How to Choose a Lotion for Your Tattoo
Start with your tattoo's stage, then compare the product's intended use, fragrance, texture and ingredient list. The right choice for daily moisturizing is not automatically the right choice for a fresh tattoo.
- Fresh or still-healing tattoo: follow your tattoo artist's aftercare instructions and the directions for the specific product. Do not use Mad Rabbit Daily Lotion during this stage.
- Healed tattoo: Daily Tattoo Lotion is a fragrance-free option for daily moisturizing. Check the selected size, current ingredients and directions before buying.
- Choosing between formats: use our Balm-versus-Lotion comparison to compare product fit rather than assuming one format is best for everyone.
A Quick Buying Checklist
- Check whether the product is intended for healing-stage care or daily care after healing.
- Read the fragrance labeling and full ingredient list; do not judge a formula by a single featured botanical.
- Compare the texture and format with how you plan to use it.
- Review the selected size and current price on the product page.
- Check whether you are choosing a one-time purchase or a membership offer, and read the applicable terms.
Not sure when to switch to daily care? See our guide to when to start using lotion. For Mad Rabbit Daily Lotion, healing status matters—not a fixed day on the calendar.
Is Lotion Good for Tattoos?
For Mad Rabbit Daily Lotion, wait until your tattoo has healed. It is not for fresh or still-healing tattoos. During healing, follow your tattoo artist's instructions and the directions for your aftercare product; our aftercare guide explains the distinction between those stages.
If you are looking for a good lotion (and who isn’t), then opt for a body lotion that works on tattoos as well. Look for a lightweight, fragrance-free, non-greasy moisturizer to help that new ink stay bright.
Compare lotions by their formula, texture, ingredients and intended use. Mad Rabbit does not have comparative testing that establishes its lotion is better than every conventional moisturizer.
What Are the Best Ingredients in Lotion for Tattoos?
An amazing daily moisture lotion should be well-rounded. While you could lather yourself in coconut oil and call it a day, you could miss out on the perks of using a body moisturizer that’s a bit more well-rounded with other powerful botanicals.
Nature is amazing, and modern-day science has allowed us to mix and match some of nature’s most gifted plants into our skincare routine.
If you are going to invest some money and energy into a good lotion for your body, you want something that’s giving you the most bang for your buck, right? We’re going to help you identify some ingredients you definitely want in your next body lotion.
The ingredient examples below discuss common skincare ingredients, not a verified ingredient list for every Daily Lotion size. Check the current product label for the size you choose rather than assuming that all featured ingredients occur in every formula.
Shea Butter
Shea butter has an abundance of triterpenes which help support skin health in a range of ways, particularly in the way it can deeply hydrate and moisturize skin. Shea butter’s main draw is that it’s a fat derivative and highly hydrating. Just a thin layer moisturizes dry skin and helps lock in hydration for a long-lasting, buttery feel.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera, also known as nature’s silent healer, works to soothe irritated skin, so it’s no wonder that it’s included in aftercare ointment. Aloe vera even helps to support firmer-looking skin. Aloe vera can also help with skin hydration.
Cetyl Alcohol
Cetyl alcohol is one of the oldest known fatty alcohols. Fatty alcohols are used in skincare to thicken a formula and keep it properly mixed. While you might see “alcohol” and think it would be a drying agent, cetyl alcohol can help keep skin hydrated due to its water-binding properties.
Sesame Oil
Sesame oil has antioxidative properties and is incredibly hydrophobic, which means it will form a barrier on the skin to help trap hydration inside. Sesame oil can also help to naturally soothe skin. Sesame oil is also rich in rich in vitamins A, B, and E. Vitamin E can help protect skin from UV radiation and is resistant to 30% of UV rays. It also contains several fatty acids which aid in its hydrating ability.
Chamomile
Chamomile may be a popular tea flavor, but it brings plenty of potential health benefits when included in skincare products. Chamomile contains antioxidants and terpenoids that can help soothe irritated, red skin and calm itching.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is part of the retinoid family. Vitamin A and its derivatives can help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It is the first vitamin approved by the Food and Drug Administration for its ability to help reduce the appearance of many of the signs of aging.
Wasabi
Here’s a new one. More than a spicy accompaniment to sushi, Wasabi is the latest up-and-comer in skincare products. Wasabi extract can help support firmer skin and provide a brighter, more youthful complexion.
Ingredients To Avoid in Body Lotion
First things first, know your skin. You know your body better than anyone, so if there’s something that irritates your skin or just doesn’t feel right – avoid it. We also have a few other ideas on other ingredients you might want to skip.
Artificial Fragrance
Unless something specifically lists a clean, naturally-derived scent like orange flower oil or lavender oil, your best bet to avoid potential skin irritation is to look for a fragrance-free lotion. Companies aren’t required to list fragrance ingredients and there's a chance it could be irritating to your skin.
Petroleum
Compare a product's intended use and directions rather than assuming that an ingredient category makes every formula suitable or unsuitable. Our Balm and petroleum jelly comparison is a separate guide; it is not comparative testing of Daily Lotion.
Parabens
Parabens are preservatives used in some cosmetics. For evidence about their use and safety, read the FDA's explanation of parabens in cosmetics. An ingredient exclusion alone does not establish that one lotion performs better than another.
Choosing Your Daily Care Routine
Once your tattoo has healed, choose a moisturizer whose texture and directions fit your routine. Keep moisturizing and sun protection as separate decisions; Daily Lotion is not a substitute for sunscreen.
Explore Daily Tattoo Lotion for current sizes, ingredients, directions and customer reviews. For the wider routine, see our long-term tattoo care guide.
Sources:
Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils | PMC
The Role of Moisturizers in Addressing Various Kinds of Dermatitis: A Review | PMC
Aloe Vera: Natures Silent Healer | Alasdair Barcroft & Audun Myskja
1-Hexadecanol | C16H34O | PubChem
Potential of Herbs in Skin Protection from Ultraviolet Radiation | PMC
Chamomile: A Herbal Medicine of the Past With Bright Future | PMC
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