Tattoo inks get under your skin, you carry them around with you for a lifetime. So that you can rely on the safety of your tattoo, the EU is looking into the ingredients of tattoo ink. The tattoo inks green and blue (pigments Green 7 and Blue 15:3) have been banned since the beginning of 2023.
The two pigments Green 7 and Blue 15:3 are particularly important, and the REACH regulation established the first EU-wide rules for tattoo inks at the beginning of 2022. And since the beginning of 2023, the two pigments mentioned have been banned. Why is that? What should you know about your tattoo?
REACH Regulation and its content
The REACH regulation deals with tattoos and tattoo ink in its annex. The annex came into force as a first step in January 2022, as a result of which almost all tattoo inks used in Europe up to that point were withdrawn from the market.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 which ingredients may no longer be present in tattoo inks, which limit values must be complied with for the various substances and defines the mandatory information on tattoo ink labels. One exception was defined: So that inks could still be used at all and tattoo studios did not close in rows, the pigments Blue 15:3 and Green 7 were given an extended deadline. This meant that the tattoo colors green and blue were only restricted for the time being, but not completely out of the running.
It is perfectly possible to produce tattoo inks that are REACH-compliant. But so far this has only happened to a very limited extent, the inks were inexpensive and widely available. The sense and nonsense of the REACH regulation is debatable. The fact is that the tattoo ink ingredients classified as problematic trigger allergies. Other chemicals that were previously allowed to be used in tattoo ink without regulation can cause genetic mutations and cancer. As the lymphatic system partially removes and dissolves the tattoo ink, the ingredients of the inks also put a strain on the lymphatic system and the liver. The regulation is therefore not about harassment, but about protecting health and life. The exact level of risk associated with the individual ingredients remains to be seen - the responsible committees were merely "unable to rule out" negative effects and an increased risk of cancer.
The chemicals banned in tattoo ink under REACH have been banned from hair dye and other cosmetics since 2009. The extension of the ban to tattoo ink is therefore only logical.
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EU-wide problems with the supply of paints
Because there were no colors on the market for a while, artists were mainly tattooing in black, white and grey at the beginning of 2022. The problem was not only that many colors were simply not compliant, but also that the manufacturers of REACH-compliant colors could not keep up with the production of the suddenly required quantities. The market was empty until production was converted accordingly.
It is perfectly possible to produce tattoo inks that are REACH-compliant. But so far this has only been done to a very limited extent, the inks have been inexpensive and widely available. Understandably, tattoo artists prefer to work with inks that they have known for many years and whose behavior and processing they have come to appreciate. And it is also understandable that the colors were purchased as cheaply as possible. These inks have not been legally available for a good year now.
The colors black, grey and white would also have been problematic. However, the manufacturers were able to produce sufficient quantities of these tattoo colors as early as 2022. This did not happen so quickly with other colors. In some cases, completely new products had to be developed. Even the suppliers of the ink manufacturers were in delivery difficulties.
There were also difficulties of a legal nature, as it was not at all clear which documents were required to legally purchase the inks. At times, tattoo artists did not even know what information they had to look out for and how they could recognize reputable, legal offers. Many of the European manufacturers simply did not have any REACH-compliant inks in their range.
Around two thirds of colors affected by ban
In 2022, many dates were canceled or postponed because the tattoo artists simply couldn't get any colors. This will be the case again in 2023. The pigments Green 7 and Blue 15:3 are not only contained in the tattoo colors green and blue, but also in numerous mixed colors. The range of available products is therefore continuing to shrink. Of course, doing without bright colors in the long term is not an option: tattoos are art, and art needs color.
At the end of 2022, it was already clear that the pigments Green 7 and Blue 15:3 would no longer be allowed to be used from January 4, 2023. However, not much happened; despite the experience of the previous year, manufacturers did not have any alternatives in their range. Instead, tattoo studios and tattooists were informed that most colors would be missing from the range from 2023.
Inks containing the pigments Green 7 and Blue 15:3, which were still REACH-compliant in 2022, may no longer be used as of January 4, 2023. This is particularly hard on tattoo artists who stocked up on colorful inks last year. The prices for tattoo inks have risen significantly with the entry into force of REACH, but the remaining stocks of inks still have to be disposed of.
It is estimated that around 66 percent of the tattoo inks used to date contain the pigments Green 7 and Blue 15:3. As manufacturers were not required to provide precise information on the ingredients of the inks until January 2022, this is not a definitive figure. Many manufacturers maintain that there is no viable substitute for these two pigments. Therefore, no REACH-compliant new shades without these two pigments can be expected in 2023 for the time being.
Tattoos in future only without tattoo color green and blue?
In future, tattoos will also be possible again in the tattoo colors green and blue. There are already colors that do not contain the problematic pigments 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 these manufacturers and ranges:
- Quantum Ink
- World Famous Limitless
- Kuro Sumi Imperial
- Permablend
The list is not complete. In addition to the tattoo colors green and blue, violet, turquoise, brown and grey tones are also missing from the color series mentioned.
If you had planned to have a motif with plants or from the sea engraved in 2023, this will of course hit you hard. If you don't want to do without your desired motif, it's better to wait another year or two so that the entire color palette is available again.
You might also like to talk to your tattoo artist about the subject. Artists are creative - they always find a solution. And you might even like an alternative design of your desired motif without the problematic color tones. We hope you do!