9 Tips to Cover Up Tattoos and One tip to Uncover Them

Possibly the one thing that people seem to forget about tattoos is the fact that they are permanent. There are hundreds of tattoo cover ups done every day. Maybe you really aren’t into getting another tattoo to cover up the one you have; or if you love the one you have but your *&%!@ sister wants it covered for her wedding. Here are some ideas to help you look like you never had a tattoo.

10 Unusual Tips to Cover Up Tattoos:

Makeup

One of the most favored makeup to use when covering up tattoos is Dermablend. When your annoying sister just can’t handle your tattoo in her wedding photos this is a good option. There are some make up and airbrushing techniques that are waterproof to a point. The main thing with that is you don’t want to ruin anyone’s big day with skin colored makeup melting down your neck. With that in mind make sure you test drive any makeup or airbrushing before the big day. Spritz it with water, run water over it, see how moist it can get before it runs.

Airbrushing

Airbrushing is simply makeup done by a professional with an airbrush gun. You will want to go through the same steps to test drive it as you will with the makeup tips above.

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Bandages

Are you ready for a throw back? About ten years ago Nelly got a lot of attention for wearing a Band-Aid on his cheek. Then he got so cocky he took the Band-Aid off. At the time people wondered if he had a pimple or tattoo or something he was covering up. If the tattoo you want to cover is on your face maybe this isn’t the choice for you. Other areas of your body like the arm or wrist make this a good choice for cover up. You can use Ace bandages or the larger bandages if your tattoo is a good size.

Clothing

My hubby is sleeved out. And yes it is HOT! But, my family is quite conservative. When we attend church he covers the tattoos out of respect. To cover up he wears long sleeve shirts. Even in the summer. Clothing can often cover many tattoos, and has the benefit of covering all the goodies God gave you! For real when you need to cover tattoos it is usually a more sober affair and more modest clothing is often seen as more appropriate anyway. In the summer time you can often find lighter weight fabric that will be cooler for you.

Hair

These next two choices are very good cover up tools for neck tattoos. Long hair is a wonderful cover up choice for neck and ear tattoos. If you are someone who is forever going to events where people will not appreciate the tattoo you love simply keep your hair long enough to cover it. If you have enough advanced warning for the event that will have you covering your tattoo you may have time to grow your hair out. BONUS: If it is a less serious event, or you are more adventurous, wear a wig. It is fun I promise.

Scarves

My personal choice for covering up a neck tattoo is hair, but if you have a short cut that is out of the question. That is when choosing a scarf that goes along with your outfit works well. Scarf’s may not have been the height of fashion in past years but they are making a comeback. This is especially a good choice in the fall/winter because scarfs can do double duty by keeping you warmer. There are summer scarfs that will have you looking all Audrey Hepburn as well. Men, don’t forget this is something you can do as well. If it is good enough for Brad Pitt I promise it is good enough for you.

Jewelry

Personal style is just as prominent with jewellery choices as it is with tattoo designs. For wrist tattoos many people choose to wear watches. Men and women can do this without turning any heads. Women can also choose large bangle type bracelets and other types of jewellery that men can rarely pull off – even if they wanted to. Large necklaces can sometimes cover tattoos that are on the top portion of your chest. A word of caution, if you are covering with large pieces of jewellery please don’t be gaudy. After all not everyone can pull off Beyoncé’s bionic hand.

Sleeves

Sleeves are a great choice if you know you will need a cover up often. If you have to cover up for work, church, or civic events investing in a sleeve is probably a good idea. You would think sleeves are only available for your arms right? Wrong. They have leg, calf, and ankle sleeves to cover up tattoos. They even have wrist sleeves. With the arm and leg sleeves they have the full, half, and short sizes, so you’re only covering what you have to. One of my favorite things about sleeves is that they come in many different colors and prints, including skin tones.

Cover Up Tape

Tattoo cover up tape is a good choice for quick and super easy cover ups. Tape is usually used on smaller tattoos. Most tape is made with a strong bonding agent similar to band aids. You can cut it to the size you need and then stick it on. Much of the tape you find out there will be a breathable cotton fabric. What that means is that you are not going to sweat under it causing it to loosen and come off. One of the best things about this option is that if you match the color close enough most people won’t know you are wearing it.

Uncover

One choice, of course, is to not cover the tattoo, and simply explain to those who ask (or give you the stink eye) what the tattoo means to you. This won’t work if you would lose your job. Also it isn’t a good idea if your grandmother would go into heart failure.

Will you cover up your tattoos?

The one thing to remember about covering up any tattoo is to make sure that the cover up doesn’t look worse than simply allowing the tattoo to show. I have outlined some great options for you, but in the end the cover up you choose should be something that is easy and effective for you. 9 times out of 10 the only way you are going to find that out is by trial and error. So choose a couple of these ideas and see which one is suited best for you.