My Latest Ink (And List of Vegan Tattoo Inks and Ointments)
Mandala, still in the healing/peeling phase
You guys, last Wednesday I finally balls’ed the f up/ (what’s the lady version of that? … upped the ovarian ante?? – whatever, y’all feel me), and I finally got my second tattoo (ha, after postponing my appointment like four different times since October)!!!
It was a crazy-ass day… I woke up with greetings from Aunt Flo (major crampage), I was hella sick (day 4 of a beastly cold), I literally decided on my tattoo design about 30 minutes before heading out the door to my appointment (!!!), AND Portland’s Snowpocalypse decided to grace us with its presence that afternoon. Yep, I had to stay in a hotel that night and abandon my car after an attempted 5.5 hour drive home, all with an oozy, freshly etched tat. Anyhoo, I digress. 🙂
A few quick deets – who? what? where? why?
Who (tattoo artist) and where: Jared Howell, works at Desire Ink Labs in Salem, OR – He’s the bomb. He was totally sweet and patient with me.
What and why: I chose a mandala (a spiritual and ritual symbol in Hindu and Buddhist culture, representing the universe). I’m half Indian, I love Buddhist philosophy, and mandalas are beautiful and resonate with me on various levels. At the center of my universe (and the center of my tattoo) are my boys and hubby who all share the same initials db. Turquoise, plum, and fuchsia (by Fusion Ink, 100% vegan, see below) are my favorite colors and they complement each other (and my hair) really well. For those wondering, this was a 3.5 hour tattoo sesh. It was intense, y’all!
I wanted to quickly share some info on vegan inks and aftercare for those considering some animal-friendly body art. Sadly, a lot of tattoo inks are NOT vegan (womp) – some contain gelatin (from hooves), glycerin (from animal fat), bone char, shellac (from beetles), carmine (crushed insects), etc. ←VOM! The last thing I want is my forever piece to be laden with crushed bugs and other ick nasties. No thank you. Luckily, there are some vegan-friendly inks out there, so be sure to call tattoo shops in advance to see which brands they use.
Vegan Tattoo Inks
- Alla Prima
- Bloodline/Skin Candy
- Classic Ink
- Dermaglo
- Eternal
- Electric Ink USA
- Feldman INK
- Fusion Tattoo Ink
- Good Color
- I Max Tattoo Inks (Makkuro Sumi Blacks, Makkuro Sumi Colors, Azayaka Live Tattoo Colors, Universal Blacks, Cobra Inks, Flashing Colors, Glam Colors, Pure Colors)
- Intenze Tattoo Ink
- Kuro Sumi
- Silverback Ink
- Stable
- Starbrite
- Waverly
Vegan Aftercare
Make sure you clean your tattoo with a mild castor oil soap (I like using Dr. Bronner’s Baby Unscented)
Keep yo ish moisturized with unscented, all-natural lotion or Viatmin E oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, shea butter, or you can purchase these lovely 100% vegan ointments/balms:
Even though the companies listed in this post are vegan, it’s recommended that you contact them directly before using their products just in case they’ve changed their ingredients at any point in time.
If I’ve left any vegan tattoo ink brands or products off my list, please lemme know in the comments below! xo
Post contains affiliate links.
About Sunny (Sunny's Profile)
Longtime vegan, hardcore compassionate beauty junkie, serious cake aficionado, and lover of all things floofy and sparkly! If there's something in particular you'd like me to review, drop me a line at Sunny@VeganBeautyReview.com. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Google +.Filed in: vegan lifestyle
