When it comes to tattoo ink, there are a tonne of brands out there to choose from. It's great to have a lot of colour options, but it can be a bit overwhelming, especially for new tattoo artists who are still trying to figure out which inks and colour palettes work best for them. The vibrancy and finish of tattoo inks can vary quite a lot from brand to brand, so it's important to find out which inks will give you the best results, whilst ensuring they are high-quality, safe tattoo inks from reputable brands!

Aside from the choice of colours, the main differences between ink brands are the ingredients and the quantity of each ingredient used. It's important to choose brands that contain organic ingredients. Organic inks tend to use carriers such as purified water and pigments that are made from all-natural elements, which make them much safer to use. Don't opt for brands that refuse to disclose their ink's ingredient list.

The safety of your customers is paramount, so your tattoo inks should be produced to the highest industry and health standards, pre-sterilised, and packaged safely.  Nowadays most tattoo inks are vegan-friendly, and this is a really important factor for a lot of artists too. 

Most tattoos will fade over time, but opting for the best tattoo ink brands will ensure that the inks fade a lot less. Of course, it's important to continue to look after tattoos once you have them done, but good quality inks will certainly help with the longevity of the tattoo. Different types of inks have different purposes and will produce varying results. Some inks are made specifically for lining, whereas others are intended for colouring solid areas. The style of tattooing you do will have an influence on the type of ink and coverage you go for. 

Talking with other artists is a great way to get honest, tried and tested opinions on different ink brands. It's important to remember that what may work for one artist may not necessarily be right for another, so try out different brands and find out what works best and feels right for you. 

We've listed some of the top tattoo ink brands that are available: 

 

Radiant Colors

All the way from Los Angeles, Radiant Tattoo Ink has been around for over 10 years, providing the tattoo industry with top-quality, bold and brilliant colours. In 2016, the Radiant brand undertook a huge transformation, reformulating their tattoo ink, making it better than ever.

The Radiant team worked closely with renowned tattoo artists across the globe, using sophisticated technology to create a sterilised, uncut homogenised organic pigment that produces solid, long-lasting, and bright colours.  Radiant Colors tattoo ink is completely vegan-friendly.

Unlike many tattoo ink brands, Radiant's whole range of standard colours is available in 1/2oz and 1oz bottles, which are ideal for those who are wanting to try it without committing to a larger bottle. 

 

Eternal Ink

One of the leading brands that is proven to be non-toxic is Eternal Tattoo Ink. Their inks are composed of organic pigments, free from any animal by-products, and so are vegan-friendly. Founded by Terry “Tramp” Welker, Eternal Tattoo Supply has been around since the 1980's, and are one of the most established tattoo brands out there.

Their main goal is to constantly look for ways that will help and support tattoo artists in creating high-quality, lifelong designs.

Intenze Ink

Mario Barth, Intenze Tattoo Ink founder has dedicated years of his life to producing high-quality sterile tattoo inks. Intenze probably have one of the largest range of colours on the market, and their top-quality tattoo inks meet both USA and EU quality standards.

A third-party lab also verifies their purity after they are sterilised. Intenze inks flow well and go in the skin nicely. The crisp colours stay vibrant for years and they're vegan-friendly too.

 

Kuro Sumi Ink

Kuro Sumi Tattoo Ink includes a range of colours created using a formula that has descended from centuries of Japanese tattoo artists. It's a superior-quality ink that is renowned for its outstanding lining and shading inks.

Created using vegan-friendly and purely organic elements, Kuro Sumi's range contains a variety of grey wash options and some brilliant colours. The Kuro Sumi range also features a Cherry Shading Ink and Bronze Shading Ink, which have a really unique finish. 

 

Solid Ink

All Solid Ink Tattoo Inks are manufactured with the highest quality organic pigments and are 100% vegan-friendly. They're super concentrated to ensure maximum colour saturation, are easy to work with, and heal very well.

They're approved by CTL lab in Bielefeld, Germany for safety and skin reactivity, complying with EU legislation. They have a beautiful colour range to choose from.

 

Fusion Ink

Fusion tattoo inks were developed by Adam Everett, and feature an incredible range of organic colours. Their inks have a thicker consistency, higher pigment value and high viscosity making them bold and bright.

They're sterilised to the highest standard, and are vegan-friendly. Fusion ink is super smooth, and a really easy tattoo ink to put into the skin. 

 

Obsidian Ink 

Obsidian Black is ‘the perfect black tattoo ink’. It features a thin viscosity whilst maintaining a very deep black, making it absolutely perfect for lining and shading alike. Made in the UK with the highest purity of carbon black pigment available along with being vegan-friendly, hypoallergenic, sterile and ResAP 2008 compliant, Obsidian is sure to be ever-present in your set-up for years to come.

It has been developed and perfected over time by experienced tattoo artists with 20+ years of ink formulation knowledge behind them. It is a multi-purpose versatile black ink great for lining, shading, and filling large solid areas. It goes into the skin really smoothly and washes down for super soft greys, ideal for realism.

Nocturnal Ink

Nocturnal Ink was formulated by Franco Vescovi and tested over two years by co-owner and legendary tattoo artist Jack Rudy. Their goal was to create an ink that is similar to Talens and Pelikan, which are some very well-known drawing inks used by the tattoo industry for the last 30 years.

They wanted the fluidity of those inks but it had to be darker and shade even smoother. Unlike Talens and Pelikan, they wanted their ink to be made for the sole purpose of tattooing. They're also vegan-friendly. Launched at London Tattoo Convention in 2014, Nocturnal Inks have proven to be extremely popular, and the go-to ink for black and grey artists. 

Which tattoo ink brand is best?

It can be quite overwhelming when it comes to choosing tattoo inks, and the 'best' tattoo ink is often down to personal preference. We hope that this guide has helped in giving you an idea of the different ink ranges out there. There are of course other important factors that will affect the outcome of your tattoo, such as the type of tattoo machine and needles or cartridges you choose. Again there's a brilliant choice of brands out there for artists to choose from. 

To see our full range of tattoo inks, which includes even more great brands, then head over to our store where you can buy tattoo inks online. There are various brands of tattoo inks, drawing inks, and cosmetic inks available, along with shading and mixing solutions.

← Previous Post Next Post →