Your wedding day has arrived! How do you cover your tattoo?

Your  wedding day has arrived and for a variety of reasons, you have decided that you want to cover your tattoo.  You have seen the tattoo cover-up kits sold online, but do they really work?  What about airbrush make-up?  What is the best method for covering a tattoo?

Questions to keep in mind when selecting the best method to cover your tattoo:
·                 Is your dress strapless?
·                 Will your wedding dress come in contact with the covered area?
·                 If someone hugs you, will they come in contact with the covered area?
·                 Is the skin texture raised or indented around the tattoo’d area?

Camouflage Make-up & Tattoo Cover-up Kits
There are a variety of corrective and camouflage cosmetics on the market (e.g. Tattoo Camo, Smart Cover, Dermablend, Cinema Secrets, Ben Nye to name a few) that are designed to be smudge-resistant, water-proof, and non-greasy.  These types of camouflage make-ups are designed to “cover”, “conceal”, and are often used to create special effects.  Camouflage or corrective cosmetics usually have a creamy texture and may require the use of a setting powder depending upon the brand.

OK, let’s be frank.  It’s make-up.  Yes, there are some brands that I like better than others ( e.g. Tattoo Camo and Cinema Secrets), but bottom line, a cream is being used to cover an area on your skin.  Depending upon the oiliness of your skin, perspiration, and humidity, the covered area may smudge or smear.  Therefore, if your wedding  gown or someone will come in contact with the covered area, I strongly suggest airbrush make-up vs. the use of a camouflage cosmetic to cover your tattoo.  If not, Tattoo Camo Tattoo Cover-up Kit or Cinema Secrets Ultimate Foundations are your best bet.

Color Matching
One of the biggest challenges I hear when selecting make-up to cover a tattoo is “how do you find the right color?”  I suggest choosing two to three different make-up shades that most closely match your skin tone (light, medium, dark).  Use a blend of these shades to create your perfect match.  Most of us have unevenness in our skin tone, so you will need a combination of these shades to create a tone that appears realistic.  Cinema Secrets Ultimate Foundations probably offers the broadest range of shades, particularly for people who have a lot of yellow or olive in their skin tone.

Ease of use:
The majority of cream camouflage make-ups offer online video tutorials that will show you how to apply their product.  Regardless of the product you choose, always remember to:

1.           wax or shave the area to be covered
2.           unless the product instructions tell you to, do not apply a moisturizer prior to make-up application
3.           choose two to three shades that most closely match your skin tone (light, medium, dark); this will enable you to blend the shades to better match your skin tone.
4.           Use a cosmetic wedge to apply the make-up in thin layers; use a stippling motion, not a stoking motion.

Application will take some practice so be sure to order your products months prior to your wedding; allow plenty of time to practice the technique.

Tattoo Lightener
If you have about seven to ten months and want to lighten your tattoo for optimal cover-up, considering using a product like Tattoo Off.  Tattoo Off is designed to lighten your tattoo by penetrating your skin and breaking down the ink over time.

Typically, to achieve optimal tattoo coverage, an alcohol-based or silicone based airbrush make-up is used.  My personal favorite airbrush make-up for covering tattoos is Temptu Pro Dura Airbrush Makeup.  Dura is widely used for body art, prosthetics, tattoo coloring, and special effects make-up.  Temptu Pro Dura Airbrush Make-up combined with the use of their new pro palettes, and matte sealer is a winning combination!  This technique will ensure that your tattoo area is covered and can withstand hugging and touching!  Airbrush make-up is typically best applied by a skilled make-up artist.