Because tattoos are permanent, a person should give careful consideration to getting one, especially if the design has a specific connection to someone loved. The only way to have a tattoo removed is with surgery in which the actual area of skin would be removed and skin grafts used to help the area heal and appear normal. Now, there are multiple options for diminishing the appearance of tattoos but even many of these are painful and extremely expensive.
One other possibility that people use to hid tattoos is with tattoo cover up makeup. This makeup is different from normal cosmetics, being heavy and formulated specifically to cover ink used in tattoo designs. The nice thing about using tattoo cover up makeup is it provides an individual the chance to hide an unwanted design but it can also be used to cover tattoos for someone working a job where tattoos are not allowed.
As an example, a food server working in a classy, high-end restaurant wearing a short-sleeved uniform who has tattoos on the arm might not be received well. There is nothing wrong with having tattoos but the fact remains that in some settings, there is still certain jobs where tattoo makeup comes in handy. This would be a good example of when the cover up could be used to hide it while on the job.
What is Tattoo Makeup?
As mentioned, tattoo cover up makeup is not like makeup a person would wear to work every day. However, to get the best coverage while keeping the skin looking natural, it would be imperative to use only high quality makeup. In addition, there are steps a person would take to prepare the area, followed by applying the tattoo cover up makeup exactly as instructed by the manufacturing company. With this, seeing any inked design would be extremely difficult.
With the right tattoo cover up makeup, skills of a professional makeup artist would not be needed. Instead, the tone that coordinates with the person’s natural skin color would be chosen and then applied according to instructions provided the tattoo design would quickly begin to fade. As stated, high quality works so well that actually seeing the tattooed design would be nearly impossible.
Steps that most products or kits suggest are provided below:
- The design, as well as surrounding area would be thoroughly cleaned with warm water and soap, rinsed, and then allows to dry
- The cover up makeup would be applied to the design and a small amount of skin around the area using the special sponge applicator
- Once smoothed out, setting powder would be applied very gently
- To seal the makeup, barrier spray would be applied
Although the makeup, setting powder, and barrier spray can be purchased separately, the most cost efficient option would be with an actual kit. In addition, buying a kit means getting products that have been formulated by the same company to work together, usually making the cover up more efficient. Prices for kits vary from one company to another but on average, an individual could purchase tattoo cover up makeup for around $20-$40.
Additional Helpful Information
Remember, the best cover up for the job would primarily be based on the size of the tattoo but also the different colors used. Some addition things a person could do to make sure the makeup works best includes the following:
- As mentioned, one of the most important aspects of choosing the right product would be in choosing the color according to the person’s natural skin tone
- In addition, if someone has a tattoo on an area of skin where hair grows, hair should first be removed if possible
- Blending or feathering the edges of the makeup just beyond the tattoo would create a natural appearance while providing full coverage
- Instead of applying a heavy coat, it would be much better to apply a thin layer, smooth the makeup in, allow it to completely dry, and then apply additional coats in the same manner until the appropriate level of coverage is achieved
- When buying makeup used to cover tattoos, always look for a product guaranteed not to bleed. That way, only the tattoo design and surrounding skin would be covered, not your clothing.
- For removal, a specially formulated makeup remover should be used to ensure the tattoo design itself is not compromised for someone who simply wants temporary coverage
- We also wanted to mention that for extremely large arm tattoos a latex sleeve in the person’s skin tone may be another option for consideration
- There are a few downsides to using tattoo cover up makeup. For instance, many brands are messy, the process takes time to get the right level of coverage, and some products do not hold up very well when exposed to sunlight or perspiration. Reading reviews on a product before buying can be helpful.