Whether you’re covering up for a job interview, or have just decided you’ve had enough of the ink on your skin, learning how to cover up a tattoo with makeup is a useful skill to add to your repertoire. Special tattoo cover up makeup is available, or you can work with the products you already own.
There’s no need to go under the knife for any expensive procedures if you just fancy a new look. With the right products to hand and some simple tips and tricks, you can soon disguise your tats and have flawless looking skin.
Priming Your Skin
You can easily cover up a tattoo and having it looking flawless for an hour or two, but a few hours down the line you may start to notice some ink poking through, which definitely isn’t a good look. Prepping your skin for makeup application is the first step to ensuring a long lasting hold.
Start off by thoroughly cleansing your skin. Any dirt or grime on the surface will mean an uneven application of makeup with less longevity. You may also need to shave if you have any hair under the tattoo as hairs will cling to the makeup.
All good makeup routines should start with a primer, regardless of whether you’re covering a blemish, pigmentation or a full-on tattoo.
Choose a primer which is known for making makeup last, such as the Benefit Stay Flawless 15-Hour-Primer or the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer and blend it into the skin.
Neutralize Your Tattoo
Once your skin has been primed, you will want to use an orange toned product to neutralize the darkness of your tattoo. You can buy tattoo cover up makeup in this tone, or just use an orange product from your collection such as a cream eyeshadow or even a lipstick.
You don’t need to be too precise at this stage, but again make sure you reach for a long-lasting product which is going to hold well to the skin.
We recommend the Make Up For Ever Waterproof Cream Color Eye Shadow in 10 Orange. Alternatively, you can use a heavy duty corrector such as a Bobbi Brown Corrector in a peach-toned shade.
Set the Corrector in Place
Once you have neutralized any darkness from the ink, you will want to set your orange corrector in place with a translucent selling powder.
This will not only help the product last longer but will also eliminate any shine and tackiness for a smoother finish. Use a large fluffy brush to achieve a flawless finish.
Trace Your Tattoo
Now that your initial correction is in place and has been set, you will want to trace the outline of your tattoo using a concealer which matches the skin tone of the surrounding skin.
You will want to use a relatively dry concealer which doesn’t slide around, such as a stick concealer, or alternatively, you can even use a flesh-toned eyeliner for the job.
We recommend the Shiseido Perfecting Stick Concealer as it spreads easily without creasing or fading.
Blend with Foundation
You don’t want to simply blend in the concealer as this won’t be enough coverage to completely cover the tattoo. Instead wait a few minutes for the concealer to fully set onto the tracing, then go back in with a heavy duty foundation to blend the surrounding skin.
Using a dense brush such as the It Brushes Airbrush Buffing Foundation Brush #110 as this will pack on the coverage whilst leaving a seamless finish, and apply your foundation in circular motions.
Whilst your corrector and concealer will have covered the majority of the darkness, using a heavy duty foundation will seal the deal for a completely invisible look.
The Dermablend Leg and Body Cover is one of the most popular tattoo cover up makeup products due to its high coverage finish. Alternatively, try the Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation which is known for its longevity.
Avoid any product with shimmer and opt for matte or natural finishes instead.
Set the Look
Once you are happy with the results and everything looks perfectly covered, it’s time to set all the makeup in place to ensure it lasts all day without any ink making an unwanted appearance.
Start off by applying a powder in the same color as your skin tone to mattify the look and set the foundation in place. Use a powder puff as opposed to a brush as this will press the powder into the skin rather than disturbing the foundation underneath.
The Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Powder is a great option and already comes with a powder puff. You can also carry this with you throughout the day just in case you need to make any emergency touch ups.
You may also want to set the look in place using a setting spray such as the Urban Decay All Nighter Spray. This will prevent your makeup from reacting to heat and humidity and ensure it lasts the distance.
The key to covering up your tattoo is working in layers and setting everything at each step of the way. Always use makeup known for longevity with as high coverage as possible to really make sure that tattoo is covered up.
Covering a tattoo doesn’t have to mean a huge medical bill and permanent results, with a few skills in the makeup department you can pick and choose when your tat comes out and when it gets hidden away.
