
Natural tattoo inks are rapidly increasing in popularity because people are realizing that many tattoo inks contain heavy and toxic metals that can cause allergic reactions as well as long term health effects although there have been no definitive studies on the subject. A lot ink has been shown to contain lead and although the FDA does have an approved level of intake a 3x5 tattoo contains twice that level, and it is under the skin and not ingested.
Natural tattoo inks are a little bit more difficult to find than standard inks but it is well worth it. Black natural ink is the easiest to find and is commonly used by many tattoo artists. Blues and greens can be found with natural materials but it is very difficult to find a good red or orange ink that is all natural. Check with local tattoo parlors because most places have a talented artist that chooses to only work with natural inks.
Most new natural tattoo inks are made from plant compounds which can fade over time. One bonus they have over regular ink is that although they are permanent they can be easily removed with a laser much easier than a traditional tattoo. Metallic and fluorescent inks are definitely not natural and should be avoided if a natural approach is used.