How to Make Your Own Temporary Tattoos

You can make your own temporary tattoos in three main ways, all of which we'll cover in this article. They're fun! Here are a few ways people love to use them:
- Promotion of a business, sports team, politician or belief
- Testing the feel of a permanent tattoo before committing
- As a form of expression like wearing earrings, make up or dying your hair
- As a "tribal mark" for a family reunion

The three main ways to make your own temporary tattoo are:
1. Printing your own full color image onto temporary tattoo paper, then affixing the paper to your skin, rubbing it, peeling the paper off, and enjoying your tattoo. Good for one or multiple copies of your tattoo. Lasts two to five days. Looks the most like a real tattoo. When it fades, it sometimes comes off in flakes.
2. Drawing directly onto the skin with the natural skin dyes of henna (reddish) or natural jagua (black) either free hand or with a stencil. Lasts 10 to 15 days, slowly fades.
3. Using skin-safe paint, either free-hand or using a stencil. Lasts a few hours, washes off with your first washing. You may see children at fairs going to hand and face-painting booths where artists use these materials. Adults can use the same process to create body art that acts like a temporary tattoo.

Things You'll Need

• Your choice of the following. Article tells where to find them:
• An online rub-on tattoo printing source or temporary tattoo paper for your laser printer
• Or, a henna tattoo kit
• Or, a jagua tattoo kit
• Or, skin-safe body paint, paint brushes or sponges, stencils if not painting freehand.

Instructions

1. Choose which method you want to use.

2. If choosing full color temporary rub-on tattoos printed with your own design: Find a temporary rub-on tattoo printer that allows you to print just one or multiples, and gives you the choice of uploading your own design, choosing one of theirs, or even designing one directly on their website. (One such source is in Resources below). If you want to print out your own with tattoo paper on your own laser printer, there's already a good ehow article on that subject, so I won't cover it here.

3. Go through their designs, even if you already have one of your own. Their designs might give you an idea you hadn't thought of for tweaking your own.

4. Either choose to upload your own, choose one of theirs, or design one on the spot as per their instructions, and click the button for which of these you chose.

5. Follow the specific tattoo printer's instructions for paying and shipment. Your temporary tattoos will be sent soon.

6. If choosing henna and/or jagua, choose and purchase your henna/jagua kit from a craft store or online (one source in Resources). You'll have choices of a kit that simply gives you the ingredients and directions for applying the skin dye, or kits that have stencils or design ideas for you to follow.

7. If using henna, mix the dry pigment with the provided solution according to the kit's directions. You may have to wait a couple of hours for it to be ready. In most cases, you'll be squeezing the dye out through the opening of a cone, sort of like you do with frosting cakes and cookies. A paste will come out that remains on the skin for anywhere from a half hour to 24 hours, depending on your kit. When the paste wipes off, there is a deep stain in the skin. These natural dyes will fade slowly over time. Once on, they're on, but henna especially is subtle brownish red, so if you make a mistake while applying, it won't be as obvious.

8. If using jagua, just open the lid of this natural body ink's pointed dispenser and apply to the skin.

9. Let it dry for two hours, then scrape it off. You'll see either nothing, or just very light gray. But within 24 hours your black tattoo will appear.

10. If choosing body paint, purchase "face paint," in craft stores, kids' hobby stores, or even some department stores. Make sure it's listed as face paint and safe for skin. Some paints may say non-toxic or washable, but they're not safe for skin.

11. Paint a design on with small paint brushes or small paint sponges, either free hand or using stencils from craft stores or free online stencils you can cut out. Have a brush or sponge for each color. Let each color dry before applying the next.

12. Once dry, your painted tattoo will stay on until it gets wet or is washed off.

Tips & Warnings

• Also consider using waterproof colored eye-liner as a temporary tattoo material. There's an ehow article on that topic if you're interested.

• Some supposed "black henna" contains questionable ingredients. Consider using only natural jagua for black temporary tattoos.

• Some people's skin reacts negatively even to the skin-safe products listed here.

• Author disclaims liability and offers article for educational purposes only.

• Parents are responsible for any activities involving their children.

Resources

• One source of pure henna and jagua for temporary tattoos
• Tattoo printer that allows you to design your own and print just one