The Best Tattoo Cream: Shopping Guide and Recommendations (03/23)

Aloe Pura, Organic Aloe Vera Gel , Natural , Vegan, Cruelty Free , Paraben & SLS Free , Cooling , Soothing, 100ml

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3.49 GBP

Pegasus tattoo cream, 25 ml

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3.99 GBP

TattooMed Daily Tattoo Care – Aftercare For Vibrant Tattoos and UV Protection – (1 x 100ml)

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11.96 GBP

Easytattoo Tattoo Aftercare Healing Cream 100ml XL

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11.48 GBP

Tattoo Cream – Tattoo Reviver Cream by Benjamin Bernard – Renews Tattoo Colour and Vibrancy, 24hr Skin Hydration Tattoo Care – Enriched With Creatine and Natural Oils – 150ml

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5.83 GBP

Vitamin A&D Ointment Tattoo Aftercare Sachets Cream Permanent Makeup Healing Repair Gel (Pack of 20)

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5.20 GBP

Buying and evaluation criteria for tattoo creams

In the following, we will show you which aspects you can use to decide between the many possible tattoo creams.

Quantity
Vegan / Non Vegan
Application

By making the right choice for you, you can save money and also make sure that you don’t give your body anything it doesn’t need. Therefore, always look for high quality and, if necessary, ask to see the manufacturer’s certificates.

Quantity

On the market you can find different amounts of cream, from 25 ml to 100 ml to 200 ml. The amount you need depends on the size of the tattoo: The mini tins will run out quickly with relatively large tattoos and you will have to buy a new cream. The Big Packs are the right and safe alternative!

It is also important to know the price: Pay attention to the exact price per 100 ml. A mistake many customers make is that they think the cream is cheap, but then they see that they may have only bought 30 ml.

The mini tins will run out quickly if you have a relatively large tattoo and you will have to buy a new cream.

Vegan / Non Vegan

Veganism has become a very important topic lately. Many products nowadays are made from ingredients of plant origin. The best news is that tattoo cream manufacturers are also launching their vegan alternatives.

Of course, there are also many vegan tattoo products on the market. The products listed here are vegan or even certified vegan according to product enquiries to the manufacturer:

Balea Tattoo Care Ointment
GOODINK Tattoo Aftercare
Panda Balm Wound Care
Lush Elbow Grease Bodybalm

Also check out the product rankings. There, all the suggested products are vegan! The fact that the creams are vegan does not say anything about the effectiveness of the product, but is mainly of interest to animal rights activists.

Application

This purchase criterion is quite important and depends on the degree of healing of your tattoo. Some tattoo creams only care for tattoos that have already healed, but have no pre-tattoo care. This is especially bad for people who already need a companion from the beginning!

However, this does not mean that such creams do not play a role. There are highly recommended creams of this kind that offer protection from sunlight, which is nothing to sneeze at (8).

Guide: Frequently asked questions about tattoo cream answered in detail

In order to inform you comprehensively about the effectiveness of tattoo cream and to give you an understanding of the current state of science, we have summarised all the important information in the following sections.

What is tattoo cream and how does it work?

A tattoo is a wound, which means it forms a crust that can break open if left too dry. In the case of a normal wound, this is admittedly painful and provides room for bacteria and thus infections.

In the case of a tattoo, you have another factor to consider: If the crust breaks, the pattern breaks. Your favourite tattoo may lose its colour and shape, which together with a scar may destroy the whole experience.

Since a new tattoo is like a wound, inflammation can occur in the first few days. To prevent this from happening, proper aftercare is the most important phase of wound healing (3, 6).

Tattoo Creme — During tattooing, the top layer of skin is pierced and the colour pigments are distributed on the dermis. (Image source: pixabay / ilovetattoos)

A caring tattoo cream contains active ingredients that can effectively cool and soothe irritated skin. It provides the skin with sufficient moisture and can strengthen the surface layer.

The cream penetrates deep into the lower layers of the skin and can ensure that the skin regenerates more quickly. At the same time, it has an antiseptic effect and can prevent infections of the damaged skin. It counteracts crust formation after a tattoo and ensures that no scars form (3).

Make sure your cream is absorbed quickly, is not too greasy and supports wound healing! In the past, Vaseline was used, but the problem is that it is very greasy and cannot support healing in any way, which means that two of the above requirements cannot be met!

How do I apply tattoo cream correctly?

You can apply the cream to the skin directly after the tattoo has been stitched. You should use a special and rich tattoo cream three times a day for the first week, in the weeks after that one application per day is sufficient.

Once the scab is removed and healing is complete, you can use a regular moisturiser.

Make sure there are no allergenic fragrances in it. This usually comes up with vegetable oils. Also remember that your tattoo is particularly prone to infection and itching during the first few days.

You should be sparing with the cream. People have the impression that the more cream, the better and/or faster. Unfortunately, this is not the case! Use a relatively small amount and cover your tattoo only so far that you can still see it clearly. A thin layer is perfectly sufficient.

Make sure you maintain good hygiene, always wash your hands before touching the tattoo. It is normal for blood and wound water to collect under the foil. Wash both off carefully with lukewarm water.

The choice is up to you. Both alternatives have their own advantages and disadvantages, which we will explain later.

What types of tattoo creams are there?

Tattoo creams are very diverse. Basically, we distinguish between tattoo creams with dexpanthenol and creams with vegetable oils, including cajeput oil.

Type	Description
Tattoo creams with dexpanthenol	Dexpanthenol is a skin vitamin that is converted to vitamin B5 in the body. It is usually an ingredient in wound ointments such as Bepanthen. Its main function is to stimulate cell renewal.
Tattoo creams with cajeput oil	cajeput oil is extracted from the leaves of the cajeput tree and is antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and relieves pain and itching.

Below we explain the advantages and disadvantages of both alternatives.

Tattoo creams with dexpanthenol

We will now mention all the pros and cons of this cream so that you have a better idea about it. As already mentioned, dexpanthenol relieves itching and promotes quick healing. It moisturises and inhibits inflammation (4).

Dexpanthenol is an artificial alternative that can relieve itching and should promote rapid healing.

However, it should not be applied to an open and perhaps bleeding wound and can cause the skin to swell and thus take away colour!

Tattoo creams with vegetable oils

Among the vegetable oils you will find the well-known oils like cajeput oil, coconut oil, tea tree oil or wheat germ oil. In most cases, a combination of vegetable oils is found, as it can have an anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effect and moisturises. In addition, vegetable oils contain important fatty acids that keep the skin supple (2, 5, 7, 9).

Unfortunately, there is one rather rare side effect: vegetable oils are potentially allergenic. So it’s best to ask your dermatologist if it’s OK to use such tattoo creams (10).

What are the alternatives to tattoo cream?

In addition to tattoo creams, there are other products that are believed to have a healing or health-promoting effect. Care products can be many and varied and can take many different forms.

In this table, you will get an idea of the effects of the alternatives presented. It is about Vaseline and coconut oil.

Type	Description
Vaseline	Vaseline is very cheap, it is kind to the skin and has a very protective effect. The disadvantage is its thick consistency. Sensitive skin cannot breathe under the layer.
Coconut oil	coconut oil can have an antibacterial effect and thus prevents inflammation. Studies prove the antibacterial effect of the oil. Coconut oil also has a pleasant cooling effect and gives the stressed skin sufficient moisture after a fresh tattoo. It is 100% natural and contains no undesirable fragrances or additives (1).

These alternatives are almost as good as the tattoo creams mentioned. One disadvantage, however, is that Vaseline cannot heal and should only be used after the healing process!