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    We Tried Semi-Permanent Tattoos To See If They’re Actually A Good Alternative

    A temporary bad decision.

    by
    Sohan Judge
    by Sohan Judge

    Senior Publishing Strategist

    ,
    Jemima Skelley
    by Jemima Skelley

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    I think we can all agree that getting a tattoo is a pretty huge commitment.

    It can be really tough to decide on placement and design when you know there's no turning back.

    So when we discovered semi-permanent tattoos that look pretty damn legit, we jumped at the prospect.

    We chose some cute designs and purchased a kit each from Inkbox.

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    Sohan: I have been thinking of getting a tattoo on my arm, but am absolutely not ready to commit yet. I just don't know if I will be satisfied with the placement long-term! So I chose a cute circular pattern similar to something I'd want to get for real. Let's see if I still like it after two weeks!

    Jemima: I've been wanting to get a second tattoo for years now, but I haven't been able to decide on the placement. So I figure this is the perfect way to test one out without making a bad decision I can't come back from. Like Sohan, I got one very similar to the real tatt I want: the word "lumos".

    The application process seemed complicated at first, but the instructions were actually really easy to follow.

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    First, you peel off the adhesive and stick it onto your skin wherever you want your tattoo to be.

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    Next, you peel off another layer and dab an an alcohol wipe (provided) onto the middle of the square, where the fabric is.

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    They give you a glove to wear to protect your hand from the ink.

    Then, you use a warm cloth (also provided) to apply AS MUCH PRESSURE AS POSSIBLE for 30 seconds, then relax and hold with firm pressure for 15 minutes.

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    It was an intense arm workout tbh.

    Peel off, and voila!

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    It was really faint, but this was to be expected.

    After 24 hours, the tattoo had fully developed.

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    Sohan: I was really happy with how mine turned out! It seriously looked like a real tattoo. After a couple of days, the colour started to change from that typical green/black colour to a blue/black colour, which did make it seem fake. However, it was hardly noticeable - I was being extremely picky!

    Jemima: I liked mine in theory, but it did not look great. It was meant to say "love wins" but it smudged somehow and the "wins" was pretty illegible. I think the lines were too thin which made them very easy to smudge, though I'm not sure if it happened when I applied it or when I slept on my arm that night. Also, I put it on wonky, but that was 100% my fault.

    A week later, things looked a bit grim.

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    Sohan: Okay, these were meant to last between eight and 18 days. But seven days later, you can hardly see the tattoo anymore? I was pretty disappointed. I assume it rubbed off because I wore a long sleeved top once. It's also possible the tattoo looked more faint on me because I've got darker skin. Ugh, it looked great... while it lasted.

    Jemima: The strength of mine lasted for about two weeks before it began to really fade. If you looked at it up close it was a little patchy but from afar it was fine!

    So, what were our final thoughts?

    If you like the look of these semi-permanent tattoos, you can try them for yourself here.