Ephemeral Ink Use Instruction
We founded Ephemeral in 2014 with a mission to create a world of limitless self-expression on a belief that impermanence empowers. It elevates the moment. It frees us to take risks.
As trained PhD Chemical Engineers who grew up in rigid traditional immigrant households, we wanted to give ourselves the freedom to wear a tattoo we could love for now, one that could add to the art of tattooing and inspire the community to expand.
With the world’s only Made-to-Fade tattoo, a real tattoo that really disappears without laser removal, we hope we have accomplished that.
Selling Ephemeral Ink directly to our community is a milestone in making Made-to-Fade tattoos more widely available. Whether you are tattoo curious, an apprentice, professional tattoo artist, or bringing this to your favorite tattoo artist, we believe we have created a product you will love.
In order to get the most out of your Made-to-Fade tattoo, please carefully read all instructions provided before opening your ink pack.
P
Ink Pack
Included per Pack
- .5 ML of Ephemeral ink.
- One container of dry ink powder, including two shake beads per container.
- One Syringe of carrier solution.
NOT Included
- Tattoo Ink Cap - These are used to store small amounts of ink and necessary when using tattoo machines. They are not necessary for manual needles or stick and poke tattooing. If needed, artists recommend 8mm ink cups, which can be found on Amazon or other generic tattoo supply stores for purchase.
- Tattoo Aftercare Cover - Ephemeral tattoos must be covered with a barrier after tattooing and we highly recommend hydrocolloid patches or second skin, which can be purchased on Amazon or generic tattoo supply stores.
- Unscented moisturizer - During the healing of your Ephemeral tattoo we highly recommend you apply an unscented moisturizer.
- Skin Disinfectant - Immediately after applying your tattoo and prior to applying aftercare, it should be cleaned. The most common product used by tattoo artists is Green Soap.
RISKS AND CONSIDERATIONS
Please read carefully before opening.
Ephemeral Ink is applied with traditional tattoo needles that must pierce the skin in order to be applied. Improper use and care can result in infections, adverse healing, inconsistent ink saturation, uneven fading, and shorter or longer lasting fade durations.
Regardless of your skill or experience level, there are certain tattoo techniques commonly used for permanent tattoos that should not be used or avoided with Ephemeral ink. These techniques can lead to excessive skin trauma, difficulty healing or uneven fading. See “How to Use Ephemeral Ink, According to Artists” below for more details.
Only those highly skilled and experienced with tattooing can use traditional tattoo machines, while we recommend that those who are inexperienced or less skilled use manual needles.
Each unit of ink is for single-use only. You are responsible for maintaining a safe and sterile environment while tattooing.
If you are pregnant, are nursing or have a history of allergies or other adverse response to absorbable sutures (dissolvable stitches) or other such absorbable materials please do not use.
Ephemeral ink should never be diluted or mixed with other materials and should only be stored in its original packaging, unmixed, in cool dry places with temperatures less than 35 C/95 F.
All instructions are informed by our past experiences and are subject to change based on new learnings.
Preparing Your Ink
Hand mixing instructions.
Step One
Identify the ink powder container, which has a blue cap, and the carreir solution syringe, which has a black cap.
Step Two
Remove the powder container and carrier solution syringe caps.
Step Three
Twist to lock carrier solution syringe into ink powder container and inject carrier solution.
Step Four
With the carrier solution syringe still locked into the ink powder container, shake/mix for 30 seconds.
Step Five
(Skip if using a tattoo machine)
Remove carrier solution syringe from the ink powder container, open the ink powder container and ink is ready to use.
Step Six
(Only if using a tattoo machine)
Pull mixed ink from container back into the syringe.
Step Seven
(Only if using a tattoo machine)
Inject ink from syringe into ink cup and ink is ready to use.
How to Use Ephemeral Ink, According to Artists
Ephemeral ink marks the latest step in tattoo innovation, following advancements from hand-poked needles to electric and rotary machines, and from traditional styles to hyperrealism and fine line.
As with any tool, mastering Ephemeral ink takes practice. The quality of art still depends on the user, so we encourage artists to keep learning and pushing their skills.
To help our artist community grow, here are key insights from current partners on what works and what does not.
| Importance of Prioritizing the Skin | Because made-to-fade tattoos, well...fade, how the skin is treated impacts how it will look after the tattoo disappears. Permanent tattoos can mask skin damage. For this reason, Artists using Ephemeral ink have abandoned certain techniques that risk overworking the skin. |
| Techniques That Work Best | To achieve shading, try stippling (dot by dot) or hatching. Transfer is easier and the risk of overwork is reduced by stretching the skin and adapting both hand speed and machine settings. |
| Techniques That Are Challenging | Skin overwork is likely to occur when passing over saturated lines, crowding stipples or lines, cross-hatching or solid filling. |
| Ink Transfer | Ink transfer is sometimes compared to white ink. |
| Ink Feel | Described as thin and comparable to gray wash ink. |
| Placements | Similar to permanent ink, there is variability in the difficulty across different body placements. Face, head and genital placements are highly discouraged. |
| Needle Groupings | Artist consensus is that 3 to 13 round liners work well and as artists become more experienced using the ink, smaller needle groupings may also work. |
Tattoo Design Best Practices
Your tattoo design choices can have a major impact on how your Ephemeral fades. In particular, if your tattoo design requires line work with varying ink saturation, the darker lines will take longer to disappear than the lighter ones.
To learn more about the drivers of fade, check out our How It Works page.
Aftercare and Healing
Once you complete your tattoo, proceed to aftercare instructions, which can be found on our Aftercare and Healing page.