Numb the pain before you get a tattoo, and have a pleasant session. Choose from our numbing sprays – we selected the best numbing sprays for tattoos and piercings.
If you are one of those people who loves to get tattoos and piercings every once in a while, you are surely interested in the factor of reducing pain.
This is a valid point especially if you get tattoos and piercings very often – you dislike the pain of course, and this could sometimes be an obstacle for this specific body modification passion.
We have a solution for this, something that you have probably heard of so far – we can offer you the most suitable numbing sprays for tattoos and piercings. If you manage to choose such a spray from our suggestions, next time you visit the salon for new ink or a piercing, you won’t be discouraged to get anything on your body! So, have a look at our extensive and detailed list below.
Best overall
Runner Up
Budget Pick
These were our top 3 picks! We found the most helpful numbing sprays for tattoos and piercing on the market, and we selected the most useful brands for you. Pick out the best ‘pain number’ and be ready for the next tattoo session!
Why do you need a numbing spray for tattoos and piercings?
You need a numbing spray for tattoos and piercings if you are one of those people with quite sensitive skin or subcutaneous tissues. If tattooing, piercings, or other beauty procedures cause you pain and discomfort, you will greatly benefit from these numbing sprays.
The numbing spray is for all tattoo artists and cosmeticians above all. These two professions need it the most because most clients are indeed going through pain for various bodily procedures. Also, the clients themselves (non-tattoo artists or else) can and should have it, because these numbing sprays work for other problems too (such as bug bites, burns, etc.)
Read also: Best Tattoo Numbing Cream
The Best Tattoo Numbing Sprays in 2022
1. Ebanel Lidocaine Spray
Best Overall
This numbing spray is a great pick if you like to get more than just an anesthetic. With this spray, you will also have soothed skin due to the other ingredients, so rest assured for your next tattoo – you won’t feel pain, but the skin will be nourished at the same time.
Our first mention of this list is the best overall, the brand Ebanel with a very potent numbing spray. This spray not only has lidocaine 5%, a potent anesthetic, but also is enhanced with the strong Phenylephrine 0.25%, a topical anesthetic as the Lidocaine. It will stop any itching, burning sensations, pain, soreness, swelling, and discomfort.
If your skin is irritated at the moment, this will also soothe it. The effect arrives pretty fast, in just 2-3 minutes, but it lasts up to a full hour (after peak time). Other ingredients that make this spray perfect are Allantoin and Arginine, both soothing the skin (perfect for insect bites and similar issues). The formula is without a scent, no oil, and water-based. It is fit for all skin types.
Package dimensions are 5.12 x 1.34 x 1.22 inches, with a total weight of 0.32 ounces.
Pros
- Potent strength
- Relieves more skin issues
- Fast effect
- Long-lasting
- Soothes the skin
- Enriched with other ingredients
- Cruelty-free
- Water-based
- Odor-free
Cons
- Some scent is noticed
- For those too sensitive, this is not extremely strong
2. Bactine Max Pain Relieving Spray
Runner Up
Bactine Max Pain Relieving Spray
Pick this numbing spray for tattoos if you want to have it as a convenient and practical addition to your home, or salon. It is especially useful to have around, since it has multiple uses, and it’s safe for kids too!
Our second pick is the runner up brand Bactine, with a spray that is also a cleanser spray. This one is also potent and quite strong, but even better, it is antiseptic too! It contains 4% lidocaine that numbs pain, and it removes any itching feeling too.
The great feature here is the antiseptic feature – kills any germs there are on the skin, so your health is also preserved when it comes to skin traumas of any kind. The formula doesn’t have alcohol or hydrogen that dry out the skin. You can use it for any cuts or burns too, not just tattoos and piercings! And, this formula is also kid-friendly, for all above 2 years of age.
Package dimensions are 2.5 x 3 x 6.25 inches, with a total weight of 12.8 ounces.
Pros
- 4% lidocaine
- Multiple uses
- Antiseptic
- No-touch spray bottle
- No hydrogen or alcohol
- Safe for kids
Cons
- It is a bit weak for deep or large tattoos
3. Dermoplast First Aid Spray
Budget Pick
If you want an affordable anesthetic spray for more uses than just tattoos and piercings, pick out this one. It has the medical-approved and often used benzocaine, and it has skin-friendly soothing ingredients like aloe and vitamin E.
The third pick is the budget pick, the brand Dermoplast. This spray is another antiseptic and anesthetic spray, so it’s another win-win. If in immediate pain, this helps instantly – it has benzocaine that numbs the pain for tattoos, piercings, and also cuts or burns and similar. There is 20% benzocaine for pain relief, and the bottle is a no-touch spray bottle.
Again, this is very convenient to have within families too, so it’s good to have it around the home. In hospitals, they use this spray constantly, so you know you get the best pain relief! Lastly, it is antibacterial too, and it has vitamin E and aloe to soothe the skin.
Package dimensions are 2.09 x 2.09 x 5.79 inches, with a total weight of 4.8 ounces.
Pros
- Antiseptic
- 20% benzocaine
- Instant relief
- No-touch spray bottle
- Safe for kids
- Medical uses
- Antibacterial
- Vitamin E and aloe for soothing skin
Cons
- The scent is a bit strong for some
- Ensure proper packaging to avoid damages during shipping
4. Aspercreme Dry Spray
This numbing spray is a good pick if you dislike the residue from most skin cosmetics and skin products. This spray will give you that velvety, dry, yet clean feeling upon spraying. And, is great for the most common pain types too.
The fourth pick is the brand Aspercreme, and their special, dry spray! This spray bottle of 4 oz. has lidocaine for very fast pain relief, not just on the skin topically, but sometimes even deeper, in muscle tissues, joints, and back too. It acts very fast and very potent. This spray has no odor or scent and is also non-greasy, so it won’t be a messy process to numb pain. It would be great to spray it, numb the pain, and have your skin as dry and clean as it can be!
Package dimensions are 2.06 x 2.06 x 5.94 inches, with a liquid content of 4 ounces.
Pros
- Odor-free
- Feels dry
- Lidocaine
- Fast effect
- Has effect more than just skin-deep
Cons
- For extreme and severe pains under the skin, it is a bit weak
5. Americaine Topical Spray
This numbing spray for tattoos and piercings is perfect for you if you want to have it around for more than just one use. The effect of benzocaine comes pretty fast, but overall, if hospitals use this, it is certainly good enough for tattoos!
Next, we have the amazingly potent spray by the brand Americaine. This spray is amazing and shows the utmost maximum strength. It acts as an anesthetic, of course, to numb the pain fast and efficiently with the benzocaine in the formula. It can work not just for tattoos and piercings, but again, for cuts, burns, irritations, and even sunburnt skin. It is effective and good that even hospitals and their staff use it. One can is 2 ounces.
Package dimensions are 1.44 x 1.44 x 5.63 inches, with a total weight of 3.04 ounces.
Pros
- Strong formula
- Fast effect
- Benzocaine
- For sunburns
- All skin irritation/pain issues
- Medical uses approved
Cons
- Not fit for postpartum issues
- A small amount (check before purchasing how much cans you need to order)
6. Numbskin Numbing Foam Soap
This great pick of numbing soap is a great choice for you if you want not just numbing pain, but also cleansing the skin thoroughly. Not just this, but the third benefit is that this can serve you as tattoo aftercare too!
Next, we have an interesting product, a soap formula by the brand Numbskin. This soap has 4% lidocaine to numb the pain efficiently and fast, but also, at the same time, it has other functions too. With such an anesthetic soap, you can cleanse well and remove pain! Not fit for just tattoos and piercings, but also cuts, burns, basic injuries of that kind, and similar.
It absorbs fast into the skin and is also perfect for tattoo aftercare. Besides the lidocaine, there is also 0.24% benzethonium chloride that kills all microbes on the skin. The best part is that this is FDA approved! If not satisfied, you can ask for a refund.
Package dimensions are 5.43 x 1.57 x 1.5 inches, with a total weight of 3.32 ounces.
Pros
- 4% lidocaine
- Fast effect
- Soap formula
- All uses
- Absorbs fast
- Great as tattoo aftercare
- 0.24% benzethonium chloride
- FDA approved
Cons
- Check well with the seller before the shipping, for the expiration dates
7. GiGi Anesthetic Numbing Spray
If you want a spray for multiple uses, this is the best numbing spray for tattoos and piercings that is used for waxing and similar! It is a very pleasant gel formula that will feel cooling on the skin, while it takes effect.
The next pick is the Gigi brand numbing spray for tattoos and piercings, and much more too. This topical anesthetic spray is relieving any discomfort or skin pain, especially during waxing sessions too. It is safe and perfect even for intimate zones, so this goes for tattoos and piercings there too it contains 4% lidocaine, and it’s a light, gel formula. It manages to successfully block the nerve endings and numb the skin surface. The formula is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and soothing as well. You can freely use it for bug bites, burns, cuts, and similar.
Package dimensions are 5 x 2 x 2 inches, with a total weight of 1.5 ounces.
Pros
- Fast effect
- 4% lidocaine
- Gel formula
- Antibacterial
- Lessens inflammations
- Multiple uses
Cons
- For extremely sensitive people, you have to use lots of the product for effect
8. Numbify Numbing Spray
Pick this numbing spray for tattoos and piercings if you rely on the lidocaine for such needs, but also, you want your skin to smell gorgeously before the tattooing. The coconut scent will relax you, and you’ll apply this easily with the convenient spray bottle.
This pick on the list is a numbing spray in a spray bottle, by the brand Numbify. This spray works like a wonder with its numbing properties. It contains 5% lidocaine for instant topical relief. The ingredients are all safe and good for the skin, so the rest 95% of the ingredients are all soothing the skin surface. The scent is gorgeous as well, a warm, nice coconut!
Package dimensions are 5.94 x 1.3 x 1.26 inches, with a total weight of 2.82 ounces.
Pros
- Spray bottle
- Fast effect
- 5% lidocaine
- Soothing ingredients
- Coconut scent
Cons
- Not fit for extreme pains
- For very sensitive skin, it would need more applications
9. Base Labs Numbing Spray
Pick out this numbing spray for tattoos and piercings if you love menthol and its scent! You can still enjoy the lidocaine effect of course, while you cool off the skin before tattooing or some similar cosmetic or other procedure.
Our next mention is the spray by the brand Base Laboratories. This spray is effective almost instantly with the 4% lidocaine in the formula. It also contains menthol, so you’ll feel a cooling effect as well. Other ingredients are arginine and allantoin too, both nourishing the skin. This spray can be used for other things, not just tattoos and piercings; for example permanent makeup, waxing, or even postpartum problems too. It comes at a good price per the offered content of 4 oz. in the bottle. If you’re not satisfied, you can ask for a refund.
Package dimensions are 5.59 x 1.65 x 1.42 inches, with a total weight of 5.04 ounces.
Pros
- 4% lidocaine
- Menthol for cooling
- Arginine and allantoin for skin nourishing
- Multiple types of uses
- Affordable
- Refund is possible
Cons
- To avoid stinging, you have to apply more of it for the full effect peak
10. Hush Anesthetic Spray
Pick this numbing spray for tattoos and piercings if you are doubtful for most products on the market, and you want to rely more on the botanical ingredients and manufacturing of skin products.
The last mention is the Hush brand and their numbing spray for tattoos and piercings. This spray will show an effect immediately upon spraying it over the skin. The peak effect and the strongest will be during or within 30 minutes of the spraying. The ingredients are all safe and botanical before all.
The bottle contains 4 oz. of numbing content.
Pros
- Immediate effect
- 30 minutes peak effect
- Botanical ingredients
Cons
- More applications are needed for longer or stronger effect most of the uses
How we picked and tested
For the best selection, we had to focus on the best features in the numbing sprays and our research of them. So, see this checklist when you’re ready to choose:
- More uses
- Immediate effect
- Soothing skin
- Long-lasting
- Water-based
- No scent/or pleasant scent
- No-touch spray bottle
- Lidocaine or benzocaine
- No alcohol/hydrogen
- Safe for kids too
- Antiseptic
- Enriched with other ingredients (vitamin E, aloe, etc.)
- Approved/used by medical experts too
Numbing Sprays Buyer’s Guide
Can I apply regular lotion on my skin before the numbing spray?
It won’t hurt to have clean skin before the numbing spray, and it is even recommended that it’s clean. A lotion, no matter how nourishing and good it is, will still create a certain residue barrier on the skin, so the numbing spray could not penetrate fully into the pores.
Why is lidocaine so good for pain-numbing?
Lidocaine is good for numbing pain because it numbs the nerve endings on a certain skin area patch, and makes it more comfortable to go through certain procedures. It works well for topical uses and most problems that have the main pain source on the skin surface or just slightly beneath it.
What does benzocaine do for the pain?
Benzocaine is another ingredient that relieves pain and numbs it as well. It works similar or same as lidocaine; blocks the nerve signals and endings on the skin and beneath it. This ingredient is also used for multiple issues and procedures.
Conclusion
Now it is time to choose the best numbing spray for tattoos and piercings. If you’re a tattoo artist, you want to be prepared for your clients should they feel pain during the sessions.
So, the first place winner was the best overall Ebanel spray without a scent and water-based lidocaine formula. Then, the second-place Bactine also has lidocaine, and it’s antiseptic as well. And third place was the budget pick Dermoplast spray with benzocaine.
Whatever you choose, just have it around – because it is useful for other urgent situations as well, not just tattoos and piercings!
