free, and comparable to the high standards of inks made in the US and EU. Being vegan-friendly and organic is another plus-point but is more a personal choice than a requirement.
Last but not least, you want to know if the tattoo ink is long-lasting and how it will perform on the skin. The tattoo ink may look vibrant in the bottle, but how long will it last on the skin? Also, will it ‘bleed’ considerably as the tattoo heals? Good tattoo ink also speeds up the healing process.
Okay, time to look at the best ink for tattoos.
Best Tattoo Ink Brands Overview
Table could not be displayed.10 Best Tattoo Ink Brands
1. Dynamic Color Tattoo Ink: Best Value For Money
If you want pigment-rich tattoo ink made in the USA, then Dynamic is the brand for you.
Tattoo artists the globe over gives this ink a thumbs up. It is a high-quality ink that works perfectly for lining and shading. Although it is most popular for its black and white tattoo ink options, the colors are full of depth and saturation. These colors are easy to apply, quick-drying, and best yet, long-lasting.
All Dynamic tattoo ink colors are non-toxic and cruelty-free. None of the ingredients are animal-derived either, making it vegan-friendly.
What’s more, Dynamic tattoo ink is excellent value for money. The price ranges from just under $10 to $600, depending on the number of colors you want in your kit.
A word of caution: Fraudulent Dynamic products have flooded the market. You have to buy these inks from a reputable retailer to make sure you’re getting the real deal. True Dynamic ink colors also come in anti-printed glass bottles with their name on.
Why choose Dynamic tattoo ink?
- Value for money
- Highly pigmented
- Vegan
2. Intenze Tattoo Ink: Health, Safety, and Quality Certified
If your client is sitting for their first tattoo and they’re worried about how their body will react to the tattoo ink, then Intenze tattoo ink is the answer. This brand has been on the market since 1978 and health and safety is their main concern. Mixing and packaging happen in a super clean and hygienic environment and every bottle is quality tested and sterilized by a third-party lab before being placed on sale. No wonder Intenz complies with US safety standards for tattoo ink, as well as has EU-quality certification.
They also strive to stay on the top of the best of the tattoo ink game and continuously revolutionize their product.
When it comes to the ingredients, you can rest assured that they’re non-toxic and vegan and that the ink is never tested on animals.
Why is Intenze tattoo ink a great buy?
- Company puts health, safety, and quality first
- Saturated colors
- Money back return policy
3. Millenium Mom’s: Amazon Best Seller
Millennium Mom’s tattoo ink can be described in one word: extraordinary. The colors are extremely bright and often used by tattoo artists to put color back into old and faded tattoos. Of course, professionals know to use this ink right from the start.
The consistency and pigmentation of Mom’s tattoo ink contribute to why it is considered a top-rated brand. In fact, having the perfect consistency is one of the main qualities this ink is known for.
Starting with only a few colors in the early ’90s, this brand shot to the top as one of the favorites with over 84 shades in a short time. Remarkably if you consider that not only did their shade range grow, but the consistency, pigment life, flow rate, and quality of the brand as well.
This tattoo ink ticks all the right boxes and deserves its place among the best of the best tattoo inks.
Why make Millennium Mom’s tattoo ink part of your kit?
- Unique color options
- Long skin life
- High-quality all around
4. Starbrite: FDA Certified
This ink absorbs into the skin like a dream and stays as bright as the first day the tattoo was done. What makes Starbrite tattoo ink stand out is that it heals the skin. You read right!
The quality and type of ingredients used in this tattoo ink will make tattoos heal faster.
In addition, it is tested and bottled according to FDA guidelines.
A tattoo ink with great consistency, super pigmented colors, and long-lasting results, it’s no wonder Starbrite tattoo ink is a favorite among professional tattoo artists.
Why choose Starbrite?
- Heals the skin
- FDA certified
- Consistent quality
5. Kuro Sumi: Best Organic Choice
If you want a cool story to tell your clients while you’re tattooing them, then Kuro Sumi tattoo ink is a great source of inspiration. The company gets its name from Japanese warriors called Yayoi Kuro Sumi Tangnuni who marked their bodies to distinguish themselves from others.
Don’t worry; an interesting conversation starter isn’t the only reason why Kuro Sumi tattoo ink is one of the best tattoo inks. It is one of the highest quality inks on the market and contains 100% organic ingredients. This ink is perfect for anyone with sensitive skin who is afraid of having an allergic reaction or getting an infection.
If you buy Kuro Sumi tattoo ink, you can know that you’re getting the best ingredients available.
Why choose Kuro Sumi as your tattoo ink?
- It’s 100% organic
- Contains only the best ingredients
- Great price for excellent quality
6. Bloodline: Most Recommended by Professionals
Bloodline tattoo ink was first just called Skin Candy tattoo ink but had a makeover (and price increase) a few years back after shooting to fame thanks to a popular reality TV series about tattoos. Whatever the history of this tattoo ink, it made the cut because it is a premium tattoo ink that delivers on its status. In fact, this tattoo ink is one of the most recommended by tattoo artists.
You can expect durability when you tattoo with Bloodline—it won’t fade away. Furthermore, you never need to worry about quality and packaging as every bottle of ink is thoroughly checked before it hits the shelves.
It’s also worth mentioning that tattoos done with this ink will heal much faster. Why? The company doesn’t use any toxic carriers. Instead, they use water. This makes them different from most other tattoo inks out there.
To ensure that the bar for tattoo ink stays high, this company continuously works on improving its formula, color saturation and brightness, and opacity.
Why is Bloodline the tattoo ink for you?
- Highly valued brand
- Use water and not toxic carriers
- Great consistency
7. Hawkink: Budget-Friendly Option
If you’re a new tattoo artist, Hawkink tattoo ink is a great choice for you. It won’t cost you an arm and a leg to build a complete color kit, and you won’t be sacrificing quality at all. Even though this tattoo ink is considered budget-friendly, it still contains high-quality ingredients.
Hawkink also doesn’t contain anything that will irritate the skin, so it is safe to use on even sensitive skins. That’s not all, this tattoo ink is disinfected, which means the chances of your client getting an infection is close to zero.
Why buy Hawkink tattoo ink?
- Budget-friendly
- Disinfected
- Great quality
8. Radiant Colors: High End
This company is one of the State’s leading ink manufacturers. If you’re looking for high-end ink, then look no further. What makes this ink stand out is its collaboration with tattoo artists worldwide to come up with the best product possible. But it doesn’t end there; the company stays on top of technology to help ensure consistency, help sterilize their ink, and guarantee their products are irritant and pollutant-free.
For folks with sensitive skin, this may be the answer since Radiant tattoo ink is 100% organic. Also, if you’re a vegan, feel free to sit for a tattoo done with this ink as it doesn’t contain any animal by-products and isn’t tested on animals.
Why should you add Radiant Color tattoo ink to your cart?
- Top of the range
- Organic and vegan-friendly
- Perfect for sensitive skin
9. World Famous: Best Packaging
The family behind this brand has over 50 years of tattooing experience under their belt. Their passion for tattooing was the driving force behind coming up with a tattoo ink that performs.
World Famous is also well-known for being trustworthy when it comes to delivering high-quality products to its customers.
But let’s talk about the ink. No fading here—only bright, true color that will last forever. Some tattoo artists even label this tattoo ink as the purest ink of the highest quality on the entire planet. That’s a big reputation to live up to! But they do. The ink is bold and bright and long-lasting. It will make your tattoos look brand-new years later. The ink also contains no animal products and complies with EU quality standards. That’s great news if you’re vegan.
The packaging needs extra mention. Each bottle of ink is purified and sealed in a crystal-flex bottle. Add to that the fact that the bottles are tamper-proof and you can rest assured that you’re getting the ingredients you’re paying for. They’re also TSA-approved and portable, which makes them great if you’re a traveling tattoo artist.
Why choose World Famous tattoo ink?
- Experienced brand
- High-grade ink
- Tamper-proof packaging
10. Solong: Beginner Support
You may have seen Solong tattoo machines at one time or another, but they also make tattoo inks. These inks are vibrant and long-lasting but what makes them stand out from the others on the list is its absorbability. The formula Solong uses makes it one of the best tattoo inks because it enhances the skin’s permeability. In other words, skin sucks up this ink like a sponge. Plus, when this brand says its ink doesn’t fade after healing, you can believe them.
Another great thing about this ink is that the company uses gamma rays to sterilize pigments and this reduces infection risk significantly.
If you’re an apprentice, you should consider choosing this brand for the detailed instruction and support you get when you buy their ink.
Why should you consider buying Solong?
- Enhances skin permeability
- Support for beginners
- Gamma-ray sterilization
Final Thoughts
When you first start on your tattoo journey, one of the first questions you’ll ask yourself is: “What is the best tattoo ink?”
You now have a list of ten best tattoo ink brands on the market in 2023. Of course, the ink you use can be a highly personal choice and that is why most brands will have bad reviews no matter what. In the same breath, don’t just use a brand because it is highly rated—read both the good and bad reviews to get a better overall picture of the product.
If you’re new to the industry, it may be a good idea to chat to more seasoned tattoo artists about the tattoo ink brands they prefer to use and why. They will also be able to guide you on where to buy your ink to avoid spending money on fakes.
Good luck with choosing a brand that will make your talent shine!
