Try A Temporary Tattoo

Whether you are curious about tattooing but don't want to commit to a real one, or if you just need a fake tattoo for a little while, a temporary tattoo might be a good option.

Temporary tattoos can come in several forms. They are most often a stick-on decal which is really a very thin layer of plastic that can last on the surface of the skin for a few days to about a week at most. Or theatrical tattooing can be done with special paint or makeup. These are non-water-based so that they don't run or smear when you sweat.

Because it is also a form of skin art, people often mistakenly refer to henna body-painting as temporary tattooing, but henna forms a stain on the skin that soaks in whereas temporary tattooing stays entirely on the outer surface of the skin and does not last nearly as long. Henna applications can last for several week to two months.

There are a variety of reasons that people wear temporary tattoos. 

1) A Test Run Before Getting A Real One - this really isn't a bad idea.  Good for people who are worried about what others might think or who aren't sure if they are comfortable with the idea of something that's going to be there for the rest of their life.

2) Theater - When I was in college, I did costuming and makeup, and there were all sorts of plays where adding a temporary tattoo to an actor was good for the character.

3) Fun/Fashion - Got a favorite sports team?  Doing a special promotion for an event?  Or just want something to add a bit of color or drama for a special occasion?  In all of those instances, wearing a temporary tattoo can make a lot more sense than doing something more permanent.

There are just a few tricks to making a stick-on tattoo appear more real and they are all really easy too!

1. Shave - Since stick-ons are a thin layer of plastic that goes on the skin, shaving off any body hair in the area where you are going to put the temporary tattoo will make them go on more smoothly and feel more realistic. Applying them over body hair can leave the surface bumpy and uneven.

2. Take away the shine - The plastic of temporary tattoos tends to be a bit shiny, while real tattoos have a matte finish, since they are actually under the skin. If you dust a bit of translucent body powder over the temp tattoo, this will take away the shine. Be careful, you must use translucent powder, not baby powder or anything opaque, or you will turn the stick-on tattoo whitish, and wind up emphasizing that is is a fake.

3. Test run - When you buy your removeable tattoo, get more than one so that you can do a test run or do it over if you make a mistake. Since these tattoos come off with rubbing alcohol or cold cream, if you mess up, you can easily wash off the first attempt and then try again.