How To Give Yourself A Tattoo With Pen Ink?

How To Give Yourself A Tattoo With Pen Ink
Put the wet paper towel or napkin on top of the sheet of paper. Apply pressure for about 20 seconds. The water from the napkin will go through the image, and the ink from the ballpoint pen will bleed, transferring the image onto your skin.

Can I tattoo myself with pen ink?

Final Thoughts – As you may have noticed, we seriously advise people not to do any DIY, homemade tattoo, especially the stick-and-poke kind with pen ink. This can be seriously dangerous and can put your health at risk. It is always better to go get professionally tattooed than to risk skin and tattoo infection. What we’re trying to say is that DIY tattoos aren’t simply worth it! Also Read:

  • 5 Best Stick-and-Poke Tattoo Kits (2022 Updated)
  • 6 Stick and Poke Ink Alternatives (And Why You Shouldn’t use Them)

Is pen ink same as tattoo ink?

Some time ago I was thinking about ink and wondering if it would be possible to use a fountain pen ink for a tattoo, specifically J Herbin’s Stormy Grey which I really loved. A quick check made clear that this was not advisable or even possible and I had to let go of the idea of a sparkling picture embedded in my skin.

  • So the simple answer is no, you can’t use fountain pen ink for a tattoo;
  • But recently I have been thinking again about ink and what makes one ink work in a pen and another in the body;
  • So, why can’t you use fountain pen ink when having a tattoo done? Fountain pen ink is generally a dye-based ink, where the colourant is fully dissolved in the liquid;

Tattoo ink however is a pigment-based ink where solid particles of colour are suspended in a liquid carrier. Pigment-based inks would be a problem for fountain pens as the particles would clog up the feed, although you can get specially formulated particulate inks such as the Diamine Shimmer range.

  1. Conversely dye-based inks would be a problem for tattoos as they are soluble so they would simply be flushed out;
  2. In fact this is how tattoo removal works – a laser is used to break up the pigments into smaller particles which can then be absorbed into the bloodstream and flushed out;

So for a tattoo you need an ink with larger particles in it as they will attract the attention of your body’s macrophages, a type of white blood cell. As the needle of the tattoo machine punctures the skin, so the macrophages rush to the wound site and eat the invading particles and these cells essentially keep the ink in your dermis, the thick layer of living tissue below the epidermis.

Even if they die, another macrophage will absorb them along with the particles which is why over time, the image will slowly fade and neat lines will eventually blur. Top tip, avoid small fine text and detail, it’s not going to last the course.

As to whether it is dangerous to put fountain pen ink into your body? Well the main concern would be infection as tattoo inks are sterile and formulated to have few allergens, red being the colour that causes the most problems for people due to the presence of mercury sulphide.

But there is surprisingly little regulation around, considering the prevalence of tattoos and the potential need for the NHS to manage any fallout. Some products have been found to contain the same ingredients as car paint and printer ink so is it the case that pen ink is not necessarily as bad as you might think? The earliest ink was Lamp Black, made with soot which is a form of carbon.

Subsequently Iron Gall was used which mixed iron sulfate and tannic acid and would darken when exposed to light. These inks would block a modern fountain pen unless specially formulated not to do so but even so, they are best washed out if left unused. Polish ink company KWZ make a beautiful range of iron gall inks for fountain pens which will literally darken before your eyes as you write.

Tattoo inks can contain metals such as titanium and also carbon, so not that dissimilar to the inks of old. On balance though, best to go for an ink that is designed for the job, pen or skin. Out of interest I decided to check what I have had injected into my dermis and as a strictly black-only devotee it seems I am sporting quite a lot of US brand Dynamic Ink.

The black version of which contains Carbon Black 7, Acrylic Resin and Isopropyl Alcohol. I’m no wiser really..

Are pen ink tattoos permanent?

The needle pokes into your skin, piercing it so that the tattoo drips into your flesh. Poke, poke, poke. It hurts, but don’t you dare wince – you’re the one hammering the ink into yourself. A heart on your wrist, a leaf on your ankle, the word “remember” on your ribs.

  1. It’s like what you used to doodle with a pen in Year 8, only this time, it’s permanent;
  2. This is “stick-and-poke”, a method of tattooing once reserved for jailbirds but now increasingly popular among young people and creative types;

As with traditional tattoos, stick-and-pokes are meant to provide a reminder of a milestone passed or a daily inspiration towards a future goal. But now that practically everyone in your life has a pricey tattoo-parlour memento somewhere on their flesh – your boss, your mum – the allure of rebellion they once commanded has been lost.

But a tat you did yourself with little more than a common sewing needle? Cue the raising of eyebrows. Health experts raise concerns about the risks of blood-borne disease and infections associated with DIY tattooing, given that people might not disinfect their implements.

The safest stick-and-pokes are drawn with professional-calibre tattoo ink or Indian ink from a reputable shop – but it’s completely possible, and terribly fashionable, just to break open a ballpoint pen. “It’s kind of blowing up at the moment among people who want something that’s not the mainstream,” says British artist Sarah March, who began doing stick-and-pokes on her friends two years ago after seeing the trend on Instagram.

  1. Now, she does them professionally, for people of all ages;
  2. Many are inspired by tattoos that appear to be stick-and-pokes on celebrities such as Rihanna and Kesha;
  3. Others are drawn to the small symbol tattoos they’re seeing all over Pinterest and Tumblr;

Some like the idea of a traditional tattoo but are too intimidated to actually do it. “The atmosphere when you’re getting a stick-and-poke tattoo is much more relaxed,” March says. “There’s a real personal aspect which you wouldn’t generally get in a normal tattoo parlour.

” Most people skip the professionals altogether and create tattoos from items lying around the house, or with a few inexpensive online purchases. They are meant to last as long as regular tattoos, but are known to fade eventually, depending on how much ink is poked into the skin and how deep it goes.

Sarah March, a British artist, creating a stick and poke tattoo (Sarah March) Tutorials explaining how to do your own tattoos can be found online in seconds. First, the needle is typically attached to an object that makes it easier to hold, such as a pencil.

  • Then a thread is wound tightly around the needle;
  • When the needle is dipped into ink, this thread holds the liquid, which drips into the skin as the needle is pressed down about one-eighth of an inch;
  • Repeat a few times, and you’ve got yourself a tattoo;
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It was that easy for Stephanie Hernandez, an 18-year-old who inked herself along with a friend in September, a few weeks into her first year at the University of California, Berkeley. “It’s a thing I had always wanted to do but never really had the guts to do it,” Hernandez says.

“I got a sad face on myself, and she got a heart. It was a rebellion of sorts: like, oh, I’m independent now. ” The tiny sad face sits on her hand, between her index finger and her thumb. She intended to add a second pair of eyes so that it would look like a happy face from a different angle, but the tattooing took so long that she never really got around to it.

At the time, she was feeling pretty sad anyway: her grandfather had died, there was drama in her family, and the emotions of settling into a new place were overwhelming. “When I look at it now, I see how I’ve grown so much since I got it,” she says. Over the holidays, her family couldn’t seem to understand the sad face’s higher purpose; they just sighed in relief that the tattoo is so small.

Instagram and Pinterest are full of more radical examples: the faces of Beavis and Butthead on a guy’s knees; the words “Now can an angel break my heart?” across a sternum; “DON’T WAKE” on a pair of eyelids.

Professionally inked tattoos have just as much potential to turn regrettable, but the cost and process of setting up an appointment can serve as a buffer to impulsiveness. Even more serious than regretting your home-made ink is the possibility of getting sick from it.

“The contamination of materials with biological pathogens from sharing needles with your friends can happen, whether you sterilise it quickly with a match or not,” says Nicole West, a former biology teacher who began considering the risks of stick-and-pokes when she was getting a circle on her wrist from a friend.

“You’re young, you’re intoxicated, you don’t know – HIV, hepatitis C, all the major killers that are blood-borne can be passed quickly. ” So she began selling kits online, filled with sterile materials and directions for how to do stick-and-poke safely.

  • For $42 (£29), you get professional tattoo ink, sterile needles, stencil paper, wipes, medical gloves and aftercare balm;
  • Student Stephanie Hernandez’s homemade ‘frowny’ face (Stephanie Hernandez) Although she has been criticised for selling a product that encourages at-home tattooing, West argues that the kit is safer than any other at-home method;

Even with those precautions, there is still potential for something to go wrong. As with traditional tattoos, it’s very possible to have an allergic reaction to the ink, for example. “Especially with these inks from a pen – what else is in it? Nothing meant to be placed in the body,” says Cameron Rokhsar, an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, who has removed handmade tattoos from patients.

  • (They’re typically easier to remove than regular tattoos, because there is less ink in the skin;
  • ) Enthusiasts say not to expect this trend to be as easily wiped away – people tattooed themselves long before there were machines to do it for them or iPhones to put their art on Instagram;

But chances are, DIY tats will never be a major threat to the traditional tattoo industry. In many states and countries it’s illegal to tattoo others without a licence. And even if your friend is a great artist and a steady-handed tattooist, a stick-and-poke will always have a different look from a professional one, says Denver graphic designer Evan Lorenzen (who has both): “It’s like playing a synthesizer versus a piano: they both are capable of creating beautiful sounds.

Is pen ink toxic for skin?

– Ink poisoning doesn’t occur from drawing on your skin. Ink may temporarily stain your skin, but it will not poison you.

Is Bic pen ink toxic for tattoos?

Summing It Up – Pen ink is very rarely toxic and unless you ingest a lot of it, you should be fine. If some symptoms do appear, look for medical help. Play safe and don’t try any tricks with pen ink and tattoos. Not only it won’t look pretty, you can get a very bad infection and you don’t want any of that. So do try to be always careful and have fun with your inks! Back to the Blog How To Give Yourself A Tattoo With Pen Ink.

How long do pen ink tattoos last?

How Long Do Hand-Poked Tattoos Last? – It is safe to say right from the start that a stick-and-poke tattoo won’t last you a lifetime. As we mentioned, the hand-poking technique isn’t as sophisticated as the regular tattooing process. As a result, the hand-poking can make the ink misplaced in the skin and overall make it last a shorter period compared to a regular tattoo.

  • On average, a hand-poked tattoo can last anywhere between 5 and 10 years , if you’re lucky;
  • If a tattoo is done by a professional tattoo artist and properly taken care of after , it can last up to 10 years, for sure;

However, if a tattoo is done by an inexperienced tattooist or an amateur, you’re looking at 5 years max. Saved Tattoo.

What can I use instead of tattoo ink?

How do you get pen ink to stay on your skin?

You can flex your artistic muscle and give yourself a tattoo with some simple items stashed away in your house. No, not ink and a pin for an ill-advised stick-and-poke. More like toothpaste and a pen for a sick tat. That’s right, commitment haters: This artistic ink is only temporary.

This viral YouTube tutorial, which has more than 38 million views, demonstrates how to use a pen and toothpaste (plus a few extras) to make a DIY temporary tattoo. While the hack is basically made for a boring quarantine-night-in, the DIY temporary ink is also perfect for testing out new tattoo designs before you call up your choice parlor for the real deal.

Plus, the result is waterproof and all. As the video outlines, the first step is to prep the to-be-inked area by shaving it clean of hair. Then, apply a thick layer of toothpaste to the skin and rub it in. This minty step is said to remove excess oil from the skin and reportedly helps the longevity of your temporary ink.

The video recommends Colgate toothpaste, though it’s unclear if the particular brand has any effect on the final product. After wiping the excess toothpaste off, grab a marker-like pen and get to sketching your ink.

Once you are happy with the design, dust it with face powder or baby powder. This particular tutorial then goes over the design again in waterproof eyeliner for extra staying power, dusting it once more for good measure. To lock the resulting ink in even further, apply one super thin layer of Vaseline, which is known for repelling water.

After drying for 30 minutes, your tattoo is ready to be put through the wringer. That includes pools, showers, gym sessions, and whatever other trouble you could get into. Think temporary tattoos are only for little kids and Coachella baddies? Think again.

Watch the tat tutorial for yourself below: Katie Dupere is an editor and writer in New York City specializing in identity, internet culture, social good, lifestyle and beauty topics..

Can I tattoo over Sharpie?

We’re here to shed some light on “freehand tattooing. ” In today’s age, tattoos have taken more of an artistic route. Gone are most of the dark and seedy street street shops. We’re seeing true artists master the craft of tattoo. Custom tattooing and freehand work has become the true definition of a “good shop.

  1. ” So what exactly is freehand tattooing and how does it happen? We are here to show you the process of drawing on the body and designing custom tattoos;
  2. From Sharpies to Skin freehand tattoo creation is an extraordinary art form;
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A freehand tattoo is drawn on the client and then tattooed. We sketch directly on the skin with markers instead of transferring a stencil. This technique can help with the natural flow and shape of the body. This is the best way to take on curvy or angled areas.

Also, when a client wants to add to an existing tattoo, the new tattoo can be easily tailored to the empty space. There are many great reasons to draw directly on skin. let’s start with these. You get an absolute original tattoo design.

Something that no one else can have because it’s drawn directly for you. It helps artists express their ideas and it flows directly on the body shape. You can use the muscles and curves to enhance the design. You can see directly what the artist is creating.

Together you can make decisions and additions to your piece. It’s also easier to modify and erase ideas as the design progresses. Not all tattoos can be drawn on paper. Trusting your artist with a custom tattoo is a wonderful freedom.

Designing it in markers can provide a risk-free approach to concepts before getting the permanent tattoo. Here is the process in creating an original design on skin. First we cleanse the area to eliminate any natural body oils. Starting off with clean skin is always important and it allows the markers to flow gracefully.

Next we begin the drawing with the lightest color and sketch the basic form. As the details progress we will use a variety of colored markers working from light to dark and gradually build the detail in the design.

Then to end we refine it with darker tones to ready it for the tattooing. Usually, this can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Sharpies, although permanent, are easily erased with tattoo soaps or alcohol. Once the official design is created, the client and artist can inspect the areas thoroughly and make any final decisions before starting the tattoo.

Once everyone is excited about the creation we’re ready to go. The tattooing will lightly go over the on-skin drawing. As we tattoo the sharpie will gently wipe away leaving the client with a beautiful original new tattoo.

Going from Sharpie to skin offers a tattoo creation that is original and unique. It can compliment your body’s shape and create an amazing flow with the design. We strive to create on-skin whenever it can enhance a tattoos possibilities. Tattooing has become an incredible art form.

Do tattoo pens work?

Tattoo Pens – Credit: @hangwu7273  Unlike tattoo guns, tattoo pens are motor-driven and use needles that come in interchangeable cartridges. The pens are super easy to use and allow the tattoo artist easier handling and more stable work. Of course, tattoo guns are irreplaceable, but the tattoo pens do wonder in the right hands. It has been known that tattoo pens, because of their stability, ensure cleaner, sharper lines, and overall cleaner tattoos, compared to the work of tattoo guns.

  • One of the main differences when it comes to tattoo guns and pens is that tattoo pens are almost completely silent;
  • Tattoo guns are mostly recognized for the buzzing sound they produce during tattooing, while tattoo pens are incredibly quiet;

This is an excellent little feature, especially when you take into account that the buzzing sound of tattoo guns actually increases people’s anxiety and fear during tattooing. It is safe to say that a lot of tattoo artists prefer using tattoo pens to tattoo guns.

Is pen ink OK for stick and poke?

Use India Ink – Joe Raedle/Getty Images News/Getty Images Do not use just any old ink for your stick and poke. Ink, like the ink from your pen, is not sterile and can be highly toxic. A non-toxic ink, like India ink, would be your best bet. It’s natural, carbon-based, and less likely to cause infection.

What happens if pen ink gets in your veins?

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It takes a brave soul (in some cases, emboldened by a strong drink or two) to get a tattoo. And while people may spend time considering what design to have pierced onto their bodies, few may consider exactly what happens to the ink once it is injected under their skin. In fact, scientists are still investigating that question. To make a tattoo permanent, a tattoo artist punctures the skin with hundreds of needle pricks.

Each prick delivers a deposit of ink into the dermis , the layer of skin that lies below the epidermis, which is populated with blood vessels and nerves. Once the ink is inserted into the dermis, it doesn’t all stay put, research is finding.

Some ink particles migrate through the lymphatic system and the bloodstream and are delivered to the lymph nodes. Research on mice suggests some particles of ink may also end up in the liver. “When you inject particles into the skin, some travel to the lymph nodes within minutes,” Ines Schreiver, a chemist with the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment in Berlin,told Live Science.

[ 5 Weird Ways Tattoos Affect Your Health ] Where the ink goes To be clear, most of the tattoo pigment stays put after a person gets a tattoo. The ink that’s not cleared away by special repair cells, called macrophages, stays in the dermis within trapped macrophages or skin cells called fibroblasts.

It then shows through the skin, perhaps spelling out “Mom” or featuring that eagle design you spent weeks choosing. “Normally, the ink doesn’t migrate too far from where it’s injected,” Dr. Arisa Ortiz, a dermatologist and director of laser and cosmetic dermatology at the U.

San Diego Health, told Live Science. “For the most part, it is engulfed [by skin or immune cells ] and then kind of sticks around in the dermis. ” But researchers are now taking a closer look at the tattoo ink that does travel to other parts of the body, particularly the lymph nodes.

Schreiver was part of a team of German and French scientists that performed the first chemical analyses on tattoo ink collected at human lymph nodes. The researchers analyzed the lymph nodes of four cadavers that had tattoos, as well as two cadavers that had no tattoos, which served as controls.

The researchers pointed out in their study, published in the journal Scientific Reports (opens in new tab) , that “pigmented and enlarged lymph nodes have been noticed in tattooed individuals for decades.

” Those reports came mostly from pathologists who began noticing unusual coloring in lymph node biopsies taken from tattooed patients. For example, a 2015 report  in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology described how doctors at first thought a woman’s cervical cancer had spread to her lymph nodes.

  • After surgically removing the nodes, the doctors realized that what had appeared to be malignant cells were actually tattoo ink particles;
  • “I was very curious about the chemical side effect of tattoos,” Schreiver said;

“I think people are aware that you can get skin infections from a tattoo, but I don’t think most are aware that there may also be risks from the ink. ” To investigate these side effects, Schreiver and her colleagues used several different tests, to analyze what forms of tattoo ink were collecting in the lymph nodes and any damage that might have resulted.

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Among their findings was that nanoparticles — particles measuring less than 100 nanometers across — were most likely to have migrated to the lymph nodes. Carbon black, which is one of the most common ingredients in tattoo inks, appears to break down readily into nanoparticles and end up in the lymph nodes, the study found.

The team also looked at titanium dioxide (TiO2), which is a common ingredient in a white pigment usually combined with other colors to create certain shades. This type of ink does not appear to break down into particles as small as those found with carbon black, but some larger particles of TiO2 were still detected in the cadavers’ lymph nodes, the study said.

  • Disturbingly, Schreiver and her colleagues found that some potentially toxic heavy metals originating in tattoo ink also made their way to the lymph nodes;
  • The scientists detected particles of cobalt, nickel and chromium, which are sometimes added to organic tattoo pigment as preservatives, at the lymph nodes;

“These are not things you want to have permanently deposited in your body,” Schreiver said. Is it harmful? Other research has shown that tattoo pigment may land elsewhere in the body. For a May 2017 study published in the journal Dermatology, researchers tattooed the backs of mice with black and red ink.

About a year later, the team found ink pigment in the mice’s lymph nodes, as was found in human studies, but also within liver cells. “It was a quite interesting and very surprising finding,” said Mitra Sepehri, lead author of the research in mice and an M.

/Ph. candidate at the Wound Healing Centre of Bispebjerg University Hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark. “To reach the liver cells, the pigment has to go through the blood to reach the liver. So, we have shown that tattoo pigment can spread through the mouse’s blood system as well as through the lymphatic system.

  1. ” The ink pigment was detected inside special cells in the liver that remove toxic substances, called Kupffer cells;
  2. These cells appeared to be in the process of “eating” the pigment particles, Sepehri said;

Of course, mice aren’t humans, and, as Sepehri pointed out, the study did not confirm that tattooed humans can end up with pigment in their livers. Plus, she added, since mouse skin is thinner than human skin, tattoo ink may be more likely to be deposited more deeply in mice and more likely to enter the bloodstream.

  1. “Even if we find out maybe in five or 10 years that tattoo ink can be deposited in the liver in human beings, we still don’t know if it’s harmful,” Sepehri said;
  2. “It may pose no risk” It’s also not known if it’s harmful for tattoo pigment particles to accumulate in the lymph nodes;

So far, evidence suggests such deposits may cause enlargement of the lymph nodes and some blood clotting. But long-term studies in humans are needed to definitively link tattoo ink in lymph nodes to any harmful effect. The ingredients within tattoo ink itself also remain largely unknown and under-regulated.

A study from Denmark in 2011 found that 10 percent of unopened tattoo ink bottles tested were contaminated with bacteria. And a 2012 Danish Environmental Protection Agency  study  revealed that 1 in 5 tattoo inks contained carcinogenic chemicals.

Schreiver said she and her team hope to start raising the curtain on tattoo ink ingredients. They next plan to investigate inks associated with tattoo-related skin reactions and infections by analyzing skin biopsies of human patients. For example, it’s commonly known that red tattoo ink is often associated with nasty skin reactions.

But not all red inks are the same. “As a chemist, describing a pigment as ‘red’ means nothing to me,” Schreiver said. “We need to analyze the chemistry. ” Tattoo ink manufacturing in the United States is overseen by the U.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but as a cosmetic. As the FDA states , “because of other competing public health priorities and a previous lack of evidence of safety problems specifically associated with these pigments, FDA traditionally has not exercised regulatory authority for color additives on the pigments used in tattoo inks.

” Ortiz said this needs to change. She works with the U. San Diego Clean Slate Tattoo Removal Program, which provides free care to former gang members who wish to erase their gang-associated tattoos to make it easier to enter the job market or the military.

She said she sees many tattoo-related problems that can flare up again during tattoo removal. “People have tattooed their bodies for thousands of years. Clearly, they’re not going to stop,” Ortiz said. “So, we need more testing on both the tattooing process and the ink to know potential reactions in the skin so we can optimize the safety of tattoos.

” Originally published on Live Science. Amanda Onion writes about health science advances and other topics at Live Science. Onion has covered science news for ABCNews. com, Time. com and Discovery News, among other publications.

A graduate of Dartmouth College and the Columbia School of Journalism, she’s a mother, a runner, a skier and proud tree-hugger based in Brooklyn, New York..

What happens if tattoo ink gets in your blood?

Where Does the Ink Go? – Most of the ink doesn’t stray too far from where you want it to be. Once deposited, the ink begins to take a little journey, according to the latest research. The particles of ink injected into the skin can travel through your lymphatic system and into the bloodstream.

  • Not all of the ink particles make their way here, but enough to cause some concern;
  • Some of the ink that finds its way into your bloodstream is broken down by the immune system;
  • The good news is that getting multiple tattoos can potentially strengthen your immune system because they make it work harder;

The more your immune system is challenged, the stronger it gets. There is a fine line between living in a bubble and overdoing it, though. Some of the tattoo ink gets trapped within skin cells called fibroblasts and macrophages. It’s this ink that proudly displays your chosen tattoo design. How To Give Yourself A Tattoo With Pen Ink The body clears some of the ink away by way of special repair cells called macrophages. The macrophages carry the ink to the closest lymph nodes. Your body can’t break these particles down, so they become stuck. A side effect of this is that the lymph nodes can change color to match the color of your tattoo. Evidence is also showing that the tattoo ink particles can travel through your blood and end up in your liver , where they also become stuck.

Researchers have been looking at what happens to the ink that travels further around your body, and the results have been surprising. A group of German and French scientists collected tissue samples from human lymph nodes — 50% of the individuals tested showed ink particles in the lymph nodes.

Researchers analyzed the forms of the tattoo ink found in the lymph nodes. They also made a note of any damage caused. What they found were nanoparticles. Not enormous, admittedly, at less than 100 micrometers across, but they were there, nonetheless. Also found in the lymph nodes were potentially toxic heavy metals , thought to be from tattoo ink.

Can I use pen ink for a stick n poke?

Use India Ink – Joe Raedle/Getty Images News/Getty Images Do not use just any old ink for your stick and poke. Ink, like the ink from your pen, is not sterile and can be highly toxic. A non-toxic ink, like India ink, would be your best bet. It’s natural, carbon-based, and less likely to cause infection.

How do you make homemade tattoo ink?