How to cover a tattoo using Dermacolor camouflage makeup

Sometimes you need to hide those tattoos.

Tattoos have become such a common sight in our culture that they sometimes go unnoticed. There are still some situations, however, where they are not acceptable. If you are going to a job interview or to meet your girlfriend's father, you may want to cover your tattoo with makeup. Kryolan offers a makeup line called Dermacolor, which is specifically designed to cover tattoos, birthmarks and other blemishes.

Things You'll Need

• Soap and water
• Astringent
• Dermacolor makeup
• Makeup brush
• Artists palette or bathroom tile
• Palette knife
• Makeup sponges
• Sealing product

Instructions

1. Wash your skin with soap and water. Then clean it with an astringent such as witch hazel to remove any residual oils.

2. Cover any large, black areas of the tattoo with Dermacolor in a salmon shade with a makeup brush. The salmon color will neutralize some of the blue-gray that makes up black tattoo ink.

3. Heavily powder the makeup using translucent powder and a powder puff, pressing it firmly into the makeup to set it. Dust off any remaining powder with a powder brush.

4. Apply a shade of Dermacolor that closely matches your skin. You may be lucky and find one shade that works straight out of the container, but you will likely have to mix two or more colors on an artist's palette or bathroom tile. Use a small palette knife to scoop and mix the color.

5. Tear the end off a makeup sponge to create an irregular shape.

6. Dab the torn sponge into the makeup, then pat it over the tattoo. Patting the makeup prevents the first layer from smearing. Extend the makeup 1/2-inch past the edges of the tattoo, then wipe with the sponge to feather it onto the surrounding skin.

7. With new torn sponges, separately dab on each of the component colors you mixed. Keep this application very light. You just want to break up the surface a bit and prevent the coverage from looking too flat and flawless.

8. Powder the makeup a second time.

9. Apply a sealing product such as Ben Nye's Final Seal, Kryolon's Fixer Spray or MAC's Mist & Fix to finish sealing the makeup.

References

• Dermacolor: Application
• "Special Make-Up Effects for Stage & Screen"; Todd Debreceni; 2009