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If you’re vegan and love tattoos, you may already know that, in the past, getting inked required extra research. You had to spend a lot of time researching vegan tattoo ink, and admittedly, not a lot of brands came to the party a few years back. Thankfully, things have changed, and you can now get the tattoo of your dreams without compromising your views.
The majority of the ink available on the market today claims to be vegan-friendly, but are they really?
Unfortunately, since tattoo ink isn’t regulated by the FDA or similar regulatory bodies, brands can still keep their ingredients list secret—to a degree. This means they can say they use gelatin, but won’t have to specify if it is animal or plant-based.
This will put a lot of vegans off from getting a tattoo but in this article, we share with you the honest brands that are known and trusted in the tattoo industry. In other words, when they say they’re vegan, then they’re vegan.
Things to Consider When Looking For A Vegan-friendly Tattoo
A lot of the time we get so caught up with choosing a vegan tattoo ink, we forget about the other accessories used when getting a tattoo. Although some non-vegans may prefer to use vegan ink because it is considered organic and safer, practising vegans will want to make the entire tattoo process cruelty-free.
If this is the case, then you have to discuss the vegan status of the soap, lubricant, transfer paper, and razor with your tattoo artists. You’ll also have to make sure they don’t apply or recommend any tattoo aftercare lotions that contain animal products.
If you want to make every aspect of your tattoo vegan, ask the right questions before committing to an artist. Most studios will be able to accommodate your lifestyle. Better yet, some studios advertise themselves as strictly vegan, so maybe that is the best route to take. You can take the studio’s word for their vegan status, but if you’re unsure, ask them to give you the brand names of the products they plan on using and you can do your own research.
Getting a tattoo should be a fun experience; you shouldn’t be anxious about compromising your beliefs while you’re getting inked.
The word of all the animal by-products used in tattoo ink has spread and a lot of brands have removed all (or some) of these ingredients from their list. That’s great news but to put your mind at ease, let’s look at the best vegan tattoo ink on the market you can trust to have gone plant-based entirely.
6 best vegan tattoo inks overview
Table could not be displayed.6 best vegan tattoo inks
1. Kuro Sumi: Top Overall Pick
This is one of the best vegan tattoo inks on the market. It is made from only 100% high-quality organic ingredients. If you’re vegan and have sensitive skin, then find a tattoo artist who uses Kuro Sumi ink—your chances of having an allergic reaction or getting an infection is close to zero when tattooed with this non-toxic ink.
If you think that you’ll lose vibrancy or durability because tattoo ink is vegan, this ink will put your mind at ease. The brand is known for its super pigmented inks that have a great consistency despite using only organic ingredients.
What’s more, Kuro Sumi inks are some of the more affordable vegan tattoo inks on the market, so choosing to live a cruelty-free life won’t impact the cost of your tattoo. You can be confident that you’re getting tattooed with only the best vegan-friendly ingredients available.
Why get tattooed with Kuro Sumi?
- It is 100% vegan.
- It contains only first-rate organic ingredients.
- It is affordable.
2. World Famous: Most Trusted Brand
When searching for a vegan tattoo ink trust is an important factor. You need to know that the brand has a solid reputation in the tattoo industry and that you can believe when they say their inks are vegan.
Well, World Famous has a family with over 50 years of tattooing experience as the driving force behind this brand. This puts them high on the list of trustworthy and knowledgeable brands.
Not only doesn’t this ink contain any animal products, it also complies with EU quality standards. Talking about quality, you won’t have to look very far in the tattoo community to find a tattoo artist who says it is the best and brightest ink on the planet. And, they wouldn’t be wrong. This vegan tattoo ink is packed with pigment and its durability has been proven time and time again.
You’ll also be happy to read that selling sterilised and pure ink is very important to this brand. Ink is sealed in a crystal-flex bottle after getting purified. Bottles are also tamper-proof, which makes it easy to spot the real deal between any counterfeit products.
If you want your tattoo to look brand-new years after getting it, then this ink is the one for you. With a name like World Famous, they have a lot to live up to and they’re doing a stellar job.
Why is World Famous the best vegan tattoo ink for you?
- Brand is built on experience.
- High-quality ink.
- Comes in tamper-proof packaging.
3. Dynamic Ink: Best Quality
Non-toxic, vegan-friendly, and cruelty-free tattoo ink made in the USA. Dynamic Ink is lauded the world over as one of the most pigment-rich tattoo inks you can get your hands on. It is well-known for its black and white tattoo inks, but the colours don’t fall behind when it comes to depth and saturation.
This ink has a great consistency despite being vegan and is easy to work with. Of course, what’s even more important is the inks’ permanence. This is another box you can tick on your hunt for the best vegan tattoo ink—you can expect tattoos done with Dynamic Ink to stay as vibrant as the first day you got it.
As a tattoo enthusiast, you’ll be happy to read that this vegan tattoo ink is priced just right. Your tattoo artist won’t have to fork out a lot of money to tattoo with Dynamic Ink—it all comes down to how big the kit is that they choose to buy. This won’t push up the price of your tattoo!
We do suggest you double-check with your tattoo artist that they’re buying their Dynamic Ink from a reputable retailer. Unfortunately, fraudulent tattoo inks have flooded the market.
Although the label on the bottle may read Dynamic Ink, you may be getting inked with a product that isn’t as vegan-friendly as the real deal is.
Why choose a tattoo artist who uses Dynamic Ink?
- It’s affordable, which should make your tattoo affordable.
- It’s highly pigmented.
- It’s long-lasting.
4. Bloodline: Most Innovative Brand
This vegan tattoo ink manufacturer takes things a step further: they don’t use any toxic carriers; they use water. This means your tattoos will heal much faster.
That’s not the only reason why Bloodline is highly valued by professional tattoo artists. Its durability contributes to its status as one of the premium vegan tattoo inks available on the market today. Your tattoo won’t fade away. In fact, to ensure that you’re only getting inked with the best of the best, the company is continuously looking for ways to improve its formula, colour saturation, opacity, and brightness.
Their quality control process is also top-notch. You’ll never have to worry about contaminated ink or similar as every bottle is thoroughly checked before being sold.
Why is Bloodline the vegan tattoo ink for you?
- State-of-the-art ink.
- Water used instead of toxic carriers.
- Ink has a great consistency.
5. Radiant Colours: High-End Brand
If you take professional tattoo artists around the globe and ask them to put their heads together, what do you get? A high-end vegan tattoo ink that never disappoints. This collaborative approach has made this brand one of the State’s leading ink manufacturers.
Add to that the fact that the company constantly looks for ways to enhance their products, and you can expect a tattoo ink that will make any tattoo design come to life. Radiant Colours’ search for innovation includes finding ways to guarantee consistency, help sterilise the ink, and ensure it is irritant and free from pollutants.
They only use 100% organic ingredients that are animal—and by extension, vegan—friendly.
Why is Radiant Colour the best vegan tattoo ink?
- Brand is innovative.
- It’s top-of-the-range.
- It’s made through collaboration with professional tattoo artists.
6. Intenze Tattoo Ink: Certified Stamp of Approval
If this is your first tattoo, you may be worried that your body may react negatively to the tattoo ink. If that is the case, then find a tattoo artist who uses Intenze ink.
The health and safety of those sitting for tattoos are this brand’s main concern. Non-toxic and vegan tattoo ink ingredients are mixed in a super hygienic environment and decanted into a bottle that is quality tested. After that, the bottle is sterilised by a third party before hitting the shelves.
This ink complies not only with tattoo ink safety standards in the US, but also boasts EU-quality certification.
The company has been in the industry since 1978, so you can be sure that they know what they’re doing. The fact that they use only the latest technology to make their inks is testimony that they want to stay at the top of their game.
Intenze is the vegan tattoo ink you should choose because:
- Health and safety of their customers come first.
- Ink is made from high-quality organic ingredients.
- They offer a money-back return policy which shows they’re serious about happy customers.
What’s the Deal with Vegan Ink?
Even if you don’t follow a vegan lifestyle, you may want to know what animal-derived ingredients they use in normal tattoo ink.
When it comes to non-vegan tattoo ink, black ink contains probably the most notable animal by-product: bone char. Other widely-used ingredients you’ll find in non-vegan tattoo ink includes glycerin, which is used as a stabiliser, gelatin and shellac (beetle shells).
Vegan ink on the other hand will contain carbon or logwood to make black ink. Vegetable-based glycerin will replace animal glycerin, and witch hazel or ethanol will be used as binding agents instead of gelatin or shellac.
If you don’t mind using goods that contain animal products, you may want to reconsider getting a tattoo with non-vegan ink.
Although there isn’t conclusive proof that vegan ink is healthier or safer, some of the ingredients used in non-vegan tattoo ink can be harmful. Shellac, for example, can cause contact dermatitis, which can impact the healing time of your tattoo, as well as the tattoo itself.
There are other concerns surrounding the chemicals used in non-organic tattoo ink. Whether it is something to worry about or not comes down to your personal views at the moment since there isn’t enough scientific research to point to a definite answer. However, tattoo ink is injected below the skin and our bodies are wired to fight back this ‘intrusion.’ So, it stands to argue that the more organic the ink, the less severe your body’s reaction.
Whatever the case may be, vegan ink is growing in popularity for good reason. We all should pay attention to the ingredients we put into our bodies—whether for our own health and safety or that of the animals.
In Conclusion
Leading a vegan lifestyle comes with a lot of challenges. The good news is that even the tattoo industry is waking up to the fact that animal-derived ingredients aren’t the way to go.
Tattoo ink brands are finding ways to create pigment-rich, vibrant, and long-lasting inks without using animal products. In this article, we looked at some of the leading brands that have succeeded in doing just that.
Now you know that when you see a tattoo artist using one of the inks on this list, you can go sit for a tattoo without worrying that you’ll be betraying your veganism. Of course, to make your experience 100% vegan, you have to double-check that the other product they plan on using fits the bill too.
Do your research and have an open and honest conversation with your tattoo artists long before booking your appointment. This way you’ll be sure you’re choosing the right artist (and vegan-friendly tattoo experience).
