The reds are perhaps the worst, because they also contain the highly toxic iron oxide and cadmium. * If you really want to get a permanent tattoo, stick with the basics. Black remains safest. Blue and green inks with copper phthalocyanine pigments are safe too.
Lighter tones – Lighter tones like yellow, blue, purple, and green can be tricky because they are placed in the lower part of the absorption spectrum. This also applies to neon-colored inks. White – White inks are the hardest tattoo ink to remove because it doesn't absorb much of the light.
Below is a pain chart from Tattoos-Hurt.com that explains it all using color, with yellow being the least painful to purple being excruciatingly painful. It's not surprising that the most painful areas are also considered the most vulnerable areas of the body.
Lighter inks like yellows, reds, oranges, whites, and any pastel tones tend to fade a bit more quickly than darker inks. Some white inks and pastel inks have trouble lasting longer than five years. Watercolor tattoos also tend to fade faster as the ink is lightly colored and very fine.
Specifically, lighter colors like white, yellow, light blue, and pink are the most difficult to remove, as are green, red, and neon colors. White ink (and light colors that were made by combining darker ink with white ink) sometimes turns darker before it begins to fade.
Blue and Green: Copper pthalocyanine pigments are the safest choice for both of these.
Black and gray: Black and gray inks are the boldest and most dense; thus, they are the most fade-resistant colors. These are suitable for any skin tone, especially with tan or black skin.
Tattoos done in black or grey ink tend to hold up over time and are the least likely to fade when regularly protected and treated with care. Blackwork tattoos and Black & Grey tattoo styles have a high guarantee of aging gracefully.
Colored tattoos, when repeatedly exposed to sunlight, tend to fade easily. This means that they will not age well and will need regular touch-ups to keep them looking sharp and fresh.
Light/Fair Skin: White, or other light colors like pale blue, usually works well on people with fair skin. Medium Skin: Red, green, orange, and blues look great on tan or olive-toned skin. Dark Skin: The darkest colors on the color spectrum work best. Crimson, black, and dark blue look great on darker skin tones.
The reds are perhaps the worst, because they also contain the highly toxic iron oxide and cadmium. * If you really want to get a permanent tattoo, stick with the basics. Black remains safest. Blue and green inks with copper phthalocyanine pigments are safe too.
Unlike outlining, shading isn't necessary for every tattoo. Color and shading simply provide more dimension than line work. Contrary to what you might expect, many people report that the shading hurts significantly less than the outlining of the tattoo.
Black and Grey tattoo inks are the easiest to remove. Most clinics will have a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with a1064 nm wavelength. This is especially effective on black and grey ink colors.
Upper arm tattoos evoke both adventurous and practical qualities. With this balance, it makes sense that all genders universally consider this placement to be the sexiest tattoo location.
Participants told us they regret getting tattoos on these spots: upper back, upper arms, hips, face and butt. Size matters. Apparently, the smaller your tattoo, the more likely you are to regret it. We found that 63 percent of people with a tattoo smaller than the palm of their hand regret it.
Black and gray are the most common colors used in tattoos. They suit all skin tones, from light to dark. Because black is a long-lasting shade, it is used for line work.
Disadvantages include higher demands for the artist's professionalism, a longer application process, more significant fading that requires more frequent correction, possible allergies to some colored pigments, and some pigments being non-removable by laser.
Don't worry, this is completely natural. It happens because the old skin, damaged during the tattooing process, forms a thin layer over your tattoo and masks its true appearance. In time this old skin will naturally exfoliate itself, revealing your tattoo underneath in all its vibrant glory.
A fine line tattoo typically begins to lose its definition after about 15 years. Bigger, bolder lines maintain their look for longer with proper care. At 40, many people will still have their tattoo in great shape, but if not, a touch-up is a great solution.
Make sure you can commit to color
Also keep in mind that color tattoos may be a little more high-maintenance in terms of care and touch-ups.
Colored tattoos usually cost more than tattoos with only black and grey ink. Colored inks cost more to buy and replace than black, therefore most artists will tack that on to the price of your tattoo. It also takes a lot longer for artists to change and mix colors while tattooing you.
As skin grows back on top of the tattoo during the healing process, it's going to overshadow or dilute any color that's lighter. The best tattoo colors to use on darker skin tones are reds, dark blues and dark greens, says Michaels.
Darker colors, especially black, fade much less than brighter colors, especially red. Black and grayscale colors last usually longer than colored tattoos. This is especially the case with white hued tattoos.