Tattoo Ideas: Blacklight UV Glow-in-the-Dark

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By becauseilive


UV tattoos use blacklight reactive ink to illuminate the images
UV tattoos use blacklight reactive ink to illuminate the images

If you don't know what a blacklight is, then either you didn't grow up in the seventies or you've never been to a Spencer's Gifts. Spencer's has a blacklight section at the back of all their stores, an area that is decorated with glow-in-the-dark sticky stars and hanging beads. They try to keep this section relatively dark because they have blacklights set up to illuminate the glowing items. Blacklights are essentially purple lightbulbs that emit ultraviolet radiation. When a blacklight is turned on, it will illuminate anything fluorescent that is nearby.

A blacklight tattoo either comprises the entire tattoo or is sometimes used to accentuate a standard black ink design. Many tattoo parlors shied away from doing blacklight tattoos for quite a while due to the inefficiency of the ink and the high number of allergic reactions or resulting skin conditions. Over the past few years however, several new UV inks have been approved for use in the U.S. with little to no complications. The most common product is a blacklight reactive ink called the BIOMETRIX System-1000 (also known as BMX 1000). As the below illustration shows, blacklight tattoos that use UV Titanium white ink are visible under blacklight only. In regular lighting, the tattoo appears as a faint outline at best or sometimes completely invisible. Colored ink is available in 17 different colors, however, for those who either want the tattoo to be visible at all times or appreciate a little color in their designs. When held up to a blacklight, these tats will simply glow brighter.


Because the UV ink is more expensive than regular ink (around $270 for a half-ounce bottle) blacklight tattoos tend to cost a little bit more than usual. If you're considering getting a blacklight tattoo, make sure you do your homework. Go to a tattoo parlor that has experience with UV tattooing and can show you samples of other similar tattoos they have done. If you've elected to get a titanium white tattoo, an experienced tattoo artist will keep a blacklight close by that he can periodically turn on and off throughout the process to ensure the tattoo is coming out correctly. If you are interested in getting a regular black ink tattoo that you would like to highlight with UV ink, the proper way of doing so is to get the standard tattoo first, give it time to heal completely, and then later go back to get the blacklight accents.

Pictures: Blacklight Tattoos

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Pictures: Colored UV Ink

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Pictures: Tattoos with Blacklight Accents

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Comments

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Whitney05 profile image

Whitney05  says:
2 years ago

Blacklight ink looks cool, but I'm not 100% on it's health status. I know a few tattoo artists that refuse to use it because they're not sure how healthy it really is. Others, don't care or see a problem with it. My boyfriend has an unfinished skull design on his shoulder that calls for blacklight ink. Well, according to him and his design, even though he'll never use it, as he doesn't go ot clubs or anything.

taylorblue profile image

taylorblue  says:
2 years ago

it does look awesome...but scared too of what it could do....

compu-smart profile image

compu-smart  says:
2 years ago

Very cool;)

carmen  says:
2 years ago

where can i get one?

Krista 07 profile image

Krista 07  says:
2 years ago

Wow, I did'nt even know they could do that.

jazz   says:
2 years ago

THATS TIGHT!!!!!!! I want one!!!!!!!!.......

alysha   says:
2 years ago

big soapy  says:
2 years ago

these blackllight tat's are amazing and although i've only been tattooing for over a year, i feel i want to take the step and try it myself, i have plenty folk asking if i will do it but have been apprehensive til now, i need a supplier and prices from anywhere in the wotld, but although i know the ink is more expensive, and my clients are aware the prices will jump accordingly, where can i get some FAST. It needs to be relatively larger bottles, 2oz or above, and Titanium White to start, once the others see what the tats turn out like, they will also be wanting inks, I just want to be the first in my area., watch this space for my tats and designs folks

emmabalmer profile image

emmabalmer  says:
2 years ago

It doesn't get much cooler than that! I wish I knew that before I got my sweet back tattoo on Miami Ink. My pin-up mortician chick could have used some blacklight ink :)

bhaire  says:
2 years ago

Only downside I see to this is the government saying hey...practically invisible ink that only shows up in blacklight, lets start marking the babies with invisible barcodes

anthony  says:
2 years ago

are they expensive?

Azazel  says:
2 years ago

Thanks for these blacklight tattoos pics. I add them at my tattoo board !!!

http://www.fantasmforum.com

Thanks again !!!

cHiKy  says:
2 years ago

They are not toxic like most people think.

danger rob  says:
2 years ago

www.skincandy.netmakes the uv ink for Miami ink. they also have a list of their secondary suppliers on their main page.

i personally use www.crazychameleon.comon myself and clients. they have msds, tips, and faq's on site and with each order. their site says 2 week backorder on white, but mine came in 12 days cross country

Samus Verbose  says:
16 months ago

i can't wait to have one... i will try to have a glow-in-the-dark tattoo soon! Hope it will be invisible on regular light (no scar, no markings) people would be clueless until i enter a room with blacklight... i just really cant wait to have one!

coreysgurl  says:
16 months ago

it does look amazing but i mean doesnt it hurt

Andi  says:
15 months ago

I got a blacklight tattoo and parts of it don't show up. I'm going to have to go back and have it touched up! Ouch! Otherwise, I think the idea is really awesome!

-D-  says:
14 months ago

i am a tattoo artist and i have worked with this ink many times it is rather easy to deal with and it looks great when it is all done

tim  says:
14 months ago

i have a black light tattoo on my face (an ace of spades) and its by far one of the coolest tattoos i have ever had. the best bit is you would never know it was there under normal light. im now planing on getting more!

???  says:
13 months ago

its gay, because its not totally invisible in regular light

badtimmyd  says:
13 months ago

these tattoos are shit, black light tats are so stupid, like that one that says "regret nothing" if you regert nothing get it tat"d in solid black, and with better looking letters, all these tats were done by shit artists, its a shit trend, that looks like shit, the inks look like shit and its just down right dumb, if your going to get a tattoo get a real one, not some glow in the dark gay shit

to some it up the ink just looks like shit, look up tim kern, then tell me if you want a real tattoo or some glow in the black light pussy horrible art work fag shit

oscar  says:
12 months ago

how much is an average price ??does any one know???

ross  says:
6 months ago

I`ve used glow in the dark ink on two females and it fucked up thier tattoo. Why? email me & tell me why hendrickross@yahoo.com

Jen  says:
5 months ago

dam mr. badtimmyd you dont gotta be rude about this tatoos. i think they're really unique i might be getting one too. so i really dont think its shit. bet if the person walked into a place with a little blacklighting. then the tat regret nothing shows up on someone's arm out of nowhere people all around are going to be like DAM where you get that at. so quit hating!!

jon j.  says:
3 months ago

by the way guys, it doesnt cost 270$ for a half ounce bottle of that ink. i bought a set of 8 diffrent colors includidnt the new totally invisable ink with half ounce bottles for 135$. dont let the shops jack up the prices to dam high for that shit. learn how to tattoo and buy ur own like i did. and by the way, tattooing brings in alot of money just doing them on ur free time on the weekends or whatever.i bring in almost a grand a weekend. might wanna think about that!!!!

jon j.  says:
3 months ago

and by the way guys, if u want to take a look for urself at the ink my supplier is joker tattoo. there web adress is www.jokertattoo.net. look at the black light set. and whats even more cool about it is the fact they have a ware house in the city i live in. visalia california. check it out.

dRo  says:
2 months ago

dO DEy OnLy WOrK wHEN iTz DArk Or uNDEr BlAckLigHtz????? CUzz iTZ WOuLd B GAyy iF iT WORkED OnLYY UNDEr BLAcKLiGHtz!!!!!!!

dRo Is GaY  says:
2 months ago

I'd kick you in the face for typing that way.

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