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You read that right! I got a tattoo!
Okay, okay. It’s not a REAL tattoo in the sense that it isn’t permanent, but it’s definitely a far cry from the temporary tats that we used to give ourselves when we were 10. Let’s call it “semi-permanent.”
It may be hard to think of me as a commitment-phobe, but when it comes to the idea of inking my body I just can’t seem to do it. And it’s not that I don’t want to. I think that tattoos are incredibly badass. I have several friends and even some family members who are tatted, and trust me, they look awesome. When it comes to getting a tattoo the part of my brain that experiences FOMO and the part of my brain that houses all of the regrets in my life really battle it out.
I want one so bad, but what if I hate it a year from now? What if I choose something that is totally irrelevant at this time next year? And what will it look like when I’m 80 years old?
I mean, my grandfather just got his very first tattoo for his birthday. So if granddad can do it, I should be able to as well.. right?
Well, thanks to an amazing company called Inkbox I can have my cake and eat it too. All the joys of having a tat on my body, but with a significantly shorter commitment time. I can do a new tattoo every month if I want to. Let’s call it research. Who knows? One of these days I might fall in love with one of my Inkbox tattoos and actually pull the trigger. They have a vast catalogue of tattoos you can choose from, as well as the option to create your own tattoo. So the possibilities really are endless. And for those of us who are a little bit more artistic (not I) there is even an option to purchase freehand ink. Hey, all the power to ya!
Their many tattoos range in prices, but you can buy one for as little as $16.
You can get $10 off of your first tattoo here
Here’s what came in my kit:
“Inkstructions” booklet
Gloves
Alcohol wipe
Cloth
Tattoo
Inkbox ink works by penetrating the top layer of your skin (also known as the epidermis for my other anatomy nerds out there) and reacting with organic compounds to change your skin’s color. No need to worry, Inkbox ink is painless, all natural (made from the Genipa Americana plant), and (of course) safe to put on your skin. Your tattoo will disappear after 8 – 20 days (typically) when your epidermis regenerates itself. The length of time depends on how you take care of your skin.
I chose this tattoo, because it’s definitely the exact tattoo that high school Tia wanted and I was feeling a bit nostalgic. That’s a true story.
The application process takes about 20 – 25 minutes and is pretty simple.
Step by step:
1) Don your black gloves
2) Peel the white sticker backing off of your tattoo and stick it to your skin. CAREFUL, you can’t move it after you’ve placed it so you have to be sure about where you want this tattoo
3) Peel off the black sticker to reveal a navy blue fabric box
4) Open your pre-moistened cloth and microwave it in the package for 12 – 15 seconds
4) Using the alcohol wipe, dab the navy blue fabric gently
5) Hold the cloth over your tattoo and press down as hard as you can for 30 seconds
6) Continue to hold firm pressure for 15 minutes. You can change the area you apply pressure to and take small breaks, but you have to make sure that you do not move the cloth at all or you will risk bleeding the ink
7) After 15 minutes has elapsed remove the cloth and peel off the tattoo sticker
8) Wait 5 minutes for the tattoo to dry and then wash the area with soap and water to remove any ink that is still on the surface
Your tattoo will be VERY faint at first. Don’t panic! It’s supposed to be like this. Your tattoo will be fully developed after 24 – 36 hours. Here is what mine looked like as the hours passed:
Immediately after application. You can barely tell it’s there. I could make out the feather, but was afraid that the birds had been lost.
12 hours after application. You can definitely see the tattoo darkening. And the birds are back! Yay!
24 hours after application. This is the darkest my tattoo got.
I’m super happy with how this turned out! The birds near my collarbone aren’t quite as dark as they should be, but that’s because I chose an area of my body that was super difficult for me to hold pressure on myself and my husband wasn’t home at the time to help. My skin was also super red after I peeled off the tattoo, but again, that’s my own fault for choosing such a sensitive area on my body to place it. I have sensitive skin as it is, so this doesn’t bother me as much as it just looks scary to others. After a few hours my skin was back to normal. I think that this tattoo looks super real. It’s been five days since I applied it and people are still asking me, “when did you get a tattoo!?” I’m definitely buying more in the future.
So what do you think? Is this a product that you would want to try? Don’t forget to claim the $10 off of your first tattoo if you do!
Thanks for reading!
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