A ink composition for ink jet recording in which a non-absorbent or low absorbent recording medium is used includes water; a color material; a surfactant; a compound I represented by general formula (I) below; and does not substantially include alkyl polyols with a standard boiling point of 280° C. or higher; in which the surfactant is at least one type selected from a group consisting of a fluorine-based surfactant and a siloxane-based surfactant with 5 or more siloxane units [In general formula (I), n represents an integer of 45 or higher to 230 or lower, each R1 independently represents an unmodified, an ether-modified, a polyester-modified, an epoxy-modified, an amine-modified, a carboxyl-modified, a fluorine-modified, an alkyloxy-modified, a mercapto-modified, a (meth)acryl-modified, a phenol-modified, a phenyl-modified, a carbinol-modified or an aralkyl-modified hydrocarbon group.].