The regulation only allows black or grey to be used.
According to a poll carried out by TNS-Ilres in 2016, about half of Luxembourgers under the age of 25 have at least one tattoo.
Since this year, REACH (the new EU regulation) has outlawed the use and sale of about 4,000 substances. This is due to fears that they may cause allergies or cancer. This ban means most tattoo colors are no longer allowed, and red and green will be soon added.
However, there will soon be new colors on the tattoo market. Marion Thill, however, stated that although the change is exciting for some artists, it may not appeal to all. “The new colours have twice the cost and so we need to purchase new sets of equipment for our staff.” The new colors are also quickly selling out.
Thill expressed support for the changes in general but highlighted that there are still many open questions such as the longevity of the new colour sets. It is not surprising that tattoos with old colours increased in demand towards the end last year.