Remember the lick-and-stick stamps that came on every wrapper of Fruit Stripe gum? Or the sheet of pop-star photos that used to hide inside the binding of every J-14 and Tiger Beat? Temporary tattoos might sound like cause for nostalgia, but far from being a relic of the past, they’re actually cool again — especially among the festival-going crowd.
Thankfully, the temporary-tattoo game has improved since 2002, and they’ve even been given a new, less literal name: flash tattoos. The designs this time around are shinier, and significantly chicer, than the cutouts of Jesse McCartney’s face you’d have to press with a wet paper towel to your elbow. From glitter freckles to iridescent butterflies and trendy florals that look way more realistic than whatever you’d trade with your BFF in middle school, flash tattoos are so cool that even celebrities like Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Cara Delevingne have hopped on the bandwagon.
Unlike other festival makeup options, a sheet of flash tattoos can slide right into your carry-on with ease, and they wash off immediately, so the festival doesn’t have to follow you home — unless, of course, you want it to. Ahead, check out the coolest flash tattoos to wear this summer.
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Temporary tattoos aren’t just for your body — you can decorate your eyes and cheeks with them, too. These fairy-inspired designs from Mr. Kate make for the sparkliest alternative to your usual cat-eye.
Mr. Kate BeautyMarks "The New Makeup" – Fairy Dust, $14, available at Mr. Kate
Instead of getting your freckles tattooed, opt for these confetti tattoos that go on with the help of a damp cloth — no needles required.
Lottie London Freckle Tatts Temporary Face & Body Foil Tattoos, $8.99, available at Ulta Beauty
Or take the rainbow from your face to your chest — or arms, or legs, or back. A full Coachella weekend could even call for both two-sheets of designs on your whole body.
Flash Tattoos Forever Rainbow, $12, available at Flash Tattoos
Beyond a selection of scented tattoos, Tattly also offers pretty florals, feathers, and these colorful bushels of berries — which look really rad when tatted onto your ear.
Tattly Wild Berries Sheet, $10, available at Tattly
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Source: Refinery29 – Samantha Sasso