The Aftercare Sheet Never Changed. The Science Did.
The FDA reviewed antibacterial soap in 2016 and found zero evidence it works better than plain soap for wound care. The aftercare recommendation never caught up. Here is what the research actually says — and what it means for your clients.
"There is currently no evidence that over-the-counter antibacterial soaps are better at preventing illness than washing with plain soap and water."
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, September 2016
The aftercare recommendation has not changed in a decade. The science has.
Antibacterial soap strips the microbiome your clients need to heal. Bar soap was never the problem. The science settled that nearly 40 years ago. The aftercare sheet just never caught up.
Three reasons the aftercare recommendation is changing now.
The FDA Ruling
In September 2016 the FDA banned 19 antibacterial agents from consumer soaps including triclosan and triclocarban, the ingredients in Dial Gold and Safeguard. No manufacturer could prove they work better than plain soap and water. The ruling applied directly to the products on most aftercare sheets. The sheets were never updated.
FDA Consumer Update, September 2016. fda.gov
The Skin Microbiome
Your skin hosts trillions of beneficial bacteria that actively protect healing wounds. They produce natural antimicrobials, compete with harmful bacteria, maintain pH balance, and signal the immune system. Antibacterial soap does not distinguish between harmful and beneficial bacteria. It disrupts the exact defense system your clients need most during the healing window.
Golding et al., PLOS ONE 2018 / Pastar et al., Burns and Trauma 2024
The Format Difference
Liquid and foam cleansers are 60 to 80 percent water. They strip skin oils at exactly the moment healing skin needs them most. Cold-process bar soap retains natural glycerin and unsaponified fatty acids. It cleanses without stripping. The microbiome stays intact between washes. Your clients skin feels like skin after, not like it survived something.
Chimsook T., Molecules / PMC 2018
"In Canada, all bloodborne pathogen training covers not using antibacterial soaps or creams unless you have an infected tattoo."
Tattoo artist, May 2026. The US is catching up.
35,000+ views. 851 shares. Artists are already talking.
Tattoo artists and PMU professionals from across the industry responded. The antibacterial debate. The bar soap debate. Both settled in the comments.
Read the Comments on InstagramWe have heard every concern. Here are the honest answers.
"Bar soap holds bacteria. I'm not recommending it on an open wound."
This is the most common pushback and the research directly addresses it. A peer-reviewed study intentionally contaminated bar soap at 70 times the bacterial load you would realistically encounter on a used bar. Zero bacteria transferred to the 16 test volunteers on the next wash. The alkaline surface of bar soap is naturally hostile to bacterial colonization. Let it dry between uses and you are good.
Source: Heinze and Yackovich, Epidemiology and Infection 1988
"My clients heal fine with antibacterial soap. I've been doing this for years."
A decade with zero infections means you know what you are doing. The shift is not about what prevents healing, it is about what supports it better. Antibacterial soap was the natural balm of its era. Then the research showed we could do better. Same transition the industry already made from petroleum to natural balms.
"I want something that keeps working between washes."
The good bacteria are not passive. They actively produce antimicrobial compounds and regulate the inflammatory response between every wash. Suppressing them with antibacterial agents does not add protection, it removes one. Plain soap removes surface contaminants. The skin microbiome handles the window in between.
"What about clients with dirty jobs or bad hygiene?"
No soap fully saves a tattoo from consistently bad aftercare behavior. But Banger Bars are individually wrapped — one bar, one client, one healing window. No shared bar, no cross-contamination question. Hand it off at the end of the session and the decision is already made for them.
"Show me clinical trials on tattoo wounds specifically."
Fair challenge. No aftercare product has tattoo-specific clinical trials behind it, including antibacterial soap. The standard was built on convention, not controlled studies. The wound biology research is from dermatology literature. The wound biology does not change because the wound came from a needle. Every source we cite is independently verifiable.
"Who else is touching the bar? I'm not handing a shared bar to clients."
You are not. Each Banger Bar is 0.4oz, individually packaged, portioned exactly for one healing window. One bar, one client, sealed until you hand it off. The packaging is the product.
I Did Not Start This Company to Make Another Tattoo Balm.
That is not where the problem was.
The industry has been fighting over lotions and salves for years. An endless ingredient war. Meanwhile the first step of aftercare has not changed in a decade.
The wash.
Artists are doing world-class work. Then sending clients home with antibacterial soap the FDA reviewed in 2016 and found zero evidence of benefit for. Soap that strips the exact bacteria your clients skin needs to heal.
So I stepped out of the ingredient war and built something for that moment. Not to compete over lotion. To fix the foundation.
That is why Banger exists.
The Anti-Antibacterial Tattoo Aftercare Soap. Built for the handoff.
0.4oz individually wrapped cold-process bars. Portioned exactly for one healing window. Hand one off the moment the session ends. No assembly. No explanation. No antibacterial agents.
The Day 1 Bar. Same Formula. Built for Collectors.
The same cold-process formula behind the Banger Bars. Full size 4oz. For collectors who want to own their healing from the first wash to the last.
Recommend it to your clients. Every bar they buy is a bar that was built specifically for this.
Shop Day 1 Bar.Dermatologist-reviewed. Ranked Best Cleansing Bar by Byrdie. 5 stars on Amazon.
"I've been adding your soap to my goodie bags for 2 years now and all my clients have come back and said they love the soap. A few have even gone on to purchase full size bars for daily use."
"In Canada all bloodborne pathogen training covers not using antibacterial soaps or creams unless you have an infected tattoo. You guys are ahead of the curve."
"I've been telling clients this for about 10 years now. Glad someone finally built the right product around it."
The session ends. The handoff happens. The client walks out with everything they need.
If your clients do not love it we will make it right.
We stand behind every bar we make. If for any reason you are not satisfied reach out directly and we will take care of it. No runaround.
colby@bangertattoocare.com · Colby answers personally.
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Not a sponsorship. A partnership. First 50 artists only. 20 claimed. 30 remaining. 2026.
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24 individually wrapped bars. Enough to see exactly how your clients respond. Most artists that start with the Starter Pack scale to the 72-count on their second order. No commitment required to find out if your clients love it.
Starter Pack. 24 Bars
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Banger Bar Starter Pack. 24 Bars
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Only $1.23 per client handoff
- 24 individually wrapped bars
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- Zero antibacterial agents
- Free shipping on every order
- 1, 2, 3, or 4 month delivery plans
- Qualifies for Founding Artist Program
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Pro Artist Pack. 72 Bars
For artists ready to commit to the switch.
One-time order
Banger Bar Case. Day 1 Edition. 72 Bars
$77.99
Ships once. Maximum savings per handoff.
- 72 individually wrapped bars
- All Day 1 Bar formula
- Zero antibacterial agents
- Free shipping over $25
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Banger Bar Case. Day 1 Edition. 72 Bars
$66.29
15% off first order. 10% off every order after. Choose 1, 2, 3, or 4 month plans. Free shipping on all subscriptions.
Only $0.92 per client handoff
- 72 individually wrapped bars
- All Day 1 Bar formula
- Zero antibacterial agents
- Free shipping on every order
- 1, 2, 3, or 4 month delivery plans
- Qualifies for Founding Artist Program
- Skip, pause, or cancel anytime
Everything you need before you order.
Can I get all Day 1 Bars or all Any Day Bars?
Yes. The default 72-count ships as 36 Day 1 and 36 Any Day mixed. If you want all of one formula leave a note at checkout or email colby@bangertattoocare.com right after placing your order and we will make it happen.
What is the difference between Day 1 Bar and Any Day Bar?
Both are cold-process, fragrance-free, zero antibacterial agents. The Day 1 Bar adds sea buckthorn berry oil, rich in omega-7, especially beneficial during the more inflammatory first days of healing. The Any Day Bar is heavier on shea butter, exceptionally moisturizing for drier skin types.
Do Banger Bars work for PMU aftercare?
Yes. Fragrance-free, sulfate-free, and gentle enough for the sensitive healing skin around brow, lip, and eyeliner procedures. We have a growing number of PMU artists using the bars across their full client base.
How do I explain this switch to my clients?
You do not need to explain the science. Hand them the bar and say it is what we use now because it works better with the skin during healing. The individually wrapped format does the communication for you. If a client asks, the FDA ruling is the one-sentence answer.
The aftercare sheet
never caught up.
Your station can.
1,250+ artists have already updated their aftercare handoff. The science is there. The product is built. The only thing left is making the switch.
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