Ephemeral tattoos are leaving an unwanted not-so-temporary mark

Tattoos are more popular now than ever, owing both to more social acceptance (even in some professional circles) and an increasing rise among millennials. Expected to generate $1.4 billion in 2022, tattoo artistry is booming. Ephemeral tattoos, which opened its first location in Brooklyn last year, set out to reinvent the notion of temporary tattoos. Its mission statement: “Real tattoos. Made-to-fade in about 9-15 months.” The startup raised $26.8M in funding, led by Anthos Capital, and has tattooed about 10,000 people since launching. But it is now coming under fire for leaving a mark not nearly as “ephemeral” as promised.

Reporting from the San Francisco Chronicle unveiled that Ephemeral’s tattoos are lasting longer than that 15 months. The article includes interviews with seven Ephemeral customers whose tattoos are “still strongly visible at or beyond the 15-month mark.” All seven customers had gotten their presumably not-so-permanent ink at the startup’s Brooklyn space, while the company also now has tattoo studios in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, and Atlanta. Ephemeral advises customers on its consent forms that the tattoo may last shorter or longer than its touted 9-to-15-month range.

The company told the Chronicle that the average lifespan of its temporary tattoos is based on early studies, which took into consideration tattoo placement, line thickness, skin pigment, and sun exposure. Ephemeral’s scientist cofounders, Brennal Pierre and Vandan Shah, were among Fast Company’s 2021 Most Creative People in Business honorees.