Women, especially brides, can drive themselves crazy trying to hide an unsightly tattoo before a big event. Gone are the days of patching bandages over your tats. As the cosmetic industry continues to evolve, more options are available for seamlessly covering unsightly blemishes, scars, tattoos, or anything else you want to remain unnoticed at a special event.
From my time working as a beauty consultant in a popular cosmetics retailer, I often recommended Dermablend to women looking for major coverage for tattoos or even bruises and discoloration on their legs. They make a body foundation (something you don’t really see every day!) and also a cover cream, for more concentrated, full coverage for smaller areas. While they have a foundation for your face and a great cover stick as well (awesome for hiding acne!), I’d recommend the body foundation to cover tattoos. For optimal results using Dermablend products to cover tattoos, it’s a three-step process.
- Prime. Before application the removal of excess hair and exfoliation is recommended to allow for a smoother and softer appearance. If the removal of excess hair is considered unnatural, such as a man’s arm, simply apply Leg and Body Tattoo Primer as normal and comb off excess makeup with an eyebrow brush or unused toothbrush.
- Cover. Apply Leg and Body Cover SPF 15 with finger tips or brush and blend evenly on area, using an up and down motion. Continue to blend at the edges to avoid creating lines. Allow five to eight minutes of drying. If additional coverage is desired, allow the foundation to dry slightly and reapply using the same application method.
- Set. Pat on Setting Powder generously over covered areas. Wait two to five minutes. Lightly brush of excess powder using a makeup powder brush.
Here’s an example of the finished product from their website. By the way, I don’t work for them or get any free products. I recommend this brand because I’ve seen it work!
I highly suggest finding the right shade for your skin tone by actually trying it out in the store. If that’s not possible, here’s a handy chart. These formulas are waterproof and smudge-resistant, and will definitely last all day. Which reminds me, I should probably warn you: This stuff really, really lasts, and that means it doesn’t come off in a runny mess like normal foundation. You may want to grab some of the Dermablend makeup remover while you’re at the store to have an easier time removing these products at the end of the day. Or if that’s just not feasible for you, give olive oil a try.
Another waterproof, smudge-resistant option is Smart Cover cosmetics. The line of corrective cosmetics was created by Flori Roberts, creator of Dermablend, and features their most popular selling item, concealing cream.
While I haven’t used this brand before, since it wasn’t sold in the beauty store I worked in, I can’t vouch for it personally, but you can watch some pretty amazing demonstrations on their website. The Smart Cover concealing cream claims to temporarily cover even the darkest tattoos, and even hide age spots, birthmarks, dark circles under the eyes, acne scars and other skin imperfections.
Dr. Steven Shapiro, a dermatologist in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., said of the line, “My patients love Smart Cover concealers. They are formulated with advanced technology that gives them a smooth base. They are waterproof, long-lasting and don’t require setting powder. They are very easy to use on both face and body, and affordable for short- and long-term use. Most importantly, Smart Cover works. I recommend it with confidence.”
So there you have it, ladies! Those are the leading brands for covering tattoos. They’re also great for hiding acne, rosacea, birthmarks, scars, and more. So if you’re looking for a super intense cover, those are my recommendations based on my own experience and training as a beauty consultant and based on reputation and industry standards.
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