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What is the best tattoo aftercare cream?
Also, which is the best tattoo cream for tattoos after they’re healed?
Those are just a few of the questions we’ll answer with our article today.
You probably know that using a good tattoo cream is a crucial part of your tattoo aftercare products. The issue is that a lot of products fall short.
Luckily we have the experience and expertise to help you choose the right product It is also important to choose the right aftercare product for your skin type.
Read on to find out the best tattoo aftercare creams and which ones we recommend avoiding. Some products may slow down the tattoo healing process or damage your tattoo.
If you don’t want to read the full article then check out our favorite products in the table below.
Perhaps you’ve heard that Vaseline is good for new tattoos. That’s not true.
Vaseline forms a barrier that seals in the daily moisture cream and prevents air from getting to your skin.
This can cause your tattoo to heal more slowly or even become infected.
On the other hand, it’s probably safe to put coconut oil on a healing tattoo.
Coconut oil is a traditional remedy that’s been studied in modern times. It has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties.
But the best cream for new tattoos may be something as unexpected as diaper cream.
A word about petrolatum in creams for tattoo aftercare
Some tattoo artists will tell you that creams with petrolatum may leach the new ink from your new tattoo.
Greasy, heavy lotions may also cause problems by not allowing air to reach your skin.
When in doubt, choose a tattoo aftercare cream.
Once the tattoo artist has finished, they’ll wrap your skin in a sterile bandage. Leave that alone for at least two or three hours so that the bleeding stops.
Next, when you remove the bandage, let the skin air out a bit. Don’t get it wet.
The swelling may take up to two days to go down. If you notice that your tattoo continues to ooze or produce pus, contact your doctor about treating the infection.
Now that you’ve allowed it to settle down and dry a bit, it’s time to wash it with mild antibacterial soap. Splash water on it and carefully smooth the soap over the skin. Never scrub or rub so that you don’t wash out the new ink in the tattoo.
Once you’ve gently pat it dry with a towel, you can apply tattoo moisturizer and aftercare cream.
Stay patient and repeat the washing and moisturizing twice a day until the scabs are gone and the skin is healed.
A black ink tattoo stays crisp and clear for longer than any other color. Blue and purple also fade slowly.
Meanwhile, red and pink are more prone to fading. But yellow, green, and orange are harder to care for yet.
Finally, white ink tattoos are most likely to fade in a short amount of time.
But applying the best cream for old tattoos helps revive the colors. Rich moisturizers that boost the skin’s softness will help. Try Hustle Butter, After Inked, or Skinfix products.
Most importantly, remember to apply sunscreen, too. This prevents UV rays from dimming the pigment.
Related Reading: How Long Should I Keep My Tattoo Wrapped?
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The tattoo artist will apply an ointment and wrap your tattoo before you leave the studio. They should give you instructions on how to care for it.
Most likely they’ll suggest leaving the bandage on for a few hours. Once you remove it, you’ll wash it with a tattoo antibacterial soap and pat it dry.
Next, for the first couple of days, apply a thin layer of ointment or cream daily to prevent infection, and encourage healing.
Surprisingly, this diaper cream is one of the top recommendations. Bepanthen reduces irritation and redness, soothes itching, and accelerates healing. This is one of the best creams out there.
It’s also free from artificial fragrances, dyes, and preservatives
After Inked’s moisturizing tattoo lotion made an appearance on Inked Masters. Inked tattoo moisturizer is vegan and tested by dermatologists to be hypoallergenic for sensitive skin.
Although it contains ingredients from around the world, this tattoo aftercare cream is blended and packaged in the USA.
It features grapeseed oil that’s proven to boost healing. The humectants and emollients keep the skin soft and speed up healing. This is one of the tattoo aftercare creams out there.
At the same time, it has Vitamin C and amino acids to make old ink vibrant again.
Hustle Butter is one of the most popular tattoo aftercare products. Not only can you use Hustle butter to protect your new tattoo, but a tattoo artist might apply it to prepare the skin before inking.
It doesn’t have petroleum, so it lets the skin breathe. It also lacks parabens.
The blend of natural ingredients like shea and mango butter, coconut oil, and Vitamin E condition the skin to prevent infection and scarring. This also is one of the finest tattoo aftercare creams out there.
Hustle Butter is all-around useful in the studio and at home. If you’re in doubt as to which moisturizer to get, you can’t go wrong with this one.
– The Team’s take
H2Ocean’s Aquatat is FDA-approved and contains pharmaceutical-grade ingredients. It’s a fragrance-free ointment rich in nutrients and antioxidants that stimulate the healing process.
Make sure you apply just a little and it goes a long way. Also make sure you apply this tattoo aftercare cream daily for the first couple of days, then switch to a lightweight tattoo aftercare cream to complete the healing process.
Skinfix is used by tattoo artists and recommended by dermatologists. It won’t leach ink from tattoos or alter the color.
Once you apply a thin layer, it melts into the skin. It won’t leave the surface greasy.
Plus, it doesn’t have gluten, soy, perfume, petrolatum, lanolin, parabens, or phthalates.
This may be the best tattoo aftercare cream to keep your tattoo bright in the future, too.
Aquaphor healing ointment is sometimes applied by tattoo artists on tattoos. It forms a protective barrier that keeps out germs and seals in daily moisture cream.
Although it’s fine for the first couple of days, it’s not the best choice for daily long-term moisturization.
Part of the problem is that it’s somewhat greasy and based on artificial components like petrolatum and essential oils. It may end up trapping germs and too much moisture, causing an infection.
Weleda may not have made their Light Nourishing Cream for healing tattoos, but it’s actually ideal. When you’re ready to switch to a lightweight tattoo aftercare cream (after the first three days or so), try this one.
The formula is based on plant extracts like chamomile, calendula, and pansy. These help the skin to recover and stop itching.
Moreover, there are no synthetic fragrances, preservatives, parabens, or phthalates in it. It’s a certified natural tattoo lotion. Looking for the best tattoo aftercare cream? This surely fits the bracket.
Yes, Lubriderm advanced therapy for dry skin makes aftercare cream for tattoos. It moisturizes for up to twenty-four hours after you put it on. It’s also free of synthetic perfumes, and it doesn’t feel greasy.
But if you check the label of the Lubiderm daily moisture, you’ll see that it has petrolatum and mineral oil.
If you’re trying to avoid these ingredients, look for a different tattoo aftercare cream other than the lubiderm daily moisture.
Vanicream also includes petrolatum in its fragrance-free aftercare tattoo lotion. But on the upside, this is a product that has the Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association. It’s specially made for sensitive skin.
In fact, it avoids almost as many irritants as it contains ingredients. If you need to skip dyes, fragrances, masking fragrances, lanolin, parabens, formaldehyde, and formaldehyde releasers, this cream is for you.
On the downside, you can probably find other products that do more than simply moisturize.
CeraVe daily moisturizing cream has an advantage over Vanicream as it moisturizes plus provides ceramides to support healthy skin. Ceramides aid the skin in maintaining a protective barrier.
Also, this cream is fragrance-free.
H2Ocean makes a water-based cream that doesn’t have petroleum or fragrances in it. It features ingredients like Vitamin E, aloe, and jojoba oil to soothe and moisturize your healing tattoo.
Additionally, this is a good cream for reviving the color of old tattoos.
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Tattoo Goo’s salve is useful even after your tattoo has healed. It’s also good for chapped lips, scrapes, and mild sunburn. Just a little spreads nicely over a large area.
There is no petroleum, lanolin, or mineral oil that suffocates your skin or clogs your pores. It won’t stain clothing, either.
A glance at the label shows that it has natural healing ingredients like olive oil, beeswax, cocoa butter, lavender, and rosemary.
Dr. Pickles comes from Down Under. It’s made in Australia from natural ingredients like beeswax, coconut oil, and vitamins instead of petroleum.
As a result, it doesn’t feel greasy, but it moisturizes well also it will help keep the tattoo looking fresh.
This balm not only takes care of your new tattoo, but it’s also safe to use after piercings and tattoo removal.
One other benefit is that the company offers a money-back guarantee.
Badger created their balm from organic coconut and tamanu oils. It’s a vitamin-rich salve that conditions the skin and keeps the tattoo crisp and clear. Use it on new ink or old.
Ora’s Tattoo Salve only requires a thin layer to protect and nourish tattoos and other wounds. It stops itching and won’t make the new ink bleed.
It contains no dyes, perfumes, parabens, lanolin, gluten, or mineral oil. But this is not fragrance-free Instead, the mild fragrance comes from the essential oils of tea tree, rosemary, and cedar.
With grape seed oil, calendula, comfrey, coconut oils, and other organic ingredients, this cream encourages quick healing and keeps the skin soft.
It has anti-inflammatory properties and is perfect for all skin types also it will help keep the tattoo looking fresh.
Tattoo Goo’s lotion is approved by dermatologists for use on your face and other sensitive areas. It features panthenol and olive oil but no petrolatum or lanolin.
Therefore, it absorbs fast and doesn’t leave a residue on the surface. This is one of the finest aftercare products out there for any skin type.
If you apply this to old tattoos, it revives the color.
Cetaphil’s daily moisturizing lotion is often recommended by dermatologists, and it’s a top choice for users with sensitive skin. It’s mild enough to use anywhere on your body, including your face.
Not only is it fragrance-free, but it contains Vitamin B5and E to promote healing.
The Cicaplast Repairing Balm is based on glycerin and shea butter, not petroleum or lanolin. It’s a fragrance-free and paraben-free lotion.
The formula is expressly for healing irritation and dryness. It’s gentle enough for faces, and it won’t clog pores.
Era Organics’ baby balm is an ideal lotion for delicate skin. It soothes itchiness and helps the skin to recover as soon as possible.
Besides that, it reduces inflammation, it’s naturally antimicrobial, and it improves circulation. Some of the highlights include chamomile, calendula, and avocado oil.
Parents use this for cradle caps and diaper rash on their children. Adults use it for chapped lips. And some folks with tattoos use it to help heal their skin faster.
If that third category applies to you, just remember you only need a thin layer of the cream.
We’ve been asked if you can use Aveeno daily moisturizing lotion aftercare products for tattoos.
Yes, you can – just choose the lotion for sensitive skin. It is a fragrance-free lotion.
Although it has petrolatum, it’s fourth on the list of ingredients also it’s blended up with natural colloidal oatmeal and rich emollients, you’ll discover the anti-inflammatory activities of colloidal oatmeal.
As you shop for a tattoo aftercare lotion, stick to ones that are fragrance-free because you’re putting them on an open wound.
Pick one with plenty of nourishing ingredients and moisturizers. Then remember to faithfully apply it each time you wash your skin.
If you found a lotion that you enjoyed using to care for a new tattoo, please let us know in the comments below.
We wish you all the best – enjoy your new tattoo!
Also Read: When Can I Scratch My Tattoo?
Resources:
1. https://www.healthline.com/health/vaseline-for-tattoo Written by Kristeen Cherney,
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/coconut-oil-on-tattoo Written by
Last update on 2025-07-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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