When you get a new tattoo, you’re usually handed a tiny packet of balm and told, “Use this for a few days.”
Nobody questions it.
It’s just what tattoo studios have always done.
But here’s the truth that artists rarely explain:
Your tattoo aftercare product determines whether your ink heals clean… or ends up dull, dry, or inflamed.
And balms, especially the petroleum-heavy ones are often the worst choice for tattooed skin.
Here’s what your artist probably didn’t tell you (and why tattoo oil, especially sesame-based oil, is the superior option).
1. Tattoo Balms Sit on Top of the Skin
Most balms are thick, waxy, and occlusive.
They create a seal that traps heat, sweat, and bacteria under the surface.
This can lead to:
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redness
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irritation
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clogged pores
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breakouts around the tattoo
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slower healing
Your skin is trying to breathe.
Most balms work against that.
Tattoo oil works with the skin.
2. Tattoo Oil Actually Absorbs Into the Dermis
Your tattoo ink sits in the dermis, the middle layer of skin.
Balms never reach that layer.
They are surface-level only.
But high-quality oils like sesame oil penetrate deeply, delivering nourishment where your skin actually needs it.
That’s why tattoo oil:
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speeds up healing
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reduces redness
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softens scabbing
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minimizes itching
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supports smoother, more even healing
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keeps pigment crisp and vibrant
Oils don’t just sit there.
They do something.
3. Petroleum Jelly Is the Fastest Way to Trap Bacteria
Many commercial tattoo balms rely on petroleum jelly as the base.
Petroleum may protect a cut…
But on a fresh tattoo?
It traps:
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sweat
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heat
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dirt
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bacteria from clothing or bedsheets
This can trigger inflammation, rash, or “bubbled” healing.
Your tattoo deserves better than a jar of processed petroleum by-products.
4. Sesame Oil Mimics Your Skin’s Natural Sebum
Here’s the magic of sesame oil, the base of your Kavai Tattoo Oil:
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It’s nearly identical to the molecular profile of human sebum
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It absorbs instead of sitting on top
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It strengthens the skin barrier
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It is naturally antibacterial + anti-inflammatory
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It calms redness immediately
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It reduces dryness and peeling during healing
This is why cultures have used sesame oil for thousands of years to heal skin.
Your tattoo simply responds better to what the body recognizes.
5. Oils Support the Skin’s Natural Healing Intelligence
Oils don’t disrupt your microbiome.
Balms often do.
Oils don’t suffocate the skin.
Balms often do.
Oils don’t cause pore blockage.
Balms often do.
Oils also help regulate your inflammatory response — the same process responsible for:
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swelling
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irritation
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redness
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delayed healing
Your tattoo heals faster and cleaner with oils.
6. Oils Keep Old Tattoos Looking Brighter Too
Balms are designed for the first few days.
Tattoo oil is designed for the life of the tattoo.
Sesame oil revives dull ink by:
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strengthening the skin barrier
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deepening color
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reducing chronic redness
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improving texture
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bringing back clarity and detail
Old tattoos LOVE oils — especially sesame.
7. Why Kiwi Glow Kavai Outperforms Tattoo Balms
Because Kavai isn’t filled with fillers or waxes.
It’s made of:
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raw, cold-pressed sesame oil
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vetiver for calming and grounding
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citrus oils to energize the skin
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zero synthetics
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zero petroleum
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zero preservatives
Pure ingredients = pure results.
Your tattoo shouldn’t smell like chemicals or end up coated in wax.
It should be nourished, protected, and supported naturally.
The Bottom Line
Tattoo balms became popular because they are cheap to produce and easy to store.
But that doesn’t make them the best choice for your skin — or your ink.
Tattoo oil, especially sesame-based oil, is:
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cleaner
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safer
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more absorbable
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better for pigment
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better for healing
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better for long-term tattoo vibrancy
Kavai Tattoo Oil isn’t a trend.
It’s the way tattoo aftercare should feel.
Light, clean, deeply nourishing, and naturally protective.