Can You Mix Ashes with Tattoo Ink?

The idea of adding ashes to tattoo ink has become more popular lately, and many clients have asked about this meaningful addition to their tattoos. I want to explain why, unfortunately, this isn't something I can offer.

There are a couple of key reasons why directly incorporating ashes into tattoo ink isn't feasible:

1. The process involves certain risks, especially concerning contamination and infections, if it's not done in an extremely sterile environment. Although the cremation process effectively eliminates most bacteria, the ashes aren't sterile enough to be directly mixed into tattoo ink. In a crematorium, despite being meticulously clean, there isn't a specific sterilization protocol in place. Additionally, the equipment used to process the remains isn't sterile, and the remains aren't stored in a sterile bag. To ensure safety, any contaminants present in the ashes need to be carefully extracted and vaporized to remove them without affecting the integrity of the ashes. 

2. Ash particles are much larger than the molecules present in tattoo ink. If mixed directly, the ashes tend to settle at the bottom of the ink due to their larger size. This means that only the ink is effectively used in the tattoo, resulting in the ashes being unable to fully integrate, essentially wasting these precious ashes from your loved one.

Ultimately, the complexities and challenges involved in incorporating ashes directly into tattoo ink underline the necessity for specialized solutions. Seeking out cremation inks from reputable companies equipped to handle the unique properties of ashes stands as a viable and safer approach to carrying out this meaningful addition to your tattoo.

There is a company in the UK that manufactures custom ash ink. I'll share my experience of using the ink produced by this brand a few times.

Firstly, initially, it feels slightly thinner than regular ink. However, after about an hour, the ink gradually thickens, and you can start to feel the ash particles. The ink, along with the ash, began to clog the needle, so I had to pour new ink into the cup and continue working every hour. Regular tattoo ink usually takes a few hours to thicken, but I noticed that this one starts to thicken very, very quickly. (As you can see here, if you directly use ash particles larger than this, they don't mix with the ink at all, so it won't go into your skin!)

Talking about color saturation after it heals, surprisingly, it healed very well! There are various black inks commonly used for tattoos, and to put it simply, it feels more like regular black ink rather than the intense feel of triple black ink! However, I can't guarantee anything about the long-term coloration of ash ink since I don't have data accumulated over several years. I'll share more when I have data after a few years have passed!