It’s a common belief in the PMU world: inorganic pigments are harder to implant because their particles are larger, while hybrid organics go in more easily because their particles are smaller.
Brovi founder Bogdan Meskhi decided to put that theory to the test, and the results might change how you think about your pigments.
The Tool: A Grindometer
A grindometer is a precision-machined block of stainless steel with a measurement scale etched into its surface, marked in microns and nanometres. It’s borrowed from the paint and coatings industry, where it’s used to measure pigment particle sizes in products like wall paint.
It’s a simple but highly accurate way to analyse the particle size distribution in any pigment formula. For tattoo and PMU pigments, the key range is around 500 nm to 1.5–2 µm, which is considered the optimal particle size for implantation.
How the Test Works
Pigment is spread across the grindometer, and you watch for the point where it begins to “stripe.” This is where particles start catching on the etched surface, showing the range of particle sizes in the formula.
Brovi compared one pigment from each of its series:
- Brovi Hybrid Organic (Roasted Chestnut): 500 nm to 1.5 µm
- Brovi One Inorganic (Neutral Dark Brown): 500 nm to 1.5 µm
The result? The particle sizes were the same.
So Why Do Inorganics Feel Harder to Implant?
If particle size isn’t the difference, why do so many artists feel that inorganic pigments take longer to go in? There are two main reasons.
1. Iron oxides are naturally more muted
Most inorganic pigments are based on iron oxides, which are naturally softer in tone and less visible in the skin than organic pigments. They also tend to heal less vividly and can fade sooner, as the body breaks them down over time.
Most inorganics also don’t contain titanium dioxide, which adds opacity. Put those factors together and it’s easy to see why an inorganic pigment can look like it hasn’t taken well, or like it’s taking longer to implant, even when the particles are the same size.
2. Not all formulas are made the same
Some manufacturers’ pigments may genuinely contain larger particles than Brovi’s. Different brands use different technologies and have different goals.
Larger particles (within reason) aren’t necessarily a bad thing, but they are harder to implant with a single needle. They’re better suited to larger needle groupings, which are more typical of traditional colour tattooing than PMU.
The Takeaway
Particle size isn’t determined by whether a pigment is organic or inorganic. It comes down to how each manufacturer formulates and processes it. So before writing off an entire pigment category based on one brand’s formula, it’s worth looking at what’s actually in the bottle.
Explore the Brovi Hybrid Organic and Brovi One Inorganic ranges at Browshop.
