The best white tattoo ink makes portraits pop.
It’s necessary for discreet white tattoos.
And it’s essential for white on black designs, creating washes, and mixing unique tones.
Today, we’ll review the brands of white tattoo ink that meet the most demanding artists’ needs.
Are white ink tattoos worth it?
If you want to specialize in white ink tattoos, it’s smart to experiment with different brands.
Straight white ink is tricky to work with. Let’s talk about why.
First off, white ink tends to be thicker in consistency and not easy to use for outlining. But if it’s thinned for lining, it becomes nearly invisible.
It may also spread in the skin more than other colors, which makes for fuzzy lines.
Those are some of the reasons why professional artists that do white ink tattoos say there are pros and cons to this style.
Some of the downsides include how quickly the white ink fades and the fact that it tends to discolor.
White ink will heal only as bright as the skin tone where it’s used. It doesn’t necessarily turn brown, gray, or yellow. It’s just that we are seeing the ink through the melanin in the person’s skin.
The “fading” happens as soon as a couple of months after the tattoo heals. Unfortunately, it’s difficult or impossible to touch up white tattoos.
But on the other hand, there are points in favor of white ink tattoos.
The contrast looks good on many different skin tones. As they heal, they create a kind of 3D effect that resembles a scar. This makes for remarkable body art (1).
Since they aren’t colorful on their own, white tattoos don’t attract as much attention. The subtle designs are very easy to hide with makeup if needed.
Other uses for white tattoo ink
Some artists like to use white ink to add borders to colored tattoos. It makes the art stand out.
Then, white on black shading makes for an attractive 3D design. It’s excellent for covering up other, unwanted tattoos.
Portraits, of course, benefit from white ink, too.
Some people say white inks will glow a bit under black light. But for the real effect, use the “white” or invisible UV-reactive inks for blacklight tattoos. (I’ve included some in the reviews below).
Is white tattoo ink more painful?
Clients want to know if getting inked with white is more painful. My answer is yes, it can be.
For one, it’s sometimes necessary to go over white areas for better saturation. Repeated needling hurts, of course.
Then, it may be needful to go deeper and stretch the skin to get the ink to lay perfectly.
Obviously, it also matters which part of the body is getting tattoed. White ink tattoos are popular on hands, wrists, feet, and necks, which are all sensitive.
Avoid tattoo regret
If you’re considering getting a white ink tattoo, be sure to find an artist with experience doing them.
Also, recognize the fact that what looks crisp and white in the tattoo shop may not be so vibrant-looking a few weeks from now.
You can avoid tattoo regret by accepting the limitations of white ink tattoos and embracing them as features.
But keep in mind that tattoo removal of white ink is complicated.
Laser tattoo removal is the best way to get rid of a tattoo. But a laser uses light to break up the ink pigment. White ink reflects light instead of absorbing it. Therefore, it’s likely to take many more sessions and cost much more money to remove a white ink tattoo.
Worse, the effect bleeds over into other colors if they were mixed with white ink, like a pastel shade.
In summary, before you get inked or use white ink, be sure to understand the risks and benefits so that you can make an informed decision.
Best White Tattoo Ink
It’s also smart to use one of the best white tattoo ink brands below.
Dynamic White Tattoo Ink
White ink tends to be thicker and consistency than other colors. That’s where Dynamic ink comes to the rescue. It has a thinner consistency that flies into the skin. Happily, it’s still highly-pigmented.
The basic white is all-purpose for all sorts of tattoos. It’s made in the USA and is vegan and cruelty-free.
It comes in a frosted bottle with the lot number and expiration date. When you remove the lid, you’ll see the protective seal printed with the brand name.
It’s good to check that you have authentic Dynamic ink as it’s frequently imitated.
Dynamic Color Heavy White Tattoo Ink
To get a thick consistency with even better saturation, try Dynamic’s Heavy White ink.
Yes, you can cut it and blend it just like any of the other colors.
POWER WHITE Millennium Moms
Millennium Moms is another American brand used by professionals around the world.
The standard white ink they offer has a smooth consistency that saturates well. It tends to heal quickly, too.
It’s one of the few white inks that maintains its brightness over the long term.
Moms Nuclear UV Tattoo Ink Invisible Fallout Ultra Violet
Millennium Moms also makes UV-reactive ink. The Invisible Fallout color isn’t something you can see in daylight or under a lamp. But it glows whitish-blue under black light.
It’s fantastic for highlights and making invisible tattoos.
Kuro Sumi Samurai White
For more than two decades, Kuro Sumi has been one of the world’s leading ink brands. It’s made in America from vegan, natural ingredients.
Artists who’ve used Samurai White say that it’s thick, but blends nicely with black for grey wash.
It saturates quickly without the need for repetitive passes.
Plus, it stays visible even on very light skin tones.
Intenze Tattoo Ink Snow White Opaque
Intenze offers more than one shade of white ink. The Snow White Opaque is excellent for highlights, shading, and grey wash.
You may have to thin it to improve the flow rate, though. No worries, as regular Intenze ink doesn’t dry out in the caps.
Each bottle comes sterilized with a tamper-proof cap. The ink meets both US and EU safety standards.
High White by Bob Tyrrell – Intenze Tattoo Ink
If you do portraiture, you need to try High White. It was developed in collaboration with one of the world’s best tattoo artists.
Complete the set with the matching black and gray inks and use the white for highlighting.
Bloodline Tattoo Ink – All Purpose White
Bloodline used to be called Skin Candy. They are known for vibrant colors that stay the same from batch to batch.
It’s manufactured in California and has a long shelf life.
The All-Purpose White ink is a brilliant color that sits well in the skin and heals fast.
Bloodline UV Tattoo Ink Nuclear Invisible
Bloodline also makes UV ink like this invisible color that fluoresces bluish-white under black light. In order to use it, you’ll need a UV light to see what you’re drawing.
If your client wants a white tattoo, they may also be interested in getting inked with this.
WHITE ULTRA Tattoo Ink VIKING INK USA
Viking Ink is made in the USA, like many of the top tattoo ink brands. They offer their White Ultra color in one-half, 1, 4, and 9-ounce bottles.
The vegan formula has a pleasant consistency to work with, and it settles nicely in the skin.
Be careful if you want to use it for cover-ups as it may look muddy.
StarBrite Colors Tattoo Ink Brite White
Although the brand is called StarBrite, the manufacturer is Tommys Supplies of Connecticut.
Their Brite White ink’s thin consistency makes it perfect for highlights, color packing, and step downs.
Moreover, it’s free of nickel and iron, and contains only vegan ingredients. Each ink is sterilized before shipping.
Quantum Tattoo Ink, Barry White, Opaque
How about white ink that actually smells good? Quantum adds a little eucalyptus, menthol, and thymol to fragrance their ink.
So, what’s in this white ink, anyway? The ingredients include vegetable glycerin, distilled water, and ethyl alcohol.
The formula is not just vegan, but it’s also kosher.
It’s made in the USA and laboratory-sterilized to meet the high standards of the European Union for safety.
World Famous Tattoo Ink Portrait White
With over 50 years of combined experience, the creators of World Famous ink have developed the perfect Portrait White.
It’s thin enough to flow well and bold enough to stand out.
They manufacture in the USA with vegan, high-quality ingredients. The ink is pre-sterilized with gamma radiation to kill bacteria.
Then, it’s packaged in the prettiest tattoo ink bottles I’ve ever seen. The lids are leak-proof, and the labels are waterproof.
Authentic Radiant Colors, Super White
American-made Radiant Colors offers vivid colors inspired by the Southwest and Mexico.
They use input from professional artists to improve their products.
The Super White color flows fast and saturates well. Reviewers say that it maintains its color, too.
Pastel Color Set – Intenze Tattoo Ink
If you’re going to purchase white ink for blending pastels, a look at this set first.
It includes Rose Pink, Banana Cream, Bahama Blue, Platinum, and more. There are ten colors in total.
Viking Ink Pastel Set
Viking includes only a half-dozen colors in their pastel set, but they have Warm Beige.
World Famous Tattoo Ink Pastels
World Famous offers two shades of green, two yellows, two pinks, and more in their 12-pack of pastels.
The attraction here is that one of the dozen colors is white.
Intenze Tattoo Bob Tyrrell 6-Color Ink Set
Earlier I mentioned High White was part of the Bob Tyrell ink series for realistic portrait tattoos.
If you’re famous, Bob’s probably already put your face on somebody’s body.
Here’s the entire set, including black, white, and shades of gray.
Victor Portugal Set of 6, Radiant Colors Tattoo Ink
This set of six inks includes white, shades of gray, and a rich, velvety black for portraits.
If you aren’t familiar with Victor’s work, you’re missing out, as it’s mind-boggling. He can bring to life anything on the skin.
A Pound of Flesh Practice Tattoo Skin
To get a feel for using white ink only for tattoos, try high-quality practice skin. It’s suitable for creating works to show off your portfolio.
This blend of silicone and rubber is made by a reputable American brand that specializes in practice skin.
Imagine being able to show this to potential clients who want white tattoos. It can help them visualize how the tattoo will look on their skin.
However, what they won’t be able to see is how the tattoo will fade in the months and years to come. If their skin tends, so will their white tattoo.
Hustle Butter Deluxe
Emphasize the importance of tattoo aftercare to your clients when you do a white ink tattoo.
It may be more difficult to see damage since the ink is so light in color. Hustle Butter can encourage proper healing.
It’s soothing, moisturizing, and pleasant to use. It also won’t erase stencils while you’re working. (Yes, you can use it as a glide instead of Vaseline).
Spirit Tattoo Stencil Transfer Paper
Can you use regular stencil paper for white tattoos? There’s no problem doing that as long as the stencil dye’s color is appropriate for the skin tone you’ll be tattooing.
For example, purple carbon paper is best for light to medium skin tones. But you’ll want green for dark skin tones instead.
Spirit’s thermal transfer paper is appropriate for printers as well as drawing by hand.
For the purple version, use a transparent stencil transfer cream. Then, for green or red paper, use the matching color of cream.
Conclusion
I hope the reviews today helped you find the best white ink for tattooing.
I’d recommend experimenting with more than one brand if you plan to specialize in white tattoos.
White ink tattoos are in high demand. If you increase your skill set to do them well, it could be beneficial for your career.
Source:
1. https://customtattoodesign.ca/tattoo-knowledge/white-ink-tattoos-pros-and-cons published December 30, 2019, accessed September 17, 2020