Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. This means that at no cost to you, we may earn a small commission for qualifying purchases.
We’re often asked, “What’s the best tattoo healing cream to put on a new tattoo?”
Since you have a wound on your body, it’s crucial to keep it clean and moisturized.
After you’ve washed it, use one of the best tattoo healing creams.
Consult with your tattoo artists about recommended natural tattoo aftercare products, or see our reviews below.
We’ll help you to choose a water-based moisturizer that keeps itching and scabbing to a minimum so that you can heal faster.
If you don’t want to read the full article then check out our favorite products in the table below.
Your tattoo artist might apply Saniderm tattoo balm and a Saniderm bandage before you leave the studio.
It’s one of the best popular tattoo aftercare solutions on the market.
We like Saniderm tattoo balm for many reasons. Make sure you apply this anti-inflammatory cream gently and this works for all skin types.
First, this tattoo balm comes in a twist-up applicator that keeps the cream sanitary. This tattoo balm is effortless to apply without making a mess.
Second, it’s made without parabens or other artificial preservatives. It’s based on sea buckthorn, an excellent source of Omega fatty acids to repair the skin. This is one of the finest tattoo aftercare products or rather is the best tattoo healing creams in the market.
Third, we found that it calms itchy skin.
If you’d like to give it a try, the company offers a money-back guarantee if you don’t love their product.
Bepanthen cream is another popular treatment for tattoos.
Yes, it’s diaper cream. But it also heals cuts, sunburn, and bug bites.
You only need a thin layer as it’s rather greasy and thick.
A&D is based on 93% white petrolatum, USP pharmaceutical-grade. Other ingredients include liquid paraffin, lavender oil, and Vitamins A and D.
This version does not have lanolin from animal sources as it may provoke allergies for some people.
It seals in moisture and prevents bacteria from getting into wounds. But please be careful to only put on a little each time so that your skin can breathe. We feel this is one of the best tattoo healing creams to have come out.
Aquaphor advanced therapy healing cream comes in jars and tubes. We prefer the tube as it’s sanitary and protects the cream from contamination.
Dermatologists recommend it to patients with dehydrated, cracked skin. It’s based on 41% petrolatum, but it’s not greasy or sticky like Vaseline. It absorbs much better than that.
Still, though, just a little goes a long way.
It also has glycerin and panthenol to keep your skin soft and nourished while it heals.
Hustle Butter deluxe is a favorite tool of tattoo designers around the world.
They use it to prepare the skin for inking as it allows their hand to glide smoothly as they work. It won’t clog tubes or mess up stencils, either.
As for our clients, Hustle Butter reduces swelling and redness during the new tattoo inking.
Since it’s very healing, it also helps the skin heal quickly after you get a tattoo.
The creamy texture comes from vegan ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, green tea, Vitamin E, and mint oil.
Even long after your tattoo has healed, you can use Hustle Butter to keep the colors bright.
H2Ocean makes both this moisturizer and the aftercare cream below.
Use the Aquatat for the first two or three days after you get a tattoo. Then switch to the cream to continue the healing process.
This moisturizer has a few essential qualities to consider. Not only is it FDA-approved to protect the skin, but it’s also made with pharmaceutical-grade ingredients.
Moreover, it’s lightweight, fragrance-free, and doesn’t contain mineral oil.
The H2Ocean Care Cream is also fragrance-free and made with vegan-friendly ingredients.
It won’t make your clothes stick to your skin while your tattoo is healing.
Use it up to five times a day to promote healing and prevent scab formation and itchiness.
Do you want to know the best tattoo aftercare cream to keep a tattoo from fading? It’s probably this one from After Inked tattoo moisturizer. And you’ve seen it in action on new Ink Masters.
You can use it to help new tattoos heal and keep old tattoos bright and colorful.
This daily moisturizer isn’t sticky or greasy. It’s fragrance-free and based on natural ingredients like grape seed oil and shea butter. We feel this is one of the finest tattoo aftercare creams out there.
The vegan-friendly formula doesn’t have gluten, parabens, or petroleum jelly or any kind of petroleum based product.
Furthermore, it comes in a compact tube that fits in a pocket and keeps the product sterile. Make sure you apply this dermatologist-tested cream on the tattooed area, which is anti-inflammatory and works fine for all skin types.
Tattoo Goo is free of lanolin and petroleum jelly. It proves that you don’t need either of those ingredients to heal the skin quickly. One of the best tattoo creams out there in the market.
It’s ideal if you have sensitive skin because it doesn’t have a fragrance, either.
But it does have healthy doses of Vitamins A and D. It helps to keep your skin soft and won’t clog pores.
Use it for the first few days before you switch to the salve.
The Tattoo Goo Salve is best for continuing the healing process and keeping tattoos vibrant.
It’s based on beeswax, olive oil, cocoa butter, and Vitamin E. It also has lavender and rosemary to avoid infection and boost healing.
Rub it into inked skin and use it for chapped lips, too.
Although it’s free of petroleum, mineral oil, and lanolin oil, it has an artificial dye.
Ora’s Herbal Salve is made in small batches by a family business. It avoids synthetic ingredients like petroleum, mineral oil, and artificial fragrances. What’s more, it doesn’t have lanolin or gluten.
The natural scent comes from rosemary, cedar, and tea tree. Other natural elements, like comfrey and calendula, alleviate itching.
Meanwhile, it helps to keep the skin supple with grape seed oil and coconut oil. The formula also guards the fresh ink against leaching.
What’s the difference between Lubriderm’s unscented regular Tattoo cream and the Tattoo Daily Care Tattoo cream below?
It’s hard to see at first glance.
They’re both water-based moisturizers that hydrate for 24 hours after you apply them.
But the regular version contains parabens, a type of preservative that might interfere with the endocrine system of the body.
Meanwhile, the Lubriderm Tattoo cream made for tattoo care doesn’t have parabens. This also tops our list for the best healing tattoo cream.
It’s rich in skin conditioners like soybean seed extract and glycerin, plus petrolatum and mineral oil. The Vitamin B5 aftercare strengthens your skin’s natural barrier against moisture loss also Vitamin B5 protects against any kind of infection.
It’s also fragrance-free.
Urban ReLeaf’s holistic moisturizer contains soothing natural ingredients like raw shea butter, lavender, tea tree, and rosemary essential oils.
It absorbs quickly and won’t clog pores or pull ink out of the skin. Within moments, it smooths dry skin and relieves itching.
Better Beauty Product’s Tattoo Butter is kind to your skin and the environment.
It’s made with fair-trade-certified shea butter and sunflower oil, too. Both are packed with vitamins and nutrients to restore your skin to health without harming the ink.
Redemption’s aftercare cream is nearly 100% natural. It’s loaded with natural remedies like castor oil, cocoa butter, calendula butter, arnica, chamomile, and rosemary.
Although the texture is similar to petrolatum-based products, there is no petroleum, mineral oil, or parabens in it.
The formula is nourishing for new tattoos and old alike. This aftercare product is one of the finest out there.
Platinum Rose is scented with English Rose oil, so it may not be everyone’s first choice.
Like similar tattoo balms, it can also help heal sunburn, cuts, and dry skin.
It contains shea butter, avocado oil, cocoa, and aloe butter, plus Vitamin E. These ingredients lessen irritation and redness.
You can prep your skin before your next tattoo by using this moisturizer each day before you see the tattoo artist. This aftercare product works perfectly fine on sensitive skin.
Fisticuffs smells like peppermint. Let it melt a little bit in your hand before you rub it into your skin.
It stops the swelling and itching and guards against infection with eucalyptus, peppermint, lavender, and frankincense.
Viking Revolution makes some of the best beard balms, so it’s no surprise they also provide this beneficial tattoo cream.
They know you’re anxious to have your tattoo heal see you can get back to regular life. Therefore, they offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Some of the critical components include grape seed oil, shea butter, German chamomile, marigold, and Vitamin E.
Barker’s Tattoo balm doubles as lip balm, Tattoo cream, and cuticle treatment. It’s based on natural coconut oil and olive oil, plus waxes like carnauba, jojoba, and beeswax.
It’s made in the USA from local ingredients.
Melao comes in a tin like many other tattoo balms. That’s one reason why we recommend you use tattoo cream in a tube or pump-top bottle for the first few days. An open container is subject to contamination.
This product is made with shea butter, mango, soy oil, grape seed oil extract, and vitamin E. which keep your tattoo non greasy and there is no petrolatum.
Clients want to know Aveeno’s unscented Tattoo cream on new tattoos.
Yes, they can.
After all, it’s made to heal the skin with oat extract and shea butter. This aftercare cream strengthens your skin’s natural barrier against moisture loss
As always, apply a small amount after washing. This is one of the best tattoo healing creams out there.
Here’s a bonus tip for you.
Use a painkilling antibacterial soap while you heal to cut down on how much it hurts and itches.
Aspercreme sprays out of a pump top bottle. It has lidocaine, a topical anesthetic. Use it on broken skin for maximum effect – otherwise, it won’t work.
Once you’ve rinsed and dried, use the tattoo healing cream of your choice. The numbing effects last for a little while afterward.
Each time you wash your skin put cream on your tattoo.
At a minimum, do this twice a day – morning and night. But you should wash and moisturize again if you get sweaty or dirty.
The cream seals in moisture and protects against infection, but it lets the skin breathe.
Tattoo healing creams contain nourishment for injured skin. Plus, they keep the new ink from leeching and fading.
For ultimate tattoo protection, wash with one of the best antibacterial soaps.
Once you go home with your new tattoo, and you remove the bandage from the tattoo, wash your skin gently.
Use lukewarm or cool water, but don’t submerge the new ink. Don’t even allow the stream of water to hit the skin.
Instead, use clean hands to splash water on the tattoo. Wash carefully with antibacterial soap and rinse.
Then pat dry with a soft towel. Don’t rub even if you’re itchy.
Apply healing cream with a gentle massage. Don’t press hard.
Let the ointment absorb before you put on clothing or cover the tattoo.
Continue to use a thicker cream to boost healing during the first three days before you switch to a fragrance-free tattoo cream and is the best tattoo cream.
Don’t go swimming for at least one or two weeks, and keep your new ink out of the sun. Once your skin has healed, you can wear sunscreen .
Avoid picking scabs to prevent scars, damage to the new ink, and infection.
There’s quite a bit of debate over whether it’s better to use a product with petrolatum or one based on plant oils.
For example, coconut oil has proven to be healing for skin infections.
If you choose to use a product with petrolatum, pick one with pure pharmaceutical-grade white petrolatum. It will have something like “White petrolatum USP” on the label.
Then only apply a thin layer as it makes a barrier that might stop the skin from breathing.
Now let’s look at reviews of the best healing creams for tattoos.
Healing creams for tattoos get you back to regular life as quickly as possible.
They reduce redness and irritation and promote quick healing.
The moisture they provide is essential to minimize scabbing.
If you’ve discovered a new favorite tattoo cream, let us know in the comments below.
Resources:
1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/tattoos-and-piercings/art-20045067
2. https://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/2014-05/treatment-dermal-infections-topical-coconut-oil by Lindsey K. Elmore, et al.,
Last update on 2024-09-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Join our newsletter for the latest updates!
