Ephemeral tattoos give reluctant recipients a chance to test out ink without committing fully to a design

By Connor Lutts
Academics Editor

What is an Ephemeral Tattoo? Ephemeral tattoos are applied to the skin just like a traditional tattoo, but the twist is that the ink contains medical-grade, bio-absorbable ingredients that shrink over time. The point of an Ephemeral Tattoo is to get comfortable with the idea of having a tattoo that you might want to get permanently tattooed. 

Where are Ephemeral Tattoo shops located?  

• Ephemeral tattoos currently have locations in Brooklyn, New York, Los Angeles, San Fransisco, California, Atlanta, Georgia, Houston, Texas, and one in Miami, Florida, that is opening this December

How much do Ephemeral Tattoos Cost?  

• Ephemeral Tattoos are cost based on size; half an inch tattoo to two inches costs anywhere from$195 – $245, Secondly, two-to-five-inch tattoos which are more complex and intricate tattoos with shading, are $350- $550. 

Are Ephemeral Tattoos safe?  

• Yes, the components in Ephemeral ink are commonly used in food and medical devices. 
• Ephemeral chooses materials previously tested and approved for surgical use, drug delivery, so the ink does not cause adverse effects 
• The ink avoids all metallic components such as carcinogenic and teratogenic components 

• The ink is not used on animals for testing 

What do Ephemeral Tattoos mean?  

• Jenni, an ephemeral tattoo artist from Atlanta, Georgia, shared insight about what ephemeral tattoos mean to her and Ephemeral company as a whole “Ephemeral Tattoos are in the moment, something that can stand by you in that moment and are freeing as well”  

Are Ephemeral Tattoos as painful as traditional tattoos?  

• Yes, when I spoke to Jenni, she mentioned that “they use the same types of needles on traditional tattoos as well. Secondly, she also spoke about how everyone has different nerve endings in different places, so where a tattoo might hurt in one place won’t hurt for another person in that same place that they are getting tattooed”  

Do Ephemeral tattoos come in just one color or other colors as well?  

• Currently, they only do black coloring since all artists say at the locations that it looks more appealing and easier to do. 

What is the tipping procedure for Ephemeral tattoos?  

• Artists are paid only a salary, and the tips are included in both half-an-inch to two-inch tattoos as well as two-inch to five-inch tattoos