I got a real, made-to-fade tattoo that will be gone in a year, and it's perfect for anyone as indecisive as I am

Rachel AskinasiSep 24, 2022, 17:34 IST

I got a made-to-fade tattoo at Ephemeral in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

I recently fulfilled a dream and got a real, made-to-fade tattoo.
The ink, which is designed to be broken down by the body, was designed by Ephemeral.

I've wanted a tattoo for years, but I've never been able to take the leap and commit to inking myself for life.

I started testing out tattoo placement and shapes with Inkbox.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

When I heard about Ephemeral, I felt like I had the opportunity to test out this semi-lifelong dream.

Inside Ephemeral's Williamsburg studio.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

I wasn't quite sure how ink could be designed to fade over time, but the Ephemeral website breaks it down a bit.

The site is filled with graphics like this one that explain the process.Screengrab via Ephemeral's website

Prospective clients can book an appointment after paying the $20 deposit, taking a design quiz, and snagging a time slot during the weekly Thursday appointment drops.

I made my appointment around a week in advance.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

On the day of my appointment, I arrived at the NYC studio and immediately was impressed with the atmosphere.

The studio in Williamsburg looks aesthetically pleasing even before you enter.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

Inside, there was a lounge-looking waiting area with free snacks, candy, and a mini-fridge of beverages.

The waiting area at Ephemeral Williamsburg.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

After checking in, a team member came over to explain the process and how Ephemeral ink works.

A team member told me what to expect and walked me through how the ink breaks down.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

Then, my designated artist came over to show me the design he came up with based on the survey I filled out. It didn't match my vision and I started to stress.

We went through several iterations of the design.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

I moved into one of the tattooing stalls to get started.

One of the tattooing stalls at Ephemeral Williamsburg.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

The first step was deciding what size design I wanted.

The artist held up three different size possibilities for me to choose from.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

Then the artist prepped my arm for the tattoo.

He cleaned and shaved the area where he was going to place my tattoo.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

After placing the stencil, the artist prepped his ink and needle and I started to invoke my yoga breathing techniques — I was nervous!

the artist used a stencil to draw the design with the needle and ink.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

But once he started using the needle, I was shocked at how manageable I thought the pain was.

I was gripping the table, but it hurt less than I anticipated.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

The tattooing process itself took around 15 minutes.

Once he started applying my tattoo, the whole thing was over pretty quickly.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

Once the artist was done, an employee came over to explain aftercare and teach me how to apply the safety patch that would protect both the design and my skin.

A team member explained aftercare.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

The patch felt strange on my arm, but it never fell off — even when I took a hot yoga class.

My patch started to fill with blueish liquid (left), but it looked clean when I put a fresh one on.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

With Polaroids and ring-light stations, there are plenty of ways to get your perfect social-media shot.

There were a lot of photo opportunities at the studio.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

After living with my tattoo for a month now, I can say that I'm thrilled with the finished product and it was exactly what I needed to feel confident in taking the plunge.

My tattoo is still looking fresh after one month.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

After living with my tattoo for a month now, I can say that I'm thrilled with the finished product and it was exactly what I needed to feel confident in taking the plunge.

I compared every aspect of business-class train travel in Canada and the US. One is worth the higher price.

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

I got a real, made-to-fade tattoo that will be gone in a year, and it's perfect for anyone as indecisive as I am

I've wanted a tattoo for years, but I've never been able to take the leap and commit to inking myself for life.

When I heard about Ephemeral, I felt like I had the opportunity to test out this semi-lifelong dream.

I wasn't quite sure how ink could be designed to fade over time, but the Ephemeral website breaks it down a bit.

Prospective clients can book an appointment after paying the $20 deposit, taking a design quiz, and snagging a time slot during the weekly Thursday appointment drops.

On the day of my appointment, I arrived at the NYC studio and immediately was impressed with the atmosphere.

Inside, there was a lounge-looking waiting area with free snacks, candy, and a mini-fridge of beverages.

After checking in, a team member came over to explain the process and how Ephemeral ink works.

Then, my designated artist came over to show me the design he came up with based on the survey I filled out. It didn't match my vision and I started to stress.

I moved into one of the tattooing stalls to get started.

The first step was deciding what size design I wanted.

Then the artist prepped my arm for the tattoo.

After placing the stencil, the artist prepped his ink and needle and I started to invoke my yoga breathing techniques — I was nervous!

But once he started using the needle, I was shocked at how manageable I thought the pain was.

The tattooing process itself took around 15 minutes.

Once the artist was done, an employee came over to explain aftercare and teach me how to apply the safety patch that would protect both the design and my skin.

The patch felt strange on my arm, but it never fell off — even when I took a hot yoga class.

With Polaroids and ring-light stations, there are plenty of ways to get your perfect social-media shot.

After living with my tattoo for a month now, I can say that I'm thrilled with the finished product and it was exactly what I needed to feel confident in taking the plunge.