BJ Betts

"Twenty plus years ago, when I first started tattooing, there were only a few black inks that were available, which is what we all used. Those inks had a very distinct look and made an amazing grey wash, which healed on the cooler side of the spectrum. Fast forward years later and I was unhappy with almost all of the black inks on the market, so I started using my own mix, trying to replicate what I loved so much about the ink I used to use. I wanted something darker, denser, something that ran very fast, but didn't clog up your tubes and wipes clean. That mix turned into what is now Formula 23 and is used by some of the BEST tattooers in the world. Not because they're my friends, but because it's a great product. Now, because it's such a dense black ink, I'm frequently asked about how to break it down into a grey wash, and here's your answer." — BJ Betts