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A tattoo for the summer, the stag do or just the next fortnight? Every one of our temporary tattoos is right here. Each design is printed with jagua ink, which sinks into the very top layer of your skin and turns blue-black, so it looks settled and healed rather than drawn on. Then it fades on its own, usually after one to two weeks.
Where to start
Most people browse temporary tattoos by subject, then check the size. A few shortcuts:
- Small tattoos: wrist, ankle, behind the ear. Ideal for a first go.
- Large tattoos for the forearm, calf or shoulder blade, up to half-sleeve size.
- Fine line tattoos: thin, precise lines and minimal symbols.
- Flower tattoos and animal tattoos, if you'd rather start from a subject.
- Couple tattoos: matching pairs for partners, siblings or best mates.
- Tattoo sets, with several designs grouped to wear together or share out.
One tip on placement. The colour holds best where skin is rubbed least: forearms, shoulders, the nape, the upper back. On hands, fingers and feet, it fades sooner.
From paper to blue-black
Application takes 2 minutes. Clean and dry the skin, remove the clear film and press the design on, then wet the back with a damp sponge and hold for around 30 seconds before peeling the paper away. At first you'll see a faint, greyish outline. Don't judge it yet! Avoid water and rubbing for 8 hours; over the next 24 to 36 hours, the colour builds to its full blue-black.
Once developed, it's waterproof. Shower, swim, hit the gym: it won't peel or smudge, because the colour is in your skin rather than on it. Long soaks, chlorinated pools and sweat do speed up the fade a little. To slow it down, see how to make a temporary tattoo last longer, and for the details by body part, how long temporary tattoos last.
Timing it right
Because of that development time, apply it 1 to 2 days before the wedding, festival or hen do. Apply it that morning and you'll turn up with a pale sketch.
A dress rehearsal for real ink
Fake tattoos make a sensible trial run if you're weighing up a permanent one. Live with the design for a week or so and see whether the size works, how it sits next to a watch or a neckline, and whether it still makes you smile on day ten. Came here looking for something between a transfer and permanent ink? Our guide sets out what those in-between tattoos really are, plainly.
Something of your own
No design quite right? We'll print yours as a custom temporary tattoo, from 3 copies, in standard sizes up to L. Every visual is checked and approved before it goes to print, and it's made in 3 to 4 weeks. Buying for someone else? The temporary tattoo gift set lets you pick what goes inside.
Questions we often get
Which temporary tattoos look most like the real thing?
The ones where the colour ends up in the skin. Jagua develops just beneath the surface into blue-black, so there's no shine, no visible edge and nothing to peel. Fine line designs and small pieces are often the most convincing, since real tattoos at that size are crisp and dark too.
Can fake tattoos last for months?
Ours last one to two weeks. The top layer of your skin is always renewing, and the colour goes with it, a little at a time. If you'd like to keep a look going, order a second copy and apply it once the first has faded.
Can I print my own temporary tattoos at home?
You can print transfer paper at home, but that ink stays on top of the skin. To wear your own design with the jagua finish, order it as a custom tattoo: minimum 3 copies, visual approved before printing, made in 3 to 4 weeks.
Which tattoo styles can I choose from?
Fine line, minimalist, blackwork, illustrative, geometric, Japanese and old school, among others. Each has its own collection, but browsing this page is the quickest way to compare them side by side.
What's in the ink, and who can wear it?
The only colourant is genipin, from the jagua fruit. There's no PPD, so it's nothing like 'black henna'. The tattoos meet EU cosmetics regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and can be worn from age 3. Skip broken or irritated skin and the area around the eyes. Allergic to tropical fruit such as mango, papaya or kiwi? Do a patch test 48 hours beforehand. As a precaution, ask your doctor if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.
