White tattoos are all the rage. People love this color option because it’s subtle and delicate. It allows you to create a complex work of art that isn’t too in-your-face. But white ink is prone to fading faster, not holding and healing bright, having ingredients that are cause for concern, and simply looking like a dull scar rather than a potent piece. It’s for that reason that we narrowed down our favorite white tattoo ink in this complete review guide.
Table of Contents (clickable)
Related:
Best White Tattoo Ink Reviewed
Kuro Sumi Tattoo Ink in Samurai White - Our Pick!
Our love of Kuro Sumi ink is no secret, and their white pigment easily tops our list as the best of the best. While it may be more expensive than other brands, you are definitely paying for the quality of this potent pigment.
Kuro Sumi white tattoo ink is made from a Japanese formula and is structured in a way that creates vivid color upon healing, as well as a dimension that is unique to Kuro Sumi tattoos. This formula is also vegan friendly and chemical-free.
As Kuro Sumi states, “Our tattoo ink formulas incorporate organic elements and were made not to blend, but to stand out.” This is exactly the boldness required when you are searching for a white tattoo ink.
Reviewers love this white ink, saying, “One of the best inks I’ve used. Color & saturation packed in each pass. This actually stays in the skin & [it] was visible even on exceptionally fair complexions.”
Pros:
- Vegan formula
- Originated in Japan, now made in the USA with high standards
- Highly saturated
- Chemical-free
- Organic, bold formula
- Great reviews and loved by professionals
Cons:
- Can be costly for a small bottle
Dynamic Heavy White Tattoo Ink
There’s no doubt that Dynamic Inks produces quality pigments with potent coloring. Their black ink is loved by many, and their white ink measures up with the same strength. What we love most about Dynamic Heavy White Tattoo Ink is how smoothly it tattoos, and how easily it sits in the pigment.
This white ink can be used for highlighting, white-only tattoos, or for mixing to create a powerful graywash, but make sure you grab the Heavy White blue capped bottles for white-only tattoos for a more potent color.
Tattoo artists love the formula, saying, “I'll be honest, I only bought this because I figured I could use it as a mixing white. I've always used Dynamic black in my grey wash tats and that was it. And just saw this heavy white and I was tired of using my really expensive brand white to mix with. That was my first mistake; I was blown away by how good this white is and I've been tattooing for almost 20 yrs now. And I'm still blown away by this that I had to write this review. Might look into their other heavyset. Thank you for a great product and an absolute eye opener!”
Pros:
- Vegan formula
- Made in the USA
- Super thick formula
- Very potent pigment
- Smooth application and easy healing
- Reasonable price
Cons:
- Due to its thickness, there have been some concerns with mid-session wiping of this product
Intenze Tattoo Ink in Snow White Opaque
When Intenze Tattoo Inks says “opaque”, they mean opaque. This white pigment is so thick and potent that you won’t be grabbing this ink to make your graywash. It’s excellent for full-white pieces and bright and bold highlighting.
Intenze is a brand that’s created for artists, by artists. It’s vegan friendly and sterilized when sealed with the official Intenze logo. When healed, this ink looks as bright as it did first going into the skin. There’s no need to dilute this ink; it’s ready to be used right out of the bottle.
Intenze is one of those brands that tattoo artists turn to, time and time again. Most positive reviewers state, “Love this brand; I only use this brand.” Their white ink maintains just as loyal patronage.
Pros:
- Vegan formula
- Made in the USA
- Thick formula
- Potent white color
- A little goes a long way
Cons:
- Beware of fakes on the market and always check for the official Intenze seal on the bottle
World Famous Portrait White Ink
World Famous inks are truly world famous, as they are known and loved by professional artists around the world. Their vegan formula and purified and safety sealed inks follow the highest standards in ink production. Their Portrait White pigment is safe for all skin types and creates potent and bold coloring on both application and healing.
World Famous’ white ink isn’t as thick as some of the others on this list, which makes it adaptable for various white pigment usages. Despite this, it still maintains an opaque appearance upon healing.
Artists love World Famous, writing, “Best colors I have ever used, hands down. Vibrant AF!”
Pros:
- Vegan formula
- Made in the USA
- Sterilized with gamma radiation
- Sealed with a tamper-proof label
- Meets highest production standards (EU standards)
- Bold and potent coloring
Cons:
- Bottles can be pricey for the size and usage amount
Radiant Super White Tattoo Ink
What we love most about Radiant is how smooth they flow out of the needle and how bright they sit when deposited in skin. Radiant is working on consistently improving their inks according to artistry needs, and the thought they’ve put into this white ink is evidence of that.
The brand sterilizes their bottles and emphasizes that their products are made with pure, uncut, homogenized pigment. This ensures you are getting a chemical-free and bold product that will heal as sharp as it looked on day one.
Reviewers know they can rely on Radiant, saying, “Good consistency with strong pigment, stays well, pleased with the quality of this ink.”
Pros:
- Made in the USA
- Sterilized bottles
- Pure, uncut, homogenized pigment
- Bold and potent coloring
- Smooth flow
Cons:
- Ensure you are getting a sealed and authentic product
- Not vegan friendly
StarBrite Colors in Brite White
With “Brite” right in their name, you know that you can rely on StarBrite inks to heal as potent and bold as you expect from a high-quality ink. This ink has a smooth consistency and is a vegan formula free of iron and nickel.
This white can be used for its own white work, or is adaptable for mixing and making gray wash. StarBrite ink consistencies are incomparable and they heal quickly and with high saturation in the pigment.
Professional tattooers trust StarBrite, saying, “I've been [tattooing] for over 21yrs. I've tried most white ink from popular companies (about 8 companies). This is the best! Only my opinion, but worth the price.”
Pros:
- Vegan friendly
- Made in the USA
- Sterilized bottles
- Excellent consistency
- Free of iron and nickel
Cons:
- Ensure you are getting a sealed and authentic product
- More expensive, but the bottle lasts a long time
Our Pick - Kuro Sumi Tattoo Ink in Samurai White
Kuro Sumi meets incomparable standards in the tattoo ink game, producing high quality products according to ancient practices, and coming through with inks that are potent beyond measure. Their Samurai White is no exception, and this white ink applies smoothly and heals brightest, according to what we expect from a white pigment.
White it comes to Kuro Sumi, you’re paying for tradition and quality, and it’s worth every extra penny. Their white tattoo ink is vegan friendly and free of harmful chemicals, and the consistency cannot be beat. Their colors are not made to be mixed or blended, but to be used on their own to show off the powerful punch of their organic pigment.
White Kuro Sumi used to be produced solely in Japan, they’re now made in the USA which means you are supporting local employment while getting ink that meets the highest standards. Professional tattooers all sing the praises of Kuro Sumi inks, saying, “Awesome ink! If you want the best, this is what you want!” - We happen to agree that Kuro Sumi is the best of the best, without exception.
What We Consider When Selecting the Best White Tattoo Ink
White tattoo ink is a tricky pigment to work with. There have been numerous issues in the industry regarding consistency, ingredients in the formula, allergic reactions, and poor healing saturation. When selecting what made our roundup, we kept a few things in mind.
Safety
Due to the risk of allergic reactions with white ink, as well as many concerns with counterfeit ink, we selected brands that we know and trust. These brands sterilize their product, use only the highest-quality ingredients, and are professionally sealed ensuring authenticity. White ink is especially prone to causing allergic symptoms or infections upon healing, so we selected white inks that held up to exceptional standards.
It’s important that you always check your ink to ensure you are getting an authentic product. Every item on our list uses tamper-proof and branded seals. If something looks too good to be true, or if the price seems a little too low to be real, don’t risk it.
How it Heals
White ink is known to heal poorly and fade fast. The inks we selected for our list were potent and stayed potent upon healing. It’s important that whites remain bright and bold, because white can otherwise give an effect of scarification on skin.
The white inks we love not only tattoo smoothly but also hold deeply in the dermis. We know that, during tattooing, white can sometimes be hard to see and artists are often confused and overwork the skin. The whites we selected created obvious contrast in tattooing and thus healed beautifully.
High-Quality Ingredients
The problem with many white tattoo inks is the ingredient list. Many are filled with metals that actually negatively impact the tattoo needles, causing them to grind and leave tiny metal particles on or in the client’s skin. This can cause severe allergic reactions or infections. We selected items that were chemical-free, nickel and iron free, and most products on our list are also vegan friendly.
No Yellowing Concern
White pigment inks usually have a shorter shelf-life than most other pigments. They tend to turn yellow or turn into a sour milk-like consistency over time. The brands we love use purified pigments and didn’t succumb to the yellowing effect prior to the expiry date indicated on the bottle.
Our Final Thoughts
When selecting white tattoo inks, you need to consider a few more factors than you would with standard colors or your usual black ink. Safety is of the utmost concern, and you also want something that will apply boldly and remain potent and bright when healed. The white inks that topped our charts are used and loved by professionals, and maintain these high standards.
Of course, you will never know which ink works best for you and your work until you try them out for yourself. Every consistency and application varies from brand-to-brand, so test out a few and let us know which you favor, in the comments!
