They say you should never answer a question with a question; but if you think you’d regret it, why get a tattoo? I started getting tattooed at 18; some were impulsive decisions, others considered, but all of them have created a body tapestry that I have no regrets about. That’s because I had reasons for all of them (often to mark a milestone), so they’re not fashion-led, which is key if you’re prone to regret.
We live in a culture where tattoos aren’t seen as subversive any more, so if you’re worried about them being visible, it might be worth pondering: are they really your style or do you just feel pressured into getting one for some reason? If you’re concerned that they won’t age well here’s a heads up: all skin ages, so you can have sagging skin with or without ink on it, you choose. Wedding day photos tend to be another concern, but I always think of a friend of mine with a chest piece who chose her wedding dress to show her artwork off because they’re part of her story (although you can get specialist tattoo camouflage makeup, such as Vichy’s Dermablend range, to cover them, too).
Before I get any new ink, I give it a test run. Inkster makes fairly realistic looking temporary tattoos, so find the one closest to what you want and try it out. Likewise, Pavan Beauty has a Premium Jagua Henna Cone (£25)in a rich black shade that’s perfect for trialling tattoos before you get them permanently inked, and lasts up to two weeks. If you do end up regretting your ink in the future, you can have tattoos evolved into new artworks as you go, which is something I’ve done on older pieces, but tattoo removal can be painful and expensive, so I wouldn’t think of that as an insurance. Do the test run, and if you’re still concerned – step away.
Got a beauty question for Anita? Email her at BeautyQ&[email protected]
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25456835/DSC07518.JPG)
