UV Tattoo Ink – A Complete Guide | UV Tattoo Colors and Best UV Tattoo Inks

UV Tattoo Inks are also referred to as Black Light Tattoos. As the name depicts, these are visible clearly when they completely heal. They glow in the dark making their appearance more prominent.

Based on the designs you pick or your tattoo artist recommends you, a UV tattoo can be either completely invisible or partially visible until you make it evident under the recommended light.

Most people are concerned about whether UV tattoos are safe on the skin. To answer, most tattoo artists have confirmed that these are safe just like any other tattoo ink.

However, there are certain factors that you need to consider and we shall discuss these in the latter part of the article. A UV tattoo takes equal efforts and gives the same level of pain as any ordinary tattoo would.

How much time UV tattoos take to heal?

UV tattoos will not show you the fluorescent results as expected when they are freshly done. The bleeding and injury that the skin has caused may take some time to heal before you see the desired results.

When you get a UV tattoo done, it will look like any ordinary tattoo to you for at least for few weeks until it is healed completely.

Some designs may take up to a year to heal totally. At first, the design fades away to settle in the skin, and then a normal light can be seen if you look patiently. Not many shops do these types of tattoos as the inks are not easily available anywhere.

How many colors does UV tattoo ink come in?

A UV tattoo is visible mainly under blacklight. Colored inks are available in the selected stores or online; colored inks may look like any other regular tattoo inks, however UV inks glow under UV light. The colors of UV tattoo ink may vary from white to purple.

UV tattoos are encouraged only by experienced tattoo artists. They need to have sound knowledge of the designs, tools, techniques, and UV inks. It is because of these reasons not many tattoo artists will agree to do a UV design on you until they are extremely confident about it.

The top six UV inks are:

  1. Highlight Invisible
  2. Highlight Yellow
  3. Highlight Red
  4. Highlight Orange
  5. Highlight Pink
  6. Highlight Green

UV inks are generally costlier than regular tattoo ink. The cost may vary per the hours taken by the tattoo artist to complete the respective design selected by you.

On average, UV tattoo artists charge you around $100 for normal color tattoos. However, the black light ink may cost additionally anywhere between $50 and $100. The invisible tattoo inks are not evident under broad daylight.  

How long does UV tattoo ink last?

It is stated that UV tattoo inks start fading in 5 years. However, there are certain other factors that also decide the life of your UV tattoo.

These are the experience of the tattoo artist, the design chosen, and the quality of the UV ink. The fading process is similar to any other normal tattoo inks.

Before you plan to re-touch, it would be wise to take advice from an experience UV tattoo expert. Your skin must be ready to accept the wound again.

The other reasons that your UV tattoos may tend to fade sooner are if you expose them too much under the sun. Protecting UV tattoo from the sun is essential else the UV rays of the sun may break down the pigments making them fade soon.

Can you see UV tattoos in normal light?

UV tattoos are mostly invisible in normal lights. The scarring done by the tattoo artist through the tattoo machine remains. It is only the scarred portion that is visible clearly under any light.

The smaller design you choose in UV, the simpler it is to recognize. Larger tattoos are not advisable as these look similar to scars if anyone notices them at first glance.

The reason they are called invisible tattoos is that they are not visible in normal light. The other names for invisible tattoos are UV or blacklight tattoos.

These are inked deep inside the skin and the process is the same as with regular tattoos. It is only the ink that plays a major difference in regular and UV tattoos.

In short, the tattoo cannot be seen in the day and may look like just a skin scar. These are majorly visible in the glowing lights.

Some people use UV inks on regular tattoos as well to highlight their design. These are combined to make the regular tattoos look better under dark or glowing lights.

Does UV tattoo fade?

Yes, similar to any regular tattoos, UV tattoos fade too.

Few common reasons for UV tattoos to fade faster are:

  • Sun: Blue UV ink may fade and turn into a brownish or yellowish appearance on being exposed too much to the sun
  • Lack of precautions: If you failed to take all the recommended precautions, your tattoo may fade soon
  • Poor nutrition: Poor nutrition may also lead to fading inks in tattoo designs. Bad eating habits or ill health may lead to vitamins deficiency that may show ill effects on the skin. As a result, your tattoos will also leave their shine and vibrancy with time
  • Lack of skincare: Payingnegligence on the skincare may also lead to fading tattoos. Until a certain period is passed for the tattoo to completely blend into your skin, you need to take extra care for the same
  • Friction: This is a common issue with sportspeople where tend to get exposed to persistent friction. Athletes who are prone to padding, sports accessories, tools, and materials may lead to fading quality in tattoos.
  • Weight Gain: Weight gain may also be responsible for fading of tattoos to some extent. The elasticity of your skin will cause the ink molecules to break down resulting in fading of ink and overall design.

Do UV tattoos glow in the dark?

UV tattoos and glow in the dark tattoos are the same. The only major difference is that UV inks are safer compared to other tattoo inks as these do not contain phosphorous. UV tattoos can be seen in blacklight, glow lights, LED lights, laser lights, and fluorescent lights.

One more thing common between glow in the dark and UV tattoos is that they take their own sweet time to heal; and show up and when they do, they shine beautifully.

It would be wise to speak to your tattoo expert about what exactly you expect from the design and ink. A professional tattoo artist will be able to guide you in the best manner.

What is the best UV tattoo ink?

Choosing a good quality ink for any type of tattoo art is highly recommended. You cannot play with your skin after all. A wrong selection or a random brand in the ink quality can lead to skin ailments that may be irritable in the later stages.

If you want to avoid any side-effects and unfair results related to your tattoo and skin, we have a list of recommendations to help you choose the right UV link for your invisible tattoo.

Top 3 Best UV Tattoo inks

1. Bloodline 6 Color Tattoo Black Light UV Ink

  • DEEP COLORS - The inks from Bloodline are bold, bright, and long-lasting. Every time, our ink will appear thriving and beautiful.
  • FAST RECOVERY - Bloodline inks are being created with a high dispersion product that applies effortlessly into the skin, making the process fast and comfortable while also assisting the application site in recovering fast.
  • BLENDING - All Bloodline Inks can be mixed with other ink colors to create wonderful and precise shades required to produce unique and impressive drawings. All-Purpose Black, All-Purpose White, and Fast White are the ones of the most popular mixing ink colors.
  • UV INK - Bloodline UV products are ideal for decorative body paint, posters, makeup, paint, and watercolors. However, some people also use them for working..
  • VIVID COLORS - This is a unique set of 6 bright and essential colors to create real art masterpieces.

Rather than going for one UV ink, it is best to select different colors as you never know what design you will end up choosing. The more variations in ink, the better it shows in the glow.

Go for a brand that offers you more numbers and colors on the same budget. Bloodline UV tattoo inks have something similar to our discussion.

  • Bloodline UV tattoo inks come in six different colors for you to select your best
  • The packing comes in ½ oz bottles
  • The product is made in the USA
  • The brand enjoys great reviews and customer ratings online

2. Millennium Mom’s Nuclear UV Tattoo Ink

  • Smooth: A homogenized carrier/pigment mixture that flows easily
  • Vibrant: Highest possible pure pigment content ensures your work stands out
  • Consistent: Receive the color and quality you expect, each and every time
  • Long-lasting: Reliable, rich tones made to remain just as they were on day one, long after application
  • Trusted: A time-tested favorite among tattoo professionals, made in the USA

Trusting a brand is important or the doubt will never let you enjoy the final results. Moreover, you cannot take the pain of being extra careful all the time to avoid any side-effects from some random brand.

If you love the shiny yellow UV color like us, go for Millennium Mom’s UV yellow ink. The brand enjoys good credibility in the tattoo market.

  • Millennium Mom’s UV Yellow ink is a trusted brand too
  • The ink is smooth and vibrant that offers the highest pigment
  • Offers good quality and desirable results
  • Long-lasting and reliable with rich tones on the design’s final healing
  • A trusted brand in the USA

3. Skin Candy tattoo ink, blacklight magenta

Pink is the color for those lovely ladies who are happy to be in their skin. It represents love, attention, and care.

Gone are the days when you only had to wear pink to flaunt your skin; you can get inked in a glowing bright UV pink color and feel proud about it! We have something for you in our product recommendation:

  • It is bright pink in case people wish to go for bright glowing pink in the dark
  • The package comes in the packing of 1 oz
  • More popularly known as the skin candy tattoo ink
  • Ideal for women looking forward to ink their guy’s on their wrist that glows in the dark

How to Select the Best UV Tattoo Ink?

  • We have a few pointers for you to consider when you decide to choose a UT tattoo ink. Let’s consider these quickly without making you wait;
  • Always choose a trusted buyer when selecting UV or any normal tattoo inks too
  • Check whether the ink is safe through the customer reviews
  • Opt for products that are cruelty-free so that you are proud of using those without causing harm to anyone
  • Reliable manufacturers will always choose products that are safe, good quality, and cruelty-free. Thus, select the manufacturer based on his market credibility
  • Word of mouth works a great way in taking the right decision at times. Ask for references from people who have got inked. They will be able to suggest good brands to you in UV inks.

Final Words:

With the trend in the market, it would be amazing to see what design you go for in UV tattoo art. Do share with us and we would love to see it. If there is anything you would like to share with us, we would love to! Don’t forget to take a look at other interesting articles related to tattoo art. Go; get your UV glow now!