How to Remove Waterproof Tattoo? [Procedure, Time & Cost]

Almost everyone has thought of getting a tattoo at some instance in their life. But it is always the dread of not liking how it may turn out that stops us from getting one. That is why temporary tattoos became so popular.

You can know how the tattoo of your choice will look without committing to the one that will last forever.

As temporary tattoos evolved, making the ink last was no longer the concern. Instead, it was how to remove them from your skin.

Sometimes you may need to remove the waterproof tattoo before it starts to fade away on its own. Removing it is definitely beyond the capacity of soap and water. Rather try the following methods to remove a waterproof tattoo:

How To Remove Waterproof Tattoos?

Below listed are 8 effective methods to remove waterproof tattoo.

1. Using an Oil-Based Product
2. Using Tape
3. Using Cold Cream
4. Using exfoliating scrubs
5. Using chemical removers
6. Using wipes
7. Using Makeup remover
8. Using hair spray

1. How To Remove Waterproof Tattoos Using an Oil-Based Product?

Temporary waterproof tattoos use ink that is oil-soluble. That is why they can last so long and cannot be washed away with water. Hence, oil-based products can work like a charm when it comes to removing such tattoos.

Oils can break down the adhesives in the temporary tattoo and make it easier to remove. Any oil that you have in the kitchen cabinet or skincare regime, such as coconut oil, olive oil, baby oil, etc., will do the trick.

We recommend this method because it involves products found in almost every home. Even if you do not have them, they often are pretty inexpensive to buy.

This could be a practical method if you have a sizable waterproof tattoo to remove and you do not want to use heavy quantities of chemical removers on your skin.

Moreover, one obvious perk of using oil to remove waterproof tattoos is that it will keep your skin’s natural moisture intact.

Required Items

• Baby oil, coconut oil, or olive oil
• Paper towel
• Warm water
• Mild soap

Procedure [Step by Step]

1. Apply oil on the tattoo

Regardless of the oil you choose, the process remains the same.

Apply plentiful oil to your tattoo. Using your finger, gently dab to spread it over the entire tattoo.

2. Let the oil sit

After loading the waterproof tattoo with oil, you need to let it rest for a minute. During this time, the tattoo will soak in the oil, weakening the hold of the adhesive. 

3. Rub away with a paper towel

Now take a paper towel or just any cloth and use it to rub away the tattoo. Since the oil has already lifted the ink from your skin, rubbing it a couple of times will be enough to completely remove it.

While rubbing, if you find some part of the tattoo is taking longer to remove, apply more oil, wait for a minute, and massage again.

4. Wash with soap

When the tattoo has completely disappeared from the skin, wash with a bar of mild soap and warm water. This removes any remaining part of the tattoo along with the oil that we used in the first step. And that’s it for this method.

Precautions

While using an oil that you do not usually apply on the skin, begin with a patch test to check its compatibility for you.

If rubbing your skin causes redness or irritation, you can use a soothing product such as coconut oil or aloe vera gel to subside these problems.

Time

For a small size tattoo, it can take as little as two minutes. The duration of this method can be more than this as the size of the tattoo increases.

Cost

The budget for this method will vary according to the oil you pick. Baby oil costs around 0.2 to 0.4 USD per Fl Oz, and the price range of coconut oil is 0.4 to 0.6 USD per Fl Oz. At the same time, olive oil costs a bit more, with a price range of 0.6 to almost 2 USD per Fl Oz.

You are free to pick any other natural oil safe for the skin as it would also have a similar price range as above. Thus, you can expect the overall budget to be between 0.4 to 2 USD for every Fl Oz of oil.

Moreover, though the brand is not a major concern for this method, you should still consider purchasing from a trusted brand to ensure optimum oil purity.

2. How To Remove Waterproof Tattoos Using Tape?

One does not expect tape to be one of the products to remove temporary waterproof tattoos, but it actually works. Sticking a tape over the tattoo will transfer the tattoo from your skin to the tape. This is one of the simplest methods and does not require scrubbing or washing.

Although, it turns out to be a helpful method only when you need to remove a small tattoo. Of course, removing a large tattoo will require a lot of pieces of tape, and that is not a smart option. You can also use this method when the tattoo to be removed is fairly new.

Required Items

• Household tape
• Warm water
• Soap

Procedure [Step by Step]

1. Take several pieces of tape

One piece of tape might not be enough to cover the entire tattoo. Hence, you will need several pieces of tape and start removing small sections of the tattoo at a time.

2. Apply tape on the tattoo

Pull out a strip of tape and stick it on your skin where the tattoo is. After this, you need to gently rub over the tape for a minute. This will allow the tattoo to stick to the adhesive of the tape.

3. Remove the tape

Now gently remove the tape from your skin. You will notice that most of the tattoo under the tape has been transferred to the tape’s surface.

4. Repeat in other areas

Now, repeat the same process on the remaining tattoo. Apply tape, rub gently for a minute and remove. Continue doing this till the entire tattoo has been removed.

5. Wash

Tape might leave your skin feeling sticky. To prevent this, wash the area with warm soap and water. This will also remove any small bits of ink still lingering on your skin.

Precautions

Sticking and peeling the tape several times may cause redness of the skin. To soothe it, rub a block of ice on the area for a few seconds.

Time

We recommend using this method only on small tattoos. It will be easy and not take more than three to five minutes.

Cost

The only item you need for this method is a good ol’ scotch tape. Chances are that you already have it at your home. But if you need to buy it, it would be readily available in a local general store or online shopping sites.

A roll of scotch tape will not cost you more than 5 USD. So, you can expect the budget to be 5 USD at maximum.

3. How To Remove Waterproof Tattoos Using Cold Cream?

You must be familiar with removing makeup using cold cream. Similarly, you can use it to remove temporary waterproof tattoos.

Typically, the fundamental ingredients of a cold cream are emulsification of oil and water and a thickening agent. Since it has both oil and water, it can be used to remove oil-soluble things like makeup or, in this case, temporary waterproof tattoos.

Cold creams are usually lightweight, and hence, if you have oily skin, you can benefit from this method. Also, they are pretty cheap, so you will not have to spend a lot to get one.

Required Items

• Cold cream
• Paper towel
• Soap
• Warm water

Procedure [Step by Step]

1. Apply cold cream

Start by applying a generous amount of cold cream to the tattoo. Double-check that the entire tattoo is covered with cream.

2. Let it sit

Leave the cream on the tattoo for at least one hour. This will allow the cream to dissolve the adhesive in the tattoo and absorb the ink.

Since you need to leave the cream on for so long, it is better to do this before going to bed or whenever you do not have any other work that might cause the cream to wipe away before it is absorbed.

3. Wipe away with a paper towel

After waiting an hour, wipe the tattoo away with a paper towel. It may take a few vigorous wipes to completely remove the waterproof tattoo.

4. Wash with soap

Lastly, to remove any persisting tattoo along with the cream, wash the area with warm water and any mild soap.

Precautions

Rubbing vigorously may cause redness on the skin. After removing the tattoo, you can apply any soothing cream, coconut oil or rub a block of ice for a few seconds to reduce it.

Time

The process can take a few minutes more than an hour, given that you have to let the cream sit on the tattoo for at least one hour.

Cost

Cold creams from any reputable brand range from 0.5 to 0.7 USD per ounce. However, if you want a higher quality cream, the cost range can increase to 1 to 2 USD. So, if you even get a small 3.5 oz cold cream, the budget will be roughly 2 to 7 USD.

4. How To Remove Waterproof Tattoos Using Exfoliating Scrubs?

A ubiquitous method to cleanse your skin is to use exfoliating scrubs. They remove the uppermost layer of dead skin cells and promote the growth of new skin cells. While doing so, they also remove unwanted elements from your skin, such as dirt, oil, etc.

Using the same fundamental, exfoliating scrubs can also get rid of temporary waterproof tattoos. These scrubs are pretty efficient at what they do; hence you can use them for virtually any size of the tattoo, whether old or new.

Required Items

• Exfoliating scrub
• For homemade scrub: brown sugar, coffee grounds, and olive oil or coconut oil. (optional)
• Warm water

Procedure [Step by Step]

1. Choose a suitable exfoliating scrub

Choose an exfoliating scrub according to your needs. Use a body scrub to get rid of tattoos from legs, arms, etc. For the face, using a face scrub is a more feasible option.

If you do not have a store-bought scrub, you can make one at home by mixing coffee grounds, brown sugar, and coconut or olive oil. This will be suitable for both your face and body.

2. Rub the scrub over the tattoo

Say you want to remove a large tattoo from your leg or arm; in that case, it is better to do this in the shower.

Get into the shower, rub the exfoliating scrub over the tattoo, and massage in circular motions for up to thirty seconds. You can continue to scrub for more than thirty seconds, if necessary.

The granular texture of the scrub facilitates the removal of the ink and the adhesives in it.

3. Wash away

Once the entire tattoo has been removed, rinse away the residual with warm water.

Time

Scrubbing away a tattoo will take around eight to ten minutes to remove.

Cost

If you decide to use a store-bought exfoliating scrub, the budget will be anywhere between 1 to 5 USD per ounce. The expense is even higher for scrubs with some added ingredients to magnify their benefits for the skin.

As far as a homemade scrub is concerned, you can use the usual coffee powder along with brown sugar that costs 1 to 10 USD per ounce, depending on quality. However, you need not buy the most high-grade brown sugar for making a scrub. Instead, almost any brown sugar will do the trick.

Also, you need to have either coconut oil or olive oil to bind the coffee and sugar together, which have a price range of 0.4 to 0.6 USD per Fl Oz. and 0.6 to 2 USD per Fl Oz, respectively. Hence, the budget will be 2 to 10 USD for creating one Fl Oz of scrub.

5. How To Remove Waterproof Tattoos Using Chemical Removers?

When the tattoo is too stubborn to remove using mild products, or you want them to be removed in less time, you should resort to using a chemical remover.

There are a number of chemicals (some of them may already be present at your house) that you can use if you are interested in this method. This includes rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizers, nail polish removers, and hydrogen peroxide.

These products can break down the adhesives in the tattoo almost effortlessly and remove the tattoo much faster than some other products.

Required Items

• Rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover, hydrogen peroxide, or hand sanitizer.
• Clean cloth
• Warm water

Procedure [Step by Step]

1. Apply remover on the tattoo

Pick a chemical remover based on availability or personal preference. Saturate a small area of a clean cloth with the remover and rub the tattoo.

2. Rub consistently

Continue to rub with the cloth firm, but, gentle circular motions until the tattoo comes off.

The compounds like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or lactic acid in these removers enhance skin permeability and offer a deep cleanse. Hence, you will notice the tattoo peeling away almost instantly.

Add more chemical remover during rubbing if needed.

3. Wash immediately

As soon as the tattoo is lifted from the skin, you should wash it away with warm water.

4. Repeat if required

If some ink spots persist, consider repeating the above process again until all the ink is gone.

Precautions

If you have sensitive skin, consider choosing a remover that is not too harsh for your skin.

Avoid applying it on areas with sensitive skin like the neck or near the eyes.

Time

You will need to spend only two to three minutes to remove a temporary waterproof tattoo with chemical removers.

Cost

The price range of chemical removers are as follows:

• Hydrogen peroxide 0.6 USD to 0.8 USD per ounce.
• Nail polish remover 1 to 3 USD per Fl Oz.
• Rubbing alcohol 0.5 to 1 USD per Fl Oz.
• Hand sanitizer 1 to 3 USD per ounce.

You can pick any chemical removers based on your budget and preference. The expected budget will be between 1 to 3 USD for any chemical remover.

6. How To Remove Waterproof Tattoos Using Wipes?

If your kid got sick of the temporary tattoo just within a few hours after getting it. You can use temporary tattoo wipes to get rid of the tattoo.

These wipes are non-woven fabrics active with oils and cleansers. Hence, they can be used to remove small tattoos without applying any other product. Also, they are pretty inexpensive and safe for all skin types.

Alternatively, you can also use baby wipes for this method.

Required Items

• tattoo remover wipes or baby wipes

Procedure [Step by Step]

1. Rub the tattoo with a wipe

Take a wipe, fold it to a suitable size in order to hold it properly, and begin to rub the tattoo. Continue to wipe the tattoo until the tattoo starts to peel off.

2. Use a second wipe, if needed

Once the first wipe is sullied, pull out a new wipe and rub the remaining tattoo till the entire tattoo has disappeared from the skin.

Time

Rubbing away a temporary waterproof tattoo with wipes can take five to seven minutes. However, this duration can be less or more, depending on the tattoo’s size.

Cost

Whether you buy tattoo remover wipes or baby wipes, the price range will be 0.04 to 0.08 USD per count. Say you get a pack of 100 wipes, in that case, the total expense could be between 4 to 8 USD.

7. How to remove waterproof tattoos Using makeup remover?

Makeup removers are exceptionally well cleansed for the skin. Just like they can remove waterproof makeup, they can also remove temporary waterproof tattoos from the face pretty easily by breaking down its adhesives.

So as long as you have a makeup remover, you need not buy any particular product to remove temporary tattoos.

Required Items

• Makeup remover
• Cotton pads
• Soap and water

Procedure [Step by Step]

1. Saturate cotton pads with makeup remover

Pull out a couple of cotton pads and saturate them with the makeup remover.

2. Apply and wait

Place the cotton pad above the tattoo and let it sit for a minute. During this time, the tattoo will soak in the makeup remover.

3. Rub the tattoo

Now, use the same cotton pad to rub the tattoo. Rub in gentle circular motions until the ink starts to release from your skin. Ensure to use new cotton whenever necessary.

Continue to rub until the tattoo has been removed completely.

4. Rinse

Rinse the area with soap and water to remove ink and makeup remover residue.

Time

Makeup removers can remove temporary waterproof tattoos from your face within two to three minutes.

Cost

You can get a makeup remover for 0.80 to 2 USD per Fl Oz in your local drug store or on an online shopping site. Also, if you need cotton rounds, you can easily get them for 0.02 to 0.05 USD per count. It is always better to buy cotton rounds in a pack of 100 or more as the cost per piece is less than buying them in a pack of 50 or less.

Overall, the total expense for a decent 13.5 Fl Oz of makeup remover and a pack of 100 cotton rounds will be between 16 to 32 USD.

8. How To Remove Waterproof Tattoos Using Hair Spray?

Hair sprays have high quantities of alcohol, an excellent cleanser of oil and dirt. Overall, it might not be a good cleanser, but it is strong enough to remove temporary waterproof tattoos from the skin.

So, if a hair spray is available, you can use it to get rid of temporary tattoos that you no longer like.

Required Items

• Hair spray
• Towel
• Soap and water

Procedure [Step by Step]

1. Spray hair lacquer on the tattoo

Spray a liberal amount of hair lacquer on the tattoo. It shouldn’t be so much that it starts dripping but sufficient enough to cover the ink entirely.

2. Let it sit

After spraying, you have to give it a minute to dry. This will allow the alcohol in the spray to break down the tattoo.

3. Wipe and rinse

Now, use a towel to gently rub off the tattoo, followed by washing the area with soap and water.

Precautions

Do not use hairspray to remove tattoos from your face. It poses a risk of getting hairspray inside your eyes or causing skin irritation.

Time

Hairspray can get rid of unwanted temporary tattoos in three to five minutes.

Cost

The only product that you might need to buy is a hairspray. Its cost range is 1 to 3 USD per Fl Oz. So, even if you purchase the smallest hairspray which is usually 4 Fl Oz, the budget would be 4 to 12 USD.

Conclusion

Temporary tattoos are fun and an excellent way to know how an actual tattoo will turn out. And although they are temporary, they can be tricky to remove.

So, the next time you get a temporary waterproof tattoo and don’t like it, ditch soap and water; instead, try using any of the above methods to get rid of it.