How To Sterilize Tattoo Needles Without Autoclave?

How To Sterilize Tattoo Needles Without Autoclave
How To Sterilise A Tattoo Machine Without An Autoclave (Cold Sterilisation) – If you do not have an autoclave, you can also use an ultrasonic cleaner as an alternative. The ultrasonic cleaner uses high frequencies in combination with a chemical cleaning solution to eliminate any contamination on your equipment.

While the ultrasonic cleaner does a great job at cleaning your equipment, it will not sterilise your equipment! Another method of cold sterilisation is chemical baths. These take much longer (8 to 24 hours) to be effective but are a good method of getting your equipment usable for the next customer.

Perhaps overnight. Unfortunately, these methods are not as efficient and safe as an autoclave. If you do not have an autoclave, you should pay extra-high attention to properly disinfecting your equipment and sealing your tattoo machine in a plastic bag. Also, you should consider using disposable grips and disposable tubes as they come pre-sterilised and lower the risk of cross-contamination for your customers.

Does alcohol sterilize tattoo needles?

When Can You Reuse Tattoo Needles? – Reusing tattoo needles for multiple clients is a huge no-no because of the associated risks and dangers. However, if you’re a self-tattooist in the comfort of your home, then it’s really up to you if you want to reuse your tattoo needles.

Can you sterilize a tattoo needle with boiling water?

About This Article – Article Summary X To sterilize a needle, drop it in boiling water and leave it there for 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can wrap the needle in a cloth and bake it in the oven for 1 hour at 340 degrees Fahrenheit. Or, you can place the needle in a steaming pot over boiling water, cover the pot with a lid, and let it steam for 20 minutes to sterilize it.

Can you tattoo without an autoclave?

The only other alternative to an autoclave, pre-sterilized disposables and chemical baths that’s worth considering is a dry heat sterilizer. Dry heat sterilizers can effectively sterilize tattoo and piercing tools, but they require more energy and time to do so.

What can I use to sterilize needles?

– According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , moist heat is the most effective way to sterilize needles. That’s because of its ability to kill microorganisms. In a medical setting, autoclave machines may be used to sterilize needles or other medical equipment by pressurizing saturated steam.

  • These machines are very expensive and may not be practical for at-home use;
  • Sterilizing needles with boiling water is not as effective as using pressurized steam, and does not provide 100 percent sterilization;

It does, however, kill many microorganisms. Boiling is not enough to kill heat-resistant bacteria, such as endospores. To disinfect a needle at home through boiling:

  • Use a pot that has been meticulously cleaned with disinfectant soap and hot water.
  • Put the needle into the pot and bring the water to a rolling boil of at least 200°F (93. 3°C).
  • Boil the needle for at least 30 minutes prior to use.
  • Wearing new surgical or latex gloves, remove the needle from the pot with a disinfected or previously sterilized instrument.
  • It’s not recommended that you boil needles that will be used for injection. If you must disinfect a syringe needle for reuse, boil it for at least one hour prior to use.

Can you sterilize a needle with a lighter?

YSK how to easily sterilize a needle using a lighter to kill off any bacteria or infection. Don’t hold the needle above the flame, but on the side. Hold it until the needle is very hot. Another option is to soak the needle in hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol.

How do you know if your tattoo needle is sterile?

Needles should be sterilized in an autoclave before inking begins. Needle reuse in tattooing is illegal. Getting a tattoo can be dangerous, but it’s fairly easy to make sure you stay healthy with this safety check list. Is the tattoo artist licensed? In the state of Texas, tattoo artists must be licensed by the Drugs and Medical Devices Group, which is part of the Texas Department of Health Services.

To be licensed, tattooists must comply with all safety and health codes and have a tattoo parlor separate from their homes. Separate licenses are required to perform piercings. Tattoo artists must use antibacterial and germicidal hand soap and single-use disposable gloves.

Needles and ink must be sterilized. If there’s no autoclave — a heat sterilization chamber for equipment — walk away. Is the tattooist vaccinated for hepatitis B? Although not required, vaccinations against hepatitis for both you and the tattoo artists are the only way to protect against what can be a fatal disease.

Any time a needle punctures your skin, you run the risk of contracting a blood-born pathogen such as hepatitis B or C or HIV. The hepatitis vaccine involves a series of three shots given over four months.

If you can’t handle that, can you handle the thousands of shots it takes to get a tattoo? Don’t be a wimp! Protect yourself before the inking begins. Where and how does the artist store and use supplies? Most of the supplies used — ink, water, needles — in a reputable shop are only used once and thrown away.

  1. Make sure your artist is not taking leftover ink and returning it to a universal container;
  2. It should be thrown out;
  3. Reused ink can be contaminated with disease;
  4. Water and ointments should follow the same rules, especially if your tattoo artist uses deodorant to darken the initial outline;

Do not let a deodorant stick directly touch your skin. Deodorant must be transferred from the stick to your skin with a sterile pad or tissue. Can you see and guarantee the needles used are new and sterile? The only way to ensure a needle is sterile is if you see it being removed from a sealed or sterile bag right before your eyes.

New needles are usually bright silver with no stains or discolorations. If you don’t like how a needle looks, ask for different needles or go to a different shop. How is equipment disposed of? All needles should be disposed of after use in a sharps container, which is usually marked with a red top and a biohazard symbol.

Be sure your shop of choice has one and uses it. Find more articles like this in Tattoo Guide.

What do tattoo artists use to clean needles?

Sanitation is a huge component of the tattoo industry and while there is some debate over certain procedures, there are some rules that should never be broken or bent under any circumstances. If you notice any of the red flags you’re about to read about below, please for your own safety, get the hell out of that shop. 1: There is No Sharps Box. Every tattoo shop should have what is called a sharps box and it’s where an artist disposes of their needles after a tattoo is complete. Needles and disposable cartridges should never, under any circumstances, be thrown into the trash. Also, if you see a sharps box that is overflowing with used needles, this can also be a red flag. 2. The Artist Doesn’t Disinfect With MadaCide (or other industrial cleaning brands. ) After a tattoo is finished, an artist or their apprentice will break down their station and clean every possible surface. Tattoo artists should always use industrial cleaning products, like MadaCide, to clean up the massage bed,, arm rests, chairs, and their entire station.

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For decades, the industry has worked to prove that tattooing is a clean and safe practice, therefore we don’t need any reckless or lazy artists ruining things for the artists trying to create a professional environment.

If you see them using Clorox wipes, run. 3. There is No Autoclave. While some tattooers today use disposable cartridges for a rotary machine, many artists still use metal tubes with a coil machine. Of course, artists should no better than to reuse their needles, however, they all reuse the metal tube that holds the needle in place. 4. They Don’t Use Clip Cord Covers. A clip cord connects the tattoo machine to the power source and it should always be wrapped in plastic. During the set up process, an artist will put a plastic sleeve over the cord to ensure proper sanitation during the tattoo.

Artists use what is called an autoclave to sanitize their tubes, which is a machine used by hospitals to  sterilize medical instruments. If you see an artist using metal tubes, be sure to ask if they have an autoclave on site.

And this goes without saying but an artist should use a new cover for every single tattoo. 5. They Don’t Wrap Their Tattoo Machines or Green Soap Bottles. Tattooers reuse their green soap bottles and machines every day, however, they always need to ensure that their supplies are wrapped in plastic. Some artists use special bags to wrap their bottles, while others prefer using saran wrap. 6. They Don’t Use Distilled Water. In order to prevent the spread of bacteria, artists should always use distilled water in their rinse cup. You should never see a tattooer filling up their rinse cup in the sink. 7. They Don’t Use Bed Covers. During the tattoo, there should always be a bed cover or layer of saran wrap between you and the massage bed or arm rest. This keeps your fresh tattoo away from anything that might harm it and it makes the cleanup process a bit easier for the artist. 8. They Don’t Display Their Bloodborne Pathogens Certificate. All states require some type of certification that ensures an artist has completed their bloodborne pathogens and infection control training. You should also check if their certificate is up to date and hasn’t expired. 9. There is Trash Everywhere. If there is trash all over the shop or if the trash can is overflowing, this is a sign that the shop may not be clean. There should never be open food around an artist’s station while they’re tattooing and if an artist is handling trash, they need to change their gloves before handling any tattoo equipment or a client. 10. They Don’t Use Pre-Packaged Needles or Disposable Cartridges. This is a big one and it should be a no brainer. Under no circumstances should a tattooer use an unpackaged or worse, a used needle to do a tattoo. Even if a tattoo artist is doing another tattoo on the same client, they need to change their needles. 11. They Have a Dirty Bathroom. You can tell a lot about a person’s cleanliness based on the state of their bathroom. A shop should be clean from the moment you step through the door to the bathroom in the back, with no exceptions. If a bathroom is visibly dirty or smells bad, then they may not be up to code in the sanitation department. 12. They Don’t Change Out Their Gloves. Seriously, do we even need to explain this one? An artist should obviously be using a new pair of gloves between every tattoo, however, they also need to change their gloves if they touch anything outside of the sterilized station.

  1. Either will suffice as long as they’re new for each and every tattoo;
  2. Also, “people shouldn’t unwrap an armrest to make for a better photo of the tattoo resting on it;
  3. ” says Joice Wang of Grit N Glory;
  4. Seriously, if you notice needles out of the package, get the hell out of there;

And if their gloves tear during the tattoo, it’s time for a new pair. 13. They Use Expired Ink. This may be a bit tricker to detect, however, if an ink has really gone bad you will be able to see the ink separating in the bottle and a layer of oil forming on the top. “Remember, ink expires a year after opening the bottle” says Saga Anderson of Boss Tattoo.

What do tattoo artists use to sterilize?

Autoclaves and Disposables – The tattoo studio of your choice should make sure that all tools are clean and sanitary. But how do we maintain this standard? Many shops these days use disposable medical grade versions of everything that gets used from client to client.

  1. Each medical grade needle and tube used from is individually packaged and sterilized;
  2. Ink caps (the little cups tattoo artists put ink in) should all be disposable as well, and not re-used;
  3. Autoclaves are also commonly used in tattoo shops to sterilize non disposable equipment;

They do so by exposing the equipment to temperature high enough to kill any spores and bacteria. Some tattoo studios may use makeshift autoclaves such as pressure cookers and toaster ovens. This is not acceptable because only an autoclave can reach the proper temperature and maintain the right conditions for sterilization.

Can you sterilize a needle with hydrogen peroxide?

DISCUSSION – Bleach has been promoted for decades, as part of harm reduction efforts, as a suitable disinfectant for used syringes and injection paraphernalia among PWID [ 19 , 21 , 29 , 30 ]. In our study, bleach was the most effective product at eliminating residual HCV infectivity in both tuberculin and insulin syringes.

  1. This result is consistent with other studies that reported the effectiveness of bleach in eliminating residual HIV infectivity in contaminated syringes [ 20 , 21 ];
  2. As such, bleach may be the best disinfectant for decontaminating used syringes, to prevent both HCV and HIV transmission, when new syringes are unavailable;

There remains some controversy as to whether there is a correlation between PWID rinsing their syringes with bleach and the reduction of HIV and HCV transmission. Nevertheless, PWID may choose not to rinse their syringes with bleach for a number of reasons, including the fact that multiple rinses with bleach is damaging to the syringes and needles [ 20 , 29 , 30 ].

  • Approximately 20 rinses with undiluted bleach cause significant damage to both syringes and needles [ 20 ];
  • However, it takes almost 3 times as many rinses with rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and diluted kitchen sink detergent to cause damage to syringes and needles [ 20 ];

Therefore, PWID may prefer rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and diluted kitchen sink detergent to bleach for rinsing of syringes and needles. When interviewed, a majority of the PWID had rubbing alcohol (70% isopropanol), kitchen sink detergent, and hydrogen peroxide nearby when they last injected [ 20 ].

Our study showed that 70% isopropanol, Dawn Ultra kitchen sink detergent (1:300 dilution in water), and 3% hydrogen peroxide (1:50 dilution in water) were, indeed, effective at eliminating residual HCV infectivity in low void volume insulin syringes after 1 rinse.

We can infer from the fact that 3% hydrogen peroxide and Lysol were effective with 1 rinse of insulin syringes at suboptimal concentrations that they would be just as effective undiluted. We were unable to test most of the household products at their undiluted concentrations in the high void volume 1 mL tuberculin syringes due to increased cytotoxicity.

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A majority of these products were highly diluted to reduce their toxic effects in our assay. Under these conditions, none of the household products, with the exception of 1:200 bleach, was able to eliminate residual HCV infectivity.

Multiple rinses with 1:200 3% hydrogen peroxide and 1:800 Dawn Ultra were required to reduce residual HCV infectivity in the tuberculin syringes to undetectable levels. Based on these results, we can surmise that fewer rinses may be required to decontaminate the syringes when rinsed with the higher, undiluted concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, and other disinfectants.

  • However, given the limitations of our assay, we are unable to offer definitive recommendations;
  • Water, 5% ethanol (as in beer), and 20% ethanol (as in fortified wine) were ineffective at inactivating HCV in both low and high void volume syringes and should be avoided;

Three rinses with water were not enough to eliminate HCV infectivity in 1 mL tuberculin syringes; this indicates that numerous rinses may be required when beverages, other than those with at least 40% ethanol, are used to disinfect syringes. Taken together, our findings suggest that hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, Lysol, and kitchen sink detergent may be suitable alternatives to bleach in high and low void volume syringes, if high concentrations are used and if syringes are rinsed several times.

In agreement with previous data [ 15 ], HCV stability in tuberculin syringes was temperature-dependent in syringes rinsed with water, 5% ethanol, and 20% ethanol. Hepatitis C virus stability increased as temperature decreased (4°C >22°C >37°C), and this stability was independent of ethanol concentration.

These findings have implications for the places where PWID store their syringes and injection paraphernalia, such that storage in the heat of the summer would be more likely to inactivate the virus than storage in an air-conditioned location. In the same way, storage in the glove compartment of a car in the summer would inactivate the virus more quickly than in winter.

We hope to investigate the effect of rinsing syringes with disinfectants after removing them from storage, because some PWID may rinse their stored syringes right before their reuse. Our study has a number of limitations.

First, we used a genotype 2a laboratory clone of HCV, which may not be representative of primary isolates of this and other genotypes, especially the genotype 1b virus that is most common among infected people in many locations [ 31 ]. However, HCV clones of different genotypes have identical responses to temperature changes and, therefore, can be expected to react similarly to other physical stimulus [ 32 ].

Second, we used HCV-spiked plasma, as opposed to HCV-spiked blood, which could affect the results because other blood components may alter the interaction of the virus and disinfectant. Finally, we were not able to test many of the disinfectants at their recommended concentrations, which prevents us from definitively establishing their effectiveness against the virus.

Despite these limitations, our results allow us to draw inferences about the potential activity of household products against HCV in syringes based on their activity in diluted form. Furthermore, the similarity between our findings and those obtained from comparable work done with HIV, another enveloped virus, further bolsters the validity of our data [ 20 , 21 ].

Can you get STDS from tattoo needles?

Skip to content Myth: You can get HIV or an STD from getting a tattoo or through body piercing. Fact: This is true. There can be a risk for HIV or other blood-borne infection, like hepatitis B or C if the instruments used for piercing or tattooing are not sterilized or disinfected between clients.

Any instrument used to pierce or cut the skin should be used once and thrown away. Ask the staff at the parlor about their equipment and what precautions they use. They should be willing to do this…. otherwise, don’t get pierced or tattooed there.

Melissa Butcher 2017-07-29T08:07:09-06:00.

What can I use instead of an autoclave?

How do you Sterilise tattoo equipment?

Autoclaving Your Equipment – The safest way to avoid cross-contamination and eliminating all germs, virus and bacteria is an autoclave. An autoclave does not eliminate the before mentioned but it does vastly reduce the risk of contamination to a very, very low degree (0.

  1. 0001%);
  2. The autoclave sterilises any parts inside with a combination of high pressure, heat, and steam;
  3. Unfortunately, tattoo machines cannot be put into an autoclave because the motor cannot take this combination (the only exception is LACEnano machines , which are specifically designed to be autoclaved);

If you can remove the motor of your machine you can autoclave the body parts. If you cannot remove the motor of your machine, you should use cold sterilisation. If you are not using disposable grips and/or disposable tubes, you should autoclave your grips/tube.

Can you boil tattoo equipment?

Boiling as a Sterilization Method It may be the only method a person can utilize at home to sterilize their body jewelry, but it is not an appropriate way to sterilize tools and jewelry in a tattoo and piercing shop.

How do you know if your tattoo needle is sterile?

How to disinfect your tattoo equipment – Tattoo Safety with Jens Bergström #4

Needles should be sterilized in an autoclave before inking begins. Needle reuse in tattooing is illegal. Getting a tattoo can be dangerous, but it’s fairly easy to make sure you stay healthy with this safety check list. Is the tattoo artist licensed? In the state of Texas, tattoo artists must be licensed by the Drugs and Medical Devices Group, which is part of the Texas Department of Health Services.

  1. To be licensed, tattooists must comply with all safety and health codes and have a tattoo parlor separate from their homes;
  2. Separate licenses are required to perform piercings;
  3. Tattoo artists must use antibacterial and germicidal hand soap and single-use disposable gloves;

Needles and ink must be sterilized. If there’s no autoclave — a heat sterilization chamber for equipment — walk away. Is the tattooist vaccinated for hepatitis B? Although not required, vaccinations against hepatitis for both you and the tattoo artists are the only way to protect against what can be a fatal disease.

  • Any time a needle punctures your skin, you run the risk of contracting a blood-born pathogen such as hepatitis B or C or HIV;
  • The hepatitis vaccine involves a series of three shots given over four months;

If you can’t handle that, can you handle the thousands of shots it takes to get a tattoo? Don’t be a wimp! Protect yourself before the inking begins. Where and how does the artist store and use supplies? Most of the supplies used — ink, water, needles — in a reputable shop are only used once and thrown away.

Make sure your artist is not taking leftover ink and returning it to a universal container. It should be thrown out. Reused ink can be contaminated with disease. Water and ointments should follow the same rules, especially if your tattoo artist uses deodorant to darken the initial outline.

Do not let a deodorant stick directly touch your skin. Deodorant must be transferred from the stick to your skin with a sterile pad or tissue. Can you see and guarantee the needles used are new and sterile? The only way to ensure a needle is sterile is if you see it being removed from a sealed or sterile bag right before your eyes.

  1. New needles are usually bright silver with no stains or discolorations;
  2. If you don’t like how a needle looks, ask for different needles or go to a different shop;
  3. How is equipment disposed of? All needles should be disposed of after use in a sharps container, which is usually marked with a red top and a biohazard symbol;
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Be sure your shop of choice has one and uses it. Find more articles like this in Tattoo Guide.

What do tattoo artists use to sterilize?

Autoclaves and Disposables – The tattoo studio of your choice should make sure that all tools are clean and sanitary. But how do we maintain this standard? Many shops these days use disposable medical grade versions of everything that gets used from client to client.

Each medical grade needle and tube used from is individually packaged and sterilized. Ink caps (the little cups tattoo artists put ink in) should all be disposable as well, and not re-used. Autoclaves are also commonly used in tattoo shops to sterilize non disposable equipment.

They do so by exposing the equipment to temperature high enough to kill any spores and bacteria. Some tattoo studios may use makeshift autoclaves such as pressure cookers and toaster ovens. This is not acceptable because only an autoclave can reach the proper temperature and maintain the right conditions for sterilization.

What do tattoo artists use to clean needles?

Sanitation is a huge component of the tattoo industry and while there is some debate over certain procedures, there are some rules that should never be broken or bent under any circumstances. If you notice any of the red flags you’re about to read about below, please for your own safety, get the hell out of that shop. 1: There is No Sharps Box. Every tattoo shop should have what is called a sharps box and it’s where an artist disposes of their needles after a tattoo is complete. Needles and disposable cartridges should never, under any circumstances, be thrown into the trash. Also, if you see a sharps box that is overflowing with used needles, this can also be a red flag. 2. The Artist Doesn’t Disinfect With MadaCide (or other industrial cleaning brands. ) After a tattoo is finished, an artist or their apprentice will break down their station and clean every possible surface. Tattoo artists should always use industrial cleaning products, like MadaCide, to clean up the massage bed,, arm rests, chairs, and their entire station.

  • For decades, the industry has worked to prove that tattooing is a clean and safe practice, therefore we don’t need any reckless or lazy artists ruining things for the artists trying to create a professional environment;

If you see them using Clorox wipes, run. 3. There is No Autoclave. While some tattooers today use disposable cartridges for a rotary machine, many artists still use metal tubes with a coil machine. Of course, artists should no better than to reuse their needles, however, they all reuse the metal tube that holds the needle in place. 4. They Don’t Use Clip Cord Covers. A clip cord connects the tattoo machine to the power source and it should always be wrapped in plastic. During the set up process, an artist will put a plastic sleeve over the cord to ensure proper sanitation during the tattoo.

  1. Artists use what is called an autoclave to sanitize their tubes, which is a machine used by hospitals to  sterilize medical instruments;
  2. If you see an artist using metal tubes, be sure to ask if they have an autoclave on site;

And this goes without saying but an artist should use a new cover for every single tattoo. 5. They Don’t Wrap Their Tattoo Machines or Green Soap Bottles. Tattooers reuse their green soap bottles and machines every day, however, they always need to ensure that their supplies are wrapped in plastic. Some artists use special bags to wrap their bottles, while others prefer using saran wrap. 6. They Don’t Use Distilled Water. In order to prevent the spread of bacteria, artists should always use distilled water in their rinse cup. You should never see a tattooer filling up their rinse cup in the sink. 7. They Don’t Use Bed Covers. During the tattoo, there should always be a bed cover or layer of saran wrap between you and the massage bed or arm rest. This keeps your fresh tattoo away from anything that might harm it and it makes the cleanup process a bit easier for the artist. 8. They Don’t Display Their Bloodborne Pathogens Certificate. All states require some type of certification that ensures an artist has completed their bloodborne pathogens and infection control training. You should also check if their certificate is up to date and hasn’t expired. 9. There is Trash Everywhere. If there is trash all over the shop or if the trash can is overflowing, this is a sign that the shop may not be clean. There should never be open food around an artist’s station while they’re tattooing and if an artist is handling trash, they need to change their gloves before handling any tattoo equipment or a client. 10. They Don’t Use Pre-Packaged Needles or Disposable Cartridges. This is a big one and it should be a no brainer. Under no circumstances should a tattooer use an unpackaged or worse, a used needle to do a tattoo. Even if a tattoo artist is doing another tattoo on the same client, they need to change their needles. 11. They Have a Dirty Bathroom. You can tell a lot about a person’s cleanliness based on the state of their bathroom. A shop should be clean from the moment you step through the door to the bathroom in the back, with no exceptions. If a bathroom is visibly dirty or smells bad, then they may not be up to code in the sanitation department. 12. They Don’t Change Out Their Gloves. Seriously, do we even need to explain this one? An artist should obviously be using a new pair of gloves between every tattoo, however, they also need to change their gloves if they touch anything outside of the sterilized station.

  • Either will suffice as long as they’re new for each and every tattoo;
  • Also, “people shouldn’t unwrap an armrest to make for a better photo of the tattoo resting on it;
  • ” says Joice Wang of Grit N Glory;
  • Seriously, if you notice needles out of the package, get the hell out of there;

And if their gloves tear during the tattoo, it’s time for a new pair. 13. They Use Expired Ink. This may be a bit tricker to detect, however, if an ink has really gone bad you will be able to see the ink separating in the bottle and a layer of oil forming on the top. “Remember, ink expires a year after opening the bottle” says Saga Anderson of Boss Tattoo.

What do tattoo artists use to wipe ink off?

What Do Tattoo Artists Use to Wipe Ink Off? – Green soap is the go-to for most tattoo artists out there as it’s a medical-level soap that’s fragrance-free and environmentally friendly. This should be applied via a spray bottle and diluted before use.

  • Using a spray bottle will remove the need to directly touch your skin, keeping things more hygienic;
  • However, it could be that you’re allergic to some of the ingredients in green soap;
  • If so, the below alternatives also do a great job of keeping the skin clean before, during, and after the tattoo procedure: Hydrogen Peroxide: This is a product that’s used to disinfect the skin but will remove excess ink when tattooing;

Be careful when using it as it will also lighten the tattoo and possibly remove it. Sterilized Water: This is great to use if you’re allergic to any other ingredients. Make sure that you’re not using tap or bottled water as a cheaper alternative. Alcohol mixed with Carrier Oil: This is great to use to remove excess ink and care for your skin.