Temporary Tattoos

How temporary tattoos work

A temporary tattoo is a design printed onto a backing paper, usually under a thin, clear film that protects it until it is used. Water is what releases it: wet the back of the paper and the design lets go and settles onto the skin, where it stays until washing and rubbing slowly wear it away.

You will also hear them called transfer tattoos or fake tattoos: the look of a tattoo, with nothing permanent about it, which is the whole appeal.

Matching a tattoo to the arm, wrist or hand

Think about where the tattoo will sit before you settle on a design. A small one suits a wrist, an ankle or the back of a hand, while something larger needs the flatter, roomier skin of a forearm, upper arm or shoulder. Where skin bends, over a knuckle, elbow or knee, a transfer cracks quickly, so place the design just to one side of the joint.

Let the occasion narrow things down first, whether that is a party or Christmas morning. With kids' tattoos, the wearer usually has firm views on the design, so let them make the final choice. Bold outlines and simple shapes read clearly on a small arm and wear well, while fine lines look best on flat skin with room around them.

Fake tattoos for party bags and the party itself

Most of our range suits a party, where temporary tattoos earn their place twice: as a treat in the bags that go home with the guests, and as something to do on the day. A tattoo table works well between games. Set out a bowl of water, a pile of sponges or flannel squares, kitchen roll for drips and a hand mirror, then put one helper on pressing duty while the children queue up to choose.

Lay out more designs than there are guests, so the last in the queue still has a choice, and keep a little oil and some cotton wool to hand for any that go on crooked.

Christmas stockings, and a few for Halloween

Most of our temporary tattoos suit Christmas as well. A tattoo or two in the toe of a stocking, beside the satsuma, gives a child something to do on Christmas morning before the wrapping paper is even cleared away, and a few more make a cheerful extra in crackers you fill yourself.

You will also find a few for Halloween, handy for trick-or-treat bags or for finishing off a costume. Once dry, a temporary tattoo stays put, with none of the smudges on collars and cushions that face paint can leave.

Putting a tattoo on, step by step

We would always start with any instructions printed with the tattoo, as methods vary a little. Otherwise, choose a patch of clean, dry skin with no cream or oil on it, because anything greasy stops the design taking. If the tattoo shares a sheet with others, cut it out close to the edge, then peel away any clear film.

Press it face down, hold a damp cloth or sponge firmly over the back until the paper is wet through, then slide the paper off gently from one corner and leave the design to dry for a minute. If it is going on a child, take charge of the wetting and pressing yourself, since firm, even pressure matters more than speed.

Making a tattoo last, and taking it off

Most of ours are made with paper, and most with plastic, so keep them flat, dry and away from heat and sunshine until you need one, with any clear film left in place. Once a tattoo is on, pat it dry after a bath rather than rubbing, and keep creams and oils away from it, since they break the design down.

When the time comes for it to go, a little oil does the hard work, so there is no need to scrub at it.