inkbox tattoos

Eva Hsia
Jun 10, 2019
3 min read

Updated: May 22, 2022

So I've always loved tattoos. I was that girl walking down Venice beach that would stop and ask my parents if I could pretty please get an airbrush or henna tattoo. This continued through college, where every time I saw a henna booth I would stop to take a look (although more accurately, I should say get in line). The idea of getting a design you like or something that was meaningful at that point in your life was very appealing to me.

My fascination with tattoos however never led to me actually getting one. Why, you ask? Well frankly, I'm terrified of needles. Ok that might be an over-exaggeration, but I have a strong dislike to needles. A byproduct from getting sick at a young age and having to get multiple shots. That and I am a terribly indecisive person. I could never pick a design and commit to it for life. I mean, what if you don't like the same thing 10 years in the future? Or if your body changes and the tattoo gets stretched out or saggy? Yeah... I was perfectly happy with temporary tattoos.

Scrolling through Instagram one day, an inkbox ad popped up on my feed.

"Temporary bad decisions"

My interest was piqued. Being the responsible young adult I am, I kept on scrolling….. Haha who am I kidding, of course I clicked in and proceeded to browse the website and research what inkbox is. From their website, it says "inkbox uses a semi-permanent tattoo technology, so they look authentic and last long! Our ink sinks into the top layer of your skin (called the epidermis, if you wanna get technical) and reacts with organic compounds to change its color to a dark blue or black. Our patented formula is non-toxic, painless and made from safe ingredients."

This seemed perfect for me! I went ahead and purchased an inkbox tattoo and a bottle of their freehand ink. The application process for both are a little different. For the stenciled tattoos, you basically peel-and-stick, rub an alcohol wipe over the patch, and apply pressure for 12-15 minutes with a warm towel, then wash the area (all instructions and materials are included in the kit).

Here's a video of the application process:

The freehand ink is very straightforward. Just draw your design, let sit for an hour, then wash away with soap and water. As with both the stencil and freehand ink, your tattoo will develop in 24-36 hours and last 1-2 weeks depending on placement and care.

Having played with both now, I can definitely say I like the freehand ink much better.

While the stenciled tattoos have some very cute designs and allow you to get much more detailed and intricate design with minimal work, I like the freedom the freehand ink gives you. With the ink I can draw any design I want, when I want (limited art skills permitting). It allows me to wear tattoos like jewelry to match with my mood or my travels.

Since I've bought my bottle of ink, I have constantly been asking friends and coworkers if they'd like a tattoo and if I can draw one on them. It's been a great conversation starter and I love seeing how excited everyone is when they first hear about it! It's fun to see what designs people request and what it tells you about them. For me, the best part remains that it is temporary. Once my current one wears off, I can just draw a different one~

I'm looking forwards to all the different designs I can create especially for all the travels I'm planning!