Tattoo inks get under your skin; you wear them for a lifetime. To ensure the safety of your tattoo, the EU is examining the ingredients in tattoo inks. Green and blue (pigments Green 7 and Blue 15:3) have been banned since the beginning of 2023.
These two pigments, Green 7 and Blue 15:3, are particularly important. The REACH regulation established the first EU rules for tattoo inks at the beginning of 2022, and since the beginning of 2023, these pigments have been banned. Why is that? What should you know about your tattoo?
The REACH Regulation and its provisions
The REACH Regulation addresses tattoos and tattoo inks in its annex, which took effect in January 2022 as an initial step; as a result, nearly all tattoo inks used in Europe up to that point were withdrawn from the market. Tattoo studios that use inks that do not comply with REACH face penalties.
The REACH regulation specifies the ingredients that are no longer permitted in tattoo inks. Limit values for substances must be adhered to, as must the mandatory labeling requirements for tattoo inks, with one exception: to ensure that inks could still be used at all and tattoo studios would not close down en masse, pigments Blue 15:3 and Green 7 were granted an extended deadline, meaning that these tattoo colors were only restricted for the time being, but not completely phased out.
It is perfectly possible to produce tattoo inks that comply with REACH regulations. So far, this has only happened to a very limited extent, since tattoo inks were inexpensive and widely available. The merits and drawbacks of the REACH regulation are debatable. The fact is that the ingredients in tattoo inks classified as problematic trigger allergies. Other chemicals that were previously permitted in tattoo inks that did not comply with regulations can cause genetic mutations and cancer. Since the lymphatic system partially removes and breaks down tattoo inks, their ingredients also place a strain on the lymphatic system and the liver. Therefore, the regulation is not about harassment, but about protecting health and life. The exact level of risk associated with individual ingredients remains to be seen—committees responsible for this were merely “unable to rule out” negative effects and an increased risk of cancer.
The chemicals banned in tattoo ink under REACH have also been prohibited in hair dyes and other cosmetics since 2009. As a result, extending the ban to tattoo ink is only logical.
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EU-wide problems with the supply of paint
Since there were no colors available on the market for a while, artists were primarily tattooing in black, white, and gray at the beginning of 2022. The problem was not only that many colors simply did not meet REACH standards, but also that manufacturers of REACH-compliant colors could not keep up with the sudden surge in demand. The market remained empty until production was adjusted accordingly.
It is perfectly possible to produce tattoo inks that comply with REACH regulations. However, so far this has only been done to a very limited extent, using inexpensive and widely available inks. Understandably, tattoo artists prefer to work with inks they have been using for many years and whose performance and handling they have come to appreciate. Furthermore, it is understandable that they seek to purchase colors as inexpensively as possible. These inks have not been legally available for over a year now.
Black, gray, and white have also posed challenges. Nevertheless, manufacturers were able to produce sufficient quantities of these tattoo ink colors as early as 2022, which did not happen as quickly with other colors. In some cases, entirely new products had to be developed. Even the suppliers of ink manufacturers faced delivery difficulties.
In addition, there were legal challenges, as it was far from clear what documents were required to purchase inks legally. At times, tattoo artists did not even know what information to look for or how to identify reputable, legal suppliers. Many European manufacturers simply did not offer any REACH-compliant inks in their product lines.
About two-thirds of the colors were subject to a ban
In 2022, numerous appointments were canceled or postponed because tattoo artists could not obtain any ink. This was the case again in 2023. Pigments Green 7 and Blue 15:3 are not only found in green and blue tattoo inks, but also in a large number of mixed colors. As a result, the range of available products continues to shrink. Obviously, doing without bright colors in the long term is not an option, since tattoos are art and art needs color.
By the end of 2022, it was already clear that the pigments Green 7 and Blue 15:3 would no longer be permitted for use as of January 4, 2023. However, not much happened. Despite the experience of the previous year, manufacturers did not have any alternatives in their product lines. Instead, tattoo studios and tattoo artists were informed that most colors would be missing from the product lines starting in 2023.
Inks containing Green 7 and Blue 15:3 pigments, which were still REACH-compliant in 2022, could no longer be used as of January 4, 2023, which was particularly difficult for tattoo artists who had stocked up on colorful inks last year. Prices for tattoo inks have risen significantly since REACH took effect, but the remaining ink stocks still need to be disposed of.
It is estimated that approximately 66% of the tattoo inks used to date contain Green 7 and Blue 15:3 pigments. Since manufacturers were not required to provide precise information on ink ingredients until January 2022, this is not a definitive figure. Many manufacturers claim that there is no viable substitute for these two pigments. Therefore, no new REACH-compliant shades without these two pigments are expected in 2023 for the time being.
Will future tattoos be done without green and blue inks?
In the future, green and blue inks will be available again. Colors that do not contain those problematic pigments are already available and are fully REACH-compliant. One example is the “Viking” range from the manufacturer Dynamic Inks.
However, some manufacturers have made it clear to tattoo ink suppliers that the range of available shades will be significantly smaller in 2023. This applies to the following manufacturers and product lines:
- Quantum Ink
- World Famous Limitless
- Kuro Sumi Imperial
- Permablend
The list is not complete. In addition to green and blue, shades of violet, turquoise, brown, and gray are also missing from the aforementioned color series.
If you were planning to have a design featuring plants or marine motifs engraved in 2023, this will of course be a major disappointment. If you don’t want to miss out on your desired design, you’d be better off waiting another year or two until the full color palette is available again.
You might also want to talk to your tattoo artist about this. Artists are creative—they always find a solution. You might even like an alternative design of your chosen motif that avoids those problematic color tones. We hope you do!