The Art Of Hiding Tattoos With Makeup
Maybe you have a big interview coming up. Or you’re meeting your new in-laws for the first time. Whatever the reason may be, for many people with visible tattoos there are times when you just don’t want your tattoo to be displayed to the world. So what are your options for covering a tattoo quickly?
You could opt to completely remove your tattoo. However, tattoo removal requires multiple treatment sessions and as such is not a feasible option for people with short notice. Plus, you may not want to permanently remove that tattoo, but rather just make it disappear for a specific occasion.
The best option for temporarily hiding a tattoo is to use tattoo camouflage makeup. This post will cover how to choose the right tattoo makeup for the job, along with some application tips.
Buying the right makeup
To make your tattoo cover up appear as natural as possible you will need to buy high quality cosmetics. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Concealer #1: A concealer that is much lighter than your natural skin tone
- Concealer #2: A second concealer that is 2-3 shades darker than the above concealer (usually a bronze or tan shade)
- A translucent powder
- Makeup sponge
- Makeup brush
How to apply
Step 1: Thoroughly clean the skin both within and surrounding the tattooed area. Make sure to remove any dirt, oil, or excess debris as applying cosmetics over these can cause cracking and an unnatural appearance.
Step 2: Use a makeup sponge to blot the Concealer #1 (the lighter concealer) over the tattoo. You want a nice smooth layer over the tattoo. Note that you don’t want to rub, you want to lightly blot.
Step 3: Let the concealer fully dry.
Step 4: Apply a light layer of the translucent powder on top of the layer of concealer using a good quality makeup brush.
Step 5: Blend Concealer #2 (darker shade) with Concealer #1 (lighter shade) in your hand. Then gently blot this mixture over the tattoo until smooth. Once this new layer fully dries cover it with the translucent powder (as done in step 4).
Step 6: Continue adding layers of the products in Steps 1-5 until the tattoo is sufficiently covered and blended in with your skin. The number of layers required will depend on your skin color and tattoo.
Step 7: Finish off with a light spritz of hairspray which will help to hold everything in place.
A united group of skin care specialists from Westlake Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery, Austin's leader in Dermatology and Plastic Surgery. Articles posted under WD staff are authored through combined contributions from our entire team, including Plastic Surgeons, Dermatologists, Aestheticians, Physician Assistants, Aesthetic Nurses, and Patient Coordinators.
I have terrible tattoo that I did in Mexico when I was drunk over spring break.I’ll give these a try…not ready for laser removal yet