Temporary Tattoos

Temporary tattoos can look just like standard tattoos - the difference here is that temporary tattoos are not permanent and will wash off or fade away in a short period of time. Temporary tattoos are popular with all age groups from young children who want a tattoo of their favourite cartoon character through to adults. Many adults will use temporary tattoos for a special occasion or night out or to simply see what a tattoo will look like before they have a permanent one done.

There are various ways of applying temporary tattoos. These include sticker types of tattoos which come on a special film. Here you will usually have to peel off the backing paper, apply the tattoo, rub it to set and then peel off the outer film.

As an alternative you can also look at having a temporary tattoo applied by a specialist. This may be offered by some tattoo parlours or by other cosmetic companies. Here a design is airbrushed on to your skin - in most cases a stencil will be used to get the image that you want. The paint used here will look much like a regular permanent tattoo but will only last for a week or so.

Henna tattoos are also popular as a temporary option. Do be aware here that you should only apply or have applied pure henna mixtures and not those that are doctored with the chemical PPD (para phenylene diamine) to make them darker. This chemical can cause allergic reactions and, in some cases, scarring.