Temporary Tattoo

Temporary tattoos are not permanent in nature and are easily removed with soap and water or oil-based creams and are intended to last a few days. Temporary tattoos are normally applied to the skin using water to transport the design to the surface of the skin.

In some regions like India, the Middle East, North Africa and other Asian countries, temporary tattoo art forms are known as Mehndi. Mehndi is applied generally on the hands and the feet. The designs made by Mehndi are intricate and beautiful and go on their own in a couple of days.

Henna is powdered and mixed with tea or coffee, lemon juice (so that the dye is released easily) and sugar to make a viscous paste which is then applied on the intended parts of the body. The more you leave the paste on the skin the more it will last. Usually, most of the designs last for about two weeks.

Henna has tendency to fade in a fixed pattern. It fades from dark brown to light orange. The chief advantage of putting temporary tattoos like Henna or Mehndi is that you can get rid of them after a few days and again come up with a new pattern or style.

As Henna is herbal there is no threat to the skin. Black Henna, which is made by adding some chemical to the natural Henna, is very unhealthy and has been known to cause burns. According to tradition in the Asian countries in general and India in particular, Mehndi is applied onto the hands and feet of the brides and bridegrooms before wedding ceremonies. Of late Henna or Mehndi has become very popular in the west also.

Another type of temporary tattoo is Airbrush temporary tattoo. Airbrush temporary tattoos are painted on the body with the use of stencils and a CO2 sprayer. There is a wide assortment of images and several different styles of airbrush tattoos, ranging from the realistic-looking, which are black in color, to the shimmer, glitter, and glow-in-the-dark styles.

This type of temporary tattoo can last for up to a week. They are beginning to take over the temporary tattoo scene, as they are simple as can be, while also allowing for great designs that look just like a real tattoo.

Decal temporary tattoos are the least complicated and expensive of all of the temporary tattoos around. Of course their simple nature and low cost yields the temporary tattoo with the shortest life span; but it is still a fun way to experiment with body art. The decal tattoos, with their variety of designs and images, can be applied in a few seconds with a moist towel or cotton ball. There are services now where you can even customize your own decals.

Some people just have a hard time making decisions. Getting a tattoo is one of the hardest decisions to be made because it is one of permanency. Having the opportunity to test out your tattoo first with a decal, airbrush, or henna tattoo offers people a chance to “try on” their tattoo for a while.

Developed by TDDI, the tattoo designs expert.