Do you regularly contemplate getting some beautifully designed body art, but are plagued with looming questions like, will it look right? Will the artist be able to recreate my vision? Will I still like the placement in six months, or six years? Is this just a phase or something I really want? Tattoos are a huge commitment, but Ephemeral Tattoo offers the perfect solution. 

Founded in New York, the chain has locations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, and as of September, right here in Houston. (Stay tuned for a Miami location, soon to open.) Ephemeral ink is a medical-grade, bio-absorbable, and made to fade. The ingredients shrink over time until they’re small enough to, well, fade away. The tattoo should stay vibrant for up to nine months and will begin to fade until it has completely vanished around the 15-month marker. With this temporary option you can basically test-drive any design you want, whether it’s a big statement piece or subtle sketch.

My body art journey began during my undergrad years, and many of my tattoos were chosen without much thought. Now that I’m older, I have a few small regrets and my approach to planning tattoos is much different. I want to ensure that every piece has a meaning behind it—it is permanent, after all. But even if I have a concept of what I would like the artist to bring to life, I still have a few lingering fears. So with an idea in mind, I took a trip to the newly opened Houston location to try out the semi-permanent ink for myself. 

Located in the heart of Montrose, Ephemeral Tattoo is in close proximity to the Montrose Collective, Present Company, Montrose Paint Wall, and the Leopard Lounge. (It’s the one with “regret nothing” posted in each front window.) Upon entry, I was greeted by team lead Amanda Colvin, senior cx associate Ashley Ruiz, and my artist for the day, Ghcstly Escobar. We immediately talked about my tattoo concept: Japanese sakura, aka cherry blossoms—a symbol of spring and fleeting nature of life. I was able to show them my inspirations from different photos and my artist began to work on a sketch. 

In the meantime, I was given a tour around the shop. Each workstation was colored with a different neutral tone to reflect Pantone’s newly released skin tone guide. There was a nice comfy lounge area in the front and back, games to keep you occupied and of course, complimentary snacks and drinks like Culture POP, Dot’s homestyle pretzels, Cracker Jack, and the ever-so nostalgic Ring Pop (I did pack one to-go in my purse). After filling out paperwork and waivers, I was given a small presentation on how the actual tattooing process would go and instructions for after-care.

The procedural steps are still the same as that of a permanent tattoo, so once my desired size was chosen my skin was prepped, I took my place on the bed and prepared for the needle. Overall, tattoo application took approximately an hour and a half. The pain was tolerable; I’d rank it as  a three on a scale from one to 10. It could also be noted that it may not have hurt terribly because I was focused on our conversations about Starbucks, astrology, piercings, previous tattoo experiences, etc. while hits from Justin Timberlake and Paramore played in the background. But do keep in mind that everyone’s pain tolerance is different and highly depends on tattoo placement. 

Once we finished, I was able to take a look in the mirror and I fell in love almost immediately. The placement was perfect and the detailing in the design was exquisite. Not only did I get a tattoo, I may have even found my new go-to artist! (Good to know, because most of Emphemeral’s tattoo artists are also employed in shops that offer permanent ink.) We chatted more about how to properly care for the body art in the coming days and I was also given an after-care kit that included cleanser, moisturizer, and anti-itch cream for the peeling process. We took lots of photos/videos and I was also gifted a nice polaroid of my tattoo to keep. 

Now that there’s some wiggle room for body art, it’s time to get all the tattoos you’ve considered over the years—for a nice, short period of time.