What Are Temporary Tattoos?

Tattoos have been popular forms of body art for quite a while in most Western countries. They are worn as a symbol of rebellion, of belonging or for many other reasons. Tattoos are typically permanent images that are done by depositing ink in the dermis layer of the skin. These tattoos can be removed, but usually only through a surgical procedure. If you want to get the experience of a tattoo but you are squeamish about the process or don’t know if you are ready for a permanent one, there are temporary tattoos that you can try out. They are usually applied with an instrument like a ballpoint pen, and therefore can be removed with soap and water. It has been reported that these tattoos can be removed with hair spray also.

Temporary tattoos can be painted on by hand or applied to the skin with a stencil. A stencil is a sheet of paper that contains a tattoo predesigned with a layer of glue on the top of it. You peel away the top protective transparent coating from the stencil and press it onto the skin. It’s as simple as that. Another way to get a more detailed and professional looking temporary tattoo is to apply a stencil to the area of your body you want to put it on. Have someone fill in the inside of the stencil with an airbrush. This will make it hard for anyone to tell that it is not a real tattoo. These temporary tattoos will last sometimes for up to a week. You can usually remove them with alcohol because the paints used in the airbrush equipment are alcohol based.

Some temporary tattoos are done with a henna paste. Tattoos of this nature are typically brownish and red in color. Henna contains a dye that colors the skin temporarily. These temporary tattoos are usually predesigned. They will eventually wear off. They may last for days or even as long as a month. As the skin sheds they will fade and eventually completely disappear. Temporary tattoos are preferred by many people as an occasional body ornament or just for fun. Many people in advertising use them because they are short lived. Many actors use temporary tattoos as well for the very same reasons.

As kids, you may have used temporary tattoos that came in a box of cereal or in a bubble gum wrapper. The whole idea behind tattoos is the same whether they are permanent or temporary; they are intended as body art. If you are thinking of getting a permanent tattoo, you may want to first experiment by applying a temporary tattoo to see if you really like the idea. If you find that you are disappointed when the temporary wears off then you know you’re likely to be okay with the real thing.