Tattoos are a big decision. Especially for people who are struggling to decide on a design, making the commitment to a lifelong design can be difficult.
This is why Ephemeral tattoo ink was created. A “fading” ink, Ephemeral was meant to take the pressure off so you can temporarily try out a design (or just get something trendy you might not want forever) with no regrets. Except that it’s not fading for many of Ephemeral Tattoo’s early clients.
In this article, we’ll break down:
The Concept Behind Ephemeral Made to Fade Tattoo Ink
Ephemeral tattoos are applied like traditional tattoos with a tattoo machine.
However, Ephemeral tattoos also use special ink designed to fade within nine to 15 months, something especially appealing to first-time clients struggling to commit to permanent tattoos.
And while the concept sounded great, many clients found their tattoos lasted far longer than expected - with many people going on 3 years now. Instead of avoiding regret, they were left frustrated, especially clients who got “joke tattoos” and were counting on the fading process to get rid of the design.
Will Ephemeral Tattoos Fade Completely?
2 years post-tattoo via dazeddigital.com
The problem came down to poor testing. The chemical engineers who created Ephemeral utilized medical grade polymers that are created to break down. However, they don’t seem to be dissolving the way they were intended. Because the temporary tattoos don’t fade as advertised, the company can’t guarantee how long tattoos will actually last.
The reason traditional tattoo ink “fades” is because the body naturally ‘attacks” ink particles. Ink is a foreign substance to the body, meaning your body tries to break the ink down and carry it away as a waste product. However, ink breaks down slowly - and in general, ink particles are too large for the body to get rid of it. (This is why ink “spreads” overtime without actually fading completely).
And while Ephemeral ink seems to fade faster than normal ink, many clients are beginning to worry that their made to fade ink isn’t going to fade at all. Most clients who still have their Ephemeral tattoo after several years have half-faded ink with no indication of how long it’ll take to fade entirely.
Ephemeral’s response to this issue has been that everyone’s skin is different, so they’ll have different fading times. However, they have changed their estimated “fade time” from one year to three years.
Additionally, Ephemeral has closed their designated tattoo studios, instead allowing Ephemeral tattoo artists to use their ink in traditional tattoo studios.
Should You Offer Ephemeral Ink as an Artist?
Even though Ephemeral tattoos are temporary, they’re still applied by real tattoo artists with tattoo machines. This means that, as a tattoo artist, you can offer Ephemeral’s ink to your clients.
However, given their recent unpopularity (and the very real threat of an Ephemeral tattoo lawsuit in the near future), it might be worth passing up that option. Like other specialty inks (UV ink, ink mixed with ashes, etc.), you can’t make any guarantees to your clients about what the healing process will be like.
And from a technical perspective, the ink isn’t reliable. It doesn’t fade evenly, which can leave behind blurry, patchy designs that look unintentional. Removing or covering these tattoos can also be more complicated than expected, making them more trouble than they’re worth.
Note:
Ephemeral only makes black ink. Color ink is not available.
The Importance of Picking a Design for the Long Haul
Tattoos are meant to be a lifelong commitment. And while not every tattoo has to be wrapped with layers of meaning, it’s important to pick a tattoo design that you know you’ll like for a lifetime to avoid regret or laser removal.
If you offer Ephemeral ink, make sure that your client chooses a design that they’re comfortable with as if you were going to tattoo with permanent ink.
Clients looking for a truly temporary tattoo might want to look into something with a topical application that is guaranteed to come off in a few weeks.
