Are The Pigments REACH-Compliant (EU Standards) Or TGA-Listed?

Opening up a conversation in my Melbourne studio, I’m often asked: are the pigments I’ll be using REACH-compliant (that is, do they meet the EU’s safety standards), or are they TGA-listed (ie. have they been approved by the Australian health regulator)? In fact, more and more of my clients are asking about ingredient safety, manufacturing standards, and overall product quality before they commit to a treatment.

As the owner of Cosmetic Tattoo Studio Melbourne Face Figurati, I actually encourage these kinds of questions because understanding what you’re putting on your skin is just as important as choosing the right shape or the right colour.

Understanding Product Safety Before Treatment

When I’m talking to clients considering a treatment, I like to explain just how important it is that the pigments used are high-quality, because that can really affect how the treatment heals, how the colour stays stable, and, basically, what the result will be.

I’ve had a lot of clients in Melbourne looking to get a lip tattoo in Melbourne who want reassurance that the pigments we use come from reputable suppliers with a strong safety track record. And while, of course, the technique used to apply the tattoo is super important too, the quality of the product you’re using is also a major factor in getting a predictable result.

How REACH Changed PMU

The permanent makeup industry has had to take safety and transparency much more seriously recently, thanks to changes to the rules in Europe.

As a result, manufacturers have had to take a closer look at what goes into their pigments, and some have even reformulated their product lines to meet the new standards.

EU Compliance In Permanent Makeup

REACH is short for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals – it’s a framework that EU countries use to keep an eye on chemical safety across various industries, including tattoo and permanent makeup.

In 2020, EU Regulation 2020/2081 was adopted, introducing restrictions on substances such as heavy metals, nickel, certain preservatives, aromatic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and various contaminants. For clients, knowing that their chosen manufacturer follows these guidelines can provide much more peace of mind.

Australian Regulations For Permanent Makeup

Now, lots of my clients assume that cosmetic tattoo pigments have to be TGA-listed (i.e. approved by the Australian health regulator) – but that’s not quite how it works here.

Most of the time, these kinds of products are actually assessed through broader chemical and safety frameworks rather than the regulations that govern therapeutic goods.

Where The Therapeutic Goods Administration Fits In

The TGA is responsible for regulating therapeutic products such as medicines and medical devices, not cosmetic tattoo pigments. That means we don’t have to follow the same guidelines as they do.

But we do have to comply with the Industrial Chemicals Act 2019, import regulations, state health guidelines, and hygiene standards.

Understanding The Difference

Feature	REACH Compliance	TGA Listing
Region	European Union	Australia
Purpose	Chemical safety regulation	Therapeutic goods regulation
Relevant To PMU Pigments	Highly relevant	Limited relevance
Focus	Ingredients and contaminants	Therapeutic products

Ingredients That Matter

For clients wondering what is in tattoo ink, I explain that ingredient quality and manufacturing standards matter just as much as the colour shown on a chart.

Heavy Metals And Contaminants

Manufacturers closely monitor substances such as:

Lead
Cadmium
Chromium
Arsenic
Mercury sulfide
Nickel

And the nickel limit is particularly important because of just how common nickel sensitivity is – one of the most common contact allergies worldwide.

Aromatic Amines And PAHs

Some Aromatic amine compounds and Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons can pop up as contaminants during the manufacturing process – but the good news is that modern regulations are pretty strict about how much of these substances are allowed to be there.

Why Particle Size And Carrier Fluids Matter

Now, I know some people might think that pigment is all about the colour, but the truth is, it’s about a lot more than that.

Things like particle size, colour concentration, how well the pigment is mixed, and the type of carrier fluid all affect how colour behaves over time, which is also relevant when understanding what causes pigment migration.

Here are some of the factors that play a part in determining how a pigment performs over the years:

Healing
Retention
Stability
Fade patterns

All these characteristics are what really make the difference in the final result.

Beauty Expert

Welcome to Cosmetic Tattoo Melbourne, where pigment quality, safety, and transparency are essential parts of every cosmetic tattoo treatment. Founded by the distinguished Olha Po of Face Figurati, our studios in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Gold Coast, Adelaide, and Perth focus on using high-quality pigments from reputable manufacturers while helping clients understand important considerations such as REACH compliance, Australian regulations, ingredient quality, and long-term colour stability. We believe knowing what goes into your skin is just as important as choosing the perfect shape and colour.

How Product Quality Influences Healed Results

At the end of the day, the real test of a pigment is how well it holds up in the long term – not just how it looks straight after the treatment.

Colour Stability And Lightfastness

When it comes to lightfastness, we’re talking about how well a pigment resists fading from UV exposure – and for people living in places like Australia, where the sunshine is pretty intense, this is especially important.

High-quality cosmetic tattoo pigments tend to deliver more reliable results in colour retention and how well the colour holds up over time.

Melbourne Lifestyle Factors That Affect Retention

When I’m recommending an eyebrow tattoo in Melbourne, one of the things I have to explain is that all sorts of things can impact how well the tattoo retains its colour – from how much sun exposure the skin gets, to the skincare routine the person uses, skin type and lifestyle.

Even the best pigments will need some TLC from time to time, though.

What I've Seen In Correction And Removal Cases

Corrective work is one of the things that really highlights the importance of using high-quality pigments and a good formulation.

I’ve worked with plenty of clients over the years who’ve come to me looking for help because their tattoos have faded or changed colour in unexpected ways.

When Older Pigments Create Challenges

Now and then, I’ll run into a situation where the pigment is just much older than what we’re using now, and that makes it harder to get the desired result – it’s like trying to colour-match a car from the 80s.

Clients who are considering getting an eyeliner tattoo in Melbourne are often surprised to learn just how much the technology has improved over the past decade.

Lessons Learned From Real Client Cases

One client came to me after her lip blush faded to a really unflattering tone – and while application technique played a role, it was also clear that the pigment itself had aged poorly.

I’ve also worked with people who’ve had to consider correction options such as saline tattoo removal in Melbourne after experiencing unwanted colour shifts from older procedures.

These kinds of experiences really drive home the importance of choosing a good-quality product from the start.

Questions To Ask Before Bookin

Before booking, I’d like to recommend you ask :

What makes up the colours they use – are they a big brand, an independent one?
Do the manufacturers that supply them actually provide any safety documentation?
Are their pigments up to date with the latest regulations?
How do they think their pigments will look in a few years – are they durable enough?
What level of cleanliness and hygiene standards do they follow in the clinic?

A genuine artist, one who is proud of their work, should be perfectly happy to have a chat about all that.

How I Choose The Products I Use

At Cosmetic Tattoo Studio Melbourne Face Figurati, I don’t just go for the products that get all the likes on social media, no.

I make my decisions based on the information the manufacturer has given me about safety, how transparent they are about the ingredients they use, what their pigments look like after the healing phase, how well they stay colour-stable, the reputation of the company and any experience I’ve had with them in the treatment room.

Its not just about creating a great result that you’ll love for the next few months – its about making sure its still looking good and natural many years down the line.

Especially when I’m working on highly visible areas of the face, where any colour change will show over time.

Final Thoughts

Now I know what you might be thinking – why aren’t all permanent makeup pigments TGA-approved? The thing is, many reputable manufacturers actually do formulate their products to meet strict safety standards, even if they’re not officially TGA-listed.

As someone passionate about ensuring clients are fully informed, I believe every client deserves clear information about the products being implanted into their skin. When you understand how good the quality of the pigment is, the safety standards it meets, and how it’s going to perform in the long-term, you can make a much more confident decision about your cosmetic tattoo.