The science and business of keeping fresh tattoos healthy has grown and evolved to become a major part of the industry.

When I got my first tattoo in the year 2000, the tattoo healing process and aftercare education was rudimentary. After dry healing my first two pieces, I used an antibacterial nappy rash cream made for babies.

The aftercare process wasn’t much more than the following:

• Clean off the excess ink and blood with a clean paper towel
• Apply some green soap
• Keep the new piece of artwork wrapped for a few hours with cling film
• Keep the tattoo clean and out of the sun and water

More thought and product development has gone into tattoo healing and aftercare- and skin care in general -to give your skin and ink a better opportunity to thrive forever.

The following product article will focus on the 9 best soap for tattoos. Some are specific washes developed specifically for the tattoo industry, while others are for more multipurpose uses that are greatly effective at cleaning newly tattooed skin.

1. H2Ocean Blue Green Foam Soap

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Blue Green Foam Soap is formulated to wash your freshly tattooed without causing skin irritation, excessive damage to the ink, or dry skin.

Replace harsh, skin irritating soaps with the Blue Green Foam Soap to ensure a better tattoo healing experience.

H2Ocean is antimicrobial, antibacterial and fragrance free. It contains aloe vera and minerals and is designed to moisturize the skin while disinfecting the fresh tattoo.

Key Info:

• 1.7 fluid ounce
• Active ingredient Benzalkonium Chloride 0.13%
• Vegan friendly
• Paraben free
• Price: $$$

2. Pre de Provence Artisanal French Soap Bar

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Back in the late naughties I had a Kiwi tattooist named Jimmy do a couple of tattoo script pieces for me, and he swore that using extra virgin olive oil was the best way to heal tattoos and maintain good aftercare.