From the red carpet to the runway, tattoos have become fashion’s ultimate accessory, worn proudly by Hollywood icons, NBA champions, and music magnates. But behind the glossy ink and celebrity-approved designs, there’s a darker story. According to a report published in Science Alert, more than 80% tattoo inks contain unlisted ingredients and are questionable manufactured.
Now, celebrity tattoo artist Mario Barth, whose clients include Silvester Stallone, Lenny Kravitz, Usher, and Jason Derulo, is sounding the alarm and calling for consumer education before purchasing Tattoo pigment in an industry that touches millions.
Barth isn’t just another artist. He’s the founder of INTENZE Products, a pioneer in tattoo safety, and the first to open a tattoo shop on the Las Vegas Strip. He’s been featured in Forbes and Inc. magazines noting his business acumen and pioneering drive to improve and standardize the industry. With new studios spanning Europe and the U.S. and the largest portfolio of tattooing interests in the world, he’s built a reputation as the go-to artist for celebrities and athletes who want vegan ink that’s as safe as it is striking.
His message now: artistry should never come at the expense of health.
“Tattooing is an art form I’ve dedicated my life to. It’s an industry that has grown dramatically and has to evolve. For too long, safety has been an afterthought. I created INTENZE to prove that inks can be clean, transparent, and traceable without sacrificing artistry. If we want this craft to thrive for future generations, we need to hold ourselves accountable and demand higher standards,” Barth explained.
What Science Reveals About Tattoo Ink
Recent studies, including one from Jonn Swierk from the Department of Chemistry at Binghamton University that was published in the journal Analytical Chemistry are raising red flags about what’s really going into our skin. Heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, nickel, and cadmium, substances already banned in cosmetics, were discovered in pigments used by artists worldwide.
“Most people assume tattoo ink is tightly regulated, but the reality is quite the opposite. Studies show alarming levels of undisclosed and potentially harmful ingredients and unsafe manufacturing practices without any control or guidelines, yet clients rarely think to ask the most important question “What’s going under my skin?” especially coming from the Chinese market and are being sold freely on multiple platforms including Amazon and similar places. Raising awareness is essential. We’re not discouraging tattoos quite the opposite. We want to make sure they’re done safely and responsibly,” says Frank L. Stile, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon who has seen patients with complications from unsafe tattoo inks.
Scientists have also found that these compounds don’t always stay put. Particles can migrate to lymph nodes, linger in the skin for decades, or react unpredictably to sunlight and especially during laser removal. While some toxicology reports suggest exposure may fall below traditional risk thresholds, experts warn that no one truly knows the long-term consequences of permanently embedding these compounds beneath human skin especially coming from overseas.
Mario Barth
Why Inks Are Poorly Regulated
Unlike lipstick or foundation, tattoo inks exist in a regulatory gray zone. In the U.S., pigments are technically classified as cosmetics, which means brands aren’t required to prove safety or disclose ingredients before going to market. Oversight typically kicks in only after adverse reactions surface. Across the Atlantic, the EU enforces stricter rules that are banning thousands of substances outright, yet even there, testing continues to uncover widespread violations. Globally, the $1.4 billion tattoo pigment industry operates with shockingly few checks and balances.
Barth is working to rewrite the rules. He developed the first Patented REACH compliant Tattoo Ink ensuring strict EU standards and manufactures in the only double ISO-certified and monitored pigment facility in this industry. Meaning, creating a clean pigment line, has been sterilized, batch-tested, and fully traceable from start to finish. But despite these advances, most clients never think to ask what’s in their ink, and many artists still struggle to find products with transparent, certified-safe ingredients and are overloaded with product lines which lack proper product safety data support at least.
What You Can Do Before Your Next Tattoo
Think of tattoo ink the way you would a medical implant: permanent, invasive, and worth doing your homework on. Before sitting down in the chair, ask your artist where their ink comes from and request to see the safety data sheets. Look for EU-compliant, vegan, sterilized pigments with batch traceability. These markers signal a higher level of quality and transparency. And if the answers feel vague or dismissive? Walk away. The most ethical, reputable artists won’t just welcome these questions – they’ll expect them.
Presnted by: APG
