Red Tattoo Ink

When it just has to be red, we’ve got you covered with the industry’s best red tattoo inks for color saturation, longevity, and safety. 

What is Red Tattoo Ink Best Used For

Red ink can be used for anything – but should it? Before you dive into making a large tattoo with red ink, there are a few things you and your client will want to consider. First, red ink doesn’t have the staying power of darker inks, so tattoos with red ink may fade faster and require more frequent touchups. 

Second, the pigments in red ink are more likely to cause an allergic reaction than other types of ink. While most clients will tolerate it just fine, some clients will experience symptoms like itching, flaking, swelling, and redness. These allergies can develop over time, so even if the client has tolerated red ink before, a future touchup could cause a reaction.

For these reasons, many artists stick to using red for accents and smaller areas in their work. But this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. If your client is okay with frequent touchups, hasn’t shown an allergic reaction to any tattoo ink before, and is aware of the potential risks, you can be as bold and creative as you want with reds.

Does Red Tattoo Ink Fade?

Red inks do tend to fade faster than blues, blacks, and greens, often fading to a lighter pinkish color. Many red ink tattoos will require yearly touch-ups to maintain vibrancy and color saturation. Encouraging your clients to follow a good aftercare routine and be diligent about applying sunscreen to their tattoos after healing will help their red ink last as long as possible.

Popular Brands with Options for Red Tattoo Ink

World Famous

World Famous Tattoo Inks are known for leading the industry in ink safety with the highest standards for sterile production, fastest healing times, and rigorous laboratory testing. If you or your client have concerns about the safety of red tattoo ink, Word Famous is the way to go. 

On top of that, World Famous has a huge range of red shades with amazing saturation and color retention.

Solid Ink

Solid Ink’s Red Ink was one of the first inks they ever developed and no doubt one of the reasons the brand grew to be so successful. Their red is known for being vibrant and smooth, and while the classic Red is still a great go-to, they’ve since developed even more shades like the vibrant Diablo, the pinkish Rose the dusky Dark Blood.

Eternal Ink

Eternal Ink is known for its longevity, and its red tattoo ink is no exception. Choose from one of their many shades of red like Lipstick Red, Dark Red, and Crimson, and your client will be able to enjoy the vibrancy of their red ink tattoo for as long as possible.