Prices are all inclusive and includes tip and a free design consultation. Customers that book online will choose between a subtle tattoo for $195 and a statement tattoo for $350. The studio has four artists with three to 20 years of experience in tattooing. Guests are welcomed by a comfortable, sleek waiting area and the smell of incense. It’s the same as a permanent piece,” Smallwood said.Ī post shared by Ephemeral Tattoo inside of the studio features 11 jewel-toned tattoo booths made to emulate the light reflections on the Chicago River at night. “We try to be very conscious about how we explain pain to our clients. Simpler line work placed above the waist can fade in one to two years, while tattoos that are more complex and placed on the lower body can take up to three years to fade, Smallwood said.īut don’t be fooled: A semi-permanent tattoo is placed just like a traditional tattoo, meaning there is still pain associated with the application. So, it’ll bloom with me and then fade … and around that time, I’ll probably transition to something else,” Sylvestre said. “I feel like I’m going through a time in my life, like I’m blooming. Sylvestre planned Monday to get a flower placed mid-chest. Credit: Cesar Rubio A tattoo booth inside Ephemeral in the West Loop. “As someone who has a lot of permanent work, I would have loved to have known about Ephemeral years ago, because there’s pieces I definitely regret and I would have loved to have gotten them in temporary ink,” said Teylor Smallwood, studio manager at Ephemeral. Ephemeral now says the ink can last up to three years. The company previously advertised the ink would break down in about a year, but some customers have reported it lasting far longer. The fade time varies depending on where the tattoo is on the body, Smallwood said. Lake St., offers the first made-to-fade tattoo ink that lasts at least a year.ĭeveloped in 2021, Ephemeral’s ink is biodegradable and is broken down by the body over time. On Monday, Sylvestre was the first customer at Chicago’s only semi-permanent tattoo studio, giving customers like her a less daunting option for body art.Įphemeral Tattoo, 1356 W. But for most of the customers the Cut spoke with, Ephemeral was their very first tattooing experience.WEST LOOP - Donita Sylvestre has always wanted a tattoo, but the commitment of permanent ink kept her from following through. Ephemeral’s tattoos are also applied with a real needle as one customer reported, the process feels pretty much like getting a regular tattoo. For the size, Ephemeral’s tattoos - which range from $195 to $450 - are around the same price as traditional ones. When I pay a visit, I learn that while the tattoos are designed to fade away after 12 to 15 months, they’re pretty much the same in the ways that count: cost and pain. Incense burns in a lounge area, while large tabletops and plush couches give the impression of a co-working space with a Botox studio in the back. The Williamsburg studio’s interior, crafted by an ex-Casper designer, seems well aware of this, swathed as it is in soft pinks and greens. Of course, most of its clients are Gen Z and millennials. While Inkbox has found success in trendy collabs with figures like Rupi Kaur and BTS, Ephemeral can probably thank its success on TikTok for its latest $20 million in funding.Īnd Ephemeral has arrived on the scene at a time when the Y2K aesthetic - complete with lower-back tattoos - is everywhere. There’s now a booming market for temporary tattoos, led by venture-backed start-ups like Toronto’s Inkbox and the New York–based Ephemeral, which offer customers “made-to-fade” tattoos that look like the real thing. Turns out I’m not the only one who feels this way. Imagine having that kind of commitment to permanence, to an aesthetic. Obviously you look cool and hot, but it also speaks to your character. I don’t have any tattoos myself, but I’ve always envied those who do.
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