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Black tattoo ink is a staple in any tattoo artist’s kit. The problem is with so many brands, it can be challenging to choose the best black tattoo ink on the market. Our top selection comes down to pigmentation, durability, and safety. To help you make the right choice, we will tell you how to spot reliable and trustworthy brands and share with you what we consider the best of the best black tattoo ink on the market.
But before we do, let’s first look at what makes great tattoo ink.
Things To Look For In Tattoo Ink
There are a few things you need to take into consideration when deciding which tattoo ink is for you—this applies to colored inks too.
First, is the ink safe? You want to look for a brand that holds itself to the highest manufacturing and health standards. This includes top-notch packaging that is tamper-proof.
Tattoo ink should always be sterilized and sealed to ensure your customers’ safety. If you’re not sure whether the tattoo ink company you’re buying from does this, then you’re not buying from the right company. Brands that take manufacturing tattoo ink seriously always make available info on production and quality control.
You should also go for tattoo ink with non-toxic ingredients and preferably vegan-friendly. This lessens the chance of your customers having an allergic reaction when they get their tattoo. The higher the quality of the pigments and ingredients, the better results you’ll have.
Luckily, most reputable brands share their ingredients list with their clients, so you can make sure the ink you’re buying doesn’t contain metal or any other dangerous chemicals. There are brands out there with “secret formulas” but they will still tell you what goes into their ink, it’s usually the quantity of each ingredient that is unknown.
We do have to mention that where you buy your ink from is also vitally important. There are a lot of counterfeited brands out there, so make sure to get your ink from a trusted source. That is the only way you’ll know you’re getting exactly what you’re paying for.
Of course, the best ink for you depends entirely on what you want to do. If the design has a lot of thick outlines, you may not want to use the same ink you would for doing fine lines or detail work. Then there’s also your style and the skin of your customer to consider. When you’re tattooing someone with a dark skin tone, you have to choose the darkest black you can get to make sure you can create enough of a contrast to make the tattoo stand out.
You should also always buy from a trusted brand. Talking about trusted brands, it’s time to share with you the best black tattoo ink on the market.
Best Black Tattoo Ink overview
Table could not be displayed.5 Best Black Tattoo Inks On The Market
1. Dynamic Black: Best Black Tattoo Ink Brand
This ink is known for its durability—if there’s one black that will stay black for as long as you live then this is it. It takes to the skin like a dream and is well-known for its smoothness. Made in the USA, Dynamic Black is a professional quality tattoo ink that can be used for lining, shading, and precise detail work. What’s more, this ink helps the skin heal, which means one thing—happy customers that will be back sooner rather than later!
This brand has been in the tattoo game since the 90’s, so you can believe them when they say their inks are time-tested. Not only are their inks good for your customers, but it’s also good for the environment. It’s cruelty-free and contains no animal-derived products.
Unfortunately, this brand has been targeted by counterfeiters and there are a lot of fraudulent products on the market. This is one ink you have to buy from a reputable place. To double-check that you get the real deal, Dynamic Black will arrive in a crystal clear PET bottle and their logo is applied as an anti-counterfeit coating.
As if all that isn’t impressive enough, their black is also available with triple pigments. Dynamic Triple Black is great for when the darkest black tattoo ink on the market isn’t black enough. In other words, for tribal fill-in, blackwork, and so on.
Why buy Dynamic Black?
- Super pigmented
- Long-lasting
- Helps the skin heal
- Much-loved brand
2. Zuper Black: Deepest and Darkest Black Tattoo Ink
Intenze is a tattoo ink manufacturer that knows what it’s doing. They’re famous for their wide variety of high-quality color inks made with safety in mind but don’t think their black lags behind. Intenze Zuper Black tattoo ink is specifically known for healing very dark, which makes it perfect for any tattoos where packing in ink is the main aim. This is also your go-to ink if you’re tattooing someone with a darker skin tone.
Zuper Black has a very thick consistency and it isn’t recommended for fine lines or too much detail. This ink is a bold black and should be used for equally bold tattoos.
It is sterilized and comes to you in a tamper-proof bottle. The brand only uses natural, non-animal-derived ingredients, which make it vegan friendly and also gentle on the skin.
You can also be sure that your ink won’t dry out mid-session as it is formulated to stay nice and wet for hours on end.
Why choose Intenze Zuper Black?
- Heals very dark
- Sterilized ink
- Perfect for color packing
- Non-toxic
3. Kuro Sumi: Best Formula
If you’re looking for a tattoo ink with a history just as rich as the pigment in its ink then look no further. Named after elite Japanese warriors with bold markings under their jawline and on their abs, Kuro Sumi tattoo ink will stand the test of time.
Although the formula of their tattoo ink is a secret, they don’t hide the fact that they use only organic ingredients and that their ink meets EU regulations. Whatever formula they’re using—it works wonderfully. The ink goes on smoothly, is gentle on the customer’s skin, and most importantly, it’s fade-proof.
It goes without saying that their ink is great for Japanese-style tattoos, but works just as well for outlining and shading.
If you’re looking for something more suited to blackwork, then their Double Sumi Tribal Ink is an option. They also have a King Kong Blue Black if that strikes your fancy.
Why buy Kuro Sumi?
- Fade-proof
- Organic formula
- Options for lining and color-packing
- Meets EU regulations
4. Mom’s Black Onyx: Most Reliable
Millennium Mom’s tattoo ink has a reputation for providing top quality tattoo ink. Their black tattoo ink lives up to the brand’s status. Black Onyx contains the highest pure pigment content, which will make your black tattoos come alive. It goes onto the skin smoothly and heals remarkably well—you won’t be able to tell the difference between day one and day 100!
Another reason why Millennium Mom’s black tattoo ink made the cut is because of the brand’s consistency. You get the pigmentation and quality you’ve learned to love, each and every time. It’s also one of the most reliable and trusted brands on the market. In addition, it’s made in the USA.
This black tattoo ink is perfect for stick and poke tattoo styles.
Why choose Mom’s Black Onyx tattoo ink?
- Trusted brand
- High pigment content
- Smooth consistency
- Professional quality
5. Bloodline All Purpose Black: Best All-Rounder
This ink claims to be an all-purpose black and you best believe it. It has a thick texture that can easily be diluted to suit your needs—whether it is outlining tribal work, color-packing, or blackwork. It can also be used as gray wash in shading.
Apart from its versatility, Bloodline All Purpose Black is also known for its gentle formula. It doesn’t cause any negative reactions and you won’t see it excessively oozing out of the skin like some other brands do.
When it heals, you can expect it to stay a rich black with no blow-out (if you did your part and didn’t go too deep, of course).
Why buy Bloodline All Purpose Black?
- Multipurpose
- Non-toxic
- Doesn’t fade
- No color bleeding
Final Thoughts
The three most important components that work together to give you a stunning tattoo are your talent and skill, the machine you use, and the quality of the ink the tattoo is done with. In other words, choosing the right tattoo ink is vital if you want to join the ranks of top tattoo artists around the world.
Since the foundation of most tattoos is black, the black tattoo ink you decide to buy is a very critical decision. What exactly your style is or what you’re planning on doing also impacts what black ink you should use. Some inks work better for lining, while others are better used for bold and thick lines or color-packing.
Knowing all this, you can go through our list of the best black tattoo inks and make the right decision for you and your customer.
