How to Cover a Tattoo with Makeup

Posted on January 13th, 2009 by Carmelia

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Getting a tattoo requires some serious thinking on anyone’s part, but people can change their minds and feelings about a certain tattoo that they acquired years ago. Covering up your tattoo with makeup is the quickest way for you to get rid of your tattoo, even temporarily. People may also want to cover their tattoos for other reasons, such as a formal occasion or a tattoo won’t work out with a certain outfit. Here are the steps to cover up your tattoo without anyone noticing.

What You Need

Two makeup brushes, big and small
Foundation
Thick bronzer brush
Red base lip product
Loose translucent powder
Two concealer, in a warm and cool tone

Method 1

Clean the tattoo area thoroughly and pat dry. It’s also recommended that you shave the tattooed area so that the makeup will adhere better to your skin.
Spread a layer of red base lip product all over the tattoo, only slightly going beyond the tattoo’s edges. Don’t make one layer too thick. Let the layer dry and spread on another layer. Two to three layers are usually enough for this step.
Once the red base lip product layers have dried, use a makeup brush to apply the cool-toned concealer. Cool-toned concealers are distinguishable by their yellow base or yellowish tone. Again, do not spread it so thick. Brush it over the area of the tattoo until the red layer is completely covered.
Let the cool-toned concealer layer dry completely. Take another makeup brush and apply the warm-toned concealer to the tattoo area. Warm-toned concealers have an orange and reddish base. Make sure that you blend in the concealer with the other layers and the color of your skin, especially around the edges. It’s important that you use a warm-toned concealer that matches your skin tone, as this will be the uppermost layer of the makeup.
Take your loose translucent powder, or even face powder. For loose translucent powder, put some on the big makeup brush, and tap against the container to shake off the excess. Lightly apply on the tattoo area, blending around the edges. For face powder, use a shade that will match your skin tone. This final touch is to lessen the shine that may come from the concealer and make it look more like natural skin.

Method 2

Repeat the first step in Method 1.
Take a concealer that is half or a full shade lighter than the skin where your tattoo can be found. You can use a brush or your fingers to do this. Make sure that you cover the whole tattoo, extending just a bit over the edges.
Get a foundation that matches your skin color. Any foundation will do, as long as it’s hypoallergenic. If you’re using a water-based foundation, apply using a bit of water and a makeup sponge. A powder-based foundation can be applied similarly. If the layers get wet, leave it to dry before adding another layer.
Apply translucent powder and apply, similar to the step mentioned in the fourth step in Method 1.

Quick Tips

Don’t use makeup over a fresh tattoo. This could lead to infection and the tattoo ink smudging. Cover up a tattoo with makeup only when you’re sure it’s completely healed.
Makeup rubs off, so it’s best to bring supplies to wherever it is you’re going to do touch-up.
If you’re looking for makeup that won’t smudge or be easily sweated off, invest in theater makeup. Theater makeup is especially formulated to stay on longer than ordinary makeup.
Don’t be afraid to do a skin test on makeups you see in the store. Not only are they for checking if they blend in correctly with your skin tone, it’s also a way to check if you are not allergic to that particular brand of makeup. Apply small amounts on your hand or the tattoo area and wait a few hours for any possible reactions. Better safe than sorry!
Consider saving up some money to erase your tattoo permanently. It’s better than covering up your tattoo daily!