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A Guide to Temporary Tattoos

Three Young Women Standing Close Together in Bohemian Style Clothing with Temporary Tattoos | selftattoo.com
Three Young Women Standing Close Together in Bohemian Style Clothing with Temporary Tattoos

Tattoos are not for everyone, but sometimes you don’t know unless you get one done.

The problem for most people is that tattoos are permanent, or at least they are permanent enough that extensive laser treatment would be necessary to disperse most of the subdermal pigments.

Back of Three Women Together with Arms Wrapped around each other with Temporary Tattoos | selftattoo.com
Back of Three Women Together with Arms Wrapped around each other with Temporary Tattoos

So, what do you do if you feel like you want to get a tattoo, but you’re just not sure? The answer is the temporary tattoo.

What Is a Temporary Tattoo?

Close-up Portrait of a Woman with Blonde Hair with various Gold and Black Temporary Tattoos | selftattoo.com
Close-up Portrait of a Woman with Blonde Hair with various Gold and Black Temporary Tattoos

It sounds like a strange idea, temporary tattoos. In fact, it seems to go against the whole idea of a tattoo.

But the truth is that tattoos don’t have to be permanent at all. You can express yourself in lots of different ways with a temporary tattoo and be happy with it.

Why Would You Get a Temporary Tattoo?

Close-up View of Six Women's Hands Stacked Together with Gold/White Temporary Mandala Tattoos | selftattoo.com
Close-up View of Six Women’s Hands Stacked Together with Gold/White Temporary Mandala Tattoos

Temporary tattoos might seem absurd to someone who is into ink, but they actually do provide some interesting benefits that appeal to some people, including:

They Are Temporary

Woman Standing on a Beach with Gold Temporary Tattoos of a Butterfly and Geometric Patterns | selftattoo.com
Woman Standing on a Beach with Gold Temporary Tattoos of a Butterfly and Geometric Patterns

As the name suggests, they are temporary. This means that they’ll fade over time, and most temporary tattoos last for a week or two. There’s a great benefit to this though.

Back of a Woman with Black/Gold Temporary Tattoos of the Eye of Horus and Geometric Armbands | selftattoo.com
Back of a Woman with Black/Gold Temporary Tattoos of the Eye of Horus and Geometric Armbands

If you’ve been seriously considering getting a permanent tattoo but you’re just not sure whether it will suit you or not, why not get a temporary one instead?

Small Delicate Minimalistic Black and Gold Arrow Temporary Wrist Tattoo | selftattoo.com
Small Delicate Minimalistic Black and Gold Arrow Temporary Wrist Tattoo

This way, you can easily try it out on yourself without the permanent commitment. Then, if you happen to like it, you can wait until it fades and get yourself the real thing.

No Pain

Woman's Upper Body covered in Black/Gold Temporary Tattoos of Spirals/Patterns resembling Jewelry | selftattoo.com
Woman’s Upper Body covered in Black/Gold Temporary Tattoos of Spirals/Patterns resembling Jewelry

For lots of people, the idea of getting a permanent tattoo means too much pain and discomfort. Some people just don’t want to deal with the pain of getting a tattoo, especially if they have some doubts about it in the first place.

Woman's Hands Decorated with Gold Silver and Black Temporary Tattoos of Small Ornamental Shapes | selftattoo.com
Woman’s Hands Decorated with Gold Silver and Black Temporary Tattoos of Small Ornamental Shapes

The temporary tattoo is great because there’s no pain involved. You don’t have to sit there for hours with a needle poking into delicate places.

You won’t need to deal with scabby skin and the aftercare routines. This makes temporary tattoos a good fit for lots of people with an aversion to pain.

You Can Cover up Scars

Metallic Black and Gold Armband and Hand/Finger Temporary Tattoos | selftattoo.com
Metallic Black and Gold Armband and Hand/Finger Temporary Tattoos

It’s true that some people do use permanent tattoos to cover up scars on their body. But you can do the same with a temporary tattoo as well.

In fact, you can even get a new temporary tattoo to cover the same spot every week or two if you like. This means that you can try out new designs and cover up scars more effectively.

Express Yourself in Different Ways

Woman in a Bohemian Style Outfit with Gold Temporary Armband Tattoos with Repetitive Patterns | selftattoo.com
Woman in a Bohemian Style Outfit with Gold Temporary Armband Tattoos with Repetitive Patterns

A tattoo of any sort is a chance for us to express ourselves in a very visible way to others. It can say lots of things about who we are and what we’re into. It can even give people an insight into your belief systems and what motivates us in life.

Woman on a Beach Dressed in White with Metallic White Mandala Temporary Hand Tattoos | selftattoo.com
Woman on a Beach Dressed in White with Metallic White Mandala Temporary Hand Tattoos

For some people, the downside of the permanent tattoo is that it’s permanent. This means no changing it without some degree of hassle and pain.

So, you can ink something on yourself when you’re 21 and then find that you have a very different outlook on life down the track. What do you do then?

Legs and Hands with White Lace Patterns mimicking the appearance of Lace Garters and Hand Jewelry | selftattoo.com
Legs and Hands with White Lace Patterns mimicking the appearance of Lace Garters and Hand Jewelry

A temporary tattoo is great simply because it isn’t permanent. This means you can still express yourself in nearly any way you like, but you don’t have to commit to it. You can change it up whenever you like and never feel trapped by it.

In other words, you’re free to express yourself in as many ways as you want.

Temporary Tattoo Tips

Tattoo Duration

Gold and Blue Hamsa Hand Upper Arm Temporary Tattoo | selftattoo.com
Gold and Blue Hamsa Hand Upper Arm Temporary Tattoo

As mentioned before, temporary tattoos may last for a week or two. A lot of this depends on where you get the tattoo placed and what technique is used to apply it.

For example, if you have the tattoo placed on a part of your body that tends to rub on clothing a lot, it’s going to wear and fade pretty quickly. Likewise, if you have it placed on an area of the body that’s creased or wrinkled.

Woman wearing a Red Dress adored with several Metallic Armbands and Arrows Temporary Tattoos | selftattoo.com
Woman wearing a Red Dress adored with several Metallic Armbands and Arrows Temporary Tattoos

The good news is that swimming won’t affect it because it’s waterproof. However, if you apply some lotion, skin cream, or alcohol based sanitizer to the area, you can expect it to start rubbing off.

Take Care of the Area

Woman with Metallic Temporary Armband Tattoos of Repetitive Geometric Shapes/Patterns | selftattoo.com
Woman with Metallic Temporary Armband Tattoos of Repetitive Geometric Shapes/Patterns

If you want the tattoo to last for as long as possible, you need to take care of the skin where it has been applied.

As mentioned earlier, this means no skin lotions, creams, or sanitizers. Also, don’t use baby powder or talcum powder after your shower or bath.

Black/Gold Metallic Hand and Wristband Temporary Tattoos featuring Geometric/Diamond Patterns | selftattoo.com
Black/Gold Metallic Hand and Wristband Temporary Tattoos featuring Geometric/Diamond Patterns

One thing you can do is spray some hairspray on the tattoo before you go out to a special event. This will help to protect it. Just be cautious about what kind of spray you use and whether or not you’re allergic to it.

Time the Tattoo Application

Woman with a series of Small Gold Temporary Tattoo Arrows on her Chin/Forehead pointing upwards | selftattoo.com
Woman with a series of Small Gold Temporary Tattoo Arrows on her Chin/Forehead pointing upwards

If you are getting a temporary tattoo done for a special event, it’s a good idea to have it done that morning or at least the day before. This ensures that it will look its best for the event.

Conclusion

Upper Chest and Shoulder Temporary Tattoos resembling White Lace Patterns with Floral/Leafy Motifs | selftattoo.com
Upper Chest and Shoulder Temporary Tattoos resembling White Lace Patterns with Floral/Leafy Motifs

Though it might seem contrary to the whole idea of tattoos, a temporary tattoo can be a great idea for some people. In fact, some people like the idea of getting a tattoo, but don’t feel comfortable with the permanence or the discomfort involved.

A temporary tattoo gives anyone a chance to express themselves without having to be concerned about permanence. It’s also a great way for someone to try out a tattoo before committing to a permanent version of it.

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