How to Remove Temporary Tattoos

Temporary tattoos are great for kids, a costume party, or for a night where you just feel like looking hardcore without the commitment of a real tattoo but they can be stubborn to get off. Whatever your reason for putting a temporary tattoo on, at some point it will start to peel and you'll want to remove it. Follow these different methods to rub, peel, and soak your tattoo away.

Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Scrubbing

  1. 1
    Apply a small amount of baby oil to the temporary tattoo. Keep in mind that most temporary tattoos are able to stand up to water and soap, so oil is generally the best way to go if you want to scrub a temporary tattoo off. You could also try to use a face or body scrub. The beads from the scrub should help remove the tattoo from your skin.
    • Alternatively, you can use special temporary tattoo remover wipes like Limisan. Those wipes contain silicons which ensure easy removal of the temporary tattoo.
    • Alternatively, you can pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol onto a cotton ball or piece of paper towel. Be aware that rubbing alcohol may burn a bit.
    • If you do not have baby oil, you can use olive oil on your tattoo as well.
  2. Image titled Remove Temporary Tattoos Step 2
    2
    Let the baby oil sit on the tattoo for a minute. Doing this will allow the baby oil to soak into the tattoo (and your skin) making it easier to rub the temporary tattoo away.[1]
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  3. 3
    Get a washcloth and rub the tattoo vigorously. The tattoo should begin to become clumpy and start to peel off and rub away. Keep rubbing until all of the temporary tattoo has been removed.
    • You can use a paper towel in place of a washcloth.
  4. 4
    Wash the remaining oil off with warm water and soap. Wash your skin until there is no oil left. Pat the area dry with a towel.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Peeling

  1. Image titled Remove Temporary Tattoos Step 5
    1
    Rip several pieces of tape off of its roll. Clear tape, such as Scotch tape, works better than masking or painter’s tape. Hang the tape pieces by one end off of the side of a table or counter (wherever you will be working).
  2. 2
    Press a piece of tape down onto the temporary tattoo. Make sure that you press it down firmly so that it attaches to the surface of the temporary tattoo. Use a finger to rub the tape down along your skin.
  3. 3
    Peel the tape off of your skin. The temporary tattoo should peel off with the tape. This process might take several tries, particularly if it is a large temporary tattoo.[2]
  4. 4
    Rub an ice cube on the spot where the temporary tattoo was. Do this after all of the temporary tattoo has been removed. Doing this will reduce the redness caused by peeling the tape from your skin.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Cold Cream

  1. 1
    Apply cold cream to the temporary tattoo. Make sure that the tattoo is fully covered by the cream.[3]
  2. Image titled Remove Temporary Tattoos Step 10
    2
    Let the cold cream sink into the skin. You should leave the cream on for an hour or so to make sure that it thoroughly works its magic on the temporary tattoo.
  3. 3
    Rub the cold cream away with a washcloth. Use warm water and soap to remove any remaining cold cream.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Nail Polish Remover

  1. 1
    Wet a cotton ball with nail polish remover. If you do not have nail polish remover, you can also use rubbing alcohol.[4]
  2. 2
    Rub the temporary tattoo with the cotton ball. Scrub at the tattoo so that it begins to flake off of your skin. You may need to wet the cotton ball again or get a new cotton ball, depending on how large your temporary tattoo is.
  3. 3
    Wash your skin with warm water and soap. Use a washcloth to rinse your skin where your temporary tattoo was. Use warm water and soap to remove any of the acetone left behind by the nail polish remover.
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Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Make Up Remover

  1. 1
    Soak make up remover into a cotton ball.
  2. 2
    Rub over the temporary tattoo. Rub gently.
  3. 3
    Wash off with soap and warm water.
  4. 4
    Allow to air dry or dab with a soft towel.
  5. 5
    Repeat if needed.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    If I don't do any of these methods, how long will my temporary tattoo last?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    All temporary tattoos are different, but it may last up to one week.
  • Question
    Is it safe to put nail polish remover on my neck?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Since nail polish remover has alcohol in it, it can irritate your skin. You most likely would not want to try it on your neck.
  • Question
    Is it safe to do all of this on my face?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Yes. Just make sure you keep every chemical that you use away from your eyes and mouth, so as to avoid harmful ingestion.
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Things You'll Need

  • Cotton balls
  • Baby oil or olive oil
  • Cloth/paper towel
  • Scotch tape
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Soap
  • Water
  • Makeup or nail polish remover
  • Soft towel for drying

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References

  1. ↑ http://bodyjewelry.lifetips.com/cat/59846/temporary-tattoos/index.html
  2. ↑ http://bodyjewelry.lifetips.com/cat/59846/temporary-tattoos/index.html
  3. ↑ http://www.rd.com/home/3-good-ways-to-use-cold-cream/
  4. ↑ http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf14614313.tip.html
  5. Videos provided by Tattoo Sales

About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 56 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 1,576,317 times.
37 votes - 79%
Co-authors: 56
Updated: November 9, 2022
Views: 1,576,317
Categories: Tattoos and Piercing | Temporary Tattoos
Article SummaryX

To remove temporary tattoos, apply a small amount of olive oil or rubbing alcohol to the tattoo and then scrub it off with a washcloth. If you don't have olive oil or rubbing alcohol, try using nail polish remover instead. You can also get temporary tattoos off using clear tape. Just press a piece of the tape onto the tattoo and then slowly peel it off, which will cause the tattoo to peel off with it. For more tips, like using cold cream or makeup remover to get rid of temporary tattoos, keep reading!

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