Gloves are the greatest barrier for tattoo artists to have to protect themselves from the contaminations that come with tattooing. It keeps both the client and tattoo artist safe. Always remember that it is safety first before creating the work of art on your client’s skin. Having used many gloves over the years, I have stuck with one for a long time but considered it to be not the best. So I searched the market for the best gloves for tattooing and here is my review of them!
Top 10 Best Gloves for Tattooing in 2023
| Image | Product Name | Price On Amazon |
|---|---|---|
 | Best Overall MedPride Powder | #### |
 | Best Puncture-Resistant FifthPulse Black Vinyl Disposable Gloves Large 50 Pack | #### |
 | Best for Protection Against Chemicals FRAMAR Pink Gloves Disposable Latex-Free Pink Nitrile Gloves Medium | #### |
 | Best Extra Durability and Premium Klex Nitrile Exam Gloves | #### |
 | Best for Hygiene and Health PEIPU Nitrile Gloves Disposable Gloves | #### |
 | Best for Professional Anti-Chemical Pro Disposable Nitrile Gloves, Chemical Resistant | #### |
 | Best for Industrial Use GripProtect Precise Black Nitrile Exam Gloves | #### |
 | Best for Affordable Schneider Black Vinyl Exam Gloves | #### |
 | High-Comfort ASAP Black Nitrile Powder Free Examination Gloves | #### |
 | Best for Self-Grip FINITEX Black Nitrile Disposable Gloves | #### |
1. Best Overall – MedPride Powder-Free Nitrile Exam Gloves, Large
Specification
- Brand: MedPride
- Material: Nitrile
- Size: Large (Pack of 100)
- Color: Blue
- Special Feature: Powder-free
Description
Get one of the best gloves on the market – MedPride Powder-Free Nitrile Exam Gloves to help keep you safe and give you an edge when you are tattooing!
Benefits
- Puncture-resistant: be able to tattoo without worrying about puncturing your glove
- Tactile sensitive: with textured fingertips to give you a better grip
- Latex and powder-free: no latex in the product and made without powders to be wearable for long periods, especially good for long tattoo sessions
- Convenient box: easy to grab a pair of gloves straight from the box; always pulled in pairs
- Ambidextrous fit: each glove can be worn on either hand
Expert Verdict
One of the best gloves on the market is the MedPride Powder-Free Nitrile Exam Gloves and the fantastic comfort it provides. It’s one of those gloves you don’t have to worry about because it fits the size you buy perfectly and gives you an edge when you are tattooing. It proves to have no bubbles forming inside when you are wearing them and they are very easy to wear and remove after I am done tattooing. They come at a great price for a large pack of disposable gloves which is perfect for when you are starting out and need gloves handy to get the feel of the tattoo machine through the glove. The box is great to keep the gloves and you can take out the gloves whenever you like from the box itself and don’t need to store them separately. And the ambidextrous fit is just perfect because you don’t have to get your brain wired up thinking which glove is for which hand. The only downside with a simple remedy is that the gloves are not sterile. For that, you need to place them in an autoclave to get them sterilized. But if you are starting out and are practicing on synthetic skin, these are the perfect gloves for tattooing as a beginner!
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Perfect-fit gloves in different sizes | Non-sterile; but can be sterilized |
| Ambidextrous fit | |
| Can be stored in the box it comes in | |
| Can be worn for long periods | |
| Does not tear when tattooing |
2. Best Puncture-Resistant – FifthPulse Black Vinyl Disposable Gloves Large 50 Pack
Specification
- Brand: Fifth Pulse
- Material: Vinyl
- Size: Large
- Color: Black
- Special Feature: Stretchy
Description
Get a puncture-resistant glove with the FifthPulse Black Vinyl Disposable Gloves Large 50 Pack and be sure that you are keeping yourself and your tattoo client safe!
Benefits
- 3mm thickness: makes them hard to be punctured
- Stretchy gloves: does not tear when stretched around the fingers
- Secure: does not move around once you place it in your hand
- Comfort: can be worn for a long time
- Latex-free: does not cause a reaction on the skin
Expert Verdict
There are a long of things that I like about the FifthPulse Black Vinyl Disposable Gloves Large 50 Pack! Firstly, they might be thick gloves but they are very comfortable to wear for long periods. The thickness is also great because if you accidentally tattoo your own hand or fingers by accident, you are relatively safe and not puncturing the gloves either. I am a klutz so there are times in the very beginning of my career and even now when I do that and these gloves are the best for that situation. They are also stretchy around the fingers so you get that snug fit that you are looking for, which is great for tattooing. It is also latex-free so it works great for all customers of mine and I had no worries with the gloves itself. However, the only thing that you might want to be a little cautious about is when you are going to wear them. It might be stretchy but the part around the wrist is particularly fragile so I tore a lot of them around there when first trying them on. So to get the snug fit stretch out your fingers instead of pulling down on the gloves.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Very good puncture resistance | Weak around the wrist; prone to breaking when pulling too hard |
| Comfortable to wear for long periods | |
| Latex-free; safe for all customers | |
| Stretchy and snug fit |
3. Best for Protection Against Chemicals – FRAMAR Pink Gloves Disposable Latex-Free Pink Nitrile Gloves Medium
Specification
- Brand: FRAMAR
- Material: Nitrile
- Size: Medium
- Color: Pink
- Special Feature: Chemical resistant
Description
Don’t be fooled by the pink because the FRAMAR Pink Gloves Disposable Latex-Free Pink Nitrile Gloves Medium will help to protect against chemicals in tattoo ink when you are tattooing!
Benefits
- Durability: resistant to chemicals and tear
- Micro-roughed texture: for better grip and touchscreen compatibility
- Strong nitrile: good against nails
- Easy removal: even when wet
Expert Verdict
If you thought that colors will make a difference for your tattoo, then you are wrong! The fun pink in FRAMAR Pink Gloves Disposable Latex-Free Pink Nitrile Gloves Medium is a great glove to wear for you out tattooing because of how durable it is against chemicals. When tattooing, you will be using different colors, alcohol, creams, and chemicals so having chemical-resistant gloves works perfectly in your favor. Then you have this micro-roughed texture on the gloves themselves which helps with grip and comfortability of using your tattoo machine easily. If you are worried about getting these gloves wet, then don’t be because they are very easy to remove even if they are wet! The only downside is that they are quite thin which makes them not resist sharp objects around your tattoo shops like needles and such.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to remove even when wet | Too thin; not puncture resistant |
| Good grip for the tattoo machine | |
| Chemical resistant |
4. Best Extra Durability and Premium – Klex Nitrile Exam Gloves – Medical Grade, Powder & Latex Free
Specification
- Brand: Klex
- Material: Nitrile
- Size: Medium
- Color: Light violet
- Special Feature: Powder-free
Description
Get durable and premium tattoo gloves for your tattooing passion in the Klex Nitrile Exam Gloves – Medical Grade, Powder & Latex Free!
Benefits
- Premium nitrile: thin, flexible, and premium feel
- Certified quality: meets and exceeds ASTM D6319 for quality and performance
- Beaded cuffs: offers drip protection
Expert Verdict
Getting gloves that have extra durability and a premium feel can be difficult to get. This is especially the case for when you are tattooing as you want one that will feel good on your hands and not discomfort you in any way. And that is what the Klex Nitrile Exam Gloves – Medical Grade, Powder & Latex Free! Wearing one and tattooing, I immediately understood that I would have no problem with how good the product felt. It was comfortable and I really appreciated the beaded cuffs which made the gloves not feel like it was squeezing my wrist. I really like when I have a complete range of motion for my wrists which is what this glove provided for me. It was also really thin which I absolutely loved because using my tattoo machine was quite easy with the glove. The only problem I noticed with my particular batch of gloves was that the quality varied a lot. Some were good, some were okay, others were bad, and some were amazing. Hopefully in the future, the quality is the same for all the gloves in the box.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Premium feel | Varied quality |
| Beaded cuffs for full wrist motion | |
| Thin and good grip |
5. Best for Hygiene and Health – PEIPU Nitrile Gloves Disposable Gloves (Medium, 100-Count), 4 Mil
Specification
- Brand: PEIPU
- Material: Nitrile
- Size: Medium
- Color: Blue
- Special Feature: Touchscreen compatible
Description
Get thicker and stronger nitrile gloves in the PEIPU Nitrile Gloves Disposable Gloves (Medium, 100-Count), 4 Mil for your health and hygiene during tattooing!
Benefits
- 4mm thickness: gives a good barrier for hands
- Long-term storage: can be stored for a long time without getting damaged
- Various sizes: many sizes available for different hand sizes
- Stretchy gloves: can be stretched greatly without tearing
Expert Verdict
The PEIPU Nitrile Gloves Disposable Gloves (Medium, 100-Count), 4 Mil are thicker gloves than I would have personally liked, but I do know some people prefer that. But what I really liked about the gloves was that they were really stretchy so it was very easy to wear and readjust if the glove alignment is off by a little. The thick gloves also mean that they will be protected against punctures from tattoo needles and keep your hands safe. The other thing I noticed with the gloves over my review of all the gloves was how well they lasted even though I did not store them properly so you can be assured of getting long-term use if you store them properly. The downside is also in the stretchiness over time as it might not sit on your hands perfectly during long tattooing sessions which can cause minor mistakes to pop up here and there.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Stretchy so it fits all sizes and is easy to adjust | Can come loose during tattooing |
| Thick gloves so need to worry about health and hygiene | |
| Long-lasting in proper storage |
6. Best for Professional Anti-Chemical – ForPro Disposable Nitrile Gloves, Chemical Resistant
Specification
- Brand: ForPro
- Material: Nitrile
- Size: Medium
- Color: Black
- Special Feature: Puncture resistant
Description
Be safe from all sorts of different chemicals for your health during tattooing with the ForPro Disposable Nitrile Gloves, Chemical Resistant!
Benefits
- Beaded cuffs: loose and easy to remove
- Higher level of protection: from gases, liquids, and sharp objects
- Non-irritating: does not cause irritation to your skin
Expert Verdict
The ForPro Disposable Nitrile Gloves, Chemical Resistant are gloves that you can rely on to help keep you protected from chemicals that you have to deal with when you are tattooing. They are great because of the beaded cuffs which makes removing and wearing very easy. It is also the perfect thickness to both keep you protected and give you a good grip to hold onto your tattoo machine. With a latex-free and powder-free glove, you can be sure to not have irritated skin on you or your client when wearing this. However, need medium to large gloves but these were too tight in medium and too loose in large. So do be careful about how it fits your hand.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Perfect thickness for chemical protection | Does not fit my hand properly |
| Beaded cuffs; easy to wear and remove | |
| No irritated skin on you or your client while tattooing |
7. Best for Industrial Use – GripProtect® Precise Black Nitrile Exam Gloves
Specification
- Brand: GripProtect
- Material: Nitrile
- Size: Large
- Color: Black
- Special Feature: Exam grade
Description
Get industrial-grade gloves with the GripProtect® Precise Black Nitrile Exam Gloves that are durable against wear and tear!
Benefits
- Precise grip: able to hold tattoo machine precisely for fine lines
- Tear resistant: won’t tear easily
- Snug fit: fits perfectly and snuggly in the hand
Expert Verdict
When you need protective gloves for tattooing that do not skimp out on quality, then the GripProtect® Precise Black Nitrile Exam Gloves are perfect! It fits perfectly on your hands and gives you a snug fit so you don’t have to worry about it coming loose when tattooing. It is also tear resistant so you won’t be easily ripping it out during your tattooing. It also allows you to have a precise grip on your tattoo machine while you are tattooing and is very comfortable to wear to boot. The cuffs were a bit too loose for my liking which left my wrist quite exposed which was the only downside to the gloves.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Precise grip | Cuffs too loose |
| Comfortable to wear for long periods | |
| Tear resistant |
8. Best for Affordable – Schneider Black Vinyl Exam Gloves, 4 mil, Disposable Latex-Free Plastic Gloves Specification
Specification
- Brand: Schneider
- Material: Vinyl
- Size: Small
- Color: Black
- Special Feature: Exam grade, latex-free
Description
Get affordable gloves for your tattooing adventures with the Schneider Black Vinyl Exam Gloves, 4 mil, Disposable Latex-Free Plastic Gloves!
Benefits
- Vinyl: thick and well protected
- Varying sizes: many sizes and counts available to buy for your convenience
- Durable protection: resistant against tear and chemicals
- Comfortable fit: a snug fit on your hands
Expert Verdict
The Schneider Black Vinyl Exam Gloves, 4 mil, Disposable Latex-Free Plastic Gloves are one of the most used tattoo gloves that are used because I know many other tattoo artists use them, including me! And they use it for good reason too! It is super affordable and comfortable for those long tattoo sessions without needing to constantly change. The vinyl is great at protecting your fingers from tear and contamination while also coming in various counts and sizes so you can easily buy however much you need. The only downside is that it is not textured in the fingers so it might be difficult to hold the tattoo machine. But since I have been using this for so long I have gotten used to non-textured fingers and really prefer the comfort over the grip in my case.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Affordable and many options for purchase | Does not give a good grip |
| Comfortable fit | |
| Good protection with vinyl material |
9. Best for High-Comfort – ASAP Black Nitrile Powder Free Examination Gloves, Disposable, 4 mil
Specification
- Brand: ASAP
- Material: Nitrile
- Size: Medium
- Color: Black
- Special Feature: Disposable
Description
Feel the comfort of ASAP Black Nitrile Powder Free Examination Gloves, Disposable 4 mil in varying thickness for your convenience of tattooing!
Benefits
- Varying thickness: for your convenience of tattooing
- Tear resistant: does not tear easily
- Clean hands: does not transfer through the gloves
Expert Verdict
The ASAP Black Nitrile Powder Free Examination Gloves, Disposable, 4 mil is a great nitrile glove for tattooing because it comes in many different thicknesses which means you can always get the one you are most comfortable with. They are all multipurpose so you can also use them for cleaning and sanitizing your tattoo area before and after doing the tattooing. It is tear resistant so you don’t have to worry about chemicals and cleaning products transferring over to your hands. However, it was such a pain to get the glove out of the box. The gloves came stuck together and it was really difficult to separate them and quickly wear the gloves back again.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Varying thickness | Hard to get out of the box |
| Very comfortable fit | |
| Multipurpose; can be used for cleaning | |
| Tear resistant |
10. Best for Self-Grip – FINITEX – Black Nitrile Disposable Gloves, 5mil, Powder-free, Medical Exam Gloves Latex-Free
Specification
- Brand: FINITEX
- Material: Nitrile
- Size: Medium
- Color: Black
- Special Feature: Waterproof
Description
Get the FINITEX – Black Nitrile Disposable Gloves, 5mil, Powder-free, Medical Exam Gloves Latex-Free which is waterproof and slip-resistant!
Benefits
- Waterproof: does not attract water or sweat
- Anti-slip: does not slip in water
- Textured: for extra self-grip
- Elastic construction: provides a snug fit that is puncture resistant
Expert Verdict
When you need a glove to provide you with great grip, the FINITEX – Black Nitrile Disposable Gloves, 5mil, Powder-free, Medical Exam Gloves Latex-Free is the perfect glove you need! It has both textured surfaces on the fingers and anti-slip textures to allow for extra self-grip that you need to have precise control over your tattoo machine. It is also waterproof which means cleaning is very convenient without ruining your gloves in the process and is great for sweating hands as well! The only downside is that the small in the hand no matter which size I bought for myself. I ended up giving it to my other colleague whose hands fit perfectly.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Perfect textured grip | Feels small in the hand |
| Anti-slip | |
| Waterproof |
What Gloves Do Tattoo Artists Wear?
While you might be wondering why a lot of tattoo artists wear black gloves, it is mostly for aesthetic purposes than anything else. The real reason why tattoo artists wear particular gloves for tattooing is because of the benefits it provides while tattooing! There are mainly three types of gloves that tattoo artists are to use: latex, vinyl, and the holy grail nitrile gloves.
Out of the three mentioned above, nitrile is considered to be the best type of glove that all tattoo artists should be using. There are a lot of reasons why as well. The first thing is that nitrile gloves are the safest. They are quite sturdy and tear-resistant so you don’t have to worry about accidentally tearing your gloves while tattooing. This is something that vinyl is able to give but latex is too thin and tears easily.
Next reason is comfort, one of the major reasons why nitrile gloves are so good for tattooing! Nitrile is a very stretchy material, unlike vinyl and latex. It provides tattoo artists with free motion when they are doing their work and makes life easy to do complicated designs. Along with comfort comes the textured fingers which are easier to add to nitrile than the other two. Finally, in the comfort section the nitrile is very thin but still sturdy. This makes it wearable for long periods while keeping a consistent grip on the tattoo machine!
Finally, the main thing about nitrile gloves is that it provides safety and hygiene. Nitrile is very resistant to many chemicals and does not transfer through the glove over to your hand. This is the main reason why tattoo artists wear gloves so that they are safe for both themselves and their clients because you are dealing with a lot of blood during the tattooing process. Not to mention that keeping a sterile room is very good practice for a tattoo artist so there are fewer chances of infection and nitrile gloves are great for cleaning because of that. There is also the fact that there are more people who are allergic to latex and vinyl than nitrile, which makes nitrile gloves very safe to use for clients.
It doesn’t matter what color gloves tattoo artists are wearing but it is best to avoid colors that mimic the skin so that it is easy to tell when the glove has torn. That is why black is usually worn because tattoo colors won’t show up on it and you can easily spot tears on the glove.
How To Wear Gloves for Tattooing?
Before I get to how to wear these gloves, there’s a need to mention that all gloves on the list are non-sterile. This means that the gloves have not been sterilized before packaging. This is actually a good thing because the sterilization would weaken the gloves and need to be sealed in an airtight container which is required for surgeries and such.
While that might be fine to wear, sterilizing and sanitizing the gloves can mean lower chances of infection. So always put it in an autoclave to sterilize the glove first. That way, you can at least ensure that the gloves are as fresh as possible. But the safety part does not stop there because you still need to keep wearing it in a way to keep it sterilized. So there is a way to wear gloves for tattooing to keep up with the ultimate safety. Here are the steps you need to take to wear the gloves for tattooing:
- Remove any jewelry and accessories and then wash your hands as thoroughly as possible with anti-bacterial soap
- Keep your hands above waist height, keeping the gloves placed on a high table
- Wear your dominant hand first. The first thing you want to do is fold the cuffs inside out and then insert your index, middle finger and thumb with the rest of your fingers curled.
- Then uncurl your fingers and stretch them out as much as possible inside the gloves.
- Repeat 3 and 4 for the other hand.
- Lastly, check for a snug fit and if there are any tears. If there are, replace it and start over with a new glove from step 2.
This way, you can keep your hands free from contamination while also having on sterilized gloves. Make sure to not touch the outside parts of the gloves, which is why the cuffs are folded so you only touch the insides. This is to ensure that the gloves are as clean as possible before you place them on your client’s skin.
FAQs
1. What kind of gloves do you use to tattoo?
There are many types but the most common and popular ones are black nitrile gloves because they are the best for comfort, durability, and safety for tattoo artists.
2. Should tattoo artists wear gloves?
Yes, absolutely! In fact, when tattoo artist is cleaning their workspace, they should use gloves as well to minimize the amount of contamination as much as possible. The main reason to wear gloves is to protect both artist and client from infection because of how much blood there will be during tattooing.
3. What thickness gloves for tattooing?
Most tattoo artists go for somewhere around 3mm to 7mm nitrile gloves. The less thickness the better the feel of the tattoo machine an artist can get, forgoing protection for comfort and grip.
4. Are there needle-proof gloves?
There are needle-proof gloves but they might be too thick to wear for tattooing because they wouldn’t give the correct precision. However, the gloves on the list above are able to prevent and protect from tattoo needles.
5. Why do tattooers use black gloves?
Tattooers wear black gloves because it is the easiest to spot tears in the glove. Otherwise, colors don’t really matter unless the glove matches the skin color.
Final Thoughts
I had a lot of fun with testing all the different types of gloves on the list. I was already using the Schneider gloves with non-textured gloves. But trying out the textured gloves, I must say that I have been missing out quite a lot in the grip department! While I might not be immediately switching to them, the FINITEX – Black Nitrile Disposable Gloves is my personal favorite glove on the list and it was because of the waterproof and amazing grip. It did feel small in my hand but it is all about getting used to it. I hope that one of these gloves has piqued your interest and also made you change your mind about your current tattoo glove. Happy tattooing!