Stumped as to how to remove temporary tattoos? The process for removal varies as to what type of temporary tattoo you have used. The three most common types of temporary tattoos are henna tattoos, airbrush tattoos and adhesive tattoos. Each type of tattoo is best removed using a different process.

Adhesive Tattoos
Adhesive tattoos are the easiest temporary tattoos to remove. These are the type of tattoos your kids come home from birthday parties wearing, the kind that are a thin layer of plastic on a thicker layer of shiny plastic. These come off best with baby oil or mineral oil. Apply baby oil to a cotton ball, and then gently rub the cotton ball over the tattoo site. The oil will dissolve the tattoo so it will peel right off.

Airbrush Tattoos
Airbrush tattoos are relatively easy to remove. The airbrush artist sprays ink onto your skin. If you want to keep the tattoo on, you’ll want to protect it when you shower and pat, not rub it, if it gets wet so the ink doesn’t smudge. When you are ready to remove the airbrush tattoo, soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol. Rub the cotton ball over the airbrush tattoo; it should come right off. If it doesn’t all come off right away, use baby oil, then wash it and try alcohol again. It should come off completely after a couple of tries.

Henna Tattoos
Henna tattoos soak into your skin, leaving a semi-permanent tattoo on your skin. Because the henna actually stains your skin, the only way to remove a henna tattoo is to remove those outermost layers of skin. You’ll need to use an exfoliating cream to loosen and remove the top layer of skin cells. It may take you several days of exfoliating to completely remove the henna tattoo. Make sure you moisturize after each exfoliation to protect your skin from damage.