When considering getting a tattoo, one of the most important factors to think about is what color or colors you want it to be. While any tattoo ink color can be challenging to work with, some colors present more difficulties than others. In determining the hardest tattoo color, there are a few key considerations.
The Basics of Tattoo Ink
First, it’s helpful to understand that tattoo ink is not like paint or printer ink. Regular ink is designed to sit on top of a surface, while tattoo ink is formulated to penetrate the skin and settle into the dermis, the second layer of skin below the epidermis.
Tattoo ink contains a carrier and a pigment. The carrier transports the pigment into the skin. Common carrier ingredients include distilled water, glycerin, isopropyl alcohol, and witch hazel. The carrier makes up the majority of the ink. The pigment provides the color and usually makes up 10-20% of the ink. Pigments can be organic or inorganic compounds.
When a tattoo artist punctures the skin with their needle, the ink settles into the tiny perforations called dermal punctures. Then, as the skin heals, the carrier dissipates while the pigment particles become trapped in the dermis. The immune system responds to the ink as a foreign invader and walls off the pigment in fibroblasts, forming permanent granules of color beneath the skin’s surface.
Key Factors in Tattoo Ink Difficulty
Certain colors present unique challenges due to the properties of their pigments and how they interact with the skin. Here are some of the key factors that determine how difficult a color is to tattoo with:
- Pigment stability – Unstable pigments break down over time, causing the color to fade or change hue. Organic pigments tend to be less stable than inorganic compounds.
- Pigment particles size – Smaller particles can penetrate deep into the dermis more easily. Larger particles tend to cluster closer to the skin’s surface.
- Density of pigment particles – Densely-packed particles scatter less light and result in richer, more vibrant colors.
- Skin’s interaction with pigment – Some pigments elicit more of an immune response, leading to faster fading or dispersion of particles.
- Skill required for application – Colors that necessitate special techniques or needles to apply can be harder for artists to master.
Considering these factors, some notoriously difficult tattoo ink colors include:
White
White is commonly named as the most difficult and problematic tattoo color. The key issue with white ink is the pigments used. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, the two main white pigments, have very large particles. This means the particles don’t pack tightly into the dermis and scatter light rather than reflecting it back evenly. The result is that white ink often appears muted, blurred, or disappears entirely as the ink spreads in the skin over time. Applying white as a solid block of color is near impossible. Using it for highlights and accents by experienced tattoo artists is the best approach.
Pink
Solid pink is also notoriously tricky to tattoo. Pink is created by mixing red pigment with white, so it suffers from the same particle size issues as white. The dispersed particles fail to create a lasting, vibrant pink. Most pink tattoos will fade to an unappealing light purple or lavender shade. Using pink as a highlight or diluting it with skin-toned colors are better options than a heavy application.
Yellow
Butter yellow and some lighter yellow shades are infamously unstable and prone to early fading because the pigments used are organic. Organic yellow pigments include compounds like carotene and curcumin, which break down when exposed to sunlight and other environmental factors. Inorganic cadmium yellows can produce more stable results, but cadmium is also toxic. Making vivid, lasting yellows requires skillful technique and careful ink mixing.
Purple
Vibrant purples contain high amounts of red pigment. As purples fade, oftentimes the more stable blue component will remain, leaving the tattoo with a blueish cast. Finding the right color balance of pigments to create a vivid purple that heals well is difficult. Light purple and lavender shades tend to hold up better than deeper, richer purples.
Turquoise
Turquoise is created by blending green and blue pigments. Since green fades more readily than blue, turquoise ink tends to take on a more blue appearance over time. Oftentimes, the green fades unevenly within the tattoo, muddying the color. Using more stable inorganic greens and blues along with proper color blending helps prevent turquoise tattoos from looking dull and off-balance later on.
Fluorescent Colors
Tattoo artists love the challenge of fluorescent inks, but they pose multiple issues. They contain photosensitive pigments that fade extremely quickly when exposed to small amounts of sunlight. They require UV lights to make the colors truly pop. They also tend to have more adverse reactions with the skin. Using them sparingly for accents and touch-ups can help avoid or limit these problems.
Other Notable Difficult Colors
Here are some other colors that can prove tricky depending on factors like application technique, location on the body, and amount used:
- Pastels – Very light and diluted colors that require careful application.
- Orange – Prone to fading due to weaker pigments.
- Red – Can cause more inflammation and allergic reactions.
- Aqua – Getting the right balance of green and blue can be difficult.
Easiest Tattoo Colors
On the other end of the spectrum, there are colors that create very stable, vibrant tattoos when skillfully applied. These include:
- Black – The most commonly used tattoo ink for its rich color and permanence.
- Blue – Phthalocyanine blue is an inorganic pigment that lasts incredibly well.
- Green – Emerald and darker forest greens hold up better than lighter greens.
- Brown – Deep solid browns last better than lighter tan shades.
- Gray – Mixing black with lighter colors can create beautiful stable grays.
Conclusion
When considering a tattoo, it’s best to avoid large blocks of pure white, yellow, pink, or light pastels unless applied by a very experienced artist. Deeper shades tend to hold up better over time. Bold reds, oranges, and purples may fade more gradually than their paler versions. Blues, blacks, grays, and dark greens are the most stable and easiest to work with. For any color, avoid heavy direct sun exposure, exfoliate the skin gently, and moisturize daily to help the colors last.